CONTROLLING TOUCH INPUT MODES

• US 20100309140A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Widgor, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/479,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20100309140A1
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Embodiments related gesture-based inputs made via multi-touch display are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment comprises a computing device configured to detect a modal touch input on a multi-touch display, the modal touch input having a geometrically defined posture. In response, the computing device is configured to set a selected touch input mode based on the posture of the first modal touch input, the touch input mode representing a relational correspondence between a first set of functional touch inputs and a first set of functions. The computing device is further configured to detect a functional touch input on the multi-touch display, to determine the relational correspondence between the functional touch input and an associated function included in the set of functions based on the touch input mode, and to modify the multi-touch display based on the associated function.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

a multi-touch display;

a processor; and

memory comprising code executable by the processor to;

detect a first modal touch input on the multi-touch display, the first modal touch input having a first geometrically defined posture;

set a first selected touch input mode based on the posture of the first modal touch input, the touch input mode representing a relational correspondence between a first set of functional touch inputs and a first set of functions;

detect a functional touch input on the multi-touch display;

determine the relational correspondence between the functional touch input and an associated function included in the first set of functions based on the first touch input mode; and

modify the multi-touch display based on the associated function.

2. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising code executable by the processor to set the first selected the touch input mode irrespective of a location of the first modal touch input on the multi-touch display.

3. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising code executable by the processor to detect the first modal touch input and the functional touch input at overlapping time intervals.

4. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising code executable by the processor to resume a default touch input mode after cessation of the first modal touch input.

5. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising code executable by the processor to sustain the first touch input mode after cessation of the first modal touch input.

6. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising code executable by the processor to set the first selected touch input mode based on predefined tolerances applied to the geometrically defined posture of the first modal touch input compared to a recognized modal touch input.

7. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising code executable by the processor to detect one or more of a single touch input and a multi-touch input in the functional touch input.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first selected touch input mode is one of a drawing mode, an alphanumeric mode, an element selection mode, a drag-and-drop mode, and a deletion mode.

9. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising code executable by the processor to detect a second modal touch input, the second modal touch input having a geometrically defined posture which is different than the geometrically defined posture of the first modal input, and set a second selected touch input mode based on the posture of the second modal touch input, the second selected touch input mode representing a relational correspondence between a second set of functional touch inputs and second set of functions.

10. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising code executable by the processor to detect the first modal input and the second modal input at non-overlapping time intervals.

11. A method for operating a computing device, the method comprising:

detecting a first modal touch input on a multi-touch display, the first modal touch input having a geometrically defined posture;

setting a first selected touch input mode based on the posture of the first modal touch input, the touch input mode representing a relational correspondence between a first set of functional touch inputs and a first set of functions;

detecting a touch gesture on the multi-touch display;

determining the relational correspondence between the touch gesture and an associated function included in the set of functions based on the touch input mode; and

modifying the multi-touch display based on the associated function.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first selected touch input mode is set irrespective of the location of the first modal touch input on the multi-touch display.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first modal touch input and the touch gesture are detected at overlapping time intervals.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting a cessation of the first modal touch input, and setting a default touch input mode after cessation of the first modal touch input.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein cessation of the first modal input include detecting a removal of a hand from the multi-touch display.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the first modal touch input includes detecting a first hand on the multi-touch display and detecting the touch gesture includes detecting a second hand on the multi-touch display.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting a cessation of the first modal touch input, and in response, sustaining the first selected touch input mode.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a second modal touch input on the multi-touch display, the second modal touch input having a geometrically defined posture which is different than the geometrically defined posture of the first modal touch input; and

setting a second selected touch input mode based on the posture of the second modal touch input, the second selected touch input mode representing a relational correspondence between a second set of functional touch inputs and second set of functions.

19. A computing device comprising:

a multi-touch display;

a processor; and

memory comprising code executable by the processor to;

detect a modal touch input on the multi-touch display irrespective of the location of the modal touch input on the multi-touch display, the modal touch input having a geometrically defined posture;

set a first selected touch input mode based on the posture of the modal touch input, the selected touch input mode representing a relational correspondence between a set of functional touch inputs and a set of functions;

detect a touch gesture on the multi-touch display, the touch gesture and the modal touch input being detected at overlapping time intervals;

determine the relational correspondence between touch gesture and an associated function included in the set of functions based on the touch input mode; and

modify the multi-touch display based on the associated function.

20. The computing device of claim 19, further comprising code executable by the processor to resume a default touch input mode after cessation of the modal touch input.