TRACKING INPUT IN A SCREEN-REFLECTIVE INTERFACE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20100013777A1
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation), Sarantel Limited (UK Oil & Gas Plc)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wykes, David H., Shum, Albert Yiu-So, Geiger, Avi, Sinclair, Michael J., Petschnigg, Georg F., Hinckley, Kenneth P., Friedman, Jonathan D., Ho, Rosanna H., Jacobs, Joel B., Baudisch, Patrick M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a method is adapted to tracking input with a device. The method includes an act of monitoring and acts of activating and displaying if a touch input is detected. The device has a first side and a second side, with the second side opposite the first side. The device has a display screen disposed on the first side, and a screen-reflective interface disposed on the second side. Respective positions on the screen-reflective interface correspond to respective locations of the display screen. The screen-reflective interface of the device is monitored. If a touch input is detected on the screen-reflective interface, the device performs acts of activating and displaying. Specifically, a tracking state is activated for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected touch input on the screen-reflective interface. The interface icon is displayed on the display screen to indicate that the tracking state has been activated.

Claims

1. A device that is capable of tracking input, the device comprising:

at least one processor; and

one or more processor-accessible tangible media comprising processor-executable instructions that are capable of being executed by the at least one processor, the processor-executable instructions adapted to direct the device to perform acts comprising;

monitoring a screen-reflective interface of the device;

the device having a display screen, a first side, and a second side, with the second side opposite the first side;

the display screen disposed on the first side, and the screen-reflective interface disposed on the second side;

wherein respective positions on the screen-reflective interface correspond to respective locations of the display screen;

if a touch input is detected on the screen-reflective interface,

activating a tracking state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected touch input on the screen-reflective interface; and

displaying an interface icon on the display screen to indicate that the tracking state has been activated, the interface icon displayed at a location of the display screen that corresponds to a position of the touch input on the screen-reflective interface; and

if a press input is detected at the screen-reflective interface while the tracking state is activated,

activating an engaged state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected press input at the screen-reflective interface; and

initiating at least one distinct interaction functionality for the engaged state.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions are adapted to direct the device to perform further acts comprising:

if an absence of contact is detected at the screen-reflective interface,

activating an out-of-range state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected absence of contact; and

removing the interface icon from the display screen for the out-of-range state.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the processor-executable instructions are adapted to direct the device to perform further acts comprising:

tracking, while the tracking state is activated, a current position of the touch input on the screen-reflective interface by moving the interface icon to a current location of the display screen that corresponds to the current position of the touch input so as to reflect the current position of the touch input on the screen-reflective interface with the current location of the interface icon on the display screen.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor-executable instructions are adapted to direct the device to perform further acts comprising:

if a press input is detected at the screen-reflective interface while the tracking state is activated,

firing a thumper of the device responsive to the detected press input at the screen-reflective interface.

5. A device-implemented method for tracking input, the method comprising acts of:

monitoring a screen-reflective interface of a device;

the device having a display screen, a first side, and a second side, with the second side opposite the first side;

the display screen disposed on the first side, and the screen-reflective interface disposed on the second side;

wherein respective positions on the screen-reflective interface correspond to respective locations of the display screen; and

if a touch input is detected on the screen-reflective interface,

activating a tracking state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected touch input on the screen-reflective interface; and

displaying an interface icon on the display screen to indicate that the tracking state has been activated.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

if a press input is detected at the screen-reflective interface while the tracking state is activated,

activating an engaged state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected press input at the screen-reflective interface; and

initiating at least one distinct interaction functionality for the engaged state.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

if a press input is detected at a button of the device while the tracking state is activated,

activating an engaged state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected press input at the button; and

initiating at least one distinct interaction functionality for the engaged state.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

tracking a position of the touch input on the screen-reflective interface with the interface icon displayed on the display screen during the tracking state.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the act of tracking comprises:

moving the interface icon to a corresponding location of the display screen to reflect the position of the touch input on the screen-reflective interface.

10. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

if an absence of contact is detected at the screen-reflective interface,

activating an out-of-range state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected absence of contact; and

removing the interface icon from the display screen for the out-of-range state.

11. A device that is capable of tracking input, the device comprising:

a first side;

a second side, the second side opposite the first side;

a display screen disposed on the first side;

a screen-reflective interface disposed on the second side, respective positions on the screen-reflective interface corresponding to respective locations of the display screen; and

a detection unit to monitor the screen-reflective interface, the detection unit comprising a touch detector to detect a touch input on the screen-reflective interface;

wherein if the touch detector detects a touch input at a particular position, the touch detector is (i) to activate a tracking state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected touch input on the screen-reflective interface and (ii) to indicate that the tracking state has been activated by causing an interface icon to be displayed on the display screen at a particular location that corresponds to the particular position.

12. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the detection unit further comprises:

a pressure detector to detect a press input at the screen-reflective interface while the tracking state is activated;

wherein if the pressure detector detects a press input, the pressure detector is to activate an engaged state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected press input at the screen-reflective interface and to initiate at least one distinct interaction functionality for the engaged state.

13. The device as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

a tactile feedback mechanism that is capable of providing tactile feedback to a user of the device, the tactile feedback mechanism coupled to the pressure detector;

wherein the pressure detector is adapted to fire the tactile feedback mechanism when the engaged state is activated.

14. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the device further comprises at least one button;

and wherein the detection unit further comprises;

a pressure detector to detect a press input at the at least one button while the tracking state is activated;

wherein if the pressure detector detects a press input, the pressure detector is to activate an engaged state for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected press input at the at least one button and to initiate at least one distinct interaction functionality for the engaged state.

15. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the detection unit is to track, while the tracking state is activated, a current position of the touch input on the screen-reflective interface by moving the interface icon to a current location of the display screen that corresponds to the current position of the touch input.

16. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the device is to display an image of one or more fingers at one or more locations of the display screen that correspond to one or more positions currently being touched on the screen-reflective interface by one or more fingers of a user.

17. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the screen-reflective interface comprises:

a touch sensitive component that is adapted to sense one or more touch inputs; and

a pressure sensitive component that is adapted to sense one or more press inputs.

18. The device as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the touch sensitive component comprises a track pad;

the pressure sensitive component comprises a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and an elastic material;

the second electrical contact is attached to the track pad, and the elastic material biases the second electrical contact away from the first electrical contact;

the elastic material is compressible upon application of pressure to the track pad by a user until the second electrical contact touches the first electrical contact; and

an engaged state for the screen-reflective interface is activated when the second electrical contact touches the first electrical contact.

19. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the detection unit is to filter movements of the touch input on the screen-reflective interface by smoothing movements of the interface icon as it is displayed on the display screen.

20. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the detection unit is to retrieve a position of the touch input or a location of the interface icon at a predetermined period of time in the past when a press input is detected;

and wherein the detection unit is to activate an engaged state based on the retrieved position or location.