Adaptable input active zones at an information handling system projected user interface

• US 9,720,550 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2015
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Sanaullah, Abu S., Daguet, Christophe, Ancona, Rocco
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): SARMA, ABHISHEK
• Application Number:
  US14/691,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20160313820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• 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 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

Inputs to a projected or other type of displayed user interface are filtered at different portions of the displayed visual images to provide a user-defined input management. For example, a user defines a portion of a desktop so that touch inputs have a first effect while the other portion of the desktop has a second effect, thus allowing the user to manage the risk of inadvertent inputs in the defined portion relative to other desktop regions. In one embodiment, an icon activates and deactivates touch input filtering in a region defined by dragging the icon around the user interface. The defined region is depicted with an identifying visual image, such as a coloration or shading that distinguishes the regions as having a response to touch inputs different from that of other regions.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a processor operable to process information for presentation to a user as visual images;

memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the information;

a graphics system interfaced with the processor and memory, the graphics system operable to generate the visual images at one or more display devices;

a projector interfaced with the graphics system and operable to project the visual images at the projection surface;

a detection device operable to detect end user inputs made at the visual images proximate the projection surface;

a touch input module interfaced with the graphics system and detection device, the touch input module operable to determine an end user input at the visual image based upon a detection by the detection device at a detection location; and

a touch zone controller interfaced with the touch input module and operable to apply a touch restriction at a defined portion of the projection surface that filters detection of predetermined touches by the detection device in the defined zone.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a touch restriction icon projected at the projection surface, the touch restriction icon selectively activating the touch restriction.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the touch restriction icon slides about the projection surface to define the portion of the projection surface having filtered detection.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the touch zone controller provides the defined portion to the graphics system, the graphics system including a visual indication of the defined portion for presentation by the projector.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the touch restriction comprises filtering all touches at the defined portion except writing inputs made with a pen device.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the touch restriction comprises filtering all touches at the defined portion except typing inputs made with a keyboard presented by the projector.

7. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the touch restriction comprises filtering all touches at the defined portion except inputs made with a totem disposed in the defined portion.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the touch restriction comprises filtering touch inputs based upon size so that inputs having less than a defined motion size are ignored.

9. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a depth camera operable to identify objects and wherein the touch restriction comprises filtering all touches at the defined portion except inputs made by a user body element recognized by the depth camera.

10. A method for managing inputs at a user interface presented on a desktop surface, the method comprising:

presenting a user interface on at a desktop surface, the user interface accepting end user inputs made as touches to the user interface;

detecting the end user inputs at the user interface with a detection device;

in response to detecting, applying the end user inputs to process information;

selectively defining a portion of the user interface to have a touch restriction; and

in response to selectively defining, filtering predetermined of the end user inputs made at the defined portion from being applied to process information.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein selectively defining a portion further comprises:

activating an icon to select and unselect the touch restriction; and

presenting the icon in the defined portion during touch restriction, the icon remaining sensitive to touch inputs.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

presenting the user interface at a capacitive mat disposed on the desktop surface; and

detecting the end user inputs with capacitive touch sensors integrated in the capacitive mat.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising distinguishing the portion of the capacitive mat having the touch restriction with a visual image presented on the capacitive mat, the visual image depicting a boundary of the portion having the touch restriction.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

presenting the user interface in part with a projector projecting at the desktop surface; and

detecting end user inputs at the projected user interface with a camera aligned to capture images of end user inputs at the desktop surface;

wherein the portion of the user interface having the touch restriction includes both a portion of visual images presented by the capacitive mat and the projector.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering predetermined of the end user inputs made at the defined portion further comprises filtering to exclude at least some end user inputs and to allow all end user inputs made at the defined portion with a pen.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering predetermined of the end user inputs made at the defined portion further comprises filtering to exclude at least some end user inputs at the defined portion relative to other portions of the user interface and to allow all end user inputs made at the defined portion with a totem.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering predetermined of the end user inputs made at the defined portion further comprises filtering to exclude at least some end user inputs at the defined portion relative to other portions of the user interface and to allow all end user inputs made at the defined portion with a displayed keyboard.

18. A system for managing inputs at a user interface presented on a desktop surface, the system comprising:

a graphics system operable to generate visual images at one or more display devices;

one or more display devices interfaced with the graphics system and operable to present the visual images at the desktop surface;

a detection device operable to detect end user touches made at the visual images;

a touch input module interfaced with the detection device, the touch input module operable to determine an end user input at the visual image based upon a touch detection by the detection device; and

a touch zone controller interfaced with the touch input module and operable to filter touch inputs at a defined portion of the visual images, the defined portion less than all of the visual images, the filtered touch inputs having a first effect within the defined portion and a second effect outside of the defined portion.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

an input device manipulated by an end user to touch visual images to create a the touch input detected by the detection device;

wherein the touch zone controller filters inputs made by the input device at the defined portion and outside the defined portion to have the same effect.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the detection device comprises at least a camera that captures images of the desktop surface and a capacitive sensor disposed on the desktop surface, the touch zone controller applying a first filter at the defined portion for touch inputs detected by the camera and a second filter at the defined portion for touch inputs detected by the capacitive sensor.