Sensor arrangement for use with a touch sensor that identifies hand parts

• US 8,633,898 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Westerman, Wayne, Elias, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sim, Yong H
• Application Number:
  US11/830,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20070268273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,367 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/174, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.05, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24137 Distances to cluster centroïds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• 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 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/19173 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1983 Syntactic or structural pattern recognition, e.g. symbolic string recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/107 : Static hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 : using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960725 : Charge-transfer

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.

Claims

1. A method of generating input of an electronic system including a touch sensing surface, the method comprising:

detecting a first set of a plurality of contacts touched down on or near the surface;

detecting a liftoff of a first subset of one or more contacts of the first set, wherein a second subset of one or more contacts of the first set remain touched down;

while the one or more contacts of the second subset remain touched down, detecting a touchdown of a second set, wherein the second set includes one or more contacts of the first subset, each contact in the second set touching down at a corresponding touchdown location, each touchdown location having a relative position to a location of each contact in the second subset; and

generating input of the electronic system based on the touchdown of the second set independent of the number of contacts in the second subset and independent of at least one of the relative positions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of contacts in the second subset is at least two.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of contacts in the second set is at least two, detecting the touchdown of the second set includes determining whether the contacts in the second set touchdown substantially synchronously, and generating the input is further based on the determination of whether the contacts in the second set touched down substantially synchronously.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the set of the plurality of contacts includes determining that the contacts in the set are in a non-input state, contacts in the non-input state being excluded from generating an input.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-input state is a resting state, a motion of contacts in the resting state being less than a predetermined resting motion threshold, and determining that the contacts in the set are in the resting state includes determining that the motion of the contacts is less than the predetermined resting motion threshold, wherein the resting motion threshold is greater than zero.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input generated based on the touchdown of the second set includes a first input, the method further comprising:

detecting, after the touchdown of the second set, a liftoff of one or more contacts followed by a touchdown of a third set of one or more contacts; and

generating a second input, different than the first input, based on the touchdown of the third set.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the second input includes switching from the first input to the second input based on the touchdown of the third set.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

terminating the first input in response to the liftoff of the one or more contacts after the touchdown of the second set.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a liftoff of the second set after the touchdown of the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the liftoff of the second set.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting the liftoff of the second set includes determining a time between the touchdown and liftoff of the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the input based on the time includes determining whether the time is less than a timing constraint value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the touchdown includes determining a force of the touchdown of one or more contacts in the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the force.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the force includes inferring the force based on a ratio of a proximity of each of the one or more contacts of the second set for which the force is determined to an ellipse axis length of an ellipse fitted to the contact.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the input is a key press, and generating the input further includes entering a typematic mode if the force exceeds a force threshold, wherein generation of the key press is repeated in the typematic mode.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing the force to a predetermined force threshold value; and

preventing the generation of the input if the force is less than the predetermined force threshold value.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the touchdown includes determining an impulsivity of the touchdown of one or more contacts in the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the impulsivity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the impulsivity is based on a proximity profile of each of the one or more contacts in the second set for which the impulsivity is determined.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the first set of contacts is paused at the time of the liftoff of the first subset, wherein generating the input is further based on the determination of whether the first set of contacts is paused.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein generating the input includes generating the input if the first set of contacts is determined to be paused and not generating the input if the first set of contacts is determined not to be paused.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one of a translation motion, a rotation motion, and a scaling motion based on motions of the contacts in the second set after touchdown, wherein generating the input is further based on the translation, rotation, or scaling motion.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining one of the translation motion, the rotation motion, and the scaling motion includes determining one of the translation motion, the rotation motion, and the scaling motion based on motions of the contacts in the first subset and in the second set.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the input is further based on an arrangement of the contacts in the first set.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the second subset includes an innermost contact of the first set and an outermost contact of the first set.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the input includes generating the input independent of each of the relative positions.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the input includes generating the input based on the number of contacts in the second set.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein generating the input based on the number of contacts in the second set includes selecting, based on the number of contacts in the second set, one of a plurality of inputs, the inputs of the plurality of inputs corresponding to different numbers of contacts, and generating the selected input.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of inputs includes a cursor movement corresponding to a first number of contacts, and a scroll corresponding to a second number of contacts.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set consists of the first subset.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting touchdown of one or more additional contacts after the liftoff of the first subset.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions executable to perform a method of generating input of an electronic system including a touch sensing surface, the method comprising:

detecting a first set of a plurality of contacts touched down on or near the surface;

detecting a liftoff of a first subset of one or more contacts of the first set, wherein a second subset of one or more contacts of the first set remain touched down;

while the one or more contacts of the second subset remain touched down, detecting a touchdown of a second set, the second set including one or more contacts of the first subset, each contact in the second set touching down at a corresponding touchdown location, each touchdown location having a relative position to a location of each contact in the second subset; and

generating input of the electronic system based on the touchdown of the second set independent of the number of contacts in the second subset and independent of at least one of the relative positions.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the number of contacts in the second set is at least two, detecting the touchdown of the second set includes determining whether the contacts in the second set touchdown substantially synchronously, and generating the input is further based on the determination of whether the contacts in the second set touched down substantially synchronously.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, the method further comprising:

detecting a liftoff of the second set after the touchdown of the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the liftoff of the second set.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein detecting the touchdown includes determining a force of the touchdown of one or more contacts in the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the force.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the input is a key press, and generating the input further includes entering a typematic mode if the force exceeds a force threshold, wherein generation of the key press is repeated in the typematic mode.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, the method further comprising:

comparing the force to a predetermined force threshold value; and

preventing the generation of the input if the force is less than the predetermined force threshold value.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein detecting the touchdown includes determining an impulsivity of the touchdown of one or more contacts in the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the impulsivity.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, the method further comprising:

determining whether the first set of contacts is paused at the time of the liftoff of the first subset, wherein generating the input is further based on the determination of whether the first set of contacts is paused.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, the method further comprising:

determining one of a translation motion, a rotation motion, and a scaling motion based on motions of the contacts in the second set after touchdown, wherein generating the input is further based on the translation, rotation, or scaling motion.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein determining one of translation motion, the rotation motion, and the scaling motion includes determining one of the translation motion, the rotation motion, and the scaling motion based on motions of the contacts in the first subset and in the second set.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein generating the input includes generating the input independent of each of the relative positions.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein generating the input includes generating the input based on the number of contacts in the second set.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the second set consists of the first subset.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, the method further comprising:

detecting touchdown of one or more additional contacts after the liftoff of the first subset.

44. An electronic system comprising:

a touch sensing surface;

one or more touch processing modules that detect a first set of a plurality of contacts touched down on or near the surface, detect a liftoff of a first subset of one or more contacts of the first set, wherein a second subset of one or more contacts of the first set remain touched down, while the one or more contacts of the second subset remain touched down, detect a touchdown of a second set, the second set including one or more contacts of the first subset, each contact in the second set touching down at a corresponding touchdown location, each touchdown location having a relative position to a location of each contact in the second subset, and generate input based on the touchdown of the second set independent of the number of contacts in the second subset and independent of at least one of the relative positions.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the number of contacts in the second set is at least two, detecting the touchdown of the second set includes determining whether the contacts in the second set touchdown substantially synchronously, and generating the input is further based on the determination of whether the contacts in the second set touched down substantially synchronously.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein one or more touch processing modules further detect a liftoff of the second set after the touchdown of the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the liftoff of the second set.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein detecting the touchdown includes determining a force of the touchdown of one or more contacts in the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the force.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the input is a key press, and generating the input includes entering a typematic mode if the force exceeds a force threshold, wherein generation of the key press is repeated in the typematic mode.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein one or more touch processing modules further compare the force to a predetermined force threshold value, and prevent the generation of the input if the force is less than the predetermined force threshold value.

50. The system of claim 44, wherein detecting the touchdown includes determining an impulsivity of the touchdown of one or more contacts in the second set, wherein generating the input is further based on the impulsivity.

51. The system of claim 44, wherein one or more touch processing modules further determine whether the first set of contacts is paused at the time of the liftoff of the first subset, wherein generating the input is further based on the determination of whether the first set of contacts is paused.

52. The system of claim 44, wherein one or more touch processing modules further determine one of a translation motion, a rotation motion, and a scaling motion based on motions of the contacts in the second set after touchdown, wherein generating the input is further based on the translation, rotation, or scaling motion.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein determining one of the translation motion, the rotation motion, and the scaling motion-includes determining one of the translation motion, the rotation motion, and the scaling motion based on motions of the contacts in the first subset and in the second set.

54. The system of claim 44, wherein generating the input includes generating the input independent of each of the relative positions.

55. The system of claim 44, wherein generating the input includes generating the input based on the number of contacts in the second set.

56. The system of claim 44, wherein the second set consists of the first subset.

57. The system of claim 44, wherein the one or more processing modules further detect touchdown of one or more additional contacts after the liftoff of the first subset.