Method And Cursor-Generating Device For Generating A Cursor Extension On A Screen Of An Electronic Device

• US 20090237357A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Jiann-Jou, Ko, Chueh-Pin
• Application Number:
  US12/208,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20090237357A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A method for generating a cursor extension on a screen of an electronic device includes the steps of detecting presence of at least one touched spot on a touchpad of the electronic device, and deciding whether to generate the cursor extension based on an attribute of the at least one detected touched spot. A cursor-generating device that performs the method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for generating a cursor extension on a screen of an electronic device, the electronic device further including a touchpad, said method comprising the steps of:

A) detecting presence of at least one touched spot on the touchpad of the electronic device; and

B) deciding whether to generate the cursor extension based on an attribute of the at least one touched spot detected in step A).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cursor extension is generated in step B) when the touched spot detected in step A) remains on the touchpad for a time duration that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

C) determining a change in area of the touched spot detected in step A) on the touchpad; and

D) adjusting a distance between the cursor extension generated in step B) and a position on the screen that corresponds to the touched spot detected in step A) based on the change in the area of the touched spot determined in step C).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

C) detecting presence of another touched spot on the touchpad;

D) determining whether a position on the screen that corresponds to the touched spot detected in step C) overlaps a position of the cursor extension generated in step B); and

E) when it is determined in step D) that the position on the screen that corresponds to the touched spot detected in step C) overlaps the position of the cursor extension, adjusting a distance and a relative direction between the cursor extension generated in step B) and the position on the screen that corresponds to the touched spot detected in step A) based on the touched spot detected in step C).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

C) determining a change in an angular orientation of the touched spot detected in step A) on the touchpad; and

D) moving the cursor extension generated in step B) in a direction that corresponds to the change in the angular orientation of the touched spot determined in step C).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cursor extension is generated in step B) when the number of the touched spots on the touchpad detected in step A) changes from one to two.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cursor extension is generated in step B) at a position on the screen that corresponds to an initial one of the touched spots detected in step A) and is manipulated through a latter one of the touched spots detected in step A).

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the change in the number of the touched spots on the touchpad occurs within a predetermined time period.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein, when it is determined that a position on the screen that corresponds to the latter one of the touched spots overlaps a position of the cursor extension generated in step B), a distance and a relative direction between the cursor extension generated in step B) and the position on the screen that corresponds to the initial one of the touched spots are adjusted based on the latter one of the touched spots.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cursor extension is generated in step B) when the number of the touched spots on the touchpad detected in step A) changes from two to one.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cursor extension is generated in step B) at a position on the screen that corresponds to a vanished one of the touched spots, and is manipulated through a remaining one of the touched spots on the touchpad.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a distance between the cursor extension generated in step B) and a position of the screen that corresponds to the remaining one of the touched spots is adjusted based on a change in an area of the remaining one of the touched spots on the touchpad.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cursor extension is generated in step B) when an area of the touched spot detected in step A) on the touchpad exceeds a predetermined threshold.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

C) determining a change in the area of the touched spot detected in step A) on the touchpad; and

D) adjusting a distance between the cursor extension generated in step B) and a position on the screen that corresponds to the touched spot detected in step A) based on the change in the area of the touched spot determined in step C).

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cursor extension generated in step B) includes a symbol, and a line that extends between the symbol and a position on the screen that corresponds to the touched spot detected in step A).

16. A cursor-generating device adapted for generating a cursor extension on a screen of an electronic device, the electronic device further including a touchpad, said cursor-generating device comprising:

a detecting unit adapted to be coupled to the touchpad and operable so as to detect presence of at least one touched spot on the touchpad; and

a processing unit coupled to said detecting unit, adapted to be coupled to the screen, and operable so as to decide whether to enable generation of the cursor extension on the screen based on an attribute of the at least one touched spot detected by said detecting unit.

17. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said processing unit enables generation of the cursor extension on the screen when the touched spot detected by said detecting unit remains on the touchpad for a time duration that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

18. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said processing unit is further operable so as to adjust a distance between the cursor extension generated on the screen and a position on the screen that corresponds to the touched spot detected by said detecting unit based on a change in an area of the touched spot on the touchpad.

19. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said processing unit is further operable so as to enable movement of the cursor extension generated on the screen in a direction that corresponds to a change in an angular orientation of the touched spot detected by said detecting unit on the touchpad.

20. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said processing unit is further operable so as to adjust a distance and a relative direction between the cursor extension generated on the screen and a position on the screen that corresponds to an initial one of the touched spots detected by said detecting unit based on a latter one of the touched spots detected by said detecting unit on the touchpad when said processing unit determines that a position on the screen that corresponds to the latter one of the touched spots on the touchpad overlaps a position of the cursor extension on the screen.

21. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said processing unit enables generation of the cursor extension on the screen when the number of the touched spots on the touchpad detected by said detecting unit changes from one to two.

22. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said processing unit enables generation of the cursor extension at a position on the screen that corresponds to an initial one of the touched spots detected by said detecting unit, and further enables manipulation of the cursor extension through a latter one of the touched spots detected by said detecting unit.

23. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said processing unit is further operable so as to adjust a distance between the cursor extension generated on the screen and a position on the screen that corresponds to the latter one of the touched spots based on a change in an area of the latter one of the touched spots on the touchpad.

24. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the change in the number of the touched spots on the touchpad occurs within a predetermined time period.

25. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said processing unit enables generation of the cursor extension on the screen when the number of the touched spots on the touchpad detected by said detecting unit changes from two to one.

26. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said processing unit enables generation of the cursor extension at a position on the screen that corresponds to a vanished one of the touched spots, and further enables manipulation of the cursor extension through a remaining one of the touched spots on the touchpad.

27. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said processing unit is further operable so as to adjust a distance between the cursor extension generated on the screen and a position on the screen that corresponds to the remaining one of the touched spots based on a change in an area of the remaining one of the touched spots on the touchpad.

28. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said processing unit enables generation of the cursor extension on the screen when an area of the touched spot detected by said detecting unit on the touchpad exceeds a corresponding predetermined threshold.

29. The cursor-generating device as claimed in claim 28, wherein said processing unit is further operable so as to adjust a distance between the cursor extension generated on the screen and a position on the screen that corresponds to the touched spot detected by said detecting unit based on a change in the area of the touched spot on the touchpad.

30. A computer program product comprising:

a machine readable storage medium having program instructions stored therein which when executed cause a cursor-generating device to perform a set of operations including;

detecting presence of at least one touched spot on a touchpad of an electronic device; and

deciding whether to generate a cursor extension on a screen of the electronic device based on an attribute of the at least one detected touched spot.