Performing Actions Responsive to Hovering Over an Input Surface

• US 20170255318A1
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mese, John C., Weksler, Arnold S., Peterson, Nathan J., VanBlon, Russell S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,732,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An approach is disclosed that detects an input instrument hovering a distance away from an object displayed on an input surface and performing an action in response to the detection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an input instrument hovering a distance away from an object displayed on an input surface;

performing an action in response to the detecting.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the input instrument is selected from a group consisting of a human finger and a stylus.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting further detects a length of the distance, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a first action from a plurality of actions in response to the distance being within a first distance range away from the input surface; and

selecting a second action from the plurality of actions in response to the distance being within a second distance range away from the input surface, wherein the action performed is the selected first or second action.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing the action on the object.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a first input location over which the input instrument is hovering; and

detecting a movement of the hovering input instrument to a second input location, wherein the first and second input locations define a surface area that includes the object, wherein the action is performed based on the surface area.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting further detects a first length of the distance, and wherein the method further comprises:

identifying an input location over which the input instrument is hovering, wherein the input location is proximate to the object; and

detecting a movement of the hovering input instrument over the input location, wherein the movement changes the length of the distance that the input instrument is hovering over the input location, wherein the action that is performed is based on the change of the length.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the action is performed on the object based on the change of the length.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to at least one of the processors;

a touch-enabled display accessible by at least one of the processors, wherein the touch-enabled display has an input surface;

one or more sensors accessible by at least one of the processors that sense an input instrument hovering over the touch-enabled display; and

a set of instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors to;

detect, based on data received from the sensors, that the input instrument is hovering a distance away from an object displayed on the input surface;

perform an action in response to the detection.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the input instrument is selected from a group consisting of a human finger and a stylus.

10. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the detection of the input instrument further detects a length of the distance, and wherein the system comprises further instructions performed by the processors to:

select a first action from a plurality of actions in response to the distance being within a first distance range away from the input surface; and

select a second action from the plurality of actions in response to the distance being within a second distance range away from the input surface, wherein the action performed is the selected first or second action.

11. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the system comprises further instructions performed by the processors to:

perform the action on the object.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the system comprises further instructions performed by the processors to:

identify a first input location over which the input instrument is hovering; and

detect a movement of the hovering input instrument to a second input location, wherein the first and second input locations define a surface area that includes the object, wherein the action is performed based on the surface area.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the system comprises further instructions performed by the processors to:

detect a first length of the distance;

identify an input location over which the input instrument is hovering, wherein the input location is proximate to the object; and

detect a movement of the hovering input instrument over the input location, wherein the movement changes the length of the distance that the input instrument is hovering over the input location, wherein the action that is performed is based on the change of the length.

14. The information handling system of claim 13 wherein the action is performed on the object based on the change of the length.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium comprising a set of computer instructions, the computer instructions effective to;

detect that an input instrument is hovering a distance away from an object displayed on an input surface;

perform an action in response to the detection.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the input instrument is selected from a group consisting of a human finger and a stylus.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the detection of the input instrument further detects a length of the distance, and wherein the computer instructions are further effective to:

select a first action from a plurality of actions in response to the distance being within a first distance range away from the input surface; and

select a second action from the plurality of actions in response to the distance being within a second distance range away from the input surface, wherein the action performed is the selected first or second action.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the computer instructions are further effective to:

performing the action on the object.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the computer instructions are further effective to:

identify a first input location over which the input instrument is hovering; and

detect a movement of the hovering input instrument to a second input location, wherein the first and second input locations define a surface area that includes the object, wherein the action is performed based on the surface area.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the computer instructions are further effective to:

detect a first length of the distance;

identify an input location over which the input instrument is hovering, wherein the input location is proximate to the object; and

detect a movement of the hovering input instrument over the input location, wherein the movement changes the length of the distance that the input instrument is hovering over the input location, wherein the action is performed on the object and is based on the change of the length.