METHODS OF INTERFACING WITH MULTI-POINT INPUT DEVICES AND MULTI-POINT INPUT SYSTEMS EMPLOYING INTERFACING TECHNIQUES

• US 20080180406A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Perceptive Pixel Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: DAVIDSON, Philip L., HAN, Jefferson Y.
• Granted Patent: US 8,674,948 B2
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods and systems for interfacing with multi-point input devices employ various techniques for controlling displayed images, including 2D and 3D image translation, scale/zoom, rotation control and globe axis tilt control. Various techniques employ three or more simultaneous inputs, changes in characteristics of those inputs, and pressure sensing, among other things.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing with a multi-point input device, comprising the steps of:

displaying an image on a display device;

detecting positions of a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting the display device;

ascertaining amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display device; and

controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device in accordance with the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying an image on a display device comprises displaying an image corresponding to a three-dimensional graphical representation of an object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device comprises effecting a rotation of the image about an axis parallel to a display plane substantially corresponding to a surface of the display device on which the image is displayed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device comprises effecting a rotation of the image about an axis parallel to a display plane, the rotation being in a direction corresponding to the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device comprises effecting a rotation of the image about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to an axis extending through positions of first and second elements simultaneously contacting the display device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the rotation axis is disposed substantially within a display plane substantially corresponding to a surface of the display device on which the image is displayed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a circle in which positions of all of the elements simultaneously contacting the display device are disposed;

and wherein controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device comprises effecting a rotation of the image about a rotation axis that extends through a centerpoint of the circle, the rotation axis being parallel to an axis extending through positions of at least two of the elements and the rotation axis being disposed substantially within a display plane substantially corresponding to a surface of the display device on which the image is displayed

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying an image on a display device comprises displaying an image on a pressure-sensitive display device adapted to ascertain amounts of pressure exerted by elements contacting the display device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein ascertaining amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display device comprises ascertaining pressure as a function of an area of contact by a respective one of the elements contacting the display device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device comprises ascertaining a virtual depth below a contact surface of the display device of each of the elements contacting the contact surface as a function of the amount of pressure exerted by the respective element on the contact surface, and effecting a rotation of the image in accordance with the identified virtual depths of the elements contacting the contact surface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is divided into first and second halves;

and controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device comprises comparing the amounts of pressure exerted by the elements disposed on the first half of the image with the amounts of pressure exerted by the elements disposed on the second half of the image, and effecting a rotation of the image as a function of the comparison.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device comprises effecting, when the pressure exerted by the elements on the display device exceed a predetermined minimum threshold, a rotation of the image about an axis in accordance with the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting positions of a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting the display device comprises detecting positions of at least three elements simultaneously contacting the display device;

the method further comprising the step of identifying a change in an attribute of any of the elements; and

wherein controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device comprises controlling a change in the image both in accordance with the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display device and in accordance with the identified change in the attribute.

14. A method of interfacing with a multi-point input device, comprising the steps of:

displaying an image on a display device;

detecting positions of a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting a multi-point input device;

ascertaining amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the multi-point input device; and

controlling a change in the image displayed on the display device in accordance with the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the multi-point input device.

15. A multi-point input system, comprising:

a display device for displaying an image on a display surface, the display device adapted to detect positions of a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting the display surface; and

a controller for ascertaining amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display surface, and controlling a change in the image displayed by the display device in accordance with the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display surface.

16. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the controller controls the display device to display an image corresponding to a three-dimensional graphical representation of an object.

17. The multi-point input system of claim 16, wherein the controller effects a rotation of the image displayed by the display device about an axis parallel to the display surface.

18. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the controller effects a rotation of the image displayed by the display device about an axis parallel to the display surface, the rotation being in a direction corresponding to the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display surface.

19. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the controller effects a rotation of the image displayed by the display device about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to an axis extending through positions of first and second elements simultaneously contacting the display surface.

20. The multi-point input system of claim 19, wherein the rotation axis is disposed substantially within the display surface.

21. The multi-point input system of claim 15, where the controller identifies a circle in which positions of all of the elements simultaneously contacting the display surface are disposed, and effects a rotation of the image displayed by the display device about a rotation axis that extends through a centerpoint of the circle, the rotation axis being parallel to an axis extending through positions of at least two of the elements and the rotation axis being disposed substantially within the display surface.

22. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the display device is a pressure-sensitive display device adapted to ascertain amounts of pressure exerted by elements contacting the display surface.

23. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the controller ascertains pressure as a function of an area of contact by a respective one of the elements contacting the display surface.

24. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the controller ascertains a virtual depth below the display surface of the display device of each of the elements contacting the display surface as a function of the amount of pressure exerted by the respective element on the display surface, and effecting a rotation of the image in accordance with the identified virtual depths of the elements contacting the display surface.

25. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the image includes first and second halves;

and the controller compares the amounts of pressure exerted by the elements disposed on the first half of the image with the amounts of pressure exerted by the elements disposed on the second half of the image, and effects a rotation of the image displayed by the display device as a function of the compared amounts of pressure.

26. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the controller, when the pressure exerted by the elements on the display surface exceed a predetermined minimum threshold, effects a rotation of the image displayed by the display device about an axis in accordance with the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display surface.

27. The multi-point input system of claim 15, wherein the controller detects positions of at least three elements simultaneously contacting the display surface, identifies a change in an attribute of any of the elements;

and controls a change in the image displayed on the display surface both in accordance with the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the display surface and in accordance with the identified change in the attribute of the elements.

28. A multi-point input system, comprising:

a display device for displaying an image;

a multi-point input device having a contact surface, the multi-point input device adapted to detect positions of a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting the contact surface; and

a controller for ascertaining amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the contact surface, and controlling a change in the image displayed by the display device in accordance with the ascertained amounts of pressure exerted by the elements on the contact surface.