Multiple input modes in overlapping physical space

• US 20030174125A1
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canesta Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Canesta Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Prakash, Gagan, Desai, Apurva, Rafii, Abbas, Torunoglu, Ilhami, Sze, Cheng-Feng
• Application Number:
  US10/367,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20030174125A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8083 determining direction of source
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/22 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1673 Arrangements for projecting a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0423 using sweeping light beams, e.g. using rotating or vibrating mirror
• 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 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0433 in which the acoustic waves are either generated by a movable member and propagated within a surface layer or propagated within a surface layer and captured by a movable member
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/228 of three-dimensional handwriting, e.g. writing in the air

Abstract

In a sensory input system that detects movement of a user'"'"'s fingers on an inert work surface, two or more input modes (for instance, keyboard and mouse) are provided within an overlapping or coextensive physical space. Depending on the currently active mode, the invention interprets the finger motions as input according to one of the input modes. Automated and/or manual mode-switching are provided.

Claims

1. An input device having for detecting user input in at least two input modes, comprising:

a sensor, for;

responsive to the input device being in a first input mode, detecting user movement on or proximate to an inert surface within a first physical space, and generating a signal responsive to the detected movement; and

responsive to the input device being in a second input mode, detecting user movement on or proximate to an inert surface within a second physical space, and generating a signal responsive to the detected movement; and

a processor, coupled to the sensor, for;

responsive to the input device being in the first input mode, receiving and processing the detected signal according to the first input mode; and

responsive to the input device being in the second input mode, receiving and processing the detected signal according to the second input mode;

wherein at least a portion of the second physical space overlaps at least a portion of the first physical space.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first input mode is a keyboard mode and the second input mode is a mouse input mode.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein the second physical space is coextensive with the first physical space.

4. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode controller, coupled to the processor, for switching from one of the input modes to another of the input modes.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein:

the processor switches from one of the input modes to another of the input modes.

6. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode controller, coupled to the processor, for, responsive to a user command, switching from one of the input modes to another of the input modes.

7. The input device of claim 1, wherein:

responsive to a user command, the processor switches from one of the input modes to another of the input modes.

8. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode controller, coupled to the sensor, for, responsive to at least one characteristic of the detected finger movement, automatically switching from one of the input modes to another of the input modes.

9. The input device of claim 1, wherein:

responsive to at least one characteristic of the detected finger movement, the processor automatically switches from one of the input modes to another of the input modes.

10. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a projector, for projecting an input guide adapted to assist the user in providing input according to at least one of the input modes.

11. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a projector, for;

responsive to the input device being in the first input mode, projecting an input guide adapted to assist the user in providing input according to the first input mode; and

responsive to the input device being in the second input mode, projecting an input guide adapted to assist the user in providing input according to the second input mode.

12. The input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a projector, for simultaneously projecting at least two input guides adapted to assist the user in providing input according to at least two of the input modes.

13. The input device of claim 12, wherein the projector projects each input guide in a different color.

14. A method for detecting user input in at least two input modes, comprising:

responsive to the input device being in a first input mode;

detecting user movement on or proximate to an inert surface within a first physical space;

generating a signal responsive to the detected movement; and

processing the detected signal according to a first input mode; and

responsive to the input device being in a second input mode;

detecting user movement on or proximate to an inert surface within a second physical space;

generating a signal responsive to the detected movement; and

processing the detected signal according to a first input mode;

wherein at least a portion of the second physical space overlaps at least a portion of the first physical space.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first input mode is a keyboard mode and the second input mode is a mouse input mode.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second physical space is coextensive with the first physical space.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

switching from one of the input modes to another of the input modes; and

repeating the detecting, generating, and processing steps.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a user command indicating a mode switch;

responsive to the user command, switching from one of the input modes to another of the input modes; and

repeating the detecting, generating, and processing steps.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

responsive to at least one characteristic of the detected user movement, automatically switching from one of the input modes to another of the input modes; and

repeating the detecting, generating, and processing steps.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

projecting an input guide adapted to assist the user in providing input according to at least one of the input modes.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

responsive to the input device being in the first input mode, projecting an input guide adapted to assist the user in providing input according to the first input mode; and

responsive to the input device being in the second input mode, projecting an input guide adapted to assist the user in providing input according to the second input mode.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

simultaneously projecting at least two input guides adapted to assist the user in providing input according to at least two of the input modes.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein simultaneously projecting at least two input guides comprises projecting each input guide in a different color.