Method and apparatus to reject accidental contact on a touchpad

• US 8,952,899 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hotelling, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US12/479,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20090244092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,076 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-178
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. Palm rest areas are formed by a touchpad disposed on the surface of the base assembly. In an alternative embodiment, a touchpad disposed on the base assembly has a width that extends substantially into the palm rests areas of the base assembly.

Claims

1. A method for processing a contact touch on a touchpad disposed on a portable computer, the method comprising:

detecting the contact touch in a first predefined region of a plurality of predefined regions on the touchpad, the plurality of predefined regions being defined before any contact is detected on the touchpad;

determining a size and a trajectory of the contact touch on the touchpad;

estimating a probability of the contact touch being intentional using measured quantities of the size and the trajectory of the contact touch;

establishing a strictness criteria for the contact touch based upon the estimated probability;

measuring the size and the trajectory over a period of time; and

deactivating the first predefined region, independently of a second predefined region of the touchpad, based upon the measured size and trajectory of the contact touch and the strictness criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a location of the contact touch on the touchpad, wherein estimating a probability of intentional contact further includes using the location of the contact touch.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the establishing the strictness criteria further comprises repeating the determining of the location, size, and trajectory of the contact touch.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of an intentional contact decreases when the size of the contact touch is relatively large compared to a contact patch made by a finger.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of an intentional contact increases when the trajectory exceeds a predetermined distance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a size and a trajectory of a second contact touch on the touchpad, wherein the second contact touch on the touchpad is detected in the second predefined region of the touchpad and occurs substantially at the same time as the contact touch within the first predefined region; and

estimating a probability of intentional contact for the second contact touch using measured quantities of the size and the trajectory of the second contact touch.

7. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform a method for processing a contact touch on a touchpad disposed on a portable computer, the method comprising:

detecting the contact touch in a first predefined region of a plurality of predefined regions on the touchpad, the plurality of predefined regions being defined before any contact is detected on the touchpad;

determining a size and a trajectory of the contact touch on the touchpad;

estimating a probability of the contact touch being intentional using measured quantities of the size and the trajectory of the contact touch;

establishing a strictness criteria for the contact touch based upon the estimated probability;

measuring the size and the trajectory over a period of time; and

deactivating the first predefined region, independently of a second predefined region of the touchpad, based upon the measured size and trajectory of the contact touch and the strictness criteria.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a location of the contact touch on the touchpad, wherein estimating a probability of intentional contact further includes using the location of the contact touch.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the establishing the strictness criteria further comprises repeating the determining of the location, size, and trajectory of the contact touch.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the probability of an intentional contact increases when the trajectory exceeds a predetermined distance.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the probability of an intentional contact decreases when the size of the contact touch is relatively large compared to a contact patch made by a finger.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a size and a trajectory of a second contact touch on the touchpad, wherein the second contact touch on the touchpad is detected in the second predefined region of the touchpad and occurs substantially at the same time as the contact touch within the first predefined region; and

estimating a probability of intentional contact for the second contact touch using measured quantities of the size and the trajectory of the second contact touch.

13. A portable computer, comprising:

a processor; and

a touchpad located in a palm rest region of the portable computer and coupled to the processor, wherein the touchpad includes a plurality of predefined regions, the plurality of predefined regions being defined before any contact is detected on the touchpad, and wherein the processor is configured to

detect the contact touch in a first predefined region of the plurality of predefined regions on the touchpad;

determine a location, a size, and a trajectory of the contact touch on the touchpad;

estimate a probability of intentional contact using measured quantities of the location, the size, and the trajectory of the contact touch;

establish a strictness criteria for the contact touch based upon the estimated probability;

measure the location, the size, and the trajectory over a period of time; and

deactivate the first predefined region, independently of a second predefined region of the touchpad, based upon the measured size and trajectory of the contact touch and the strictness criteria.

14. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a location of the contact touch on the touchpad, wherein estimating a probability of intentional contact further includes using the location of the contact touch.

15. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the establishing the strictness criteria further comprises repeating the determining of the location, size, and trajectory of the contact touch.

16. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the probability of an intentional contact decreases when the size of the contact touch is relatively large compared to a contact patch made by a finger.

17. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the probability of an intentional contact increases when the trajectory exceeds a predetermined distance.

18. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a size and a trajectory of a second contact touch on the touchpad, wherein the second contact touch on the touchpad is detected in the second predefined region of the touchpad and occurs substantially at the same time as the contact touch within the first predefined region; and

estimate a probability of intentional contact for the second contact touch using measured quantities of the size and the trajectory of the second contact touch.