Virtual pointing device for touchscreens
First Claim
1. A method for directing a computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, to create a virtual pointing device, comprising the steps of:
- (a) detecting a hand placed on the touchscreen;
(b) designating at least one area of the touchscreen under at least a portion of the hand as the virtual pointing device, wherein said at least a portion of the hand is in substantial contact with said at least one area;
(c) in response to movement of the portion of the hand across the touchscreen while the portion of the hand remains in substantial contact with the touchscreen, moving the area in substantial accordance with the movement of the portion of the hand, wherein the virtual pointing device is moved in substantial accordance with the movement of the portion of the hand, and further wherein said portion of said hand remains in substantial contact with said at least one area during the movement of the portion of the hand, said at least one area and said virtual pointing device being only displayed on said touchscreen which is in contact with said portion of said hand;
(d) positioning a pointer on the touchscreen, wherein said pointer is separate from said virtual pointing device and is disposed outside said at least one area, such that movement of the portion of the hand on the touchscreen in a first direction causes the pointer to move in the first direction; and
(e) in response to activating the area by at least a second portion of the hand, executing at least one command on an object or text positioned substantially under the pointer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system, article of manufacture, and method direct a computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, to create a virtual pointing device. The method includes the steps of detecting a hand placed on the touchscreen, designating at least one area of the touchscreen under at least a portion of the hand as the virtual pointing device, in response to movement of the portion of the hand across the touchscreen, moving the activated area in substantial accordance with the movement of the portion of the hand, positioning a pointer on the touchscreen such that movement of the area on the touchscreen in a first direction causes the pointer to move in the first direction, and in response to activating the area by at least a second portion of the hand, executing at least one command on an object or text positioned substantially under the pointer.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for directing a computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, to create a virtual pointing device, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting a hand placed on the touchscreen; (b) designating at least one area of the touchscreen under at least a portion of the hand as the virtual pointing device, wherein said at least a portion of the hand is in substantial contact with said at least one area; (c) in response to movement of the portion of the hand across the touchscreen while the portion of the hand remains in substantial contact with the touchscreen, moving the area in substantial accordance with the movement of the portion of the hand, wherein the virtual pointing device is moved in substantial accordance with the movement of the portion of the hand, and further wherein said portion of said hand remains in substantial contact with said at least one area during the movement of the portion of the hand, said at least one area and said virtual pointing device being only displayed on said touchscreen which is in contact with said portion of said hand; (d) positioning a pointer on the touchscreen, wherein said pointer is separate from said virtual pointing device and is disposed outside said at least one area, such that movement of the portion of the hand on the touchscreen in a first direction causes the pointer to move in the first direction; and (e) in response to activating the area by at least a second portion of the hand, executing at least one command on an object or text positioned substantially under the pointer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer apparatus, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, for creating a virtual pointing device, comprising:
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means for detecting a hand placed on the touchscreen; means for designating at least one area of the touchscreen under at least a portion of the hand as the virtual pointing device, wherein said at least a portion of the hand is in substantial contact with said at least one area; in response to movement of the portion of the hand across the touchscreen in a first direction and at a first speed while the portion of the hand remains in substantial contact with the touchscreen, moving the area in substantial accordance with the movement of the portion of the hand, wherein the virtual pointing device is moved in substantial accordance with the movement of the portion of the hand, further wherein said portion of said hand remains in substantial contact with said at least one area during the movement of the portion of the hand, said at least one area and said virtual pointing device being only displayed on said touchscreen which is in contact with said portion of said hand; means for positioning a pointer on the touchscreen, wherein said pointer is separate from said virtual pointing device and is disposed outside said at least one area, such that movement of the portion of the hand on the touchscreen in the first direction causes the pointer to move in the first direction; and in response to activating the area by at least a second portion of the hand, means for executing at least one command on an object or text positioned substantially under the pointer.
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11. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer system, having a processor, memory, and touchscreen, to create a virtual pointing device, the computer readable program code means in the article of manufacture comprising; computer readable program code means for causing the computer to detect a hand placed on the touchscreen; computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to assign at least one activated area of the touchscreen under at least one activated area of the touchscreen under at least a portion of the hand; computer readable program code means for causing the computer system, in response to movement of the portion of the hand across the touchscreen, to move the activated area in substantial accordance with the movement of portion of the hand; computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to position a pointer on the touchscreen such that movement of the activated area on the touchscreen in a first direction causes the pointer to move in the first direction; and computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to, in response to activating the activated area by at least a second portion of the hand, execute at least one command on an object or text positioned substantially under the pointer.
Specification