Automatic switching for a dual mode digitizer

• US 20090027354A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: N-Trig Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Rimon, Ori, Perski, Haim
• Application Number:
  US12/232,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20090027354A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• 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

An apparatus for detecting a plurality of user interactions, comprising: at least one detector for sensing the user interactions, a respective controller, associated with each of the detectors, for finding positions of the user interactions, and a switcher, associated with the controllers, for handling the user interactions, according to a defined policy.

Claims

1-36. -36. (canceled)

37. A method for detecting finger touch user interactions on a sensor plane for operating a host computer, the method comprising:

detecting at least one position relating to touch on the sensor plane, wherein the sensor plane includes a plurality of sensing elements, spread across a sensing area; and

distinguishing between finger touch user interaction and touch from a palm or hand over the sensing area.

38. The method of claim 37 comprising rejecting touch resulting from placement of a hand or palm over the sensing area.

39. The method of claim 37 comprising discarding a wide area touch as an input to the host computer.

40. The method of claim 37 comprising determining a number of sensing elements affected by the touch.

41. The method of claim 37 comprising determining that the touch is a finger touch user interaction when a number of contiguous sensor elements affected by the touch is less than a predetermined number.

42. The method of claim 41 comprising ignoring touch affecting more than the predetermined number of contiguous sensing elements for operating the host computer.

43. The method of claim 37 comprising determining that the touch is touch from a palm or hand when a number of contiguous sensor elements affected by the touch is more than a predetermined number.

44. The method of claim 37 wherein the sensing elements include a grid of conductive lines.

45. A computer input device for detecting finger touch user interactions on a sensor plane for operating a host computer comprising:

a sensor plane comprising a plurality of sensing elements, spread across a sensing area.

at least one controller associated with sensing elements configured for detecting at least one position relating to touch on the sensor plane and for distinguishing between finger touch user interaction and touch from a palm or hand over the sensing area.

46. The device of claim 45 wherein the at least one controller is configured for rejecting touch resulting from placement of a hand or palm over the sensing area.

47. The device of claim 45 wherein the at least one controller is configured for discarding a wide area touch as an input to the host computer.

48. The device of claim 45 wherein the at least one controller is configured for determining a number of sensing elements affected by the touch.

49. The device of claim 45 wherein the at least one controller is configured for determining that the touch is a finger touch user interaction when a number of contiguous sensor elements affected by the touch is less than a predetermined number.

50. The device of claim 49 wherein the at least one controller is configured for ignoring touch affecting more than the predetermined number of contiguous sensing elements for operating the host computer.

51. The device of claim 45 wherein the at least one controller is configured for determining that the touch is touch from a palm or hand when a number of contiguous sensor elements affected by the touch is more than a predetermined number.

52. The device of claim 45 wherein the sensing elements include a grid of conductive lines.

53. The device of claim 45, wherein the at least one controller is configured for detecting an electromagnetic stylus.

54. The device of claim 45, wherein the device is configured for detecting both an electromagnetic stylus and finger touch on same sensing elements.