Multi-touch user input based on multiple quick-point controllers

• US 8,878,787 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Stergiou, Stergios, Jain, Jawahar, Marvit, David Loren
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MICHAUD, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/855,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20120038674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/160, 345/161, 345/168
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/0205 Lever arrangements for operating keyboard cursor control keys in a joystick-like manner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving first input from a first quick-point controller in a keypad that comprises a plurality of keys; receiving second input from a second quick-point controller in the keypad; and rendering a multi-touch gesture on a display associated with the keypad based on the first and second input.

Claims

1. A method comprising, by a computing device:

receiving first input from a first quick-point controller in a keypad that comprises a plurality of keys, wherein the first quick-point controller is located along a first row of keys of the keypad and along a first column of keys of the keypad;

receiving second input from at least a second quick-point controller in the keypad, wherein the second quick-point controller is located along a second row of keys of the keypad that is different from the first row and along a second column of keys of the keypad that is different from the first column;

receiving third input from at least a third quick-point controller in the keypad, wherein the third quick-point controller is located along a third row of keys of the keypad that is different from the first row or the second row and along a third column of keys of the keypad that is different from the first or the second column; and

rendering a multi-touch gesture on a display associated with the keypad based on the first, second, and third inputs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a U key, the H key, and a J key of the QWERTY keyboard.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a T key, an F key, and a G key of the QWERTY keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard;

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a U key, the H key, and a J key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the third quick-point controller is located in-between a 9 key, an I key, and an O key of the QWERTY keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard;

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a T key, an F key, and a G key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the third quick-point controller is located in-between a 4 key, an E key, and an R key of the QWERTY keyboard.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-touch gesture comprises scrolling, zooming, or rotating a user interface (UI) component on the display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the keypad is a keyboard of a laptop computer and the display is presented through a screen of the laptop computer.

8. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that comprises software that is operable when executed to:

receive first input from a first quick-point controller in a keypad that comprises a plurality of keys, wherein the first quick-point controller is located along a first row of keys of the keypad and along a first column of keys of the keypad;

receive second input from at least a second quick-point controller in the keypad, wherein the second quick-point controller is located along a second row of keys of the keypad that is different from the first row and along a second column of keys of the keypad that is different from the first column;

receive third input from at least a third quick-point controller in the keypad, wherein the third quick-point controller is located along a third row of keys of the keypad that is different from the first row or the second row and along a third column of keys of the keypad that is different from the first or the second column; and

render a multi-touch gesture on a display associated with the keypad based on the first, second, and third inputs.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein:

the keypad is keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a U key, the H key, and a J key of the QWERTY keyboard.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a T key, an F key, and a G key of the QWERTY keyboard.

11. The medium of claim 8, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard;

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a U key, the H key, and a J key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the third quick-point controller is located in-between a 9 key, an I key, and an O key of the QWERTY keyboard.

12. The medium of claim 8, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard;

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a T key, an F key, and a G key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the third quick-point controller is located in-between a 4 key, an E key, and an R key of the QWERTY keyboard.

13. The medium of claim 8, wherein the multi-touch gesture comprises scrolling, zooming, or rotating a user interface (UI) component on the display.

14. The medium of claim 8, wherein the keypad is a keyboard of a laptop computer and the display is presented through a screen of the laptop computer.

15. A keypad comprising

a plurality of keys;

a first quick-point controller located among the keys, wherein the first quick-point controller is located along a first row of keys of the keypad and along a first column of keys of the keypad;

at least a second quick-point controller located among the keys, wherein the second quick-point controller is located along a second row of keys of the keypad that is different from the first row and along a second column of keys of the keypad that is different from the first column; and

at least a third quick-point controller among the keys, wherein the third quick-point controller is located along a third row of keys of the keypad that is different from the first row or the second row and along a third column of keys of the keypad that is different from the first or the second column.

16. The keypad of claim 15, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a U key, the H key, and a J key of the QWERTY keyboard.

17. The keypad of claim 15, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a T key, an F key, and a G key of the QWERTY keyboard.

18. The Keypad of claim 15, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard;

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a U key, the H key, and a J key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the third quick-point controller is located in-between a 9 key, an I key, and an O key of the QWERTY keyboard.

19. The Keypad of claim 15, wherein:

the keypad is a QWERTY keyboard;

the first quick-point controller is located in-between a G key, an H key, and a B key of the QWERTY keyboard;

the second quick-point controller is located in-between a T key, an F key, and a G key of the QWERTY keyboard; and

the third quick-point controller is located in-between a 4 key, an E key, and an R key of the QWERTY keyboard.

20. The keypad of claim 15, wherein the keypad is a keyboard of a laptop computer and the display is presented through a screen of the laptop computer.