MULTI-USER INPUT SYSTEMS AND PROCESSING TECHNIQUES FOR SERVING MULTIPLE USERS
First Claim
1. A multi-user multi-touch input system for use by a plurality of users as an input device, said multi-user multi-touch input system comprising:
- an input portion capable of being touched by said plurality of users;
a user-identifier component configured to;
detect that a particular one of the plurality of users has touched the input portion of the multi-user input device, andprovide a first indication indicating that a touch by the particular user has been detected at a first time by the user-identifier component;
a touch-locator component configured to;
detect a touch at a particular location of the input portion of the multi-user input device, andprovide a second indication indicating that a touch at the particular location has been detected at a second time by said touch-locator component; and
a controller configured to;
determine, based on the first indication and the second indication, whether the particular user has touched the input portion at the particular location of the input portion of the multi-user multi-touch input system, andgenerate an output indicating that the particular user identified by the user-identifier component has touched the input portion of the multi-user multi-touch system at the particular location identified by the touch-locator component when the determining determines that the particular user has touched the input portion at the particular location of the input portion of the multi-user multi-touch input system.
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Abstract
Techniques for providing a common input for multiple users are disclosed. Two separate input detection systems can be provided. One input detection system detects the identity of user while the other detects the location of input for processing. The information provided by the two detection systems is effectively reconciled to determine whether a particular user identified by the first system has provided input in a particular location indicated by the second system. Information can be reconciled, for example, at least partially based on the timing information provided by the two systems (e.g., whether the times indicated by the two systems are within an acceptable range). It will also be appreciated that both input system can be integrated into a single device which can be presented, for example, as multi-user touchscreen. The multi-user touch screen can provide a common input surface to serve numerous applications.
64 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multi-user multi-touch input system for use by a plurality of users as an input device, said multi-user multi-touch input system comprising:
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an input portion capable of being touched by said plurality of users; a user-identifier component configured to; detect that a particular one of the plurality of users has touched the input portion of the multi-user input device, and provide a first indication indicating that a touch by the particular user has been detected at a first time by the user-identifier component; a touch-locator component configured to; detect a touch at a particular location of the input portion of the multi-user input device, and provide a second indication indicating that a touch at the particular location has been detected at a second time by said touch-locator component; and a controller configured to; determine, based on the first indication and the second indication, whether the particular user has touched the input portion at the particular location of the input portion of the multi-user multi-touch input system, and generate an output indicating that the particular user identified by the user-identifier component has touched the input portion of the multi-user multi-touch system at the particular location identified by the touch-locator component when the determining determines that the particular user has touched the input portion at the particular location of the input portion of the multi-user multi-touch input system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-implemented method for providing a multi-user input system for use as input device by a plurality of users, said computer-implemented method comprising:
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initiating a user-identifier component and a touch-locator component; identifying, by the user-identifier component, a particular user of the plurality of users when the user-identifier component detects that the particular user has provided input to the multi-user input system; providing to a controller a first indication indicating that a touch by the particular user has been detected at a first time by the user-identifier component; identifying, by the touch-locator component, an input at a particular location of the multi-user input system; providing to the controller a second indication indicating that a touch at a particular location has been detected at a second time by the touch-locator component; reconciling, at the controller, the first and second indications to determine, based on the first and second times, whether the particular user has provided input to the multi-user input system at the particular location; and reporting, at the controller, a touch by the particular user at the particular location of the multi-user input system. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A gaming apparatus for a plurality of players, comprising:
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a touch-surface that serves as a common input area for playing a game by the plurality of players; a user-identifier component configured to; detect which one of the players has touched said common input area and communicate an identifier associated with the player to a controller, and provide a first indication indicating that a touch by the player has been detected at a first time; a touch-location component configured to; detect a touch at a particular location of the common input area, provide a second indication indicating that a touch at the particular location has been detected at a second time, and communicate the second indication to the controller; the controller being configured to; receive from the user-identifier component the first indication, receive from the touch-location component the second indication, determine, based on first and second indications, whether the player has touched the input portion at the particular location of said common input area, and generate as output indicating that the player identified by the user-identifier component has touched the common input area at the location indicated by the touch-location component when said determining determines that the player has touched the input portion at the location of the common input area. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification