Gesturing with a multipoint sensing device

• US 9,292,111 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Westerman, Wayne C., Hotelling, Steven P., Ording, Bas, Parivar, Nima, Kerr, Duncan Robert, Haggerty, Myra
• Primary Examiner(s): Okebato, Sahlu
• Application Number:
  US11/700,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20080036743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,339 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• 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. An electronic system, comprising:

a multipoint sensing device that provides a multipoint sensing area for receiving inputs detecting one or more contacts corresponding to one or more touches in the multipoint sensing area from one or more objects; and

a gesture module configured to perform gesture operations by;

determining a first gesture set in response to the one or more contacts detected within the multipoint sensing area of the multipoint sensing device, the first gesture set based on either a number of the contacts or a specific arrangement of the contacts within the sensing area,

monitoring the one or more contacts for one or more gesture events included in the first gesture set,

performing a first gesture operation associated with a gesture event in the first gesture set when the gesture event is recognized,

determining whether at least one of the one or more contacts have paused, and

in response to a determination that at least one of the one or more contacts have paused;

terminating the first gesture operation,

detecting a new arrangement of contacts,

determining a second gesture set based on the new arrangement of contacts, and

performing a second gesture operation.

2. The electronic system as recited in claim 1 wherein the gesture module is further configured to reset the first gesture operation.

3. The electronic system as recited in claim 1 wherein the gesture module is further configured to initiate a chord change.

4. The electronic system as recited in claim 1 wherein the determination that at least one of the one or more contacts have paused is based on a determination that at least one of the one or more contacts have stayed stationary for a preset amount of time.

9. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the gesture module is further configured to determine a chord comprising the number of contacts or the specific arrangement of the contacts.

5. A gestural control method, comprising:

detecting one or more contacts corresponding to one or more touches in a multipoint sensing area of a multipoint sensing device;

determining a first gesture set in response to the one or more contacts detected within the multipoint sensing area, the first gesture set based on either a number of contacts or a specific arrangement of the one or more contacts within the multipoint sensing area;

monitoring the one or more contacts for one or more gesture events included in the gesture set;

performing a first gesture operation associated with a gesture event in the gesture set when the gesture event is recognized;

determining whether at least one of the one or more contacts have paused; and

in response to a determination that at least one of the one or more contacts have paused;

terminating the first gesture operation,

detecting a new arrangement of contacts,

determining a second gesture set based on the new arrangement of contacts, and

performing a second gesture operation.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising resetting the first gesture operation.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising initiating a chord change.

8. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the determination that at least one of the one or more contacts have paused is based on a determination that at least one of the one or more contacts have stayed stationary for a preset amount of time.

10. The gestural control method of claim 5, further comprising determining a chord comprising the number of contacts or the specific arrangement of the contacts.