METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TOUCH INTERFACE

• US 20120162111A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Kwang-Yong, Jung, Woo-Jin, Cho, Beom-Soo, Park, Yong-Gook
• Granted Patent: US 10,564,759 B2
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a touch interface. The method for providing the touch interface includes receiving a touch input from a touch detection unit, detecting touch characteristics according to the touch input, and generating events different from each other according to the detected touch characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for providing a touch interface, the method comprising:

receiving a touch input from a touch detection unit;

detecting touch characteristics according to the touch input; and

generating events different from each other according to the detected touch characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the touch characteristics comprises:

detecting a contact region according to the touch input; and

calculating an area of the contact region,

wherein the generating of the events different from each other comprises generating events different from each other when the area of the contact region exceeds a first threshold value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

calculating an eccentricity of the contact region,

wherein the generating of the events different from each other comprises generating events different from each other when the eccentricity of the contact region exceeds a second threshold value.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

calculating an angle of the contact region,

wherein the generating of the events different from each other comprises generating events different from each other according to the calculated angle.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a coordinate of the contact region; and

calculating a variance of the detected coordinate,

wherein the generating of the events different from each other comprises generating events different from each other when the calculated variance exceeds a third threshold value.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

calculating a movement amount of the detected coordinate,

wherein the generating of the events different from each other comprises generating events different from each other when the movement amount of the coordinate exceeds a fourth threshold value.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting the number of the touch input,

wherein the generating of the events different from each other comprises generating events different from each other when the number of the touch input exceeds a fifth threshold value and the area of the contact region exceeds a sixth threshold value.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a coordinate of the contact region; and

calculating a variance of the detected coordinate,

wherein the generating of the events different from each other comprises generating events different from each other when the calculated variance exceeds a seventh threshold value.

9. An apparatus for providing a touch interface, the apparatus comprising:

a touch detection unit configured to receive a touch input; and

a control unit configured to detect touch characteristics according to the touch input, and generate events different from each other according to the detected characteristics.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control unit detects a contact region according to the touch input to calculate an area of the contact region, and when the area of the contact region exceeds a first threshold value, the control unit generates events different from each other.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit calculates an eccentricity of the contact region, and when the eccentricity of the contact region exceeds a second threshold value, the control unit generates events different from each other.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit calculates an angle of the contact region based on a certain direction to generate events different from each other according to the calculated angle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control unit detects a coordinate of the contact region to calculate a variance of the detected coordinate, and when the calculated variance exceeds a third threshold value, the control unit generates events different from each other.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control unit calculates a movement amount of the detected coordinate, and when the movement amount of the coordinate exceeds a fourth threshold value, the control unit generates events different from each other.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit detects the number of the touch input, and when the number of the touch input exceeds a fifth threshold value and the area of the contact region exceeds a sixth threshold value, the control unit generates events different from each other.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control unit detects a coordinate of the contact region to calculate a variance of the detected coordinate, and when the calculated variance exceeds a seventh threshold value, the control unit generates events different from each other.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for executing a method for providing a touch interface, the instructions for:

receiving a touch input from a touch detection unit;

detecting touch characteristics according to the touch input; and

generating events different from each other according to the detected touch characteristics.