Multi-mouse actions stylus

• US 20040008189A1
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Clapper, Edward O., Andersen, David B., Watters, Scott W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,894,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A stylus includes one or more stylus tips to initiate different mouse actions. The different mouse actions may be initiated by causing the stylus tip to generate disturbance signals on a touch sensitive device. The different mouse actions may also be initiated by using stylus tips of different characteristics with each characteristic associated with a mouse action.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a signature associated with disturbance signals generated by a stylus tip; and

based on the signature, identifying an associated mouse action.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the determined signature with one or more predetermined signatures, each of the one or more predetermined signatures associating with a mouse action.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein if the determined signature resembles a first predetermined signature, an action associated with pressing a left mouse button is performed.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein if the determined signature resembles a second predetermined signature, an action associated with pressing a right mouse button is performed.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein if the determined signature resembles a third predetermined signature, an action associated with hovering is performed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the signature associated with the disturbance signals generated by the stylus tip comprises:

determining coordinates of a location on a touch sensitive device, the location associated with an originating point of the disturbance signal.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprises:

determining an oscillation interval associated with the disturbance signals at the location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the oscillation interval occurs between a time the touch sensitive device has a first deformation and a time the touch sensitive device has a second deformation.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein when the surface response is within a first range, an action associated with pressing a left mouse button is performed, and wherein when the surface response is within a second range, an action associated with pressing a right mouse button is performed.

9. A method for facilitating using a stylus to initiate different mouse actions, comprising:

determining a surface response of a touch sensitive device based on one or more contacts caused by a stylus tip; and

based on the surface response determined, identifying an associated mouse action.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the surface response of the touch sensitive device is proportional to characteristics of the stylus tip.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the characteristics of the stylus tip includes geometry characteristic.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the characteristics of the stylus tip includes material characteristic.

14. An device, comprising:

a stylus tip; and

a first control mechanism coupled to the stylus tip, the first control mechanism to cause the stylus tip to oscillate on a surface of a touch sensitive device for a first oscillation interval, wherein the first oscillation interval is associated with a first mouse action.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first oscillation interval is associated with a first signature, the first signature including a unique sequence of effects caused by the stylus tip on the touch sensitive device during the first oscillation interval.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the unique sequence of effects includes a unique sequence of pressures caused by the stylus tip on the touch sensitive device.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising a second control mechanism coupled to the stylus tip, the second control mechanism to cause the stylus tip to oscillate on the surface of the touch sensitive device for a second oscillation interval, wherein the second oscillation interval is associated with a second mouse action.

18. A stylus, comprising:

a housing;

a stylus tip coupled to the housing and affixed to a flexing element; and

one or more mechanisms coupled to the housing and to the flexing element, the one or more mechanisms to direct oscillations of the stylus tip using the flexing element, wherein the oscillations of the stylus tip generate different disturbance signals on a touch sensitive device, the different disturbance signals associated with different mouse actions.

19. The stylus of claim 18, wherein the flexing element is a spring.

20. The stylus of claim 18, wherein the one or more mechanisms includes a first mechanism to direct oscillations of the stylus tip to generate a first signature, the first signature associated with pressing of a left mouse button.

21. The stylus of claim 18, wherein the one or more mechanisms includes a second mechanism to direct oscillations of the stylus tip to generate a second signature, the second signature associated with pressing of a right mouse button.

22. A stylus, comprising:

a housing;

a first stylus tip coupled to the housing and having a first characteristic; and

a second stylus tip coupled to the housing and having a second characteristic, wherein the first stylus tip is used to initiate an action associated with a first mouse action, and the second stylus tip is used to initiate an action associated with a second mouse action.

23. The stylus of claim 22, wherein the first characteristic is a first material, and wherein the second characteristic is a second material.

24. A method, comprising:

enabling a user to use stylus tips having different characteristics to initiate different mouse actions on a touch sensitive device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said enabling comprises:

using the stylus tips having the different characteristics to generate effects on the touch sensitive device; and

interpreting responses of the touch sensitive device to the effects as the different mouse actions.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the different characteristics include different geometry characteristics.

27. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor; and

a touch screen interface coupled to the processor and the memory, the touch screen interface is further coupled to a sensor capable of sensing different stylus tip characteristics, wherein each of the different stylus tip characteristics is used to identify different mouse actions.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a comparator coupled to the touch screen interface, the comparator to identify the different mouse actions based on the different stylus tip characteristics.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a timer coupled to the touch screen interface, the timer to determine time of movements of the stylus tip as sensed by the sensor.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein if the movement of the stylus tip is within at least one of a predetermined time interval and a predetermined distance interval, a mouse hover action is identified.