Gesture detection on a touchpad

• US 20090135152A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Lii, Jia-Yih
• Application Number:
  US12/285,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20090135152A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A gesture detection on a touchpad includes detecting whether any object touches on the touchpad, and if any object is detected on the touchpad, further detecting whether more object touches on the touchpad, by which it may determine a gesture function to start a default function, such as drag an object, scroll a scrollbar, open a file, or zoom in a picture.

Claims

1. A gesture detection on a touchpad, comprising the steps of:

detecting a number of objects on the touchpad;

if the number reaches a first value, further detecting whether the number increases to a second value; and

determining a gesture function if the number reaches the second value.

2. The gesture detection of claim 1, further comprising entering a drag mode after the step of determining a gesture function.

3. The gesture detection of claim 2, wherein the step of entering a drag mode comprises the steps of:

detecting whether any object moves on the touchpad; and

if any object is detected to move on the touchpad, starting a drag function and outputting a drag command and an object position information to a host.

4. The gesture detection of claim 2, wherein the step of entering a drag mode comprises the steps of:

starting a drag function;

detecting whether any object moves on the touchpad after starting the drag function; and

if any object is detected to move on the touchpad, outputting a drag command and an object position information to a host.

5. The gesture detection of claim 1, further comprising scrolling a scrollbar after the step of determining a gesture function.

6. The gesture detection of claim 1, further comprising opening a file after the step of determining a gesture function.

7. The gesture detection of claim 1, further comprising zooming a picture after the step of determining a gesture function.

8. A gesture detection on a touchpad having two regions defined therewith, comprising the steps of:

detecting a number of objects on the first region;

if the number reaches a first value, further detecting whether the number increases to a second value; and

determining a gesture function if the number reaches the second value.

9. The gesture detection of claim 8, further comprising entering a drag mode after the step of determining a gesture function.

10. The gesture detection of claim 9, wherein the step of entering a drag mode comprises the steps of:

detecting whether any object moves on the first region; and

if any object is detected to move on the touchpad, starting a drag function and outputting a drag command and an object position information to a host.

11. The gesture detection of claim 10, further comprising outputting a move signal if the object that has been detected to move on the first region slides into the second region, to keep dragging a dragged object in the original direction that the dragged object is dragged.

12. The gesture detection of claim 9, wherein the step of entering a drag mode comprises the steps of:

starting a drag function;

detecting whether any object moves on the first region after starting the drag function; and

if any object is detected to move on the first region, outputting a drag command and an object position information to a host.

13. The gesture detection of claim 12, further comprising outputting a move signal if the object that has been detected to move on the first region slides into the second region, to keep dragging a dragged object in the original direction that the dragged object is dragged.