TOUCH INPUT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECOGNIZING AND DISTINGUISHING FINGER CONTACT ON A TOUCH SENSING SURFACE

• US 20110102351A1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Hyung-jin
• Granted Patent: US 9,081,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A touch input method includes receiving a touch input signal corresponding to a finger from a touch-sensing device, detecting a contact area between the touch-sensing area and the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received, and if a curvature threshold value below which the contact area is recognizable as a circle, recognizing the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a thumb.

Claims

1. A touch input method comprising:

receiving a touch input signal corresponding to a finger from a touch-sensing device;

detecting a contact area between the touch-sensing device and the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received; and

recognizing the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a thumb if the contact area exceeds a curvature threshold value below which the contact area is recognizable as a circle.

2. The touch input method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the center of mass of the contact area; and

recognizing the thumb as a left thumb or a right thumb according to asymmetry by using line obtained by connecting two boundary points of the contact area farthest from the center of mass as a reference line.

3. The touch input method of claim 1, further comprising recognizing the thumb as a left thumb or a right thumb by using an axis corresponding to a longest diameter in the contact area as a reference line, based on asymmetry and the assumption that the contact area is divided into left and right halves by the reference line.

4. The touch input method of claim 3, further comprising:

recognizing the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a left thumb if the area of the left half is greater than the area of the right half; and

recognizing the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a right thumb if the area of the right half is greater than the area of the left half.

5. The touch input method of claim 4, further comprising, displaying a user interface on a right upper end of the left thumb, when the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received is recognized as a left thumb.

6. The touch input method of claim 4, further comprising, displaying a user interface on a left upper end of the right thumb, when the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received is recognized as a right thumb.

7. The touch input method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a touch input signal corresponding to another finger from the touch-sensing device, in a state where the thumb contacts the touch-sensing device; and

generating a zoom signal if a received input signal indicates that another finger is linearly moving while being in contact with the touch-sensing device.

8. The touch input method of claim 7, wherein generating of the zoom signal comprises generating a zoom-out signal if a received input signal indicates that another finger is moving closer to the thumb while being in contact with the touch-sensing device.

9. The touch input method of claim 7, wherein generating of the zoom signal comprises generating a zoom-in signal if a received input signal indicates that an other finger is moving farther away from the thumb while being in contact with the touch-sensing device.

10. The touch input method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a touch input signal corresponding to another finger from the touch-sensing device in a state where the thumb contacts the touch-sensing device; and

generating a viewpoint adjustment signal according to a direction of the rotation, if a received input signal indicates that another finger is rotating around the thumb while being in contact with the touch-sensing device.

11. A touch input apparatus comprising:

a touch-sensing unit for receiving a touch input signal corresponding to a finger;

a contact area detecting unit for detecting a contact area between the touch-sensing unit and the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received; and

a control unit for recognizing, if the contact area exceeds a curvature threshold value below which the contact area is recognizable as a circle, the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a thumb.

12. The touch input apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit recognizes the thumb as a left thumb or a right thumb according to asymmetry by using an axis corresponding to a longest diameter in the contact area as a reference line.

13. The touch input apparatus of claim 12, wherein, on the assumption that the contact area is divided into left and right halves by the reference line, the control unit recognizes the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a left thumb if the area of the left half is greater than the area of the right half, and recognizes the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a right thumb if the area of the right half is greater than the area of the left half.

14. The touch input apparatus of claim 13, further comprising, if the control unit recognizes the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a left thumb, a display unit for displaying a user interface on a right upper end of the left thumb.

15. The touch input apparatus of claim 13, further comprising, if the control unit recognizes the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a right thumb, a display unit for displaying a user interface on a left upper end of the right thumb.

16. The touch input apparatus of claim 11, wherein the touch-sensing unit receives a touch input signal corresponding to another finger in a state where the thumb contacts the touch-sensing unit, and

the control unit generates a zoom signal if the touch-sensing unit receives an input signal indicating that another finger is linearly moving while being in contact with the touch-sensing unit.

17. The touch input apparatus of claim 16, wherein, if the touch-sensing unit receives an input signal indicating that another finger is moving closer to the thumb while being in contact with the touch-sensing unit, the control unit generates a zoom-out signal.

18. The touch input apparatus of claim 16, wherein, if the touch-sensing unit receives an input signal indicating that another finger is moving farther away from the thumb while being in contact with the touch-sensing unit, the control unit generates a zoom-in signal.

19. The touch input apparatus of claim 11, wherein the touch-sensing unit receives a touch input signal corresponding to another finger in a state where the thumb contacts the touch-sensing unit, and

if the touch-sensing unit receives an input signal indicating that another finger is rotating around the thumb while being in contact with the touch-sensing unit, the control unit generates a viewpoint adjustment signal according to a direction of the rotation.

20. A computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a program for executing a touch input method,

wherein the touch input method comprises:

receiving a touch input signal corresponding to a finger from a touch-sensing device;

detecting a contact area between the touch-sensing device and the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received; and

if the contact area exceeds a curvature threshold value below which the contact area is recognizable as a circle, recognizing the finger corresponding to the touch input signal received as a thumb.