Method and system for assigning the position of a touchpad device

• US 9,250,738 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terrace Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sharma, Sanjeev
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Srilakshmi K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Steinberg, Jeffrey S
• Application Number:
  US13/031,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

Aspects of the invention are directed to a method and system for assigning the position of a touchpad device. A method for assigning a position of a touchpad according to an embodiment includes: selectively dividing, by a user, a touchpad into a first section and a second section, wherein the first section of the touchpad is distinct from the second section of the touchpad; and setting the first section of the touchpad as an active touchpad area; wherein a contact on the active touchpad area is recognized as a user input, and wherein a contact on the second section of the touchpad is not recognized as a user input.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a position of a touchpad on a computing device, the computing device including the touchpad, a display, and a physical keyboard separating the touchpad from the display, comprising:

selectively dividing the touchpad into a first physical section and a second physical section, wherein the first physical section of the touchpad is distinct from the second physical section of the touchpad, and wherein the first physical section of the touchpad is surrounded by the second physical section of the touchpad;

setting the first physical section of the touchpad as an active touchpad area; and

setting the second physical section of the touchpad as an inactive touchpad area;

wherein the selectively dividing the touchpad into the first physical section and the second physical section further comprises;

displaying on the display of the computing device a virtual representation of the first physical section of the touchpad within a virtual representation of the second physical section of the touchpad; and

selecting and adjusting a position, shape, and/or size of the displayed virtual representation of the first physical section of the touchpad within the virtual representation of the second physical section of the touchpad and, in response, selectively repositioning, reshaping, and/or resizing, respectively, the first physical section of the touchpad within the second physical section of the touchpad.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

visually delineating the first section of the touchpad from the second section of the touchpad.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visually delineating further comprises:

activating a plurality of lighting elements to illuminate a plurality of points on a periphery of the first section of the touchpad.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the visually delineating further comprises:

applying a removable template on a surface of the touchpad, wherein the removable template includes an opening corresponding to the first section of the touchpad.

5. An apparatus for assigning a position of a touchpad on a computing device, the computing device including the touchpad, a display, and a physical keyboard separating the touchpad from the display, comprising:

a component for selectively dividing the touchpad into a first physical section and a second physical section, wherein the first physical section of the touchpad is distinct from the second physical section of the touchpad, and wherein the first physical section of the touchpad is surrounded by the second physical section of the touchpad;

a component for setting the first physical section of the touchpad as an active touchpad area;

and

a component for setting the second physical section of the touchpad as an inactive touchpad area;

wherein the component for selectively dividing the touchpad into the first physical section and the second physical section further comprises;

a component for displaying on the display of the computing device a virtual representation of the first physical section of the touchpad within a virtual representation of the second physical section of the touchpad; and

a component for selecting and adjusting a position, shape, and/or size of the displayed virtual representation of the first physical section of the touchpad within the virtual representation of the second physical section of the touchpad and, in response, selectively repositioning, reshaping, and/or resizing, respectively, the first physical section of the touchpad within the second physical section of the touchpad.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a component for visually delineating the first section of the touchpad from the second section of the touchpad.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the component for visually delineating further comprises:

a plurality of lighting elements for illuminating a plurality of points on a periphery of the first section of the touchpad.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the component for visually delineating further comprises:

a removable template on a surface of the touchpad, wherein the removable template includes an opening corresponding to the first section of the touchpad.

9. A computer program comprising program code embodied in at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to implement a method for assigning a position of a touchpad on a computing device, the computing device including the touchpad, a display, and a physical keyboard separating the touchpad from the display, the method comprising:

selectively dividing the touchpad into a first physical section and a second physical section, wherein the first physical section of the touchpad is distinct from the second physical section of the touchpad, and wherein the first physical section of the touchpad is surrounded by the second physical section of the touchpad;

setting the first physical section of the touchpad as an active touchpad area;

and

setting the second physical section of the touchpad as an inactive touchpad area;

wherein the selectively dividing the touchpad into the first physical section and the second physical section further comprises;

displaying on the display of the computing device a virtual representation of the first physical section of the touchpad within a virtual representation of the second physical section of the touchpad; and

selecting and adjusting a position, shape, and/or size of the displayed virtual representation of the first physical section of the touchpad within the virtual representation of the second physical section of the touchpad and, in response, selectively repositioning, reshaping, and/or resizing, respectively, the first physical section of the touchpad within the second physical section of the touchpad.

10. The computer program of claim 9, the method further comprising:

visually delineating the first section of the touchpad from the second section of the touchpad.

11. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the visually delineating further comprises:

activating a plurality of lighting elements to illuminate a plurality of points on a periphery of the first section of the touchpad.