Integrated pointing and drawing graphics system for computers

• US 6,674,425 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2000
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Willow Design, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Willow Design, Inc.
• Inventors: Louis, Constance M., Louis, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/572,605
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/179, 345/156, 345/157, 345/781, 345/711, 345/856, 345/857, 345/858, 178/18.01, 178/10, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

An integrated graphic tablet/touchpad can be toggled between an absolute (graphic tablet) input mode and a relative (touchpad) input mode. In the relative mode, a graphics window appears on an associated display only when pressure is exerted on an input surface, and a cursor can be moved by stroking the input surface. In contrast, in the absolute mode the window is always displayed, and the cursor is relocated to a new position in the window each time a stylus or finger is moved onto the input surface. A graphic tablet armrest bridge is also disclosed, as is a one-piece stick-on device that converts a portion of the area of a position sensitive cursor control input device into a cursor control area having cursor control characteristics that are different than those of the remainder of the input device.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

a computer program storage device readable by a digital processing system; and

logic means on the program storage device and including instructions executable by the digital processing system for performing method steps for presenting a graphics window on a display associated with the digital processing system, an input surface being in data communication with the digital processing system for inputting data to the digital processing system when a contact element is positioned against the input surface, the method steps comprising;

(a) receiving a toggle signal representative of an absolute mode or a relative mode;

(b) when the toggle signal represents an absolute mode, presenting a window on the display regardless of whether the contact element contacts the input surface, and generating an image of a cursor in the window at a position relative to the window that is analogous to the position of the contact element relative to the input surface; and

(c) when the toggle signal represents a relative mode, presenting a window on the display only when a contact element contacts the input surface, and generating an image of a cursor in the window at a position relative to the window that is analogous to the position of the contact element relative to the input surface.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the presenting steps include displaying a window having the same shape as the input surface.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the method steps include enlarging and shrinking the window.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method steps further comprise relocating the window when in the relative mode and relocating the cursor when in the absolute mode.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the window defines a periphery and the input surface defines a periphery, and the moving step includes:

defining a border within the periphery of the input surface;

presenting an image of the border within the periphery of the window; and

causing the window to move when the contact element contacts the input surface between the periphery of the input surface and the border.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the moving step includes moving the window when the contact element moves against the input surface at a speed greater than a predetermined speed.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, in combination with the digital processing system.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the digital processing system includes a toggle key.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the display is associated with a window motion element, and the window can be moved on the display only in the absolute mode by appropriately manipulating the window motion element.

10. A system for alternatively establishing a graphic tablet and a touchpad, comprising:

a display;

a position sensitive input surface associated with the display;

logic means for receiving an absolute signal and a relative signal;

graphic tablet logic means for establishing a graphic tablet in response to the absolute signal, the graphic tablet logic means presenting a visual feedback on the display representative of the absolute signal;

touchpad logic means for establishing a touchpad in response to the relative signal, the touchpad logic means presenting a visual feedback on the display representative of the relative signal and a contact element contacting the input surface; and

the visual feedbacks comprising a graphics window and the image of a cursor in the window.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a time at which the contact element is moved against a position point on the input surface from a position distanced from the input surface is a touch time, and wherein the graphics tablet logic means, when invoked by the absolute signal, causes the cursor to relocate at the touch time to a location in the window analogous to the location of the position point on the input surface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the touchpad logic means, when invoked by the relative signal, causes the window to relocate at the touch time such that the location of the cursor relative to the window is analogous to the location of the position point relative to the input surface.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a toggle switch for generating the absolute and relative signals.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the window has the same shape as the input surface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the window defines a periphery and the input surface defines a periphery, and the system includes:

logic means for defining a border within the periphery of the input surface;

logic means for presenting an image of the border within the periphery of the window; and

logic means for causing the window to move when the contact element contacts the input surface between the periphery of the input surface and the border.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the window is moved when the contact element moves against the input surface at a speed greater than a predetermined speed.

17. The system of claim 14, in combination with a digital processing system.

18. The combination of claim 17, wherein the digital processing system includes a toggle switch.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the display is associated with a window motion element, and the window can be moved on the display only in the absolute mode by appropriately manipulating the window motion element.

20. A computer-implemented method for presenting a graphics window on a display associated with a digital processing system, an input surface being in data communication with the digital processing system for inputting data to the digital processing system when a contact element is positioned against the input surface, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a toggle signal representative of an absolute mode or a relative mode;

(b) when the toggle signal represents an absolute mode, presenting a window on the display regardless of whether the contact element contacts the input surface, and generating an image of a cursor in the window at a position relative to the window that is analogous to the position of the contact element relative to the input surface; and

(c) when the toggle signal represents a relative mode, presenting a window on the display only when a contact element contacts the input surface, and generating an image of a cursor in the window at a position relative to the window that is analogous to the position of the contact element relative to the input surface.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein the presenting step includes displaying a window having the same shape as the input surface.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising relocating the window when in the relative mode and relocating the cursor when in the absolute mode.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the window defines a periphery and the input surface defines a periphery, and the method includes:

defining a border within the periphery of the input surface;

presenting an image of the border within the periphery of the window; and

causing the window to move when the contact element contacts the input surface between the periphery of the input surface and the border.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the moving step includes moving the window when the contact element moves against the input surface at a speed greater than a predetermined speed.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, wherein the method steps include enlarging and shrinking the window.