Patent number 20090166098 is for the non-visual control of a multi-touch device. It relates to electronic devices that include a multi-touch user interface component. More specifically, this relates to navigating an electronic device's menu system using a multi-touch user interface component in the absence of a visual display.

The patent relates to electronic devices that include a multi-touch user interface component. More specifically, this relates to portable media devices that enable a user to listen to music, facilitate telephone conversations, send and receive electronic messages, and utilize a multi-touch input panel in an eyes-free manner. A user may use a multi-touch user input component to navigate a menu system absent a functioning display screen, virtual buttons or any other visual cues or prompts. Audio cues, portions of prerecorded songs, and any other type of audio information may help the user to mentally map and quickly navigate the device's menu system.

Here's Apple's background on the invention: "Electronic devices are a staple of modern society. Every day, millions of people use cellular telephones, desktop computers and digital music players. As technology and innovation forge ahead, display screens become more engaging, devices become more portable, and processors become faster. One electronic device was recently lauded as being revolutionary for successfully combining these three things. That device is Apple Inc.'s iPhone. The iPhone.TM. is a portable electronic device that combines processing power and a single multi-touch display screen in a portable package.

"Multi-touch display screens usually include a transparent touch panel and visual display component. The touch panel comprises a touch sensitive surface and is often positioned in front of the display screen. In this manner, the touch sensitive surface covers the viewable area of the display screen and, in response to detecting a touch event, generates a signal that can be processed and utilized by other components of the electronic device.

"Multi-touch display screens are frequently configured to display virtual buttons and other types of options to the user. The user may select a virtual button by tapping the multi-touch display screen where the virtual button is being displayed. The locations, shapes and sizes of virtual buttons, unlike physical buttons, can be dynamic and change as the user navigates through the menu system of the electronic device. This allows the same physical space to represent different buttons at different times.

"Despite the shape, size and location of virtual buttons changing, the user can only feel the smooth, hard surface of the multi-touch display screen. For obvious reasons, a user who is permanently visually impaired (e.g., blind) or often temporally visually impaired may prefer to use an electronic device that has physical buttons because physical buttons can be located based on touch alone. As used herein, the phrase "temporally visually impaired" refers to a user who is physically capable of seeing, but is unable to see or would rather not divert his attention to his electronic device's display screen (because, e.g., the user is operating a motor vehicle, the electronic device is in the user's pocket, etc.).

"Some electronic devices, such as automated teller machines (ATMs), combine static tactile feedback (such as Braille) with audible instructions to help visually impaired people use the devices. But the audible instructions are inefficient and can be frustrating. For example, a user may have to listen to a long list of options before the user is able to determine which option is best. Once the user hears the option the user wants to select, the user must search for the right physical button using touch alone. The present invention improves on the devices discussed above as well as on others."

The inventor is Ashwin Sunder. The graphic below is an illustrative systems in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

Patent number 20080169070 is for controlling an electronic device by using a person's fingerprints. The present invention can include systems and methods for controlling an electronic device by detecting and using a person's fingerprints. A device can store user input signatures, including fingerprint signatures.

The user input signatures can, in turn, be associated with user-selectable commands. When a user provides user input (including fingerprints) to the electronic device that matches one of the stored user input signatures, the device can initiate the associated user-selectable command.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "Many conventional electronic devices may incorporate user interfaces that require a user to look at the interface in order to interact with it. For example, many currently available electronic devices have input mechanisms (e.g., buttons and dials) that require visual identification before the users can manipulate the input mechanisms and, thereby, control operation of the device.

"Unfortunately, in some situations, a user may not be able to or it may not be safe for the user to do so. For example, a consumer may not be able to look at a user interface while the user is performing some activities (e.g., driving or exercising). Likewise, it may be difficult for those who are visually-impaired to interact with electronic devices that require users to look at the user interface. Without being able to look at the device, the user may not be able to visually identify the correct user input mechanism to manipulate in order to cause the device to initiate a desired command.

"Furthermore, as people become increasingly active and mobile, they are demanding increasingly smaller electronic devices. The design of smaller devices can be limited, however, by user interfaces that require numerous user input mechanisms to provide an appropriate scope of user interaction with the devices.

"The present invention can include systems and methods for controlling an electronic device by detecting and using a person's fingerprints. For example, a device can store unique compositions of a user's fingerprints as fingerprint signatures, which can, in turn, be associated with user-selectable commands. When a user provides a composition of fingerprints to the electronic device that matches one of the fingerprint signatures, the device can initiate the associated command. A composition of fingerprints can comprise a group of one or more fingerprints. This can include, for example, a fingerprint from one finger or fingerprints from multiple fingers. A composition having multiple fingerprints can include, for example, fingerprints obtained from a user pressing one finger multiple times to a fingerprint sensor or by a user pressing different fingers to one or more fingerprint sensors.

"In another embodiment of the present invention, a user-selectable command can be associated with a user input signature that has both a fingerprint signature and a non-fingerprint signature. The electronic device can be configured to initiate the user-selectable command after it detects and matches user input to the associated fingerprint signature and non-fingerprint signature. The non-fingerprint signature can include, for example, verbal input, a conventional button input, input on a multi-touch interface (e.g., similar to that incorporated into an iPhone, sold by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), any other type of user input, or any combination thereof.

"In comparison with a conventional device that requires a user to initiate user-selectable commands by manipulating a button or dial, the present invention can reduce and, in some embodiments, eliminate the need for a user to look at a device's user interface in order to interact with and control the device. Furthermore, the present invention can reduce the size of an electronic device by replacing a plurality of conventional user input mechanisms (e.g., buttons and/or dials) with a fewer number of fingerprint sensors.

"In another embodiment, a device of the present invention also can use a user's fingerprints for authentication purposes, in addition to controlling operation of the device. For example, responsive to a positive authentication determination, a device of the present invention can permit a user to access one or more functions of the electronic device and/or stored content. Systems and methods also are provided for a registration process to associate unique compositions of a user's fingerprints with user-selectable commands."

The inventor is Anthony Fadell. The graphic below is an illustrative electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

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