Gesturing with a multipoint sensing device

• US 9,239,673 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Shaffer, Joshua H., Hotelling, Steven P., Haggerty, Myra, Parivar, Nima, Kerr, Duncan Robert, Westerman, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US13/610,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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

Abstract

Methods and systems for implementing gestures with sensing devices are disclosed. More particularly, methods and systems related to gesturing with multipoint sensing devices are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a plurality of contacts corresponding to touches in a multipoint sensing area of a multipoint sensing device;

determining a motion of the plurality of contacts;

selecting a first set of one or more of the plurality of contacts;

performing a gesture operation based on the motion of the first set;

determining additional motion of the plurality of contacts;

determining a maximum motion from the additional motion;

comparing the maximum motion to the additional motion of the first set;

based on the comparison, selecting a second set of one or more of the plurality of contacts, at least one contact of the second set having the maximum motion; and

continuing the gesture operation based on the motion of the second set.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the maximum motion to the additional motion of one or more of the plurality of contacts;

detecting a liftoff of the second set; and

ending the gesture operation based on the liftoff of the second set and further based on the comparison of the maximum motion to the additional motion of one or more of the plurality of contacts.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the maximum motion to the additional motion of one or more of the plurality of contacts;

detecting a liftoff of the second set and continued contact of a subset of the plurality of contacts; and

ignoring motion of the subset based on the comparison of the maximum motion to the additional motion of one or more of the plurality of contacts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining additional motion of the plurality of contacts includes determining a change in position of the plurality of contacts.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a maximum motion from the additional motion includes determining the greatest change in position of the plurality of contacts.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the maximum motion to the additional motion of the first set includes comparing a scalar multiple of the maximum motion to the additional motion of the first set.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that one or more contacts of the first set are relatively stationary based on the comparison of the maximum motion to the additional motion of the first set;

wherein the selecting of the second set is further based on the determination that one or more contacts of the first set are relatively stationary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture operation is one of scrolling, panning, zooming, rotating, and swiping.

9. An electronic system comprising:

a multipoint sensing device that provides a multipoint sensing area for receiving inputs detecting a plurality of contacts corresponding to touches in the multipoint sensing area; and

a gesture module configured to perform a gesture operation by

determining a motion of the plurality of contacts,

selecting a first set of one or more of the plurality of contacts,

performing the gesture operation based on the motion of the first set,

determining additional motion of the plurality of contacts,

determining a maximum motion from the additional motion,

comparing the maximum motion to the additional motion of the first set,

based on the comparison, selecting a second set of one or more of the plurality of contacts, at least one contact of the second set having the maximum motion, and

continuing the gesture operation based on the motion of the second set.

10. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the gesture module is further configured to perform the gesture operation by:

comparing the maximum motion to the additional motion of one or more of the plurality of contacts;

detecting a liftoff of the second set; and

ending the gesture operation based on the liftoff of the second set and further based on the comparison of the maximum motion to the additional motion of one or more of the plurality of contacts.

11. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the gesture module is further configured to perform the gesture operation by:

comparing the maximum motion to the additional motion of one or more of the plurality of contacts;

detecting a liftoff of the second set and continued contact of a subset of the plurality of contacts; and

ignoring motion of the subset based on the comparison of the maximum motion to the additional motion of one or more of the plurality of contacts.

12. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein determining additional motion of the plurality of contacts includes determining a change in position of the plurality of contacts.

13. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein determining a maximum motion from the additional motion includes determining the greatest change in position of the plurality of contacts.

14. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein comparing the maximum motion to the additional motion of the first set includes comparing a scalar multiple of the maximum motion to the additional motion of the first set.

15. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the gesture module is further configured to perform the gesture operation by:

determining that one or more contacts of the first set are relatively stationary based on the comparison of the maximum motion to the additional motion of the first set;

wherein the selecting of the second set is further based on the determination that one or more contacts of the first set are relatively stationary.

16. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the gesture operation is one of scrolling, panning, zooming, rotating, and swiping.