Controller, system and method for identifying a number of interactions with a computer input area

• US 20060221062A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Chee-Heng, Lee, Kai-Koon, Chen, Deng-Peng, Tan, Wee-Sin
• Granted Patent: US 7,825,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/26 using opto-electronic means

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for identifying a number of interactions with a computer input area defined by at least first and second intersecting sets of detection paths. First, indications of which of the detection paths are affected by the interactions are received. Then, for each of the detection path sets, the set'"'"'s indications of affected detection paths are parsed to identify up to N extents of adjacent, affected detection paths (N≧2). A controller having logic to implement the method, and a system incorporating a control system that implements the method, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a number of interactions with a computer input area defined by at least first and second intersecting sets of detection paths, the method comprising:

receiving indications of which of the detection paths are affected by the interactions; and

for each of the detection path sets, parsing the set'"'"'s indications of affected detection paths to identify up to N extents of adjacent, affected detection paths, wherein N≧

2.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, correlating the identified extents of the different detection path sets.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the correlated extents are represented by minimum and maximum coordinate sets.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein correlating said identified extents of the different detection path sets comprises, if a greater number of extents are identified for one of the detection path sets, correlating multiple extents of the one detection path set with ones of the extents of another detection path set, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein correlating said identified extents of the different detection path sets comprises, if a greater number of extents are identified for one of the detection path sets, correlating multiple extents of the one detection path set with a single one of the extents of another detection path set, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

6. A controller for identifying a number of interactions with a computer input area defined by at least first and second intersecting sets of detections path, the controller comprising:

an interface to receive indications of which of the detection paths are affected by said interactions; and

logic to, for each of the detection path sets, parse the set'"'"'s indications of affected detection paths to identify up to N extents of adjacent, affected detection paths, wherein N≧

2.

7. The controller of claim 6, wherein the logic also correlates the identified extents of the different detection path sets.

8. The controller of claim 7, further comprising an interface to output said correlated extents as minimum and maximum coordinate sets.

9. The controller of claim 7, wherein the logic correlates said identified extents of the different detection path sets by, if a greater number of extents are identified for one of the detection path sets, correlating multiple extents of the one detection path set with ones of the extents of another detection path set, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

10. The controller of claim 7, wherein the logic correlates said identified extents of the different detection path sets by, if a greater number of extents are identified for one of the detection path sets, correlating multiple extents of the one detection path set with a single one of the extents of another detection path set, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

11. A system, comprising:

first and second intersecting sets of touch detection paths;

a control system to identify a number of interactions with the touch detection paths, the control system comprising,

an interface to receive indications of which touch detection paths are affected by said interactions; and

logic to, for each of the detection path sets, parse the set'"'"'s indications of affected detection paths to identify up to N extents of adjacent, affected detection paths, wherein N≧

2.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the touch detection paths are optical detection paths.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the touch detection paths are capacitive detection paths.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a pair of registers to store said indications of which touch detection paths are affected by said interactions;

wherein the control system reads said indications from said registers.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said registers are configured to acquire said indications at substantially discrete moments in time.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said registers are configured to acquire said indications over a period of time.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the logic also correlates the identified extents of the different detection path sets.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a means to associate said correlated extents with actions to be performed by a processor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said means associates said correlated extents with said actions to be performed by first determining centers-of-gravity of said correlated extents.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a display screen over which said touch detection paths are overlaid;

wherein said actions to be performed by the processor include updating the display screen.