Input data type profiles

• US 9,256,314 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Durojaiye, Olumuyiwa M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): ILUYOMADE, IFEDAYO B
• Application Number:
  US13/421,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

Techniques for providing input data type profiles are described. In at least some embodiments, input data type profiles can be implemented to enable applications to receive different types and/or combinations of input data. For example, input data type profiles can specify different types of input data generated based on input to a tactile input device, such as raw touch data, processed touch data, and pen input data. In at least some embodiments, techniques can be implemented to enable an application to receive multiple types of input data (e.g., combinations of touch data and/or pen input data) in parallel.

Claims

1. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media comprising instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to implement modules comprising:

a set of modules including logic that is executable by one or more processors to specify different combinations of input data types; and

an input configuration module including logic that is executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request from a first application for input data according to an input data type profile associated with a first module of the set of modules, the first module specifying a combination of raw touch data and processed touch data;

receiving a request from a second application for input data according to an input data type profile associated with a second module of the set of modules, wherein the second module specifies a different combination of input data types than the first module; and

notifying an input device driver to send input data to the first application based on the input data type profile for the first module, and to send input data to the second application according to the input data type profile for the second module, the input device driver configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving a notification from the input configuration module to send input data generated by an input device to the first application; and

sending the raw touch data and the processed touch data of the first module in parallel to the first application.

2. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media as described in claim 1, wherein at least one module of the set of modules specifies a combination of raw touch data, processed touch data, and pen data.

3. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media as described in claim 1, wherein the input device driver is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving a notification from the input configuration module to send input data, generated by an input device, to the second application, wherein the second module specifies a combination of multiple input data types; and

sending input data based on the multiple input data types of the second module in parallel to the second application.

4. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media as described in claim 1, wherein the input device driver is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving a notification from the input configuration module to send input data generated by a tactile input device to the second application, wherein the second module specifies a combination of multiple types of input data generated via input to the tactile input device; and

sending the input data based on the multiple types of input data of the second module in parallel to the second application.

5. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media as described in claim 1, wherein the input device driver is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving a notification from the input configuration module to send input data generated by an input device to the second application, wherein the second module specifies a combination of raw touch data, processed touch data, and pen data; and

sending the raw touch data, processed touch data, and pen data of the second module in parallel to the second application.

6. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media as described in claim 1, wherein the input configuration module is configured to perform operations comprising notifying the input device driver to switch from sending input according to one module of the set of modules, to sending input according to a different module of the set of modules.

7. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media as described in claim 1, wherein the set of modules are configured to enable different combinations of input data types to be sent to different applications in parallel.

8. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media as described in claim 1, further comprising an application processor module associated with at least one of the applications and including logic that is executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

extracting one or more types of input data from a stream of input data sent via a module of the set of modules; and

providing the one or more types of input data to the at least one of the applications.

19. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media as described in claim 1, wherein the input configuration module further includes logic that is executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication that the first application is at least temporarily inactive; and

responsive to receiving the indication;

determining that no other application is active to receive the input data according to the input data type profile associated with the first module; and

sending a notification to the input device driver to stop sending input data to the first application according to the input data type profile associated with the first module.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a request from an application to receive input data according to a particular input data type profile, the particular input data type profile being associated with multiple input data types to be sent in parallel;

sending, by the computing device, a notification to an input device to send input data to the application according to the particular input data type profile;

receiving, by the computing device, an indication that the application is at least temporarily inactive; and

responsive to receiving the indication;

determining, by the computing device that no other application is active to receive the input data according to the particular input data type profile; and

sending, by the computing device, a notification to the input device to stop sending input data to the application according to the particular input data type profile.

10. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the multiple input data types comprise multiple types of input data generated via input to a tactile input device.

11. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the multiple input data types comprise raw touch data and processed touch data generated via input to a tactile input device.

12. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the multiple input data types comprise raw touch data, processed touch data, and pen data generated via input to a tactile input device.

13. A method as described in claim 9, wherein said sending comprises sending the notification to a device driver for the input device.

14. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the input device comprises a tactile input device, and wherein said sending comprises sending the notification to a device driver for the tactile input device such that the device driver sends multiple types of input data for receipt by the application.

17. A method as described in claim 9, wherein said receiving the indication that the application is at least temporarily inactive comprises receiving an indication that a graphical user interface of the application is not in focus.

18. A method as described in claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the application is activated to receive input according to the particular input data type profile; and

sending, by the computing device, a further notification to the input device to begin sending input data to the application according to the particular input data type profile.

15. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving a notification to send input data to an application according to an input data type profile that specifies multiple types of input data generated via input to a tactile input device including raw tactile input data and processed tactile input data, the processed tactile input data being a product of and different than the raw tactile input data; and

initiating sending input data to the application based on the input data type profile such that the multiple types of input data generated via input to the tactile input device are sent to the application in parallel.

16. A system as described in claim 15, wherein the multiple types of input data further includes pen data.

20. A system as described in claim 15, the operations further including:

receiving an indication that the application is at least temporarily inactive; and

responsive to receiving the indication;

determining that no other application is active to receive the input data according to the input data type profile; and

sending a notification to the tactile input device to stop sending input data to the application according to the input data type profile.