Multi-touch input discrimination
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method to discriminate input sources to a touch-surface device, comprising:
- obtaining a proximity image;
compensating the proximity image for background noise;
filtering the proximity image to reduce spurious peaks, the filterng being distinct from the compensating;
segmenting the proximity image to identify a plurality of patches having patch pixel values;
reducing or down-scaling peripheral patch pixel values for one or more of the plurality of patches based on the compensated proximity image and the filtered proximity image, the reducing or down-scaling being distinct from the compensating and filtering;
determining an eccentricity value for one or more of the reduced or down-scaled peripheral patch pixel values of the plurality of patches;
identifying a first patch as a thumb contact when the eccentricity value of the first patch is greater than a first threshold; and
using the identified patch to control an operation of a touch-surface device.
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Abstract
Techniques for identifying and discriminating between different types of contacts to a multi-touch touch-screen device are described. Illustrative contact types include fingertips, thumbs, palms and cheeks. By way of example, thumb contacts may be distinguished from fingertip contacts using a patch eccentricity parameter. In addition, by non-linearly deemphasizing pixels in a touch-surface image, a reliable means of distinguishing between large objects (e.g., palms) from smaller objects (e.g., fingertips, thumbs and a stylus) is described.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method to discriminate input sources to a touch-surface device, comprising:
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obtaining a proximity image; compensating the proximity image for background noise; filtering the proximity image to reduce spurious peaks, the filterng being distinct from the compensating; segmenting the proximity image to identify a plurality of patches having patch pixel values; reducing or down-scaling peripheral patch pixel values for one or more of the plurality of patches based on the compensated proximity image and the filtered proximity image, the reducing or down-scaling being distinct from the compensating and filtering; determining an eccentricity value for one or more of the reduced or down-scaled peripheral patch pixel values of the plurality of patches; identifying a first patch as a thumb contact when the eccentricity value of the first patch is greater than a first threshold; and using the identified patch to control an operation of a touch-surface device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20)
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16. Apparatus for discriminating input sources to a touch-surface device, comprising:
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means for obtaining a proximity image; means for compensating the proximity image for background noise; means for filtering the proximity image to reduce spurious peaks, the filterng being distinct from the compensating; means for segmenting the proximity image to identify a plurality of patches having patch pixel values; means for reducing or down-scaling peripheral patch pixel values for one or more of the plurality of patches based on the compensated proximity image and the filtered proximity image, the reducing or down-scaling being distinct from the compensating and filtering; means for determining an eccentricity value for one or more of the reduced or down-scaled peripheral patch pixel values of the plurality of patches; means for identifying a first patch as a thumb contact when the eccentricity value of the first patch is greater than a first threshold; and means for using the identified patch to control an operation of a touch-surface device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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21. A method to discriminate input sources to a touch-surface device, comprising:
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obtaining a proximity image; compensating the proximity image for background noise; filtering the proximity image; segmenting the proximity image to identify a plurality of patches having patch pixel values; reducing or down-scaling peripheral patch pixel values for one or more of the plurality of patches based on the compensated proximity image and the filtered proximity image; determining an eccentricity value for one or more of the reduced or down-scaled peripheral patch pixel values of the plurality of patches; determining a minor radius value for one or more of the reduced or down-scaled peripheral patch pixel values of the plurality of patches; ignoring each patch having a minor radius value greater than a first threshold; after ignoring each patch having a minor radius value greater than the first threshold, identifying a first patch as a thumb contact when the eccentricity value of the first patch is greater than a second threshold; and using the identified patch to control an operation of a touch-surface device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method to discriminate input sources to a touch-surface device, comprising:
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means for obtaining a proximity image; means for compensating the proximity image for background noise; means for filtering the proximity image; means for segmenting the proximity image to identify a plurality of patches having patch pixel values; means for reducing or down-scaling peripheral patch pixel values for one or more of the plurality of patches based on the compensated proximity image and the filtered proximity image; means for determining an eccentricity value for one or more of the reduced or down-scaled peripheral patch pixel values of the plurality of patches; means for determining a minor radius value for one or more of the reduced or down-scaled peripheral patch pixel values of the plurality of patches; means for ignoring each patch having a minor radius value greater than a first threshold; means for, after ignoring each patch having a minor radius value greater than the first threshold, identifying a first patch as a thumb contact when the eccentricity value of the first patch is greater than a second threshold; and means for using the identified patch to control an operation of a touch-surface device. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification