Method and system for processing touch input

• US 8,531,412 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Martin, Geoffrey S., Bowman, Danny L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JENNIFER T
• Application Number:
  US12/683,149
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 345/156, 345/169
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method and system for processing touch input. A computing device with a touch-sensing interface may maintain a stored size value for touch input by a known user. The computing device may detect and then determine a size of a touch input. The computing device may then compare the determined size of the detected touch input to the stored size value for the known user'"'"'s tough input. Based on this comparison, the computing device may process the touch input. For example, in response to the touch input, the computing device may (a) take a first action if the determined size exceeds the stored size value by a first value, and (b) otherwise, take a second action. In one aspect, before using the stored size value for the known user'"'"'s touch input, the computing device may identify a current user of the computing device as the known user.

Claims

1. A method, carried out by a computing device with a touch-sensing interface, the method comprising:

the computing device maintaining a plurality of stored size values from which one reference size value is selected at any given time for use in processing touch input, wherein the plurality of stored size values includes a stored size value for touch input by a given known user;

the computing device identifying a current user of the computing device as the given known user;

in response to identifying the current user as the given known user, the computing device selecting, from the plurality of stored size values, the stored size value for touch input by the given known user as the reference size value for use in processing touch input;

the computing device thereafter detecting a touch input by the current user;

the computing device determining a size of the detected touch input;

the computing device comparing the determined size of the detected touch input to the selected size value for touch input by the given known user; and

the computing device processing the detected touch input based on the comparing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the stored size value for touch input by the given known user comprises:

the computing device determining a size value for touch input by the given known user based on a plurality of prior touch inputs by the given known user; and

the computing device storing the size value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the computing device determining the size value for touch input by the given known user based on a plurality of prior touch inputs by the given known user comprises:

the computing device measuring a size of each of a plurality of touch inputs by the given known user over a given time period; and

the computing device calculating the size value based on the measured sizes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device identifying the current user of the computing device as the given known user comprises the computing device identifying the current user of the computing device as the given known user based on operation of the computing device by the current user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the computing device identifying the current user of the computing device as the given known user based on operation of the computing device by the current user comprises:

the computing device maintaining stored operation data for the given known user;

the computing device monitoring operation of the computing device by the current user;

the computing device generating data indicating operation of the computing device by the current user;

the computing device comparing the generated data to the stored operation data for the given known user; and

the computing device determining that the generated data matches the stored operation data for the given known user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the computing device monitoring operation of the computing device by the current user comprises the computing device monitoring spatial characteristics of the computing device as operated by the current user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the computing device monitoring operation of the computing device by the current user comprises the computing device monitoring data input by the current user.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the computing device monitoring operation of the computing device by the current user comprises the computing device monitoring characteristics of touch input by the current user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device processing the touch input based on the comparison comprises:

taking a first action in response to the touch input if the determined size exceeds the selected size value by a first value; and

otherwise, taking a second action in response to the touch input.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein taking the first action comprises invoking an emphasized version of a selected alphanumerical key, and wherein taking the second action comprises invoking a non-emphasized version of the selected alphanumerical key.

11. A computing device comprising:

a touch-sensing interface;

a processor;

data storage;

data stored in data storage that represents a plurality of size values from which one reference size value is selected at any given time for use in processing touch input, wherein the plurality of size values includes a size value for touch input by a given known user; and

program instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the processor for;

identifying a current user of the computing device as the given known user;

in response to identifying the current user as the given known user, selecting, from the plurality of size values, the size value for touch input by the given known user as the reference size value for use in processing touch input;

thereafter detecting a touch input by the current user;

determining a size of the detected touch input;

comparing the determined size of the detected touch input to the selected size value for touch input by the given known user; and

processing the touch input based on the comparing.

12. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

an interface for communicating with an access network.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the size value for touch input by the given known user comprises a size value determined based on a plurality of prior touch inputs by the given known user.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the program instructions for identifying the current user of the computing device as the given known user comprises program instructions for identifying the current user of the computing device as the given known user based on operation of the computing device by the current user.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the program instructions for identifying the current user of the computing device as the given known user based on operation of the computing device by the current user comprise program instructions for:

monitoring operation of the computing device by the current user;

generating data indicating operation of the computing device by the current user;

comparing the generated data to operation data for the given known user, wherein the operation data is stored in data storage; and

determining that the generated data matches the operation data for the given known user.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the program instructions for monitoring operation of the computing device by the current user program instructions for monitoring spatial characteristics of the computing device as operated by the current user.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the program instructions for monitoring operation of the computing device by the current user comprises program instructions for monitoring data input by the current user.

18. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the program instructions for processing the touch input based on the comparison comprise program instructions for:

taking a first action in response to the touch input if the determined size exceeds the size value for the given known user by a first value; and

taking a second action in response to the touch input if the determined size does not exceed the size value for the given known user by the first value.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein:

the program instructions for taking the first action comprise program instructions for invoking an emphasized version of a selected alphanumerical key, and

the program instructions for taking the second action comprise program instructions for invoking a non-emphasized version of the selected alphanumerical key.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program instructions stored thereon, the program instructions comprising:

program instructions for identifying a current user of a computing device as a given known user;

program instructions for responding to the identifying by (a) accessing data that represents a plurality of size values from which one reference size value is selected at any given time for use in processing touch input at the computing device, wherein the plurality of size values includes a size value for touch input by a given known user, and (b) selecting the size value for touch input by the given known user as the reference size value for use in processing touch input at the computing device;

program instructions for thereafter detecting a touch input by the current user;

program instructions for determining a size of the detected touch input;

program instructions for comparing the determined size of the detected touch input to the selected size value for touch input by the given known user; and

program instructions for processing the touch input based on the comparing.