Region Activation for Touch Sensitive Surface

• US 20120256849A1
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Crumly, Lyndley
• Granted Patent: US 9,298,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

One or more regions of a touch sensitive surface can be activated individually by a user. A region defines an active input area for processing touch input events. Any touch event associated with a beginning touch event that is detected in the active area is processed for display. Any touch input event detected outside the active region that is not associated with the beginning touch event is excluded from the processing. Once a writing gesture is started in the active region, the writing gesture can extend outside of the active region so long as the writing gesture is associated with the beginning touch event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input selecting a region of a touch sensitive surface for activation;

activating the selected region;

detecting a beginning touch event in the active region; and

responsive to detecting the beginning touch event, detecting and processing additional touch events in the active region that are associated with the beginning touch event, the processing excluding additional touch events detected outside the active region that are not associated with the beginning touch event in the active region,

where the method is performed by one or more computer processors.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying results of the processing of the additional touch events associated with the beginning touch event.

3. The method of claim 1, receiving input selecting a region, further comprises:

detecting input selecting a use interface element displayed on the touch sensitive surface, the user interface element associated with a region of the touch sensitive surface.

4. The method of claim 2, where the user interface element is displayed proximate to the region.

5. The method of claim 2, where the user interface element is visually augmented to indicate its selection.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing the touch events in the active region; and

storing the captured touch events.

7. A system comprising:

a touch sensitive surface;

one or more processors configured for performing operations comprising;

receiving input selecting a region of a touch sensitive surface for activation;

activating the selected region;

detecting a beginning touch event in the active region; and

responsive to detecting the beginning touch event, detecting and processing additional touch events in the active region that are associated with the beginning touch event, the processing excluding additional touch events detected outside the active region that are not associated with the beginning touch event in the active region.

8. The system of claim 7, where the one or more processors are configured for performing an operation comprising:

displaying results of the processing of the additional touch events associated with the beginning touch event.

9. The system of claim 7, where the one or more processors are configured for performing an operation comprising:

detecting input selecting a use interface element displayed on the touch sensitive surface, the user interface element associated with a region of the touch sensitive surface.

10. The system of claim 9, where the user interface element is displayed proximate to the region.

11. The system of claim 9, where the user interface element is visually augmented to indicate its selection.

12. The system of claim 7, where the one or more processors are configured for performing operations comprising:

capturing the touch events in the active region; and

storing the captured touch events.

13. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving input selecting a region of a touch sensitive surface for activation;

activating the selected region;

detecting a beginning touch event in the active region; and

responsive to detecting the beginning touch event, detecting and processing additional touch events in the active region that are associated with the beginning touch event, the processing excluding additional touch events detected outside the active region that are not associated with the beginning touch event in the active region,

where the method is performed by one or more computer processors.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying results of the processing of the additional touch events associated with the beginning touch event.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, receiving input selecting a region, further comprises:

detecting input selecting a use interface element displayed on the touch sensitive surface, the user interface element associated with a region of the touch sensitive surface.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the user interface element is displayed proximate to the region.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the user interface element is visually augmented to indicate its selection.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

capturing the touch events in the active region; and

storing the captured touch events.