Apparatus and method for proximity based input
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform;
receive an indication of a presence of one or more objects hovering in close proximity to an input surface;
in an instance in which only a single object is indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, initiate a single input mode in which a first action is performed by the processor in response to subsequent touch input by the single object to the input surface;
in an instance in which both first and second objects are indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, initiate a multi-input mode; and
while in the multi-input mode, determine a relational position of the first and second objects by determining a positional relationship of the first and second objects in a direction extending outwardly from the input surface in order to determine which one of the first and second objects provides touch input to the input surface and which one of the first and second objects remains hovering in close proximity to the input surface;
perform a second action by the processor in response to touch input by the first object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the second object to the input surface; and
perform a third action by the processor in response to touch input by the second object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the first object to the input surface, wherein the second action is different from the first and third actions and the third action is different from the first action.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for controlling proximity detection based user interface functions. In response to detection of simultaneous presence of a first object and a second object in close proximity to the input surface, an input mode may be activated, in which input mode a first action is associated with an input by the first object and a second action is associated with an input by the second object.
13 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform;receive an indication of a presence of one or more objects hovering in close proximity to an input surface; in an instance in which only a single object is indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, initiate a single input mode in which a first action is performed by the processor in response to subsequent touch input by the single object to the input surface; in an instance in which both first and second objects are indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, initiate a multi-input mode; and while in the multi-input mode, determine a relational position of the first and second objects by determining a positional relationship of the first and second objects in a direction extending outwardly from the input surface in order to determine which one of the first and second objects provides touch input to the input surface and which one of the first and second objects remains hovering in close proximity to the input surface;
perform a second action by the processor in response to touch input by the first object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the second object to the input surface; and
perform a third action by the processor in response to touch input by the second object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the first object to the input surface, wherein the second action is different from the first and third actions and the third action is different from the first action. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- at least one processor; and
-
10. A method, comprising:
-
receiving an indication of presence of one or more objects hovering in close proximity to an input surface; in an instance in which only a single object is indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, initiating a single-input mode in which a first action is performed by a processor in response to subsequent touch input by the single object to the input surface; in an instance in which both first and second objects are indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, initiating a multi-input mode; and while in the multi-input mode, determining a relational position of the first and second objects by determining a positional relationship of the first and second objects in a direction extending outwardly from the input surface in order to determine which one of the first and second objects provides touch input to the input surface and which one of the first and second objects remains hovering in close proximity to the input surface;
performing a second action by the processor in response to touch input by the first object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the second object to the input surface; and
performing a third action by the processor in response to touch input by the second object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the first object to the input surface, wherein the second action is different from the first and third actions and the third action is different from the first action. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to at least perform:
-
receive an indication of a presence of one or more objects hovering in close proximity to an input surface; in an instance in which only a single object is indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, initiate a single input mode in which a first action is performed in response to subsequent touch input by the single object to the input surface; in an instance in which both first and second objects are indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, initiate a multi-input mode; and while in the multi-input mode, determine a relational position of the first and second objects by determining a positional relationship of the first and second objects in a direction extending outwardly from the input surface in order to determine which one of the first and second objects provides touch input to the input surface and which one of the first and second objects remains hovering in close proximity to the input surface;
perform a second action in response to touch input by the first object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the second object to the input surface; and
perform a third action by the processor in response to touch input by the second object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the first object to the input surface, wherein the second action is different from the first and third actions and the third action is different from the first action.
-
-
18. An apparatus, comprising:
-
means for receiving an indication of presence of one or more objects hovering in close proximity to an input surface; in an instance in which only a single object is indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, means for initiating a single-input mode in which a first action is performed in response to subsequent touch input by the single object to the input surface; means for receiving an indication of simultaneous presence of the first object and a second object hovering above and in close proximity to the input surface, and in an instance in which both first and second objects are indicated to be hovering in close proximity to the input surface, means for initiating a multi-input mode; and while in the multi-input mode, means for determining a relational position of the first and second objects by determining a positional relationship of the first and second objects in a direction extending outwardly from the input surface in order to determine which one of the first and second objects provides touch input to the input surface and which one of the first and second objects remains hovering in close proximity to the input surface;
means for performing a second action in response to touch input by the first object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the second object to the input surface; and
means for performing a third action in response to touch input by the second object, as determined by the relational position of the first and second objects, to the input surface without touch input by the first object to the input surface, wherein the second action is different from the first and third actions and the third action is different from the first action.
-
Specification