Touch pad operable with multi-objects and method of operating same

• US 8,350,822 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2012
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Wei-Wen, Liu, Chih-Min, Chen, Jian-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sharifi-Tafreshi, Koosha
• Application Number:
  US13/345,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 366 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1809, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a touch pad operable with multi-objects and a method of operating such a touch pad. The touch pad includes a touch structure for sensing touch points of a first and a second object and a controller for generating corresponding touching signals and related position coordinates. Moreover, the controller calculates at least two movement amount indexes according to coordinate differences between these position coordinates, thereby generating a movement amount control signal to control behaviors of a software object.

Claims

1. A method of operating a touch pad with multi-objects, comprising steps of:

sensing touch points of first and second fingers on said touch pad to assert a first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and a second position coordinate (X2, Y2), respectively;

moving said second finger on said touch pad to a first further touch point, and sensing said first further touch point to assert a third position coordinate (X3, Y3) and moving said first finger on said touch pad to a second further touch point, and sensing said second further touch point to assert a fourth position coordinate (X4, Y4);

measuring a first slope S12 according to said first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and said second position coordinate (X2, Y2), measuring a second slope S13 according to said first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and said third position coordinate (X3, Y3), measuring a third slope S23 according to said second position coordinate (X2, Y2) and said third position coordinate (X3, Y3), and measuring a fourth slope S14 according to said first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and said fourth position coordinate (X4, Y4), and measuring a fifth slope S43 according to said fourth position coordinate (X4, Y4) and said third position coordinate (X3, Y3);

generating a movement amount control signal according to said first slope S12, said second slope S13, said third slope S23, said first position coordinate (X1, Y1), said second position coordinate (X2, Y2) and said third position coordinate (X3, Y3)

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of a software object if S12≧

0, S23≧

0, S14≧

0, S43≧

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y4), or if S12<

0, S23<

0, S14<

0, S43<

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y4); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object if S12≧

0, S23≧

0, S14≧

0, S43≧

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y4), or if S12<

0, S23<

0, S14<

0, S43<

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y4),

wherein said first, second, third and fourth position coordinates are obtained in an absolute two-dimensional coordinate system or a relative two-dimensional coordinate system, and

wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action, said software object is a digital image, and said behaviors of said software object include zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising steps of:

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first rotational action of a software object if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23<

0, (Y2-Y3)>

0 and (X2-X3)<

0, or if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23>

0, (Y2-Y3)<

0 and (X2-X3)<

0; and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second rotational action of said software object if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23<

0, (Y2-Y3)<

0 and (X2-X3)>

0, or if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23>

0, (Y2-Y3)>

0 and (X2-X3)>

0;

wherein said first rotational action and said second rotational action are respectively a clockwise rotational action and a counterclockwise rotational action, said software object is a volume control key and said behaviors of said software object include displacement amount and displacement direction of said volume control key, or said software object is a digital image and said behaviors of said software object include rotational amount and rotational direction of the digital image.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising steps of:

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of a software object if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23≧

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y1), or if S12<

0, S13<

0, S23<

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y1); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23≧

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y1), or if S12<

0, S13<

0, S23<

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-XI), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y1),

wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action, said software object is a digital image, and said behaviors of said software object include zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.

4. A touch pad operable with multi-objects, said touch pad being communicated with a host and a display body and comprising:

a touch structure having a lower surface communicated with said display body and an upper surface for sensing touch points, wherein first and second touching signals are respectively generated when touch points of first and second fingers on said touch pad are sensed, a third touching signal is generated when said second finger is moved on said touch pad to a first further touch point and said further touch point is sensed, and a fourth touching signal is generated when said first finger is moved on said touch pad to a second further touch point and said second further touch point is sensed; and

a controller electrically connected to said touch structure and said host for receiving said first, second, third and fourth touching signals and generating a first position coordinate (X1, Y1), a second position coordinate (X2, Y2), a third position coordinate (X3, Y3) and a fourth position coordinate (X4, Y4), respectively, wherein said controller calculates a first slope S12, a second slope S13, a third slope S23, a fourth slope S14 and a fifth slope S43 according to coordinate differences between said first, second, third and fourth position coordinates, thereby generating a movement amount control signal,

wherein said touch pad is operated by the following steps of;

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of a software object if S12≧

0, S23≧

0, S14≧

0, S43≧

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y4), or if S12<

0, S23<

0, S14<

0, S43<

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y4); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object if S12≧

0, S23≧

0, S14≧

0, S43≧

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y4), or if S12<

0, S23<

0, S14<

0, S43<

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X4), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y4),

wherein said first, second, third and fourth position coordinates are obtained in an absolute two-dimensional coordinate system or a relative two-dimensional coordinate system, and

wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action, said software object is a digital image, and said behaviors of said software object include zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.

5. The touch pad according to claim 4 wherein said touch pad is operated by the

following steps of:

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first rotational action of said software object if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23<

0, (Y2-Y3)>

0 and (X2-X3)<

0, or if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23>

0, (Y2-Y3)<

0 and (X2-X3)<

0; and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second rotational action of said software object if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23<

0, (Y2-Y3)<

0 and (X2-X3)>

0, or if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23>

0, (Y2-Y3)>

0 and (X2-X3)>

0, wherein said first rotational action and said second rotational action are respectively a clockwise rotational action and a counterclockwise rotational action, said software object is a volume control key and said behaviors of said software object include displacement amount and displacement direction of said volume control key, or said software object is a digital image and said behaviors of said software object include rotational amount and rotational direction of the digital image.

6. The touch pad according to claim 4 wherein said touch pad is operated by

the following steps of:

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of said software object if S12_—

>

0, $13_—

>

0, $23_—

>

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y1), or if $12

0, $13 0, $23 0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)>

(Y3-Y1); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of

said software object if S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23≧

0, (X2-X1)>

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y1), or if S12<

0, S13<

0, S23<

0, (X2-X1)<

(X3-X1), and (Y2-Y1)<

(Y3-Y1),

wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action, said software object is a digital image, and said behaviors of said software object include zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.