Coordinate input device

• US 6,590,567 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Inventors: Nagao, Naoyuki, Endo, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/584,686
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/177, 345/156, 345/157, 345/159, 345/160, 345/179, 178/18-- 1
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touch screen unit including a touch-sensitive panel outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made thereon and a control unit generating coordinate information and operation information of the contact based on said voltage signals is provided. The operation information corresponds to operations of two or more switches.

Claims

1. A touch screen unit comprising:

a touch-sensitive panel outputting a first voltage signal corresponding to a position of a first contact made thereon and a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second contact made thereon made after the first contact; and

a control unit generating coordinate information and operation information of the first and second contacts based on said first and second voltage signals,

wherein said operation information is capable of achieving an operation made by two or more switches.

2. The touch screen unit as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said control unit generates operation information based on timing of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

3. The touch screen unit as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said control unit generates operation information based on positional relationship between said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

4. The touch screen unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second contact does not occur while the first contact occurs.

5. The touch screen unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

one of the switches corresponds to the second contact occurring at a first distance relative to the first contact,

another one of the switches corresponds to the second contact occurring at a second distance relative to the first contact, and

the first distance is different than the second distance.

6. A computer system comprising:

a touch screen unit; and

a computer connected to the touch screen unit,

said touch screen unit comprising;

a touch-sensitive panel outputting a first voltage signal corresponding to a position of a first contacts made thereon and a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second contact made thereon after said first contact; and

a control unit generating coordinate information and operation information of the first and second contacts based on said first and second voltage signals, said operation information being capable of achieving an operation made by two or more switches,

wherein the coordinate information and the operation information are transmitted to the computer,

wherein said control unit generates operation information based on size and angle of a vector of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

7. The computer system as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said control unit generates operation information based on timing of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

8. The computer system as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said control unit generates operation information based on positional relationship between said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

9. The computer system as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of said switches corresponds to a right button of a mouse and another one of said switches corresponds to a left button of a mouse.

10. A computer system comprising:

a touch screen unit; and

a computer connected to the touch screen unit,

said touch screen unit comprising;

a touch-sensitive panel outputting a first voltage signal corresponding to a position of a first contacts made thereon and a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second contact made thereon after said first contact; and

a control unit generating coordinate information and operation information of the first and second contacts based on said first and second voltage signals,

said computer comprising;

a processing unit generating operation information being capable of achieving an operation made by two or more switches based on said first and second voltage signals supplied from the touch screen unit,

wherein the coordinate information is transmitted to the computer,

wherein said control unit generates operation information based on size and angle of a vector of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

11. The computer system as claimed in claim 10,

wherein said processing unit generates operation information based on timing of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

12. The computer system as claimed in claim 10,

wherein said processing unit generates operation information based on positional relationship between first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

13. The computer system as claimed in claim 10, wherein one of said switches corresponds to a right button of a mouse and another one of said switches corresponds to a left button of a mouse.

14. The computer system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second contact does not occur while the first contact occurs.

15. The computer system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

one of the switches corresponds to the second contact occurring at a first distance relative to the first contact,

another one of the switches corresponds to the second contact occurring at a second distance relative to the first contact, and

the first distance is different than the second distance.

16. A method of operating a touch screen unit, said method comprising:

outputting a first voltage signal corresponding to a position of a first contact made on a touch-sensitive panel and a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second contact made on said touch-sensitive panel after said first contact; and

generating coordinate information and operation information of the first and second contacts based on said first and second voltage signals, said operation information being capable of achieving an operation made by two or more switches,

wherein said generating is implemented based on size and angle of a vector of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said generating is implemented based on timing of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said generating is implemented based on positional relationship between said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

19. A method of operating a computer system comprising a touch screen unit and a computer connected to the touch screen unit, said method comprising:

outputting a first voltage signal corresponding to a position of a first contact made on a touch-sensitive panel and a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second contact made on said touch-sensitive panel after said first contact; and

generating coordinate information and operation information of the first and second contacts based on said first and second voltage signals, said operation information being capable of achieving an operation made by two or more switches; and

transmitting the coordinate information and the operation information from the touch screen unit to the computer,

wherein said generating is implemented based on size and angle of a vector of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19,

wherein said generating is implemented based on timing of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19,

wherein said generating is implemented based on positional relationship between said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

22. A method of operating a computer unit comprising a touch screen unit and a computer connected to the touch screen unit, said method comprising:

outputting a first voltage signal corresponding to a position of a first contacts made on a touch-sensitive panel and a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second contact made on the touch sensitive panel after said first contact;

generating coordinate information at the touch screen unit;

generating operation information at the computer, said operation information being capable of achieving an operation made by two or more switches based on said first and second voltage signals supplied from the touch screen unit; and

transmitting the coordinate information from the touch screen unit to the computer,

wherein said generating operation information is implemented based on size and angle of a vector of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22,

wherein said generating operation information is implemented based on timing of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22,

wherein said generating is implemented based on positional relationship between said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

25. A machine readable medium storing program code for causing a machine to detect a set of coordinates of a position of a contact made on a position-sensitive surface, comprising:

first program code means for outputting a first voltage signal concerning a position of a first contact made on a touch sensitive panel and a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second contact made on said touch sensitive panel after said first contact;

second program code means for generating coordinate information and operation information of the first and second contacts based on said first and second voltage signals, at the touch screen unit, said operation information being capable of achieving an operation made by two or more switches; and

third program code means for transmitting the coordinate information and the operation information from the touch screen unit to the computer,

wherein said operation information is generated based on size and angle of a vector of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

26. The machine readable medium as claimed in claim 25,

wherein said operation information is generated based on timing of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

27. The machine readable medium as claimed in claim 25,

wherein said operation information is generated based on positional relationship between said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

28. The machine readable medium as claimed in claim 25, wherein the second contact does not occur while the first contact occurs.

29. The machine readable medium as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

one of the switches corresponds to the second contact occurring at a first distance relative to the first contact,

another one of the switches corresponds to the second contact occurring at a second distance relative to the first contact, and

the first distance is different than the second distance.

30. A machine readable medium storing program code for causing a machine to detect a set of coordinates of a position of a contact made on a position-sensitive surface, comprising:

first program code means for outputting a first voltage signal concerning a position of a first contact made on a touch sensitive panel and a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second voltage signal corresponding to a position of a second contact made on said touch sensitive panel after said first contact;

second program code means for generating coordinate information at the touch screen unit;

third program code means for generating operation information at the computer, said operation information being capable of achieving an operation made by two or more switches based on said first and second voltage signals supplied from the touch screen-unit; and

fourth program code means for transmitting the coordinate information from the touch screen unit to the computer,

wherein said operation information is generated based on size and angle of a vector of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

31. The machine readable medium as claimed in claim 30,

wherein said operation information is generated based on timing of said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

32. The machine readable medium as claimed in claim 30,

wherein said operation information is generated based on positional relationship between said first and second contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

33. A touch screen unit comprising:

a touch-sensitive panel outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made thereon; and

a control unit generating coordinate information and operation information of the contact based on said voltage signals,

wherein said operation information corresponds to operations of two or more switches,

wherein said control unit generates operation information based on size and angle of a vector of contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

34. A computer system comprising:

a touch screen unit; and

a computer connected to the touch screen unit,

said touch screen unit comprising;

a touch-sensitive panel outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made thereon; and

a control unit generating coordinate information and operation information of the contacts based on said voltage signals, said operation information corresponding to operations of two or more switches,

wherein the coordinate information and the operation information are transmitted to the computer,

wherein said control unit generates operation information based on size and angle of a vector of contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

35. A computer system comprising:

a touch screen unit; and

a computer connected to the touch screen unit,

said touch screen unit comprising;

a touch-sensitive panel outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made thereon; and

a control unit generating coordinate information of the contact based on said voltage signals,

said computer comprising;

a processing unit generating operation information corresponding to operations of two or more switches based on said voltage signals supplied from the touch screen unit,

wherein the coordinate information is transmitted to the computer,

wherein said processing unit generates operation information based on size and angle of a vector of contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

36. A method of operating a touch screen unit, said method comprising:

outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made on a touch-sensitive panel; and

generating coordinate information and operation information of the contact based on said voltage signals, said operation information corresponding to operations of two or more switches,

wherein said generating the coordinate information and the operation information is implemented based on size and angle of a vector of contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

37. A method of operating a computer system comprising a touch screen unit and a computer connected to the touch screen unit, said method comprising the steps of:

outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made on said touch screen unit;

generating coordinate information and operation information of the contact based on said voltage signals, at the touch screen unit, said operation information corresponding to operations of two or more switches; and

transmitting the coordinate information and the operation information from the touch screen unit to the computer,

wherein said generating is implemented based on size and angle of a vector of contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

38. A method of operating a computer unit comprising a touch screen unit and a computer connected to the touch screen unit, said method comprising:

outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made on a touch-sensitive panel;

generating coordinate information at the touch screen unit;

generating operation information at the computer, said operation information corresponding to operations of two or more switches based on said voltage signals supplied from the touch screen unit; and

transmitting the coordinate information from the touch screen unit to the computer,

wherein said generating operation information is implemented based on size and angle of a vector of contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

39. A machine readable medium storing program code for causing a machine to detect a set of coordinates of a position of a contact made on a position-sensitive surface, comprising:

first program code means for outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made on said touch screen unit;

second program code means for generating coordinate information and operation information of the contact based on said voltage signals, at the touch screen unit, said operation information corresponding to operations of two or more switches; and

third program code means for transmitting the coordinate information and the operation information from the touch screen unit to the computer,

wherein said operation information is generated based on size and angle of a vector of contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.

40. A machine readable medium storing program code for causing a machine to detect a set of coordinates of a position of a contact made on a position-sensitive surface, comprising:

first program code means for outputting voltage signals concerning a position of a contact made on said touch screen unit;

second program code means for generating coordinate information at the touch screen unit;

third program code means for generating operation information at the computer, said operation information corresponding to operations of two or more switches based on said voltage signals supplied from the touch screen-unit; and

fourth program code means for transmitting the coordinate information from the touch screen unit to the computer,

wherein said operation information is generated based on size and angle of a vector of contacts made on the touch-sensitive panel.