Pointing system for pen-based computer

• US 20040027338A1
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lampson, Butler W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,248,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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

Abstract

A secondary input system for a pen-based computer allows users to control a graphical user interface without the use of a stylus. The secondary input system may me in the form of a pointing system. A display surface may be attached to a housing in which the display surface is sensitive to input of a pen device. The pointing system includes a secondary input system on housing in which the input device is responsive to movement of a finger of a user for controlling the graphical user interface. The input device may be a point stick device, a touchpad, or other device that provides two-dimensional movement of a graphical object on the display surface. The secondary input system may be automatically activated or deactivated based on proximity sensing of a stylus or pen with respect of the display surface.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a housing;

a processor within the housing;

a display screen attached to the housing in which the display screen is sensitive to input of a stylus; and

an input device being at least partially disposed on a housing surface opposite of the display screen, the input device being responsive to movement of a finger of a user for controlling a graphical user interface configured to operate with the processor.

2. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, in which the input device is configured to provide movement of a graphical object for the display screen.

3. The computer system in accordance with claim 2, in which the input device includes a control member being sensitive to a force applied thereon by a finger of the user.

4. The computer system in accordance with claim 3, in which the control member extends away from the housing surface.

5. The computer system in accordance with claim 2, in which the input device is rendered inactive responsive to the stylus being less than a threshold distance away from the display screen.

6. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, in which the input device is mounted in a recessed position on the housing surface.

7. The computer system in accordance with claim 2, in which the input device comprises a point stick device having a finger control end.

8. The computer system in accordance with claim 7, in which the input device further comprises a button for simulating a click event.

9. The computer system in accordance with claim 7, in which the finger control end of the point stick device is in a recessed position relative to the housing surface.

10. The computer system in accordance with claim 2, in which the input device comprises a touchpad device.

11. The computer system in accordance with claim 10, in which the touchpad device is recessed in the housing surface.

12. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, in which the input device is automatically deactivated responsive to a stylus detect event.

13. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, further including a detection component configured to detect the presence of the stylus within a threshold distance relative to the display screen, the detection component deactivating the input device responsive to the presence of the stylus.

14. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, further including a detection component is configured to detect the absence of the stylus within a threshold distance relative to the display screen, the detection component activating the input device responsive to the absence of the stylus.

15. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, in which the housing is defined by mating housing members configured to form a tablet computer.

16. A computer system, comprising:

a housing;

a processor;

a display surface being responsive to a writing implement for permitting input to the processor;

a pointing system having a control portion being engagable by a finger of a user so as to control a graphical user interface for the display surface, and the control portion being disposed on a housing side surface relative to the display surface, the pointing system permitting the user to control the graphical user interface.

17. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, in which the pointing system permits freeform motion of a graphical object for the display surface.

18. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, in which the input device is deactivated responsive to the movable implement being a threshold distance away from the display surface.

19. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, in which the input device is mounted in a depression portion in the housing side surface relative to the display surface.

20. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, in which the pointing system comprises a stick device.

21. The computer system in accordance with claim 20, in which the pointing system further comprises a finger button to the stick device.

22. The computer system in accordance with claim 21, in which the stick device is in a recessed position relative to the housing side surface.

23. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, in which the point system is deactivated responsive to detecting the writing implement.

24. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, further including a detection component operable to determine the presence of the writing implement within a threshold distance from the display surface for deactivating the pointing system.

25. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, further including a detection component operable to determine the absence of the writing implement within a threshold distance from the display surface for activating the pointing system.

26. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, in which the housing side surface is disposed on the left side of the housing relative to the display surface.

27. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, in which the housing side surface is disposed on the right side of the housing relative to the display surface.

28. The computer system in accordance with claim 16, in which the housing is formed by mating case members so that the display surface is attached to one of the case members for a tablet mode.

29. A portable computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a display screen being sensitive to a control implement being movable, said control implement having a communicating end for the display screen;

a user input device mounted to the housing, the user input device being controllable with a finger of a user for controlling a graphical object for the display screen; and

a memory configured to store computer executable instructions, wherein said instructions cause the computing device to perform the following steps;

sensing the communicating end of the control implement within a threshold range from the display screen; and

responsive to said sensing, deactivating the user input device.

30. The portable computer system in accordance with claim 29, in which the user input device is configured for one-dimensional movement of the graphical object for the display screen.

31. The portable computer system in accordance with claim 29, in which the user input device is configured for two-dimensional movement of the graphical object for the display screen.

32. The portable computer system in accordance with claim 29, further including a housing having a housing back, the user input device being disposed on the housing back permitting a user to hold the housing and operate the user input device with a finger.

33. The portable computer system in accordance with claim 29, further including a housing having a housing side, the user input device being disposed on the housing side.

34. The portable computer system in accordance with claim 33, in which the user input device comprises a pointing device.

35. The portable computer system in accordance with claim 31, further including a housing surface having the display screen attached, the housing surface including the input device being at least partially disposed thereon.

36. A portable computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a display screen being sensitive to a control implement being movable, said control implement having a communicating end for the display screen;

a user input device mounted to the housing operable with a finger of a user for controlling a graphical user interface; and

a memory configured to store computer executable instructions, wherein said instructions cause the computing device to perform the following steps;

sensing the communicating end of the control implement within a threshold distance from the display screen; and

responsive to said step of sensing, activating the user input device.

37. A computer system configurable for hand held operation of a user, comprising:

a processor;

a display screen having a digitizer responsive to input from a pen device to provide data to the processor; and

an input apparatus being disposed in a housing spaced away from the display screen, the input apparatus being controllable with a hand of a user for controlling a graphical user interface when the pen device is sensed to be absent from the display screen.

38. The computer system in accordance with claim 37, in which the input apparatus provides two-dimensional motion of a graphical object on the screen.

39. The computer system in accordance with claim 37, in which the input apparatus further comprises a browser button.

40. A method of controlling an input device for a computer system with a display surface, comprising:

sensing the absence of a writing implement with respect to the display surface; and

activating the input device responsive to said sensing.

41. The method in accordance with claim 40, further including the input device receiving a control to provide one-dimensional movement of a graphical object on the display surface.

42. The method in accordance with claim 40, further including the input device receiving a control to provide two-dimensional movement of a graphical object on the display surface.

43. The method in accordance with claim 42, in which the input device is a pointing stick.

44. The method in accordance with claim 42, in which the input device is a touchpad.

45. A method of controlling an input device mounted on a computer system having a display surface, comprising:

sensing the presence of a writing implement with respect to the display surface; and

deactivating the input device responsive to said sensing.

46. The method in accordance with claim 45, further including the input device receiving a control force to provide one-dimensional movement of a graphical object on the display surface.

47. The method in accordance with claim 45, further including the input device receiving a control force to provide two-dimensional movement of a graphical object on the display surface.