Method and system for trackpad input error mitigation

• US 9,696,849 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: de los Reyes, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong, Richard
• Application Number:
  US14/608,677
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/18 Timing circuits for raster scan displays specially adapted for television H04N ; synchronisation between the display unit and other display units, videodisc player G09G5/12

Abstract

In response to detecting a predetermined pressure change between two consecutive contacts on a trackpad of a computing device, the two consecutive contacts are ignored. In response to detecting a predetermined pressure change of a single contact on the trackpad, the single contact is ignored. After detecting a new contact on the trackpad after a predetermined period of time without any contact on the trackpad, any movement tied to a predetermined amount of increasing pressure on the trackpad for the new contact is temporarily discarded, for a preset amount of time.

Claims

1. A method for mitigating cursor wobble on a display of a computing device, the method comprising:

detecting a change in an amount of pressure for a contact on a trackpad of the computing device, the change in the amount of pressure being between a first amount of pressure as detected in a previous input frame and a second amount of pressure as detected in a current input frame; and

blocking translating of the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device, the blocking comprising;

determining that the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact is an increase in the amount of pressure, and that translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked; and

determining that the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact is a decrease in the amount of pressure, and that translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing translating of the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device, the allowing comprising;

determining that translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked; and

determining that translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing translating of the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact into movement of a cursor on a display of the computing device, the allowing comprising;

determining that translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked; and

determining that the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact is an increase in pressure.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing translating of the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact into movement of a cursor on a display of the computing device, the allowing comprising;

determining that translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked; and

determining that the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact is a decrease in pressure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a record is associated with the contact.

6. The method of claim 5,

wherein determining that translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked is based on the record associated with the contact;

and

wherein determining that translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked is based on the record associated with the contact.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the record includes a coordinate, a time, a first boolean value indicating if translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is currently blocked, and a second boolean value indicating if translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is currently blocked.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

creating a first record associated with the contact in the previous input frame; and

replacing the first record with a second record associated with the contact in the current input frame.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein a coordinate in the first record includes a coordinate for a previous position of the contact on the trackpad,

wherein a time in the first record includes a previous time,

wherein a coordinate in the second record includes a coordinate for a current position of the contact on the trackpad, and

wherein a time in the second record includes a current time.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

allowing translating of the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact into movement of a cursor on a display of the computing device, the allowing comprising;

determining that translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked based on the first boolean value;

determining that translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked based on the second boolean value; and

determining, from the coordinate included in the record, that a total distance the contact has traveled equals or exceeds a predetermined value.

11. The method of claim 10,

wherein, based on determining that the total distance the contact has traveled equals or exceeds the predetermined value, the method further comprises:

updating the first boolean value to indicate that translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked;

updating the second boolean value to indicate that translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked; and

allowing a movement of a cursor on a display of the computing device based on the total distance the contact has traveled on the trackpad.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a physical click on a button associated with the trackpad of the computing device; and

wherein blocking translating of the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device further comprises blocking the translating for a predetermined period of time after the detected physical click on the button.

13. A method for mitigating cursor wobble on a display of a computing device, the method comprising:

detecting a change in pressure for a contact on a trackpad of the computing device, the change in pressure being between a previous input frame and a current input frame;

creating a record associated with the contact in the previous input frame based on detecting the contact on a surface of the trackpad of the computing device in the previous frame after a predetermined period of time without detecting any contacts on the surface of the trackpad;

blocking translating of the detected pressure change for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device, the blocking comprising;

determining that translating a detected pressure increase for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked, and that the detected change in pressure for the contact is an increase in pressure; and

determining that translating a detected pressure decrease for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked, and that the detected change in pressure for the contact is a decrease in pressure.

14. A method for mitigating cursor wobble on a display of a computing device, the method comprising:

detecting a change in pressure for a contact on a trackpad of the computing device, the change in pressure being between a previous input frame and a current input frame;

blocking translating of the detected pressure change for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device, the blocking comprising;

determining that translating a detected pressure increase for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked, and that the detected change in pressure for the contact is an increase in pressure; and

determining that translating a detected pressure decrease for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked, and that the detected change in pressure for the contact is a decrease in pressure;

determining that the contact is in a predetermined zone of the trackpad; and

triggering two-finger scrolling based on detecting movement of the contact on a surface of the trackpad in a same direction at least half as much as movement of another contact on the surface of the trackpad.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions for mitigating cursor wobble on a display of a computing device, the instructions comprising:

detecting a change in an amount of pressure for a contact on a trackpad of the computing device, the change in the amount of pressure being between a first amount of pressure as detected in a previous input frame and a second amount of pressure as detected in a current input frame; and

allowing translating of the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device, the allowing comprising;

determining that the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact is an increase in the amount of pressure from the first amount of pressure to the second amount of pressure, and that translating a detected pressure increase for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked; and

determining that the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact is a decrease in the amount of pressure from the first amount of pressure to the second amount of pressure, and that translating a detected pressure decrease for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein a record is associated with the contact.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein determining that translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked is based on the record associated with the contact, and wherein determining that translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked is based on the record associated with the contact.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions for mitigating cursor wobble on a display of a computing device, the instructions comprising:

detecting a change in pressure for a contact on a trackpad of the computing device, the change in pressure being between a previous input frame and a current input frame;

creating a first record associated with the contact in the previous input frame, the creating based on detecting the contact on a surface of the trackpad of the computing device in the previous frame after a predetermined period of time without detecting any contacts on the surface of the trackpad;

allowing translating of the detected pressure change for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device, the allowing comprising;

determining that translating a detected pressure increase for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked, and that the detected change in pressure for the contact is an increase in pressure; and

determining that translating a detected pressure decrease for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked, and that the detected change in pressure for the contact is a decrease in pressure, and

replacing the first record with a second record associated with the contact in the current input frame,

wherein a coordinate included in the first record includes a coordinate for a previous position of the contact on the trackpad,

wherein a time included in the first record includes a previous time,

wherein a coordinate included in the second record includes a coordinate for a current position of the contact on the trackpad, and

wherein a time included in the second record includes a current time.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions for mitigating cursor wobble on a display of a computing device, the instructions comprising:

detecting a change in pressure for a contact on a trackpad of the computing device, the change in pressure being between a previous input frame and a current input frame;

creating a record associated with the contact;

allowing translating of the detected pressure change for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device, the allowing comprising;

determining that translating a detected pressure increase for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked, and that the detected change in pressure for the contact is an increase in pressure; and

determining that translating a detected pressure decrease for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked, and that the detected change in pressure for the contact is a decrease in pressure; and

based on determining that a total distance the contact has traveled on a surface of the trackpad equals or exceeds a predetermined value;

updating a first boolean value included in the record to indicate that translating a detected pressure increase for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked;

updating a second boolean value included in the record to indicate that translating a detected pressure decrease for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is not blocked; and

allowing a movement of a cursor on the display of the computing device based on the total distance the contact has traveled on the trackpad.

20. A trackpad included in a computing device and configured to mitigate cursor wobble on a display of the computing device, the trackpad comprising:

a surface;

a sensor operably coupled to the surface;

a controller operably coupled to the sensor;

a bus operably coupled to the controller;

a kernel driver configured to communicate with the bus; and

a gesture library configured to communicate with the kernel driver, the gesture library including executable code to;

detect a change in an amount of pressure for a contact on the trackpad, the change in the amount of pressure being between a first amount of pressure as detected in a previous input frame and a second amount of pressure as detected in a current input frame; and

block translating of the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact into movement of a cursor on the display, the blocking comprising;

determining that the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact is an increase in the amount of pressure, and that translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked; and

determining that the detected change in the amount of pressure for the contact is a decrease in the amount of pressure, and that translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is blocked.

21. The trackpad of claim 20, wherein a record is associated with the contact.

22. The trackpad of claim 21, wherein the record includes a coordinate, a time, a first boolean value indicating if translating a detected increase in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is currently blocked, and a second boolean value indicating if translating a detected decrease in the amount of pressure for the contact between the previous input frame and the current input frame is currently blocked.