Method for touchscreen data input

• US 20020080123A1
• Filed: 12/26/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kennedy, Peter J., Lewis, James R., Sawin, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,190,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method and system for use with a computer based system having a touchscreen for distinguishing between a finger and a stylus. The method involves a series of steps including detecting contact with the touchscreen. Also, the method can include generating contact information for the detected contact with the touchscreen. The method includes comparing contact information corresponding to the detected contact with contact criteria, and, based on the comparison of the contact information, determining whether the contact was initiated by a finger or a stylus.

Claims

1. In a computer based system having a touchscreen, a method for distinguishing between finger contact and stylus contact comprising:

detecting contact with said touchscreen;

generating contact information for said detected contact with said touchscreen;

comparing said contact information corresponding to said detected contact with contact criteria; and

, based on said comparing of said contact information, determining whether said contact was initiated by a finger or a stylus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said contact criteria includes a threshold value for comparing said contact information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises:

for said contact information consistent with said contact criteria corresponding to said finger contact, interpreting said detected contact as said finger contact.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises:

for said contact information consistent with said contact criteria corresponding to said stylus contact, interpreting said detected contact as said stylus contact.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

offsetting an on-screen pointer a predetermined distance from said detected contact.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detecting the duration of said contact.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting the duration between said contact and a second contact.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying an activated point in said touchscreen beneath said detected contact.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

converting pointer control information to text.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on said determining step, presenting a visual interface in said touchscreen corresponding to said finger contact or said stylus contact.

11. In a computer based system having a touchscreen, a method for distinguishing between a finger and a stylus comprising:

detecting contact with said touchscreen;

generating contact information for said detected contact with said touchscreen;

comparing said contact information corresponding to said detected contact with contact criteria;

based on said comparing of said contact information, determining whether said contact was initiated by a finger or a stylus;

for said contact information consistent with said contact criteria corresponding to said finger contact, interpreting said detected contact as a finger contact; and

, offsetting an on-screen pointer a predetermined distance from said detected contact; and

detecting the duration of said contact and the duration between said contact and a second contact; and

,

for said contact information consistent with said contact criteria corresponding to said finger contact, interpreting said detected contact as a stylus contact and displaying an activated point in said touchscreen beneath said detected contact.

13. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said contact criteria includes a threshold value for comparing said contact information.

14. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further causing the machine to perform the step of:

for said contact information consistent with said contact criteria corresponding to said finger contact, interpreting said detected contact as a finger contact.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further causing the machine to perform the step of:

for said contact information consistent with said contact criteria corresponding to said stylus contact, interpreting said detected contact as a stylus contact.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 14, further causing the machine to perform the step of:

offsetting an on-screen pointer a predetermined distance from said detected contact.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 14, further causing the machine to perform the step of:

detecting the duration of said contact.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 17, further causing the machine to perform the step of:

detecting the duration between said contact and a second contact.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 15, further causing the machine to perform the step of:

displaying an activated point in said touchscreen beneath said detected contact.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 15, further causing the machine to perform the step of:

converting pointer control information to text.

21. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further causing the machine to perform the step of:

based on said determining s tep, presenting a visual interface in said touchscreen corresponding to said finger contact or said stylus contact.

12. A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

detecting contact with a touchscreen;

generating contact information for said detected contact with said touchscreen;

comparing said contact information corresponding to said detected contact with contact criteria; and

,

based on said comparing of said contact information, determining whether said contact was initiated by a finger or a stylus.