Method for gesture detection on a touchpad

• US 20070075983A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chiu, Yen-Chang, Tang, Kuan-Chun
• Application Number:
  US11/528,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20070075983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A multi-function touchpad has a first button located at substantially a center of the touchpad and a second button at substantially an edge of the touchpad. When the first button is pressed, if the second button is also pressed, the touchpad triggers the function in response to the first button and ignores the pressing of the second button.

Claims

1. A multi-function touchpad comprising:

a touch-sense apparatus being capable of supporting a one-dimensional operational mode and a two-dimensional operational mode;

a first button located at substantially a center of the touchpad; and

a second button located at substantially an edge of the touchpad.

2. The touchpad of claim 1, wherein the touchpad triggers a function in response to the first button and ignores a pressing of the second button if the second button is also pressed when the first button is pressed.

3. The touchpad of claim 1, wherein the touch-sense apparatus comprises:

a sensor having a first group of traces in a first direction and a second group of traces in a second direction, for detecting a position of an object on the touchpad to generate a first signal;

a two-dimensional coordinate processor for generating a two-dimensional coordinate according to the first signal in the two-dimensional operational mode;

a coordinate transformer for generating a second signal according to the first signal or the two-dimensional coordinate in the one-dimensional operational mode; and

a one-dimensional coordinate processor for generating a one-dimensional coordinate according to the second signal.

4. The touchpad of claim 2, wherein the first and second buttons are located at a same side of the sensor.

5. The touchpad of claim 1, wherein the first button is located at a first side of the sensor, and the second button is located at a second side of the sensor.

6. A control method for a multi-function touchpad having a first button located at substantially a center of the touchpad and a second button at substantially an edge of the touchpad, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting whether or not an object touching or pressing the touchpad; and

triggering a function in response to the first button and ignoring a pressing of the second button if the second button is also pressed when the first button is pressed.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a position of the object for generating a first signal if the object is detected to touch the touchpad;

in a two-dimensional operational mode, generating a two-dimensional coordinate according to the first signal; and

in a one-dimensional operational mode, generating a second signal according to the first signal or the two-dimensional coordinate and further generating a one-dimensional coordinate according to the second signal.