Multi-Touch Integrated Desktop Environment

• US 20120169622A1
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Grossman, Tovi, Matejka, Justin Frank, Fitzmaurice, George, Bl, Xiaojun
• Granted Patent: US 9,262,005 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 3/04883 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

A technique for integrating a multi-touch surface into a desktop environment is disclosed. One or more multi-touch display devices are placed on the horizontal surface surrounding or beneath a keyboard or mouse. At least one region on the multi-touch surface is defined to display one or more user interface tools on the multi-touch surface. The one or more user interface tools displayed via the multi-touch surface may control or display information associated with desktop applications displayed via a primary display device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for configuring a multi-touch surface to display an enhanced task bar, the method comprising:

defining a region on the multi-touch surface for displaying the enhanced task bar, wherein the region is proximate to one or more input devices detected on the multi-touch surface;

generating one or more user interface elements that are disposed within the enhanced task bar, wherein each user interface element is configured to control a different application window displayed via a display device;

displaying the enhanced task bar in the region on the multi-touch surface;

detecting multi-touch input associated with a first user interface element disposed within the enhanced task bar; and

adjusting a first application window displayed via the display device based on the multi-touch input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface element comprises a thumbnail image view of the first application window, and the size of the first application window is adjusted based on the multi-touch input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface element comprises a thumbnail image view of the first application window, and the location of the first application window is adjusted based on the multi-touch input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface element comprises an icon, and the first application window is maximized or minimized based on the multi-touch input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the region is defined proximate to a keyboard device detected on the multi-touch surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the enhanced task bar is configured with an aspect ratio that is substantially similar to an aspect ratio of the display device, and the relative spacing between the one or more user interface elements disposed within the enhanced task bar is substantially the same as the relative spacing between one or more application windows displayed via the display device and corresponding to the one or more user interface elements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the enhanced task bar is configured with an aspect ratio that is wider than the aspect ratio of the display device, and the relative spacing between the one or more user interface elements disposed within the enhanced task bar is greater than the relative spacing between one or more application windows displayed via the display device and corresponding to the one or more user interface elements.

8. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for configuring a multi-touch surface to display an enhanced task bar, the operation comprising:

defining a region on the multi-touch surface for displaying the enhanced task bar, wherein the region is proximate to one or more input devices detected on the multi-touch surface;

generating one or more user interface elements that are disposed within the enhanced task bar, wherein each user interface element is configured to control a different application window displayed via a display device;

displaying the enhanced task bar in the region on the multi-touch surface;

detecting multi-touch input associated with a first user interface element disposed within the enhanced task bar; and

adjusting a first application window displayed via the display device based on the multi-touch input.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first user interface element comprises a thumbnail image view of the first application window, and the size of the first application window is adjusted based on the multi-touch input.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first user interface element comprises a thumbnail image view of the first application window, and the location of the first application window is adjusted based on the multi-touch input.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first user interface element comprises an icon, and the first application window is maximized or minimized based on the multi-touch input.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the region is defined proximate to a keyboard device detected on the multi-touch surface.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the enhanced task bar is configured with an aspect ratio that is substantially similar to an aspect ratio of the display device, and the relative spacing between the one or more user interface elements disposed within the enhanced task bar is substantially the same as the relative spacing between one or more application windows displayed via the display device and corresponding to the one or more user interface elements.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the enhanced task bar is configured with an aspect ratio that is wider than the aspect ratio of the display device, and the relative spacing between the one or more user interface elements disposed within the enhanced task bar is greater than the relative spacing between one or more application windows displayed via the display device and corresponding to the one or more user interface elements.

15. A system configured to display an enhanced task bar on a multi-touch surface, the system comprising:

a multi-touch surface; and

a processing unit coupled to the multi-touch surface and configured to;

define a region on the multi-touch surface for displaying the enhanced task bar, wherein the region is proximate to one or more input devices detected on the multi-touch surface,

generate one or more user interface elements that are disposed within the enhanced task bar, wherein each user interface element is configured to control a different application window displayed via a display device,

display the enhanced task bar in the region on the multi-touch surface,

detect multi-touch input associated with a first user interface element disposed within the enhanced task bar, and

adjust a first application window displayed via the display device based on the multi-touch input.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first user interface element comprises a thumbnail image view of the first application window, and the size of the first application window is adjusted based on the multi-touch input.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first user interface element comprises a thumbnail image view of the first application window, and the location of the first application window is adjusted based on the multi-touch input.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first user interface element comprises an icon, and the first application window is maximized or minimized based on the multi-touch input.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the enhanced task bar is configured with an aspect ratio that is substantially similar to an aspect ratio of the display device, and the relative spacing between the one or more user interface elements disposed within the enhanced task bar is substantially the same as the relative spacing between one or more application windows displayed via the display device and corresponding to the one or more user interface elements.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the enhanced task bar is configured with an aspect ratio that is wider than the aspect ratio of the display device, and the relative spacing between the one or more user interface elements disposed within the enhanced task bar is greater than the relative spacing between one or more application windows displayed via the display device and corresponding to the one or more user interface elements.