FORCE AS A DEVICE ACTION MODIFIER

• US 20140152581A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Case, Michaela Rose, Stewart, Aaron Michael, Sluchak, Thomas John
• Application Number:
  US13/690,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152581A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An aspect provides a method, including: receiving force input in a z direction with respect to a planar surface of an input device of an information handling device; measuring the force input at the input device; and modifying one or more actions of the information handling device commensurate with the measured force input; wherein the one or more actions are associated with input along the planar surface. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving force input in a z direction with respect to a planar surface of an input device of an information handling device;

measuring the force input at the input device; and

modifying one or more actions of the information handling device commensurate with the measured force input;

wherein the one or more actions are associated with input along the planar surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying one or more actions of the information handling device commensurate with the measured force input further comprises:

determining a level of force input exceeding a threshold; and

modifying an action according to a response curve.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein one or more of the threshold and the response curve is user adjustable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the one or more actions comprises one or more of:

modifying cursor movement, modifying scrolling, modifying one or more settings, and modifying feedback provided to a user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying cursor movement comprises modifying cursor movement gain commensurate with the measured force input.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying scrolling comprises modifying scrolling gain commensurate with the measured force input.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein modifying scrolling gain commensurate with the measured force input further comprises:

ascertaining a force input exceeding a first threshold;

modifying scrolling gain; and

continuing a scrolling action using modified scrolling gain until ascertaining removal of the force input exceeding the first threshold.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying feedback provided to a user comprises modifying a level of feedback provided to the user commensurate with the measured force input.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the input device is one or more of a mechanical input device and a resistive input device.

10. An information handling device, comprising:

a input device having a planar surface;

a force sensor coupled to the planar input device;

one or more processors; and

a memory operatively coupled to the one or more processors that stores instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

detecting, at the force sensor, a force input in a z direction with respect to the planar surface of the input device;

measuring the force input at the input device based on the force input; and

modifying one or more actions of the information handling device commensurate with the measured force input;

wherein the one or more actions are associated with input along the planar surface.

11. The information handling device of claim 10, wherein modifying one or more actions of the information handling device commensurate with the measured force input further comprises:

determining a level of force input exceeding a threshold; and

modifying a default action according to a response curve.

12. The information handling device of claim 10, wherein one or more of the threshold and the response curve is user adjustable.

13. The information handling device of claim 10, wherein modifying the one or more actions comprises one or more of:

modifying cursor movement, modifying scrolling, modifying one or more settings, and modifying feedback provided to a user.

14. The information handling device of claim 13, wherein modifying cursor movement comprises modifying cursor movement gain commensurate with the measured force input.

15. The information handling device of claim 13, wherein modifying scrolling comprises modifying scrolling gain commensurate with the measured force input.

16. The information handling device of claim 15, wherein modifying scrolling gain commensurate with the measured force input further comprises:

ascertaining a force input exceeding a first threshold;

modifying scrolling gain; and

continuing a scrolling action using modified scrolling gain until ascertaining removal of the force input exceeding the first threshold.

17. The information handling device of claim 13, wherein modifying feedback provided to a user comprises modifying a level of feedback provided to the user commensurate with the measured force input.

18. A program product, comprising:

a storage medium having computer program code embodied therewith, the computer program code comprising;

computer program code configured to receive force input in a z direction with respect to a planar surface of an input device of an information handling device;

computer program code configured to measure the force input at the input device; and

computer program code configured to modify one or more actions of the information handling device commensurate with the measured force input;

wherein the one or more actions are associated with input along the planar surface.