Touch and Bump Input Control

• US 20100201615A1
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tan, Tang Yew, Zadesky, Stephen Paul, TUPMAN, David John, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh
• Application Number:
  US12/370,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20100201615A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• 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 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A touch and motion sensitive input control configured to use a combination of touch sensor output and motion sensor output to determine if an input event has occurred at an input area. The touch and motion sensitive input control can detect a particular input event (e.g., a button press) when a touch sensor detects a touch at a particular input area at around the same time as a motion sensor detects a change in motion. Based on the amount and nature of the motion detected, this can indicate that a user intended to cause an input event other than one caused by a mere touching of the input area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a touch applied to an input area of a handheld computing device;

detecting a change in motion of the handheld computing device; and

determining whether an input event occurred at the input area based on the detected touch and the detected change in motion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the input event occurred includes

determining whether the touch was applied to the input area at around the same time as the detection of the change in motion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the input event occurred further includes

determining whether the change in motion meets or exceeds a threshold level.

4. The method of claim 1, further including

implementing a function associated with the input area if the input event is determined to have occurred at the input area.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the input event occurred includes

determining that a first input event occurred at the input area if the detected change in motion falls below a threshold level;

and

determining that a second input event occurred at the input area if the detected change in motion meets or exceeds the threshold level.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the first input event includes a touch event, and the second input event includes a tap event.

6. The method of claim 6, wherein the input area of the handheld computing device is associated with a touch screen.

7. The method of claim 6, further including

implementing a first function associated with a user interface displayed at the input area if the first input event is determined to have occurred at the input area;

and

implementing a second function associated with the user interface displayed at the input area if the second input event is determined to have occurred at the input area.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein

the first function enables a user of the handheld computing device to select an object displayed at the input area if the first input event is determined to have occurred at the input area.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein

the second function enables a user of the handheld computing device to activate a command associated with an object displayed at the input area if the second input event is determined to have occurred at the input area.

11. A handheld computing device comprising:

a touch sensor configured to detect a touch applied to an input area of the handheld computing device;

a motion sensor configured to detect a change in motion of the handheld computing device; and

a controller configured to determine whether an input event occurred at the input area based on an output of the touch sensor and an output of the motion sensor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the handheld computing device is configured to utilize the motion sensor only in connection with a corresponding determination that an input event occurred at the input area.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the motion sensor comprises a one-axis accelerometer.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the handheld computing device is configured to utilize the motion sensor in connection with motion-based application programming executed by the handheld computing device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the motion sensor comprises a three-axis accelerometer.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the handheld computing device further includes a touch screen, and the controller is configured to determine whether an input event occurred at a location on the touch screen.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the handheld computing device is a mobile telephone.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the handheld computing device is a media player.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the input area is a touch and motion sensitive surface not associated with a display.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the input area of the handheld computing device is associated with a rigid surface.

21. The device of claim 11, wherein the input area of the handheld computing device is associated with a touch screen.

22. A touch and motion sensitive surface comprising:

a substrate;

an input area on a first side of the substrate;

a conductive layer on a second side of the substrate opposite the first side and the input area; and

a motion sensing element embedded in the substrate on the second side opposite the first side and the input area.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the motion sensing element is mounted in a recess of the substrate.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the first side of the substrate is an external surface of a handheld computing device.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the conductive layer is a pad electrode.