Method of triggering functions in a computer application using a digitizer having a stylus and a digitizer system

• US 20040150631A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Fleck, David, Yamamoto, Sadao
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A method of triggering functions in a computer application comprises the steps of: providing a digitizer having a pointing device, wherein the digitizer and pointing device are operably associated with a computer having an operating system and an application; applying pressure to the digitizer with the pointing device; sensing the applied pressure; triggering in the application a first function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds a first pressure threshold; and triggering in the application a second function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds a second pressure threshold. The second pressure threshold is greater than the first pressure threshold.

Claims

1. A method of triggering functions in a computer application, comprising the steps of:

providing a digitizer having a pointing device, wherein the digitizer and pointing device are operably associated with a computer having an operating system and an application;

applying pressure to the digitizer with the pointing device;

sensing the applied pressure;

triggering in the application a first function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds a first pressure threshold; and

triggering in the application a second function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds a second pressure threshold, wherein the second pressure threshold is greater than the first pressure threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, including the step of triggering the second function when the sensed applied pressure falls below the first pressure threshold after having exceeded the second pressure threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, including the further step of triggering the second function when the sensed applied pressure falls below the first pressure threshold within a predetermined amount of time after having exceeded the second pressure threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than 1 second.

5. The method of claim 1, including the step of triggering the second function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds the second pressure threshold within a predetermined amount of time after having exceeded the first pressure threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than 1 second.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pressure threshold is at least 85% of a total force range sensed by the sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pressure threshold is less than 10% of a total force range sensed by the sensor.

9. The method of claim 1, including the step of triggering the second function after the sensed applied pressure falls below the second pressure threshold after having exceeded the second pressure threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, including the step of triggering the second function once each time the sensed applied pressure exceeds the first and second pressure thresholds.

11. The method of claim 1, including the further steps of:

determining a position on a surface of the digitizer where the sensed applied pressure exceeds the first pressure threshold; and

triggering the second function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds the second pressure threshold at any area proximate to the position where the sensed applied pressure exceeded the first pressure threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the area is variable.

13. The method of claim 12, including the step of triggering the second function if the sensed applied pressure falls below the second pressure threshold after having exceeded the second pressure threshold.

14. The method of claim 1, including the further steps of:

determining a particular location of a pointer displayed on a display operably associated with the application when the sensed applied pressure exceeds the first pressure threshold; and

triggering the second function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds the second pressure threshold when the pointer is displayed on the display at the particular location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the particular location is an icon or menu area of the application.

16. The method of claim 15, including the step of triggering the second function if the sensed applied pressure falls below the second pressure threshold after having exceeded the second pressure threshold.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pressure thresholds are adjustable.

18. A digitizer system, comprising;

a digitizer operably associated with a computer having an operating system and an application;

a pointing device for applying pressure to said digitizer, and operably associated with said digitizer; and

a sensor operably associated with one of said digitizer and said pointing device, said sensor for sensing pressure applied to said digitizer by said pointing device and for communicating the sensed pressure to the computer to permit triggering of a first function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds a first pressure threshold, and triggering a second function if the sensed applied pressure exceeds a second pressure threshold, wherein the second pressure threshold is greater than the first pressure threshold.

19. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein said sensor is selected from the group consisting of variable inductors, variable capacitors, variable resistors, magnets sliding past hall effect sensors, piezoelectric force sensors, and pressure sensors.

20. The digitizer system of claim 19, wherein said pointing device is selected from the group consisting of a stylus and an airbrush.

21. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein said digitizer has a pressure sensitive surface for sensing pressure applied to the digitizer by said pointing device.

22. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the second function is triggered if the sensed applied pressure falls below the first pressure threshold after having exceeded the second pressure threshold.

23. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the second function is triggered if the sensed applied pressure falls below the first pressure threshold within a predetermined amount of time of having exceeded the second pressure threshold.

24. The digitizer system of claim 23, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than 1 second.

25. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the second function is triggered if the sensed applied pressure exceeds the second pressure threshold within a predetermined amount of time after having exceeded the first pressure threshold.

26. The digitizer system of claim 25, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than 1 second.

27. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the second pressure threshold is at least 85% of a total force range sensed by said sensor.

28. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the first pressure threshold is less than 10% of a total force range sensed by said sensor.

29. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the second function is triggered after the sensed applied pressure falls below the second pressure threshold after having exceeded the second pressure threshold

30. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the second function is triggered once each time the sensed applied pressure exceeds the first and second pressure thresholds.

31. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the second function is triggered if the sensed applied pressure exceeds the second pressure threshold at an area proximate to a position on a surface of the digitizer where the sensed applied pressure exceeded the first pressure threshold.

32. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the second function is triggered if the sensed applied pressure exceeds the first pressure thresholds when a pointer operably associated with a display is displayed at a particular location on the display, and thereafter exceeds the second pressure threshold when the pointer is displayed within an area proximate the particular location on the display.

33. The digitizer system of claim 18, wherein the first and second pressure thresholds are adjustable.