Scroll control method using a touchpad

• US 7,576,732 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Lii, Jia-Yih
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abdin, Shaheda A
• Application Number:
  US11/274,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20060290678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/157, 345/178, 178 1801- 1903, 715/856
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A scroll control method using a touchpad comprises predefining a region on a touchpad, whereby a scroll function will be triggered by a landing of an object on the region, and terminated by a leaving of the object from the touchpad. During the scroll function is executed, the moving distance of the object sliding on the touchpad is calculated to determine a corresponding scrolling signal.

Claims

1. A scroll control method using a touchpad, comprising the steps of:

predefining a region on the touchpad for controlling a scroll function on a window interface, the region being disposed on the touchpad adjacent a second region for cursor control within the window interface;

detecting a landing of an object on the region;

triggering the scroll function in response to the landing;

detecting a movement of the object sliding on the touchpad subsequent to the landing, maintaining the scroll function upon continued sliding of the object into the second region;

calculating a distance of the movement for determining a scrolling signal responsive thereto; and

terminating the scroll function in response to a leaving of the object from the touchpad.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating a distance of the movement for determining a scrolling signal comprises the steps of:

analyzing the distance for evaluating a horizontal component and a vertical component thereof; and

determining the scrolling signal to have a horizontal or vertical direction depending on the horizontal component greater or smaller than the vertical component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating a distance of the movement for determining a scrolling signal comprises the steps of:

analyzing the distance for evaluating a horizontal component and a vertical component thereof; and

determining the scrolling signal to have a horizontal scrolling component and a vertical scrolling component proportional to the horizontal component and the vertical component, respectively.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the region comprises at least a subregion having a regular or irregular shape.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the region comprises a plurality of subregions distributed on the touchpad.

6. A touchpad for scroll control on a window, comprising:

a region predefined thereon for controlling a scroll function on the window, the region being disposed on the touchpad adjacent a second region for cursor control within the window;

wherein the scroll function is triggered in response to a landing of an object on the region, and a moving distance of the object subsequently sliding on the touchpad is calculated for the touchpad to send out a scrolling signal responsive thereto;

wherein the scroll function maintained with continued sliding of the object into the second region, and terminated in response to a leaving of the object from the touchpad.

7. The touchpad of claim 6, wherein the scrolling signal has a horizontal direction when the moving distance has a horizontal component greater than a vertical component, and has a vertical direction when the horizontal component is smaller than the vertical component.

8. The touchpad of claim 6, wherein the scrolling signal comprises a horizontal scrolling component and a vertical scrolling component proportional to a horizontal component and a vertical component of the moving distance, respectively.

9. The touchpad of claim 6, wherein the region comprises at least a subregion having a regular or irregular shape.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the region comprises a plurality of subregions distributed on the touchpad.