Gesture recognition feedback for a dual mode digitizer

• US 20070242056A1
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: N-Trig Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Moore, Jonathan, Engelhardt, Lenny
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A system and method for providing feedback to a user making a gesture for switching between at least two types of user interactions used to operate a digitizer system, the method comprising recognizing the gesture to switch between the types of user interactions, switching the type of user interaction used to operate the digitizer system, and providing feedback to the user indicating recognition of the gesture.

Claims

1. A method for providing feedback to a user making a gesture for switching between at least two types of user interactions used to operate a digitizer system comprising:

recognizing the gesture to switch between the types of user interactions;

switching the type of user interaction used to operate the digitizer system; and

providing feedback to the user indicating recognition of the gesture.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing the feedback to the user comprises displaying a visual indication.

3. The method according to claim 1 comprising:

sensing the gesture to switch between the types of user interactions; and

displaying the feedback to the user in an area corresponding to the location where the gesture was sensed.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least two types of user interactions include a primary type of user interaction that is active and a secondary type of user interaction that is inactive and wherein the gesture to switch between the types of user interactions comprises recognizing a gesture performed by the secondary type of user interaction.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the primary type of user interaction is a stylus.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the stylus is an electromagnetic stylus.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein the secondary type of user interaction is finger touch.

8. The method according to claim 4 wherein the secondary type of user interaction is a stylus.

9. The method according to claim 1 comprising recognizing a finger touch gesture indicating a switch from a stylus type of user interaction to a touch type of user interaction.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the feedback is temporal feedback.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the feedback is provided for a period between 0.5 seconds and 1.5 seconds.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the feedback is animated.

13. The method according to claim 1 comprising providing feedback indicating to the user a type of user interaction that is currently selected to operate the digitizer system.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the feedback indicating an active type of user interaction is a static feedback.

15. The method according to claim 14 comprising updating the static feedback in response to the gesture.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the feedback is audio feedback.

17. The method according to claim 1 wherein one of the types of user interactions includes a stylus.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the stylus is an electromagnetic stylus.

19. The method according to claim 1 wherein one of the types of user interactions includes a finger touch.

20. The method according to claim 1 wherein one of the types of user interactions includes a body part.

21. The method according to claim 1 wherein one of the types of user interactions includes a game piece.

22. The method according to claim 1 wherein the gesture is a “

double tap”

touch gesture.

23. The method according to claim 1 wherein the digitizer system comprises:

a digitizer to sense the gesture to switch between the types of user interactions;

a controller in communication with the digitizer; and

a host computer operated by the digitizer and the controller.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the controller is integral to the host computer.

25. The method according to claim 23 comprising a single digitizer that senses both types of user interactions.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the controller comprises a gesture recognizer adapted to recognize a pre-defined gesture.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein the digitizer includes a grid of conductive lines patterned on a transparent foil.

28. The method according to claim 27 comprising sensing coupling between crossing conductive lines of the digitizer.

29. The method according to claim 27 comprising measuring potential differences between the conductive lines of the digitizer.

30. The method according to claim 23 comprising a plurality of digitizers, wherein each digitizer is to sense a position of a single type of user interaction.

31. A digitizer system for providing feedback to a user making a gesture for switching between at least two types of user interactions used to operate the digitizer system comprising:

a digitizer to sense the gesture for switching between at least two types of user interactions;

a controller in communication with the digitizer; and

a host computer operated by the digitizer and the controller adapted to provide feedback to the user upon recognition of the gesture for switching between the at least two types of user interactions used to operate the digitizer system.

32. The system according to claim 31 wherein the controller comprises:

a gesture recognition unit to recognize a gesture to switch the type of user interaction used to operate the digitizer system; and

a switching unit to switch between the at least two types of user interaction used to operate the digitizer system.

33. The system according to claim 31 wherein the controller is integral to the host computer.

34. The system according to claim 31 comprising a single digitizer that senses both types of user interactions.

35. The system according to claim 31 wherein the host computer is adapted to recognize the gesture for switching between the at least two type of user interactions used to operate the digitizer system.

36. The system according to claim 31 wherein the controller comprises a gesture recognizer adapted to recognize a pre-defined gesture.

37. The system according to claim 31 wherein the digitizer includes a grid of conductive lines patterned on a transparent foil.

38. The system according to claim 37 comprising sensing coupling of crossing conductive lines of the digitizer.

39. The system according to claim 37 comprising measuring potential differences between the conductive lines of the digitizer.

40. The system according to claim 31 wherein the controller is adapted to recognize a finger touch gesture indicating a switch from a stylus user interaction to a finger touch user interaction.

41. The system according to claim 40 wherein the stylus user interaction is an electro-magnetic stylus.

42. The system according to claim 31 wherein the host computer includes a monitor and wherein the feedback is displayed on the monitor.

43. The system according to claim 42 wherein the feedback is displayed at a location on the monitor corresponding to a location where the gesture was sensed.

44. The system according to claim 42 wherein the digitizer is positioned to overlay the monitor.

45. The system according to claim 31 comprising a plurality of digitizers, wherein each digitizer senses a position of a single type of user interaction.