TOUCH PAD OPERABLE WITH MULTI-OBJECTS AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME

• US 20090183930A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elantech Devices Corporation (Elan Microelectronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Wei-Wen, Cheng, Chien-Wei, Liu, Chuh-Min
• Application Number:
  US12/057,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183930A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.30
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present invention provides a touch pad operable with multi-objects and a method of operating such a touch pad. The touch pad includes a touch structure for sensing touch points of a first and a second object and a controller for generating corresponding touching signals and related position coordinates. Moreover, the controller calculates at least two movement amount indexes according to coordinate differences between these position coordinates, thereby generating a movement amount control signal to control behaviors of a software object.

Claims

1. A method of operating a touch pad with multi-objects, comprising steps of:

sensing touch points of first and second objects on said touch pad to assert a first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and a second position coordinate (X2, Y2), respectively;

moving said second object on said touch pad to a further touch point, and sensing said further touch point to assert a third position coordinate (X3, Y3);

calculating at least two movement amount indexes according to coordinate differences between said first, second and third position coordinates, wherein a first movement amount index is obtained according to a coordinate difference between said first and second position coordinates; and

generating a movement amount control signal according to said at least two movement amount indexes.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first object is a first finger, said second object is a second finger, and said first, second and third position coordinates are obtained in an absolute two-dimensional coordinate system or a relative two-dimensional coordinate system.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising steps of:

measuring a first angle of the line through said first position coordinate and said second position coordinate with respect to the x-axis, and defining said first angle as said first movement amount index;

measuring a second angle of the line through said first position coordinate and said third position coordinate with respect to the x-axis, and defining said second angle as a second movement amount index; and

calculating an angle difference between said first angle and said second angle, and generating said movement amount control signal to control behaviors of a software object according to the positive or negative sign of said angle difference, wherein said software object is a volume control key and said behaviors of said software object include displacement amount and displacement direction of said volume control key, or said software object is a digital image and said behaviors of said software object include rotational amount and rotational direction of the digital image.

4. The method according to claim 2 further comprising steps of:

measuring a first slope S112 of the line through said first position coordinate and said second position coordinate as said first movement amount index, measuring a second slope S113 of the line through said first position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a second movement amount index, and measuring a third slope S123 of the line through said second position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a third movement amount index;

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first rotational action of said software object if S112≧

0, S113≧

0, S123<

0, (Y2-Y3)>

0 and (X2-X3)<

0, or if S112≦

0, S113≦

0, S123>

0, (Y2-Y3)<

0 and (X2-X3)<

0; and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second rotational action of said software object if S112≧

0, S113≧

0, S123<

0, (Y2-Y3)<

0 and (X2-X3)>

0, or if S112≦

0, S113≦

0, S123>

0, (Y2-Y3)>

0 and (X2-X3)>

0,

wherein said first rotational action and said second rotational action are respectively a clockwise rotational action and a counterclockwise rotational action, said software object is a volume control key and said behaviors of said software object include displacement amount and displacement direction of said volume control key, or said software object is a digital image and said behaviors of said software object include rotational amount and rotational direction of the digital image.

5. The method according to claim 2 further comprising steps of:

measuring a first slope S212 of the line through said first position coordinate and said second position coordinate as said first movement amount index, measuring a second slope S213 of the line through said first position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a second movement amount index, and measuring a third slope S223 of the line through said second position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a third movement amount index;

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of said software object if S212≧

0, S213≧

0, S232≧

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3×

1), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y1), or if S212<

0, S213<

0, S232<

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y1); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object if S212≧

0, S213≧

0, S232≧

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y1), or if S212<

0, S213<

0, S232<

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y1),

wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action, said software object is a digital image, and said behaviors of said software object include zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.

6. The method according to claim 2 further comprising steps of:

moving said first object on said touch pad to a further touch point, and sensing said further touch point to assert a fourth position coordinate (X4, Y4);

obtaining a third movement amount index according to a coordinate difference between said second and third position coordinates;

obtaining a fourth movement amount index according to a coordinate difference between said first and fourth position coordinates;

obtaining a fifth movement amount index according to a coordinate difference between said fourth and third position coordinates; and

generating said movement amount control signal according to said first, third, fourth and fifth movement amount indexes.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising steps of:

measuring a first slope S312 of the line through said first position coordinate and said second position coordinate as said first movement amount index, measuring a third slope S332 of the line through said second position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a third movement amount index, measuring a fourth slope S314 of the line through said first position coordinate and said fourth position coordinate as a fourth movement amount index, and measuring a fifth slope S343 of the line through said fourth position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a fifth movement amount index;

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of said software object if S312≧

0, S332≧

0, S314≧

0, S343≧

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y4), or if S312<

0, S332<

0, S314<

0, S343<

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y4); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object if S312≧

0, S332≧

0, S314≧

0, S343≧

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y4), or if S312<

0, S332<

0, S314<

0, S343<

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y4),

wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action, said software object is a digital image, and said behaviors of said software object include zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.

8. A touch pad operable with multi-objects, said touch pad being communicated with a host and a display body and comprising:

a touch structure having a lower surface communicated with said display body and an upper surface for sensing touch points, wherein first and second touching signals are respectively generated when touch points of first and second objects on said touch pad are sensed, and a third touching signal is generated when said second object is moved on said touch pad to a farther touch point and said further touch point is sensed; and

a controller electrically connected to said touch structure and said host for receiving said first, second and third touching signals and generating a first position coordinate (X1, Y1), a second position coordinate (X2, Y2) and a third position coordinate (X3, Y3), respectively, wherein said controller calculates at least two movement amount indexes according to coordinate differences between said first, second and third position coordinates, thereby generating a movement amount control signal,

wherein a first movement amount index is obtained according to a coordinate difference between said first and second position coordinates.

9. The touch pad according to claim 8 wherein said first object is a first finger, said second object is a second finger, and said first, second and third position coordinates are obtained in an absolute two-dimensional coordinate system or a relative two-dimensional coordinate system.

10. The touch pad according to claim 9 wherein said touch pad is operated by the following steps of:

measuring a first angle of the line through said first position coordinate and said second position coordinate with respect to the x-axis, and defining said first angle as said first movement amount index;

measuring a second angle of the line through said first position coordinate and said third position coordinate with respect to the x-axis, and defining said second angle as a second movement amount index; and

calculating an angle difference between said first angle and said second angle, and generating said movement amount control signal to control behaviors of a software object according to the positive or negative sign of said angle difference, wherein said software object is a volume control key and said behaviors of said software object include displacement amount and displacement direction of said volume control key, or said software object is a digital image and said behaviors of said software object include rotational amount and rotational direction of the digital image.

11. The touch pad according to claim 9 wherein said touch pad is operated by the following steps of:

measuring a first slope S112 of the line through said first position coordinate and said second position coordinate as said first movement amount index, measuring a second slope S113 of the line through said first position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a second movement amount index, and measuring a third slope S123 of the line through said second position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a third movement amount index;

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first rotational action of said software object if S112≧

0, S113≧

0, S123<

0, (Y2-Y3)>

0 and (X2-X3)<

0, or if S112≦

0, S113≦

0, S123>

0, (Y2-Y3)<

0 and (X2-X3)<

0; and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second rotational action of said software object if S112≧

0, S113≧

0, S123<

0, (Y2-Y3)<

0 and (X2-X3)>

0, or if S112≦

0, S113≦

0, S123>

0, (Y2-Y3)>

0 and (X2-X3)>

0,

wherein said first rotational action and said second rotational action are respectively a clockwise rotational action and a counterclockwise rotational action, said software object is a volume control key and said behaviors of said software object include displacement amount and displacement direction of said volume control key, or said software object is a digital image and said behaviors of said software object include rotational amount and rotational direction of the digital image.

12. The touch pad according to claim 9 wherein said touch pad is operated by the following steps of:

measuring a first slope S212 of the line through said first position coordinate and said second position coordinate as said first movement amount index, measuring a second slope S213 of the line through said first position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a second movement amount index, and measuring a third slope S223 of the line through said second position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a third movement amount index;

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of said software object if S212≧

0, S213≧

0, S232≧

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y1), or if S212<

0, S213<

0, S232<

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y1); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object if S212≧

0, S213≧

0, S232≧

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y1), or if S212<

0, S213<

0, S232<

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y1),

wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action, said software object is a digital image, and said behaviors of said software object include zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.

13. The touch pad according to claim 9 wherein said touch pad is operated by the following steps of:

moving said first object on said touch pad to a further touch point, and sensing said further touch point to assert a fourth position coordinate (X4, Y4);

obtaining a third movement amount index according to a coordinate difference between said second and third position coordinates;

obtaining a fourth movement amount index according to a coordinate difference between said first and fourth position coordinates;

obtaining a fifth movement amount index according to a coordinate difference between said fourth and third position coordinates; and

generating said movement amount control signal according to said first, third, fourth and fifth movement amount indexes.

14. The touch pad according to claim 9 wherein said touch pad is operated by the following steps of:

measuring a first slope S312 of the line through said first position coordinate and said second position coordinate as said first movement amount index, measuring a third slope S332 of the line through said second position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a third movement amount index, measuring a fourth slope S314 of the line through said first position coordinate and said fourth position coordinate as a fourth movement amount index, and measuring a fifth slope S343 of the line through said fourth position coordinate and said third position coordinate as a fifth movement amount index;

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of said software object if S312≧

0, S332≧

0, S314≧

0, S343≧

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y4), or if S312<

0, S332<

0, S314<

0, S343<

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y4); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object if S312≧

0, S332≧

0, S314≧

0, S343≧

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y4), or if S312<

0, S332<

0, S314<

0, S343<

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y4),

wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action, said software object is a digital image, and said behaviors of said software object include zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.