Method for gesture detection on a touchpad

• US 20070008295A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chien, Yung-Lieh, Lii, Jia-Yih
• Granted Patent: US 7,982,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

In a gesture detection method for a touchpad, according to the present invention, various gestures such as tap, drag and double tap are determined by operating an object to touch on the touchpad, leave from the touchpad, and move on the touchpad.

Claims

1. A method for gesture detection on a touchpad, comprising the steps of:

verifying that an object touches on the touchpad;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

verifying that the object leaves the touchpad if the object is determined not to move on the touchpad in the previous step;

initiating a first gesture signal after the object is verified to leave the touchpad;

counting a departure time after the object leaves the touchpad; and

producing a second gesture signal after the departure time reaches a reference time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of verifying that an object touches on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is greater than a threshold; and

determining that the object touches on the touchpad if the sensed value maintains greater than the threshold in an increasing trend within a second reference time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value; and

determining that the object moves on the touchpad if, within a second reference time interval, the sensed value maintains an increasing trend in a first direction and a decreasing trend in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of verifying that the object leaves the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is less than a threshold; and

determining that the object leaves the touchpad if the sensed value maintains less than the threshold in a decreasing trend within a second reference time interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first gesture signal comprises a key-press signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second gesture signal comprises a key-release signal.

7. A method for gesture detection on a touchpad, comprising the steps of:

verifying that an object touches on the touchpad;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

verifying that the object leaves the touchpad if the object is determined not to move on the touchpad in the previous step;

initiating a first gesture signal after the object is verified to leave the touchpad;

counting a departure time after the object leaves the touchpad;

verifying that the object touches on the touchpad if the touchpad is detected to be touched again before the departure time reaches a reference time interval;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

calculating a position information of the object if the object moves on the touchpad;

producing a second gesture signal; and

terminating the second gesture signal when the object leaves the touchpad.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of verifying that the object touches on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is greater than a threshold; and

determining that the object touches on the touchpad if the sensed value maintains greater than the threshold in an increasing trend within a second reference time interval.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value; and

determining that the object moves on the touchpad if, within a second reference time interval, the sensed value maintains an increasing trend in a first direction and a decreasing trend in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of verifying that the object leaves the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is less than a threshold; and

determining that the object leaves the touchpad if the sensed value maintains less than the threshold in a decreasing trend within a second reference time interval.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first gesture signal comprises a key-press signal or a key-press with zero-displacement signal.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the second gesture signal comprises a combinational signal of a key-press with the position information.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the position information comprises an absolute coordinate or a relative coordinate.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the position information comprises a relative displacement of the object on the touchpad.

15. A method for gesture detection on a touchpad, comprising the steps of:

verifying that an object touches on the touchpad;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

verifying that the object leaves the touchpad if the object is determined not to move on the touchpad in the previous step;

initiating a first gesture signal after the object is verified to leave the touchpad;

counting a departure time after the object leaves the touchpad;

verifying that the object touches on the touchpad if the touchpad is detected to be touched again before the departure time reaches a reference time interval;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

calculating a position information of the object if the object moves on the touchpad;

producing a second gesture signal; and

producing a third gesture signal for terminating the second gesture signal after the object is verified to leave the touchpad.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of verifying that the object touches on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is greater than a threshold; and

determining that the object touches on the touchpad if the sensed value maintains greater than the threshold in an increasing trend within a second reference time interval.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value; and

determining that the object moves on the touchpad if, within a second reference time interval, the sensed value maintains an increasing trend in a first direction and a decreasing trend in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of verifying that the object leaves the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is less than a threshold; and

determining that the object leaves the touchpad if the sensed value maintains less than the threshold in a decreasing trend within a second reference time interval.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first gesture signal comprises a key-press signal.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first gesture signal comprises a key-press signal or a key-press with zero-displacement signal.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the second gesture signal comprises a combinational signal of a key-press with the position information.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the third gesture signal comprises a key-release signal.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the position information comprises an absolute coordinate or a relative coordinate.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the position information comprises a relative displacement of the object on the object.

31. The method of claim 15, wherein the third gesture signal comprises a combinational signal of a key-press and a key-release.

25. A method for gesture detection on a touchpad, comprising the steps of:

verifying that an object touches on the touchpad;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

verifying that the object leaves the touchpad if the object is determined not to move on the touchpad in the previous step;

initiating a first gesture signal after the object is verified to leave the touchpad;

counting a departure time after the object leaves the touchpad;

verifying that the object touches on the touchpad if the touchpad is detected to be touched again before the departure time reaches a reference time interval;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

verifying that the object leaves the touchpad again if the object is determined not to move on the touchpad in the previous step;

producing a second gesture signal for terminating the first gesture signal; and

producing a third gesture signal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of verifying that the object touches on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is greater than a threshold; and

determining that the object touches on the touchpad if the sensed value maintains greater than the threshold in an increasing trend within a second reference time interval.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value; and

determining that the object moves on the touchpad if, within a second reference time interval, the sensed value maintains an increasing trend in a first direction and a decreasing trend in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of verifying that the object leaves the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is less than a threshold; and

determining that the object leaves the touchpad if the sensed value maintains less than the threshold in a decreasing trend within a second reference time interval.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the first gesture signal comprises a key-press signal.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the second gesture signal comprises a key-release signal.

32. A method for gesture detection on a touchpad, comprising the steps of:

verifying that an object touches on the touchpad;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

verifying that the object leaves the touchpad if the object is determined not to move on the touchpad in the previous step;

initiating a first gesture signal after the object is verified to leave the touchpad;

counting a departure time after the object leaves the touchpad;

verifying that the object touches on the touchpad if the touchpad is detected to be touched again before the departure time reaches a reference time interval;

determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad;

verifying that the object leaves the touchpad again if the object is determined not to move on the touchpad in the previous step;

producing a second gesture signal for terminating the first gesture signal;

initiating a third gesture signal; and

producing a fourth gesture signal for terminating the third gesture signal.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of verifying that the object touches on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is greater than a threshold; and

determining that the object touches on the touchpad if the sensed value maintains greater than the threshold in an increasing trend within a second reference time interval.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of determining whether or not the object moves on the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value; and

determining that the object moves on the touchpad if, within a second reference time interval, the sensed value maintains an increasing trend in a first direction and a decreasing trend in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of verifying that the object leaves the touchpad comprises the steps of:

monitoring a sensed value on the touchpad;

monitoring a variation of the sensed value when the sensed value is less than a threshold; and

determining that the object leaves the touchpad if the sensed value maintains less than the threshold in a decreasing trend within a second reference time interval.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the first gesture signal comprises a key-press signal.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the second gesture signal comprises a key-release signal.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the third gesture signal comprises a key-press signal.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the fourth gesture signal comprises a key-release signal.