Ergonomics
`
`ISSN: 0014-0139 (Print) 1366-5847 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/terg20
`
`Touch Displays: A Programmed Man-Machine
`Interface
`
`E. A. JOHNSON
`
`To cite this article: E. A. JOHNSON (1967) Touch Displays: A Programmed Man-Machine
`Interface, Ergonomics, 10:2, 271-277, DOI: 10.1080/00140136708930868
`
`To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00140136708930868
`
`Published online: 25 Apr 2007.
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`Download by: [University of Toronto Libraries]
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`Date: 21 January 2017, At: 09:28
`
`BlackBerry Exhibit 1016, pg. 1
`
`

`
`Touch Displays: A Programmed Man-Machine Interface
`
`By E. A. JOHNSON
`Royal Radar Establishment. RIalvern
`
`1. Introduction
`A very large number of so-called automatic data-processing systems require
`the co-operation of human operators to achieve satisfactory operation. In
`many of these systems it is necessary to reduce operator reaction time to a
`minimum, which in turn demands a n arrangement where the man-machine
`communications are optimized. This requires that the methods of presenting
`information to, and receiving instructions from, the operator should be rapid
`and easy.
`
`2. The General Problem of Man-Machine Communication
`For the presentation of information to the operator the system generally
`used is some form of printing, usually electro-mechanical. Although the
`normal teleprinter output is rather slow in relation to the speed with which
`an operator can absorb information, a n extension of the technique t o line
`printing can overcome this. Alternatively a n Electronic Data Display can be,
`and is, used and in both cases the ' output mechanism ' from the computer
`system does not really add significantly to the time required for an operator
`to accept information. There is also a considerable amount of flexibility of
`format available to ease understanding.
`The situation is not so satisfactory in the case of accepting instructions
`from an operator. The normal method is to make use of some form of keyboard
`with either a standard set of alpha-numeric keys and/or some special keys,
`usually called function keys. The latter, as their name implies, usually
`provide control instructions to the system, whilst the alpha-numeric keyboard
`is used to input information, interpreted by the system in accordance with
`the most recent control instruction. The process can be rather slow and clumsy
`especially when a fairly large system is involved with each operator having a
`wide range of input possibilities in the interests of flexibility.
`The idea of the Touch Display was conceived a t R.R.E. in an attempt to
`overcome the limitations in man-machine communications indicated above.
`It was originally put forward in the context of an Air Traffic Control Data-
`processing System for which it has clear application, but it is felt that the
`arrangement has much wider application; in fact, to the whole field of data-
`processing systems.
`
`3. General Principles of Operation
`The first idea underlying the design and operation of the Touch Display
`is that, no matter what the overall and complete range of possible signals
`from an operator might be, a t any one time the signal actually sent by the
`operator to the data-processing system will be one chosen from a strictly
`limited range. For example, the signal might be, and often is, one of the
`10 numerical digits. Probably one of the widest range of choice actually
`
`BlackBerry Exhibit 1016, pg. 2
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`

`
`E. A. Johnson
`
`exercised would be to select one from the 26 available alphabetic characters.
`Secondly, in order that the data-processing system should be able to interpret
`the signal correctly, it must know from what range of possibilities' it has
`been chosen and also what consequences must stem from that choice. This
`' knowledge ' within the computer can therefore be used to restrict the range
`of choice available to the operator a t any given time to just those possibilities
`which are relevant to his present task. Subsequent to any input signal being
`received, the system can alter the range of choice as and when required. This
`control is, of course, exercised by the computer programme in the system,
`and in consequence the operation of the Touch Display system can be described
`as ' Programmed Control '.
`One very significant consequence of this control is that the scope for operator
`errors, especially errors of omission, is much reduced.
`Another idea, possibly the most significant, underlying the design of the
`Touch Display is that the ' meaning ' given by the system a t any time to
`the ' keys ' available to the operator can be made easy to interpret. That
`is, the ' label ' attached to the keys need not be fixed, as in the case of alpha-
`numeric keyboards for example, but can and should be changed by the system
`computers in accordance with the required meaning a t any time. The effect
`of this idea is far-reaching. Not only does it allow the number of ' keys '
`to be very limited whilst retaining a large measure of flexibility in their
`interpretation, but also it allows the ' meaning ' of a key to be changed as
`a result of information previously input to the system. A particular example,
`given later, is where one meaning attached to the keys is that of the ' call signs '
`of the aircraft under.contro1 of a given operator. These, of course, change
`quite often and normally consist of up t o seven alpha-numeric symbols. By
`labelling ' keys ' in this way, communication with the system for a particular
`aircwft can be established in a single operation.
`
`4. Technical Details of the Touch Display
`The first requirement of a system based on the ideas outlined above is a
`flexible display system, capable of presenting the possible choices to an operator.
`Such a possibility is clearly available in an electronic data display for many
`applications. An extension to provide some form of graphical display may
`be desirable in certain cases. The second requirement is then to provide
`sensitive areas of the display screen which are capable of producing a signal
`when touched by a bare finger. Such an arrangement is described belo\p.
`A description of the Electronic Data Display system is not given since the
`techniques are well known and the precise method by which the display is
`produced is irrelevant to the operation of the system, beyond the need to
`satisfy the requirements of being able to change the display rapidly and to
`be able to position the data correctly on the display tube force.
`To providc the sensitive areas, an electronic system has been devised'by
`which the computer can be informed that an operator is touching an electrical
`contact, a so-calIed ' touch-wire '. This touch-wire is completely passive
`mechanically and is, typically, a short length of 20 S.W.G. tinned copper
`wire let into a groove in the surface of a perspex mask over the surface of the
`display. Connection is made to the touch-wire by very thin wire retained
`in grooves on the undersurface of the mask. Use is made of the self-capacity
`
`BlackBerry Exhibit 1016, pg. 3
`
`

`
`273
`
`L Display configurat.ion.
`
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`
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`6
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`up
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`
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`of
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`pr€iseIltlv
`the computer.
`the data has been
`is detected and
`when a
`when the
`occurs at the '
`of touch' l that
`This
`is removed from the touch-wire.
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`double
`and
`is done
`introducing a
`about 100 msee after the touch has
`finished before allowina
`s: 1
`!'';RG.
`
`BlackBerry Exhibit 1016, pg. 4
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`

`
`274
`
`1. A. Johnson
`
`r
`
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`
`Figure 2. A typiael amendment aequence.
`
`BlackBerry Exhibit 1016, pg. 5
`
`

`
`Touch Displays: a Programed Man-Muchine Interface
`
`S K I 0 1 E G L L
`
`T Y P E C F L
`2 4 0
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`
`0 -
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`1 I
`
`Figure 2 continued. A t,ypicel amendment sequence.
`
`BlackBerry Exhibit 1016, pg. 6
`
`

`
`276
`
`E. A. Johnson
`
`system to step. To provide against possible errors one of the touch-wires
`is interpreted to mean ' stepback one in the sequcnce ' allowing correction
`of m y error. In practice this is rarely needed, the system providing an
`accurate, rapid and natural process.
`In all the cases so far examined a system of 16 touch-wires has proved
`adequate, but should there be a need to use this facility to inspect alpha-
`numeric data in a control sequence it would be necessary to provide 32 touch-
`wires by extending the existing circuitry. Since the increase is largely to
`cater for the single-character letter input, the extra wires can be fitted a t
`close spacing and not used unless required by the particular control sequence.
`From an equipment point of view there is, of course, an advantage in keeping
`the number of wires to a reasonable minimum. It has been suggested that
`there may be a need for a much larger matrix of wires, e.g. 256.
`If so, the
`most promising line appears to be a double set of touch-wires in which bottom
`and top elements are parnllcl connected in rows and columns. Rows and
`columns are separately detected, a.nd when both give a signal an output is
`obtained.
`I n this case resistive coupling by the finger may overshadow
`the capacitive effect.
`In general, however, the author is firmly of the opinion
`that sequential selection from limited lists is the prcfcmblc and usudly
`possible approach.
`
`'
`
`
`
`~
`
`5. An Example in an Air Traffic Control System
`The example is of the amendment of flight plans, and to simplil)
`l
`t
`description we will assume these amendments arise as a result of n die tdc-
`phone report from the aircraft.
`Thc scquence of events is as follows.
`Firstly, in the rest condition, i.e. between amendments, the computer
`' knows ' that the next action of thc controller must logically be to refer to a
`particular aircmft. The computer already has the ca,ll signs of all the aircraft
`in the sector; i t therefore displays these call signs, one against each touch-wire.
`Secondly, when the aircraft calls and identifies itself by its call sign, the
`controller touches the wire against that call sign.
`Note the extreme simplicity of this action compared with typing in the five
`to scven characters involved, or even with the reading. off and injecting
`of the number of the line on which the call sign is shown on an electronic
`data display.
`'J.'he computer now knows which aircraft is involved and knows, too, that the
`controller must next specify which item of the flight plan is to be a,mended.,
`The computer therefore displays on the top half of the touch-display the
`call sign selected fo.1 lowed by the items of the flight plan. Each item consisting
`of its ' name ', and under the ' name ' the ' d u e ', and against thc touch-
`wires the computer displays the names of items, the pattern of the arrangement
`of the items being made the same as in the flight plan displayed above.
`The controller selects an item by touching the wire and the computer responds
`by marking the selected item and offering to the controller, against the touch-
`wires, the list of possibilities for the first character of the ' value '. If it is a
`numerical value the digits 0 to 9 may bc offered, but if the first digit is limited, '
`as for a time in minutes to 5, then only 0 to 5 need be offered. On the other.
`hand, if the value is a symbol, then the appropriate symbols can be offered.
`
`BlackBerry Exhibit 1016, pg. 7
`
`

`
`Touch Displays: a Progwt rrt wed illaz-Xachine Interface
`
`277
`
`The controller selects the cbnlxctw and the coniputer inserts this in the
`flight plan under the first character uf the old \-due of the item, and then,
`if the value consists of more than one character, the computer presents the
`possibilities for the next character and so on, until the new value of the item
`has been built up and displayed u n d ~ r the old value.
`Tlrc computer then asks the controller by words against the touch-wires if
`this nc\rr value is to be ' executed ' or ' ignored '; the controller inspects the old
`and the new values to see if the new value appears correct ntid credible and,
`if so, by touching 'execute', instructs the computer to incorporate the new
`value.
`The computer then puts the display bnck to the initial reset condition to
`await bhe arrival of a new amendment.
`Various refinements can be added; for instance, ' back-step ', ~vhich ca.ncels
`the previous input and restores the display to the previous condition, thus
`giving a. quick way of correcting input errors.
`According to the amendment required the sequence can vary. One in
`particular \vhich deserves special mention is the sequence for cancelling s
`flight plan. It is, of course, very important that this does not happen by
`error, and so \\-hen the controller uses the touch-wire labelled ' ERASE ',
`the computer is programmed to present the words ' CONFIRM ERASURE OF
`KL104 ' for exnmple. This illustrates the way in which the touch display
`can be used to alert the controller a t critical phases in operation.
`Of course other possible applications exist, and if the display process has
`adequate flexibility to present solutions to a problem pictorially, then by
`appropriate labelling of the touch-wires corresponding to the solution the
`choice can be indicated by a single operation. Again, another interesting
`possibility is the case of rarely used procedures; for example, ' EMERGENCY '.
`Here the instructions can be presented in plain laguage, e.g. ' alert fire brigade ',
`' you must now choose to do . . . or to d o . . . ' and so on. The computer
`ensures that not only does the controlIer clearly understand what is to be done,
`but ensures that no omissions occur.
`
`6. Conclusion
`A number of models of the'Touch Display have been built for evaluation and,
`as a result of experiments comparing their use with more conventional keyboards
`i t has been shown clearly that t h e use of the Touch Display provides both
`a faster and more accurate means of communicating between an operator
`and a data-processing system. One of the significant advantages is that
`only the computer programme affects the interpretation and labelling of the
`' keys ', and consequently equipment provision and installation can proceed
`without hazard, even though final decisions on the ' labels ', etc., have not
`been taken. The Touch Display will be used in the Air Traffic Control Data-
`processing Systems in the U.K. and it is firmly believed that it will find wider
`application in other systems.
`
`@ Crown Copyright. Reproduced by permiseion of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery
`Office.
`
`BlackBerry Exhibit 1016, pg. 8