Multi-Touch Screen Recognition of Interactive Objects, and Application Thereof

• US 20120249430A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: OSTER, David Phillip, Mercay, Julien
• Application Number:
  US13/077,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249430A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/241 Touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for multi-touch screen recognition of interactive objects with contacts are described herein. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to equipping a physical object with an asymmetrical pattern of contacts where the multi-touch device identifies the physical object being used to interact with the multi-touch device based on the asymmetrical pattern of contacts located on the physical object. The multi-touch device is also able to identify characteristics of the physical object based on the asymmetrical pattern of contacts as the user interacts with the multi-touch device. Each physical object has a different asymmetrical pattern of contacts so that multi-touch device identifies the differences between each physical object as user interacts with the multi-touch device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a multi-touch device to track at least one interactive object having an asymmetrical pattern of contacts located on a surface of the interactive object, comprising:

receiving a signal when the surface of the interactive object interfaces with an interactive screen of the multi-touch device, wherein the signal is generated by the asymmetrical pattern of contacts;

identifying the interactive object using the asymmetrical pattern of contacts located on the surface of the interactive object, wherein the asymmetrical pattern of contacts represents a pattern specific to the interactive object;

examining the asymmetrical pattern of contacts to determine a state of the interactive object; and

synchronizing the multi-touch device to the interactive object based on the state of the interactive object represented by the asymmetrical pattern of contacts.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a centroid for the interactive object, wherein the centroid is derived from the asymmetrical pattern of contacts of the interactive object; and

calculating a coordinate on the interactive screen based on the centroid for the interactive object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive object comprises a central stamp surrounded by a ring that is fabricated of at least a non-registering material.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal is received when the interactive object is compressed so that the central stamp touches the interactive screen of the multi-touch device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

a first state specific to the interactive object is identified by examining the asymmetrical pattern of contacts that is fabricated of a registering material; and

a second state specific to the interactive object is identified by the compressing of the interactive object so that the central stamp touches the interactive screen of the multi-touch device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a set of interactive gloves includes at least one interactive object positioned on at least one finger tip of the set of interactive gloves.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

a first interactive object that is positioned on a first finger tip of the set of interactive gloves is synchronized to a first operation to be executed by the multi-touch device; and

a second interactive object that is positioned on a second finger tip of the set of interactive gloves is synchronized to a second operation to be executed by the multi-touch device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a motion of the interactive object on the interactive screen of the multi-touch device causes an operation to be executed by the multi-touch device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the interactive object is represented by a symbol that is displayed on the interactive screen of the multi-touch device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the motion of the interactive object comprises at least one of:

a sliding motion of the interactive object on the interactive screen of the multi-touch device; and

a twisting motion of the interactive object on the interactive screen of the multi-touch device.

11. A system for providing a multi-touch device to track at least one interactive object having an asymmetrical pattern of contacts located on a surface of the interactive object, comprising:

a receiver that receives a signal when the surface of the interactive object interfaces with an interactive screen of the multi-touch device, wherein the signal is generated by the asymmetrical pattern of contacts;

an identifier that identifies the interactive object by using the asymmetrical pattern of contacts located on the surface of the interactive object, wherein the asymmetrical pattern of contacts represents a pattern specific to the interactive object;

an examiner that examines the asymmetrical pattern of contacts to determine a state of the interactive object; and

a synchronizer that synchronizes the multi-touch device to the interactive object based on the state of the interactive object represented by the asymmetrical pattern of contacts.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a calculator that calculates a centroid for the interactive object wherein the centroid is derived from the asymmetrical pattern of contacts of the interactive object,

wherein the calculator calculates a coordinate on the interactive screen based on the centroid for the interactive object.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the identifier identifies the interactive object that comprises a central stamp surrounded by a ring that is fabricated of at least a non-registering material.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiver receives the signal when the interactive object is compressed so that the central stamp touches the interactive screen of the multi-touch device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the identifier identifies:

a first state specific to the interactive object by examining the asymmetrical pattern of contacts that is fabricated of a registering material; and

a second state specific to the interactive object by the compressing of the interactive object so that the central stamp touches the interactive screen of the multi-touch device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the identifier identifies a set of interactive gloves includes at least one interactive object positioned on at least one finger tip of the set of interactive gloves.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a synchronizer synchronizes:

a first interactive object that is positioned on a first finger tip of the set of interactive gloves to a first operation to be executed by the multi-touch device; and

a second interactive object that is positioned on a second finger tip of the set of interactive gloves to a second operation to be executed by the multi-touch device.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising an execution module, wherein a motion of the interactive object on the interactive screen of the multi-touch device causes the execution module to execute an operation by the multi-touch device.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a display that displays a symbol on the interactive screen of the multi-touch device that is a representation of the interactive object.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the motion of the interactive object comprises of at least one of:

a sliding motion of the interactive object on the interactive screen of the multi-touch device; and

a twisting motion of the interactive object on the interactive screen of the multi-touch device.