Apparatus, system, and method for automated touchpad adjustments

• US 8,446,372 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Locker, Howard, Thrasher, James Joseph, Zawacki, Jennifer Greenwood
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadio, Insa
• Application Number:
  US12/170,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/156, 345/172, 345/178, 345/619, 345/634, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11, 178 1901- 1907
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for automated touchpad adjustments. A Touchpad Corrective Action (TCA) detection module detects a TCA within a specified input limit after a touchpad input. An adjustment module decreases a touchpad sensitivity in response to detecting the TCA.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage device having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a device causes the device to:

detect a Touchpad Corrective Action (TCA) comprising receiving a sequence of a touchpad input, followed by less than a specified number of inputs to keyboard keys, followed by an undo command, wherein the specified number of inputs is greater than one; and

decrease a touchpad sensitivity in response to detecting the TCA.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the sequence further comprises receiving the undo command following less than specified time interval after the touchpad input.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the touchpad sensitivity is not decreased below a minimum touchpad sensitivity.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the minimum touchpad sensitivity is selected from a range of one to two square centimeters and a range of 1500 to 2500 pascal.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the undo command further comprises a Control Z command.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the sequence further comprises a retyping of text following the undo command.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the device to detect a specified Intentional Touchpad Action (ITA);

and increase the touchpad sensitivity in response to detecting the ITA.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the specified ITA comprises a specified number of uncorrected touchpad actions without an intervening TCA.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the specified ITA comprises a specified time interval of uncorrected touchpad actions without an intervening TCA.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the device to decrease the touchpad sensitivity by a value selected from a range of 0.025 to 0.2 square centimeters and a range of from 100 to 200 pascal.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a Touchpad Corrective Action (TCA) detection module detecting a TCA comprising receiving a sequence of a touchpad input, followed by less than a specified number of inputs to keyboard keys, followed by an undo command, wherein the specified number of inputs is greater than one; and

an adjustment module decreasing a touchpad sensitivity in response to detecting the TCA.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sequence further comprises receiving the undo command following less than a specified time interval after the touchpad input.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the touchpad sensitivity is not decreased below a minimum touchpad sensitivity and the minimum touchpad sensitivity is selected from a range of zero point two five to two square centimeters and a range of 1500 to 2500 pascal.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sequence further comprises, a retyping of text following the undo command.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising

an Intentional Touchpad Action (ITA) detection module detecting a specified ITA;

and

the adjustment module further increasing the touchpad sensitivity in response to detecting the ITA.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the ITA is selected from a specified number of uncorrected touchpad actions without an intervening TCA and a specified time interval of uncorrected touchpad actions without an intervening TCA.

17. A system comprising:

a display;

a touchpad;

a Touchpad Corrective Action (TCA) detection module detecting a TCA comprising receiving a sequence of a touchpad input, followed by less than a specified number of inputs to keyboard keys, followed by an undo command, wherein the specified number of inputs is greater than one;

an Intentional Touchpad Action (ITA) detection module detecting a specified ITA; and

an adjustment module decreasing a touchpad sensitivity in response to detecting the TCA and increasing the touchpad sensitivity in response to detecting the ITA.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured as a notebook computer.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the touchpad sensitivity is not decreased below a minimum touchpad sensitivity and the minimum touchpad sensitivity is selected from a range of zero point two five to two square centimeters and a range of 1500 to 2500 pascal.