Method and system for emulating a mouse on a multi-touch sensitive surface

• US 20070257891A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Esenther, Alan, Ryall, Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US11/416,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257891A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A computer implemented method for emulating a mouse with a multi-touch sensitive display surface. Sensing a touching, movement or tapping by one or several fingers or fist emulates mechanical mouse functionality. Sensing a first touching by a first finger at a first location on a multi-touch sensitive display surface and sensing concurrently a second touching by a second finger at a second location on the multi-touch sensitive display surface displays a graphic object on the multi-touch display surface at a position dependent on the first location and the second location to emulate moving a mouse.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for emulating a mouse with a multi-touch sensitive display surface, comprising the steps of:

sensing a first touching by a first finger at a first location on a multi-touch sensitive display surface;

sensing concurrently a second touching by a second finger at a second location on the multi-touch sensitive display surface; and

displaying a graphic object on the multi-touch display surface at a position dependent on the first location and the second location.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the position is mid-point between the first location and the second location.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the first finger is a middle finger and the second finger is a thumb of the hand.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the first finger is a ring finger and the second finger is a thumb of the hand.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the graphic object is a cursor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving concurrently, the first finger and the second finger while touching the multi-touch display surface to change the first and second locations; and

displaying concurrently the graphic object at moving positions dependent on the moving first and second locations to emulate moving a mouse.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing concurrently a third tapping by a third finger at a third location on the multi-touch sensitive display surface; and

switching between cursor control modes according to the third touching.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the cursor control modes emulate cursor positioning and engagement.

9. The method of claim 7, in which the first finger is a middle finger of a hand, the second finger is a thumb of the hand, and the third finger is an index finger of the hand.

10. The method of claim 7, in which the first finger is a ring finger of a hand, the second finger is a thumb of the hand, and the third finger is an index finger of the hand.

11. The method of claim 7, in which the sensing of the third location is restricted to a rectangular bounding box having opposing diagonal corners defined be the first location and the second location.

12. The method of claim 7, in which the moving positions include an initial position and a last position, and the graphic object is a line connecting the initial position and the last position.

13. The method of claim 7, in which the graphic object includes line segments connecting the moving positions.

14. The method of claim 1, in which the sensing is identified with a particular user.

15. A computer implemented method for emulating a mouse with a multi-touch sensitive display surface, comprising the steps of:

sensing a first touching by a first finger at a first location on a multi-touch sensitive display surface while displaying a graphical object;

sensing a moving of the first finger while concurrently sensing a second touching by a second finger at a second location on the multi-touch sensitive display surface; and

engaging with the graphic object according to the moving of the first finger to emulate a left click and drag operation of a mouse.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the graphical object is a document and the moving highlights a portion of the document.

17. The method of claim 15, in which the graphical object is a window and the moving rotates the window.

18. The method of claim 15, in which the graphical object is a window and the moving resizing the window.

19. A computer implemented method for emulating a mouse with a multi-touch sensitive display surface, comprising the steps of:

sensing a first touching by a first finger at a first location on a multi-touch sensitive display surface while displaying a graphical object;

sensing tapping by a second finger at a second location on the multi-touch sensitive display surface; and

engaging with the graphic object according to the location of the first finger to emulate a right button press operation of a mouse.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising the subsequent steps of:

sensing the movement of the first finger touching the multi-touch sensitive device; and

engaging with the graphic object according to the location of the first finger to emulate a mouse operation of dragging with a right mouse button engaged.

21. The method of claim 19 comprising the subsequent steps of:

sensing a cessation of the first finger from touching the multi-touch sensitive device; and

engaging with the graphic object according to the location of the first finger to emulate a right button release operation of the mouse.

22. A computer implemented method for emulating a mouse with a multi-touch sensitive display surface, comprising the steps of:

sensing a first touching by a first finger at a first location on a multi-touch sensitive display surface while displaying a graphical object;

sensing two consecutive touchings by a second finger at a second location on the multi-touch sensitive display surface; and

engaging with the graphic object according to the location of the first finger to emulate a middle button press operation of the mouse.

23. The method of claim 22 comprising the subsequent steps of:

sensing the movement of the first finger touching the multi-touch sensitive device; and

engaging with the graphic object according to the location of the first finger to emulate a mouse operation of dragging with the middle mouse button engaged.

24. The method of claim 22 comprising the subsequent steps of:

sensing a cessation of the first finger from touching the multi-touch sensitive device; and

engaging with the graphic object according to the location of the first finger to emulate a middle button release operation of the mouse.

25. A computer implemented method for emulating a mouse with a multi-touch sensitive display surface, comprising the steps of:

sensing a first touching by a fist at a first location on a multi-touch sensitive display surface while displaying a graphical object;

sensing a moving of the fist while touching the multi-touch sensitive display surface while displaying a graphical object; and

engaging with the graphic object according moving to emulate a scrolling with mouse wheel.

26. A system for emulating a mouse, comprising:

a multi-touch sensitive display surface configured to sense a first touching by a first finger at a first location and a concurrent second touching by a second finger at a second location on the multi-touch sensitive display surface; and

means for displaying a graphic object on the multi-touch display surface at a position dependent on the first location and the second location to emulate moving a mouse.