Automatic scrolling

• US 6,690,365 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hinckley, Kenneth P., Cauthorn, James H., Sinclair, Michael J., Bathiche, Steven N.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUN YI
• Application Number:
  US09/940,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 345/684, 345/685, 345/784-787, 345/173, 345/174, 345/973, 178/18.03, 178/18.05, 341/21, 341/22, 341/20
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar

Abstract

A scrolling device for a computer may include a touch-sensitive surface, which may be elongated and/or have one or more active regions. Scrolling may be performed in manual as well as automated ways that may result in more accurate and efficient scrolling. Scrolling, as displayed on the screen, may further be rounded to the nearest document text line and/or distance unit, even though a more precise scrolling location value may be stored and/or tracked.

Claims

1. A method for scrolling a document, comprising steps of:

scrolling a document at a rate based on a pressure of a pointer on a touch-sensitive surface, such that the rate of scrolling of the document is a non-linear function of the pressure;

determining a current pressure p of the pointer on the touch-sensitive surface; and

determining a scroll rate dy/dt for the document according to the following algorithm;

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive surface comprises a first portion and a second portion, further including the steps of:

determining which of the first and second portion is being touched by the pointer; and

selecting the first and second gain factors based on said step of determining,

wherein the first and second gain factors are selected to be different when the first portion is touched by the pointer as compared with the second portion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second portions are physically separate portions.

4. A system for scrolling a document, comprising:

a touch-sensitive device having a first surface portion and a second surface portion, the touch-sensitive device configured to generate at least one signal indicating which of the first and second surface portions is being touched by a pointer; and

a processor coupled to the touch-sensitive device, the processor configured to receive the at least one signal and to scroll the document in a first direction responsive to the first portion being touched by the pointer, and a different second direction responsive to the second portion being touched by the pointer,

wherein the processor is further configured to continue to scroll the document at rates depending upon subsequent positions of the pointer upon the touch-sensitive device while the pointer remains in contact with the touch-sensitive device, and

wherein the processor is further configured to scroll the document only if the one of the first and second surface portions indicated by the at least one signal is held by the pointer for at least a threshold amount of time.

5. The system of claim 4, further including a third surface portion disposed between the first and second surface portions.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the third surface portion is elongated and physically continuous with the first and second surface portions, the first and second surface portions being disposed at opposing end regions of the third surface portion.