Touch pad operable with multi-objects and method of operating same

• US 9,024,895 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Jian-Wei, Yang, Wei-Wen, Liu, Chuh-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharifi-Tafreshi, Koosha
• Application Number:
  US13/613,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1809, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present invention provides a touch pad operable with multi-objects and a method of operating such a touch pad. The touch pad includes a touch structure for sensing touch points of a first and a second object and a controller for generating corresponding touching signals and related position coordinates. Moreover, the controller calculates at least two movement amount indexes according to coordinate differences between these position coordinates, thereby generating a movement amount control signal to control behaviors of a software object.

Claims

1. A method of operating a touch pad with multi-objects, comprising steps of:

sensing touch points of first and second objects on said touch pad to assert a first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and a second position coordinate (X2, Y2), respectively;

moving said second object on said touch pad to a further touch point, and sensing said further touch point to assert a third position coordinate (X3, Y3);

measuring a first slope S12 between said first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and said second position coordinate (X2, Y2), a second slope S13 between said first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and said third position coordinate (X3, Y3), and a third slope S23 between said second position coordinate (X2, Y2) and said third position coordinate (X3, Y3); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of a software object when one of the following conditions is satisfied;

(1) S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23≧

0, (X2−

X1)>

(X3−

X1), and (Y2−

Y1)>

(Y3−

Y1), and (2) S12<

0, S13<

0, S23<

0, (X2−

X1)>

(X3−

X1), and (Y2−

Y1)>

(Y3−

Y1).

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of:

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object when one of the following conditions is satisfied;

(1) S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23≧

0, (X2−

X1)<

(X3−

X1), and (Y2−

Y1)<

(Y3−

Y1), and (2) S12<

0, S13<

a0, S23<

0, (X2−

XI) (X3−

X1), and (Y2−

Y1) (Y3−

Y1).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first object is a first finger, said second object is a second finger, and said first, second and third position coordinates are obtained in an absolute two-dimensional coordinate system or a relative two-dimensional coordinate system.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said software object is a digital image, and said movement amount control signal controls zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.

6. A touch pad operable with multi-objects, said touch pad being communicated with a host and a display body and comprising:

a touch structure having a lower surface communicated with said display body and an upper surface for sensing touch points, wherein first and second touching signals are respectively generated when touch points of first and second objects on said touch pad are sensed, and a third touching signal is generated when said second object is moved on said touch pad to a further touch point mid said further touch point is sensed; and

a controller electrically connected to said touch structure and said host for receiving said first, second and third touching signals and generating a first position coordinate (X1, Y1), a second position coordinate (X2, Y2) and a third position coordinate (X3, Y3), respectively;

wherein said touch pad is operated by steps of;

measuring a first slope S12 between said first position coordinate (X1, Y1) and said second position coordinate (X2, Y2), a second slope S13 between said first position coordinate (X1, Y1) pad said third position coordinate (X3, Y3), and a third slope S23 between said second position coordinate (X2, Y2) and said third position coordinate (X3, Y3); and

generating said movement amount control signal to control a first zoom in/out action of a software object when one of the following conditions is satisfied;

(1) S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23≧

0, (X2−

X1)>

(X3−

X1), and (Y2−

Y1)>

(Y3−

Y1), and (2) S12<

0, S13<

0, S23, (X2−

X1)>

(X3−

X1), and (Y2−

Y1)>

(Y3−

Y1).

7. The touch pad according to claim 6, wherein said touch pad is operated by a further step of:

generating said movement amount control signal to control a second zoom in/out action of said software object when one of the following conditions is satisfied;

(1) S12≧

0, S13≧

0, S23≧

0, (X2−

X1)<

(X3−

X1), and (Y2−

Y1)<

(Y3−

Y1), and (2) S12<

0, S13<

0, S23<

0, (X2−

X1)<

(X3−

X1), and (Y2−

Y1) (Y3−

Y1).

8. The touch pad according to claim 6, wherein said first object is a first finger, said second object is a second finger, and said first, second and third position coordinates are obtained in an absolute two-dimensional coordinate system or a relative two-dimensional coordinate system.

9. The touch pad according to claim 7, wherein said first zoom in/out action and said second zoom in/out action are respectively a zoom out action and a zoom in action.

10. The touch pad according to claim 6, wherein said software object is a digital image, and said movement amount control signal controls zoom in/out amount and zoom in/out direction of said digital image.