FUNCTIONAL EXPANSION SYSTEM FOR A TOUCH PAD

• US 20080165135A1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chung-Yi Shen, Jao-Ching Lin, Lin-Abel Chu
• Original Assignee: Chung-Yi Shen, Jao-Ching Lin, Lin-Abel Chu
• Inventors: Lin, Jao-Ching, Shen, Chung-Yi, Chu, Lin-Abel
• Application Number:
  US11/621,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165135A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A functional expansion system for a touch pad of an electronic device includes a mode switching module, a signal receiving module, an instruction data base and a recognizing and figuring module. The mode switching module receives key pressing signal from the key to switch a controlled status of the electronic device between normal mode and special mode. The signal receiving module receives the touch signal and sends the touch signal to the recognizing and figuring module. The recognizing and figuring module recognizes touch coordinates, touch frequency or continuous locus under the special mode according to the touch signal, reads out the operational instruction and creates a control signal to call or execute an application software or program in the preset data saved in the instruction data base according to relation between the operational instruction and the control signal.

Claims

1. A functional expansion system for a touch pad of an electronic device, which provides a plurality of software and programs and at least a key for inputting an operational instruction, comprising:

a mode switching module receiving a key pressing signal from the key to switch a controlled status of the electronic device between normal mode and special mode according to the pressing signal;

a signal receiving module connecting with the touch pad to receive a touch signal from the touch pad;

an instruction data base providing a plurality of preset data related to an operational instruction corresponding to a control signal; and

a recognizing and figuring module connecting with the mode switching module, the signal receiving module and the instruction data base respectively, recognizing one of parameters of touch coordinates, touch frequency and continuous locus under the special mode according to the touch signal, reading out the operational instruction and creating the control signal to call or execute an application software or program in the preset data saved in the instruction data base according to relation between the operational instruction and the control signal.

2. The functional expansion system for a touch pad of an electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the pressing signal is created by an user pressing a left key and a light key simultaneously, a function key independently or pressing a specific button independently on the electronic device.

3. The functional expansion system for a touch pad of an electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the touch signal is created by a user making a movement on the touch pad in a way of an unspecific area of the touch pad being finger-hit once or continuously, drawn a straight line or drawn a circular arc clockwise or counterclockwise, wherein the straight line is drawn downward, rightward, from upper left to lower right or from upper right to lower left or a reversed direction of the preceding movements respectively.

4. The functional expansion system for a touch pad of an electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the touch signal is created by a user making a movement on the touch pad in a way of an unspecific area of the touch pad being finger-hit once or continuously.

5. A method for expanding function of a touch pad of an electronic device which has at least a key and is capable of calling or executing application software or programs thereof, comprising following steps:

(A) setting up an instruction data base with a plurality of data related to an operational instruction corresponding to a control signal;

(B) receiving both key pressing signal and touch signal from the touch pad;

(C) switching controlled status of the electronic device between a normal mode and a special mode according to the pressing signal;

(D) recognizing touch coordinates, touch frequency or continuous locus according to the touch signal and reading out the operation instruction; and

(E) creating the control signal corresponding to the operational instruction to call or execute one of the application software or programs based on the data saved in the instruction data base.

6. The method for expanding function of a touch pad of an electronic device as defined in claim 5, wherein the pressing signal in step (B) is created by a user pressing a left key and a right key simultaneously, a function key independently or a specific button independently on the electronic device.

7. The method for expanding function of a touch pad of an electronic device as defined in claim 5, wherein the touch signal in step (B) is created by a user making a movement on the touch pad in a way of an unspecific area of the touch pad being finger-hit once or continuously, drawn a straight line or drawn a circular arc clockwise or counterclockwise, wherein the straight line is drawn downward, rightward, from upper left to lower right or from upper right to lower left or a reversed direction of the preceding movements respectively.

8. The method for expanding function of a touch pad of an electronic device as defined in claim 5, wherein the touch signal in step (B) is created by a user making a movement on the touch pad in a way of an unspecific area of the touch pad being finger-hit once or continuously.

9. An electronic device in which a plurality of application software and programs are set up or saved, comprising:

a touch pad creating touch signal while being point-hit or drawn a line;

at least a key creating pressing signal while being pressed; and

a functional expansion system for the touch pad;

wherein the functional expansion system further comprises;

a mode switching module receiving the pressing signal and switching a controlled status of the electronic device between normal mode and special mode according to the pressing signal according to the pressing signal;

a signal receiving module connecting with the touch pad to receive the touch signal;

an instruction data base providing a plurality of preset data related to an operational instruction corresponding to a control signal; and

a recognizing and figuring module connecting with the mode switching module, the signal receiving module and the instruction data base respectively, recognizing one of parameters of touch coordinates, touch frequency and continuous locus under the special mode according to the touch signal, reading out the operational instruction and creating the control signal to call or execute an application software or program in the preset data saved in the instruction data base according to relation between the operational instruction and the control signal.

10. The electronic device as defined in claim 9, wherein the pressing signal is created by a user pressing a left key and a right key simultaneously, a function key independently or a specific button independently.

11. The electronic device as defined in claim 9, wherein the contact signal is created by a user making a movement on the touch pad in a way of an unspecific area of the touch pad being point-hit once or continuously, drawn a straight line or drawn a circular arc clockwise or counterclockwise, wherein the straight line is drawn downward, rightward, from upper left to lower right or from upper right to lower left or a reversed direction of the preceding movements respectively.

12. The electronic device as defined in claim 9, wherein the touch pad is arranged with coordinates and provides a plurality of block zones;

the touch signal is created by a user making a movement in a way of an unspecific area of the touch pad being point-hit once or continuously; and

the recognizing and figuring module recognizes coordinates of the touched spot.