INTERPRETING AMBIGUOUS INPUTS ON A TOUCH-SCREEN

• US 20120274592A1
• Filed: 07/06/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Duncan, Richard J., Keely, Leroy B., Perry, David A., Alphin, Thomas H., Devaraj, Chris, Matthews, David A., Dodge, Steven P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,378,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

Methods are provided for interpreting a touch in relation to touch targets displayed on a touch-screen display, the touch targets associated with an application. A touch is detected at a first touch-screen location. The application is queried to determined a first touch target located within a predetermined touch region of the first touch-screen location. The application is then queries to determine whether a second touch target is located within the predetermined touch region. The touch is them disambiguated to determine whether the touch was intended for the first touch target or the second touch target.

Claims

1. A method for interpreting a touch in relation to one or more touch targets associated with an application, wherein said touch targets are displayed on a touch-screen display, the method comprising:

detecting a touch at a first touch-screen location;

querying the application to determine a first touch target located within a predetermined touch region of the first touch-screen location;

upon determining the first touch target located within the predetermined region, querying the application to determine whether a second touch target is located within the predetermined touch region; and

upon determining that the second touch target is located within the predetermined touch region, disambiguating the touch to determine whether the touch was intended for the first touch target or the second touch target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined touch region comprises a region of the touch-screen having a predetermined number of test locations therein.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a first touch target comprises:

determining whether the first touch-screen location is a touch target location, wherein a touch target location is a location on the touch-screen display corresponding to a touch target.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein if the first touch-screen location is not a touch target location,

determining whether a first test location is a touch target location, wherein the first test location is located one or more pixels above the first touch-screen location;

determining whether a second test location is a touch target location, wherein the second test location is located one or more pixels below the first touch-screen location; and

determining whether a third test location is a touch target location, wherein the third test location is located one or more pixels above the first test location.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining whether any of the predetermined number of test locations in the test region is a touch target location, wherein if none of the predetermined number of test locations in the touch region is determined to be a touch target location, determining that the touch should not be associated with a touch target.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein after a selected amount of time, if no test location in the touch region is determined to be a touch target location, determining that the touch should not be associated with a touch target.

7. A method for interpreting a touch in relation to one or more touch targets associated with an application, wherein said touch targets are displayed on a touch-screen display, the method comprising:

detecting a touch at a first touch-screen location;

querying the application to determine a first touch target located within a predetermined touch region of the first touch-screen location;

upon determining the first touch target located within the predetermined region, querying the application to determine whether a second touch target is located within the predetermined touch region; and

upon determining that the second touch target is located within the predetermined touch region, highlighting the first touch target and the second touch target to allow the user to select an intended touch target associated with the touch at the first touch-screen location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined touch region comprises a region of the touch-screen having a predetermined number of test locations therein.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining a first touch target comprises:

determining whether the first touch-screen location is a touch target location, wherein a touch target location is a location on the touch-screen display corresponding to a touch target.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if the first touch-screen location is not a touch target location,

determining whether a first test location is a touch target location, wherein the first test location is located one or more pixels above the first touch-screen location;

determining whether a second test location is a touch target location, wherein the second test location is located one or more pixels below the first touch-screen location; and

determining whether a third test location is a touch target location, wherein the third test location is located one or more pixels above the first test location.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether any of the predetermined number of test locations in the test region is a touch target location, wherein if none of the predetermined number of test locations in the touch region is determined to be a touch target location, determining that the touch should not be associated with a touch target.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein after a selected amount of time, if no test location in the touch region is determined to be a touch target location, determining that the touch should not be associated with a touch target.

13. A computing device having stored thereon computer-usable instructions that, when executed by the computing device, perform operations comprising:

displaying one or more touch targets on a touch-screen display, wherein the touch targets are displayed at respective touch target locations;

detecting, at the computing device, a touch at a first touch-screen location;

searching for a first one of said touch target locations within a predetermined touch region of the first touch-screen location;

upon locating the first one of said touch target locations within the predetermined touch region, searching for a second one of said touch target locations within the predetermined touch region; and

if the second one of said touch target locations is not located within the predetermined touch region, associating the touch with a first touch target corresponding to the first one of said touch target locations.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein upon locating a second one of said touch target locations within the predetermined touch region, further comprising providing a magnifier, wherein said magnifier comprises a user interface having an enlarged view of the predetermined touch region.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the touch comprises a user'"'"'s finger making contact with the touch-screen.

16. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the touch comprises a stylus making contact with the touch-screen.

17. The computing device of claim 13, wherein searching for a first one of said touch target locations comprises:

determining whether the first touch-screen location is a touch target location; and

if the first touch-screen location is not a touch target location, searching one or more pixels above the first touch-screen location.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein if no touch target is found at the one or more pixels above the first touch-screen location, searching one or more pixels below the first touch-screen location.

19. The computing device of claim 13, wherein if no touch target is located within the touch region, determining that the touch should not be associated with a touch target.