COMPUTER ACTION DETECTION

• US 20130229361A1
• Filed: 03/05/2012
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Kevin C., Jellard, Edward G., Limburn, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,001,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A tool for performing a computer action based on a user'"'"'s touch on a touch screen. The user'"'"'s touch is characterized by certain parameters which are compared to predefined parameters which correspond to the hand that was used to touch the screen and a specific computer action. If the parameters match, within a specific error tolerance, the computer action is performed.

Claims

1. A method for performing a computer action based on a user input on a touch screen of a computing system, the user input entered by a user by holding the computing system in a right or left hand and touching the touch screen with the other hand, the method comprising the steps of:

the computing system receiving the user input on the touch screen of the computing system;

the computing system receiving parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen;

the computing system determining which hand is used to enter the user input on the touch screen;

the computing system determining the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance; and

the computing system performing the specific computer action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the computing system determining which hand is used to enter the user input on the touch screen, comprises the steps of:

the computing system receiving an indication, from each sensor in a plurality of sensors on the computing system, whether the user is touching the sensor during the user input on the touch screen;

the computing system receiving an indication of the orientation of the computing system during the user input on the touch screen; and

the computing system determining the hand used to enter the user input on the touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the computing system determining the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance, comprises the steps of:

the computing system receiving a position of the computing system during entry of the user input; and

the computing system determining the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input, the position of the computing system, and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen is in the form of a shape of the user input.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the shape of the user input is an ordered list of points describing a path that forms the bounds of the input.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the shape of the user input is an ordered list of two-dimensional geometric segments describing a path that forms the bounds of the input.

7. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and computer-readable program instructions which are stored on the one or more storage devices and when executed by one or more processors of the computer of claim 1 perform the method of claim 1.

8. The computer of claim 1, the computer comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices and program instructions which are stored on the one or more storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories and when executed by the one or more processors perform the method of claim 1.

9. A computer program product for performing a computer action based on a user input on a touch screen of a computing system, the user input entered by a user by holding the computing system in a right or left hand and touching the touch screen with the other hand, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive the user input on the touch screen of the computing system;

program instructions to receive parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen;

program instructions to determine which hand is used to enter the user input on the touch screen;

program instructions to determine that the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance; and

program instructions to perform the specific computer action.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions to determine which hand is used to enter the user input on the touch screen, comprises program instructions to:

receive an indication, from each sensor in a plurality of sensors on the computing system, whether the user is touching the sensor during the user input on the touch screen;

receive an indication of the orientation of the computing system during the user input on the touch screen; and

determine the hand used to enter the user input on the touch screen.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions to determine the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance, comprises program instructions to:

receive a position of the computing system during entry of the user input; and

to determine the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input, the position of the computing system, and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen is in the form of a shape of the user input.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the shape of the user input is an ordered list of points describing a path that forms the bounds of the input.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the shape of the user input is an ordered list of two-dimensional geometric segments describing a path that forms the bounds of the input.

15. A computer system for performing a computer action based on a user input on a touch screen of a computing system, the user input entered by a user by holding the computing system in a right or left hand and touching the touch screen with the other hand, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions which are stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive the user input on the touch screen of the computing system;

program instructions to receive parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen;

program instructions to determine which hand is used to enter the user input on the touch screen;

program instructions to determine the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance; and

program instructions to perform the specific computer action.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program instructions to determine which hand is used to enter the user input on the touch screen, comprises program instructions to:

receive an indication, from each sensor in a plurality of sensors on the computing system, whether the user is touching the sensor during the user input on the touch screen;

receive an indication of the orientation of the computing system during the user input on the touch screen; and

determine the hand used to enter the user input on the touch screen.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the program instructions to determine the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance, comprises program instructions to:

receive a position of the computing system during entry of the user input; and

to determine that the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen match predefined parameters corresponding to the hand used to enter the user input, the position of the computing system, and a specific computer action, within a specific error tolerance.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the parameters characterizing the user input on the touch screen is in the form of a shape of the user input.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the shape of the user input is an ordered list of points describing a path that forms the bounds of the input.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the shape of the user input is an ordered list of two-dimensional geometric segments describing a path that forms the bounds of the input.