Method and apparatus continuing action of user gestures performed upon a touch sensitive interactive display in simulation of inertia

• US 20060031786A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TOUCHTABLE, INC.
• Inventors: Hillis, W. Daniel, Ferren, Bran
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method and apparatus for operating a multi-user interactive display system including a display having a touch-sensitive display surface. A position is detected for each contact site at which the display surface experiences external physical contact. Each contact site'"'"'s position history is using to compute velocity data for the respective contact site. At least one of the following is using to identify occurrence of one or more user gestures from a predetermined set of user gestures: the position history, the velocity data. Each user gesture corresponds to at least one predetermined action for updating imagery presented by the display as a whole. Action is commenced corresponding to the identified gesture. Responsive to a user gesture terminating with a nonzero velocity across the display surface, action is corresponding to the gesture is continued so as to simulate inertia imparted by said gesture.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for operating an interactive display system comprising a display having a touch-sensitive display surface, the method comprising the operations of:

detecting a position of each contact site at which the display surface experiences physical contact;

using each contact site'"'"'s position history to compute velocity data for the respective contact site;

using at least one of the following to identify occurrence of one or more user gestures from a predetermined set of user gestures;

the position history, the velocity data;

wherein each user gesture corresponds to at least one predetermined action for updating imagery presented by the display as a whole;

commencing the action corresponding to the identified gesture;

responsive to a user gesture terminating with a nonzero velocity across the display surface, continuing the action corresponding to the gesture so as to simulate inertia imparted by said gesture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the operations further comprise sensing a force exerted at each of the contact sites;

the operation of identifying one or more gestures further uses the sensed force.

3. The method of claim 1, where:

the operations further comprise sensing a force exerted at each of the contact sites;

the operation of commencing the action corresponding to the identified gesture comprises performing the action at a speed proportional to the sensed force.

4. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

slowing the action at a predetermined rate.

5. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to occurrence of new physical contact with the display while an action from a gesture is being continued, slowing the action at a predetermined rate.

6. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to occurrence of new physical contact with the display while an action from a gesture is being continued, slowing the action at a rate proportional to force of the new contact.

7. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to occurrence of new physical contact with the display while an action from a gesture is being continued, slowing the action at a rate proportional to surface area of the new contact.

8. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

responsive to occurrence of new physical contact with the display while an action from a gesture is being continued, ceasing the action.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

limiting the continuing of the action to occurrences where the gesture is terminated with a velocity that exceeds a predetermined rate.

10. The method of claim 1, where:

the predetermined set of user gestures includes a lazy Susan user gesture comprising at least one point of user contact with the display surface traversing one of the following patterns;

an arc, a substantially straight line;

the predetermined action associated with the lazy Susan user gesture comprises rotating imagery as a whole about a predetermined point.

11. The method of claim 1, where:

the operations further comprise sensing a force exerted at each of the contact sites;

the operation of commencing the action corresponding to the identified gesture commences the action at a speed proportional to the exerted force.

12. At least one signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processing machine to perform operations for operating an interactive display system comprising a display having a touch-sensitive display surface, the operations comprising:

detecting a position of each contact site at which the display surface experiences physical contact;

using each contact site'"'"'s position history to compute velocity data for the respective contact site;

using at least one of the following to identify occurrence of one or more user gestures from a predetermined set of user gestures;

the position history, the velocity data;

wherein each user gesture corresponds to at least one predetermined action for updating imagery presented by the display as a whole;

commencing the action corresponding to the identified gesture; and

responsive to a user gesture terminating with a nonzero velocity across the display surface, continuing the action corresponding to the gesture so as to simulate inertia imparted by said gesture.

13. Circuitry of multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations for operating an interactive display system comprising a display having a touch-sensitive display surface, the operations comprising:

detecting a position of each contact site at which the display surface experiences physical contact;

using each contact site'"'"'s position history to compute velocity data for the respective contact site;

using at least one of the following to identify occurrence of one or more user gestures from a predetermined set of user gestures;

the position history, the velocity data;

wherein each user gesture corresponds to at least one predetermined action for updating imagery presented by the display as a whole;

commencing the action corresponding to the identified gesture; and

responsive to a user gesture terminating with a nonzero velocity across the display surface, continuing the action corresponding to the gesture so as to simulate inertia imparted by said gesture.

14. An interactive display system, comprising:

a display having a touch-sensitive display surface;

a sensing device to detect position of each contact site at which the display experiences physical contact; and

a digital data processing machine programmed to perform operations comprising;

using each contact site'"'"'s position history to compute velocity data for the respective contact site;

using at least one of the following to identify occurrence of one or more user gestures from a predetermined set of user gestures;

the position history, the velocity data;

wherein each user gesture corresponds to at least one predetermined action for updating imagery presented by the display as a whole;

commencing the action corresponding to the identified gesture; and

responsive to a user gesture terminating with a nonzero velocity across the display surface, continuing the action corresponding to the gesture so as to simulate inertia imparted by said gesture.

15. An interactive display system, comprising:

display means for providing a touch-sensitive display surface;

sensing means for detecting position of each contact site at which the display experiences physical contact; and

processing means for performing operations comprising;

using each contact site'"'"'s position history to compute velocity data for the respective contact site;

using at least one of the following to identify occurrence of one or more user gestures from a predetermined set of user gestures;

the position history, the velocity data;

wherein each user gesture corresponds to at least one predetermined action for updating imagery presented by the display as a whole;

commencing the action corresponding to the identified gesture; and

responsive to a user gesture terminating with a nonzero velocity across the display surface, continuing the action corresponding to the gesture so as to simulate inertia imparted by said gesture.