Spacebar integrated with trackpad

• US 10,025,385 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamburgen, William, Hislop, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Sadio, Insa
• Application Number:
  US14/697,073
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A computing device includes a keyboard without a key for a spacebar and a trackpad, where any portion of the trackpad is configurable to function as the spacebar and any portion of the trackpad is configurable to function as the trackpad.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

a keyboard without a key for a spacebar;

a trackpad, wherein any portion of the trackpad is configurable to function as the spacebar and any portion of the trackpad is configurable to function as the trackpad, independent of any prior input, including controlling cursor movement in all directions on a display; and

at least one processor that is operably coupled to the trackpad and that is configured to determine whether to register an input on the trackpad and to interpret the input as a spacebar keystroke or as a tracking gesture based at least in part on a type of motion of the input including a tap or a sliding motion, an application context of the input on the trackpad, a duration of the input and a force of the input.

2. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one tactile feedback mechanism that is operably coupled to the trackpad and that is configured to provide tactile feedback in response to an input on the trackpad.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism includes at least one spring mechanism.

4. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism is disposed below an upper region of the trackpad.

5. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism includes a plurality of tactile feedback mechanisms disposed below the trackpad.

6. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of tactile feedback mechanisms are disposed in corner areas of the trackpad.

7. The computing device of claim 1 wherein a bottom edge of the trackpad comprises a first switch that is configured to function as a left mouse button when depressed and a second switch that is configured to function as a right mouse button when depressed.

8. A method including executing instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable storage media using at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving an input on a trackpad of a computing device, wherein the computing device includes a keyboard without a key for a spacebar and the trackpad, wherein any portion of the trackpad is configurable to function as the spacebar and any portion of the trackpad is configurable to function as the trackpad, independent of any prior input, including controlling cursor movement in all directions on a display;

interpreting the input as a spacebar keystroke or as a tracking gesture based at least in part on a type of motion of the input including a tap or a sliding motion, an application context of the input on the trackpad, a duration of the input and a force of the input; and

registering the input on the trackpad as a spacebar keystroke or as a tracking gesture responsive to interpreting the input.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the computing device includes at least one tactile feedback mechanism that is operably coupled to the trackpad, the method further comprising providing tactile feedback in response to the input on the trackpad.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism includes at least one spring mechanism.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism is disposed below an upper region of the trackpad.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism includes a plurality of tactile feedback mechanisms disposed below the trackpad.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of tactile feedback mechanisms are disposed in corner areas of the trackpad.

14. A non-transitory recordable storage device having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

receiving an input on a trackpad of a computing device, wherein the computing device includes a keyboard without a key for a spacebar and the trackpad, wherein any portion of the trackpad is configurable to function as the spacebar and any portion of the trackpad is configurable to function as the trackpad, independent of any prior input, including controlling cursor movement in all directions on a display;

interpreting the input as a spacebar keystroke or as a tracking gesture based at least in part on a type of motion of the input including a tap or a sliding motion, an application context of the input on the trackpad, a duration of the input and a force of the input; and

registering the input on the trackpad as a spacebar keystroke or as a tracking gesture responsive to interpreting the input.

15. The non-transitory recordable storage device of claim 14 wherein the computing device includes at least one tactile feedback mechanism that is operably coupled to the trackpad, the storage device further having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed, perform the action of providing tactile feedback in response to the input on the trackpad.

16. The non-transitory recordable storage device of claim 15, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism includes at least one spring mechanism.

17. The non-transitory recordable storage device of claim 15, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism is disposed below an upper region of the trackpad.

18. The non-transitory recordable storage device of claim 15, wherein the at least one tactile feedback mechanism includes a plurality of tactile feedback mechanisms disposed below the trackpad.

19. The non-transitory recordable storage device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of tactile feedback mechanisms are disposed in corner areas of the trackpad.