Systems And Methods Of Processing Touchpad Input

• US 20110134148A1
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Cridland, William Robert, Shelton, Gerold Keith, Shelton, Michael James, Taylor, Steven Harold
• Application Number:
  US12/919,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20110134148A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/676
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

Systems and methods for processing touchpad input are disclosed. An example method comprises: translating a first position of an object relative to a touchpad into a second position within a selected fixed size input area of a plurality of fixed size input areas; and selecting the fixed input area responsive to an indication of a new input area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

translating a first position of an object relative to a touchpad into a second position within a selected fixed size input area of a plurality of fixed size input areas; and

selecting the fixed input area responsive to an indication of a new input area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reporting the second position.

3. The method of claim 1, the selected fixed size input area corresponding to a portion of a display.

4. The method of claim 1, the indication comprising a double tap on the touchpad.

5. The method of claim 1, the indication comprising user input approaching the edge of the selected fixed size input area.

6. The method of claim 1, the indication comprising the object losing contact with the touchpad.

7. The method of claim 1, the indication comprising one of a plurality of user actions, each of the user actions indicating one of the plurality of fixed size input areas.

8. A method comprising:

in a first state, tracking movement of an object across a touchpad as a first set of positions relative to the touchpad;

in the first state, translating the first set of positions to a corresponding first set of absolute positions, each first absolute position within a first fixed size area;

in a second state, tracking movement of the object across the touchpad as a second set of positions relative to the touchpad;

in the second state, translating the second set of positions to a corresponding second set of absolute positions, each first absolute position within a second fixed size area; and

transitioning from the first state to a second state upon an indication of the second input area of fixed size.

9. The method of claim 8, the first input area corresponding to a first portion of a display.

10. The method of claim 8, the indication comprising a double tap on the touchpad.

11. The method of claim 8, the indication comprising user input approaching the edge of the first input area.

12. The method of claim 8, the indication comprising the object losing contact with the touchpad.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a visual indicator that marks the first input area.

14. A computer system comprising:

a touchpad;

translation logic configured to;

in a first state, translate a first set of movements of an object across the touchpad to a corresponding first set of movements within a first input area of fixed size;

in a second state, translate a second set of movements of the object across the touchpad to a corresponding second set of movements within a second input area of fixed size; and

transition from the first state to a second state upon an indication of the second input area of fixed size.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the translation logic is further programmed to:

report the first set of movements.

17. The system of claim 14, the first input area corresponding to a first portion of a display.

18. The system of claim 14, the indication comprising a double tap on the touchpad.

19. The system of claim 14, the indication comprising user input approaching the edge of the first input area.

20. The system of claim 14, the indication comprising the object losing contact with the touchpad.