INPUT AGGREGATION FOR A MULTI-TOUCH DEVICE

• US 20140333560A1
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kramer, Doug, Kennedy, Kevin, Mazeev, Maxim, Ramani, Sundaram, Levy, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,569,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The aggregation of multiple inputs in a touch-sensitive input device is disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises receiving multiple inputs related to a virtual object, aggregating the inputs into an aggregated output, and providing the aggregated output to an application that controls the virtual object.

Claims

1. A computing system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising stored instructions that are executable by the processor to

output to a display device a virtual object that is controlled by a control;

receive from a touch sensor a first touch input related to the virtual object;

receive via the touch sensor a second touch input related to the virtual object;

forward the first touch input and the second touch input from the control to a manipulation processor;

aggregate via the manipulation processor the first touch input and the second touch input into an aggregated output;

provide the aggregated output to the control; and

vary a display of the virtual object based upon the aggregated output.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instructions executable to provide the aggregated output are executable to provide information related to one or more of a position, a translation, a rotation and a scaling of the virtual object.

3. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the instructions executable to provide the information related to a position are executable to provide an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input.

4. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the instructions executable to provide the information related to a translation are executable to provide information regarding a translation of an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input.

5. The computing system of claim 2, wherein the instructions executable to provide the information related to a rotation are executable to provide information related to a degree of rotation about an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input relative to a reference direction.

6. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instructions executable to aggregate the first touch input and the second touch input into an aggregated output are executable to aggregate spatially non-overlapping touch inputs into an aggregated output.

7. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instructions executable to aggregate the first touch input and the second touch input into an aggregated output are executable to aggregate temporally non-overlapping touch inputs into an aggregated output.

8. A computing system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising stored instructions that are executable by the processor to aggregate inputs from a multi-touch input device, the inputs being related to a virtual object, and the instructions being executable to

detect a first touch input from a first manipulator;

pass the first touch input to an application;

pass the first touch input from the application to a manipulation processor;

detect a second touch input from a second manipulator;

pass the second touch input to the application;

pass the second touch input from the application to the manipulation processor;

aggregate the first touch-based and second touch inputs into an aggregated output comprising information related to one or more of a position, a translation, a rotation and a scaling of the virtual object; and

pass additional inputs from the first manipulator and the second manipulator directly to the manipulation processor.

9. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the information related to a position comprises an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input.

10. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the information related to a translation comprises a translation of an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input.

11. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the information related to a rotation comprises a degree of rotation about an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input relative to a reference direction.

12. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the information related to a scaling is a scaling of the first touch input and the second touch input in relation to an average location.

13. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the information further comprises information regarding one or more of a wheel input, a virtual object zoom, a tap, and a touch-and-hold.

14. A computing system, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display comprising a touch sensing mechanism configured to detect multiple touch inputs related to a virtual object displayed on the display;

a processor; and

memory comprising computer-readable instructions executable by the processor to

output to the touch-sensitive display device a virtual object that is controlled by a control;

receive via the touch-sensitive display a first touch input related to the virtual object;

receive via the touch-sensitive display a second touch input related to the virtual object;

send the first touch input and the second touch input from the control to a manipulation processor;

aggregate via the manipulation processor the first touch input and the second touch input into an aggregated output;

provide the aggregated output to the control; and

vary a display of the virtual object on the touch-sensitive display based upon the aggregated output.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the instructions executable to provide the aggregated output are executable to provide information related to one or more of a position, a translation, a rotation and a scaling of the virtual object.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the instructions executable to provide the information related to a position are executable to provide an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input.

17. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the instructions executable to provide the information related to a translation are executable to provide information regarding a translation of an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input.

18. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the instructions executable to provide the information related to a rotation are executable to provide information related to a degree of rotation about an average location of the first touch input and the second touch input relative to a reference direction.

19. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the instructions executable to aggregate the first touch input and the second touch input into an aggregated output are executable to aggregate spatially non-overlapping touch inputs into an aggregated output.

20. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the instructions executable to aggregate the first touch input and the second touch input into an aggregated output are executable to aggregate temporally non-overlapping touch inputs into an aggregated output.