Virtual pointing device for touchscreens

• US 5,748,184 A
• Filed: 05/28/1996
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Dennis-Doon
• Application Number:
  US08/654,487
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124, 382/125, 382/115, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/156, 345/333, 345/334, 345/339, 340/825.31, 340/825.34
• 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 method, apparatus, and article of manufacture direct a computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, to create a virtual pointing device on the touchscreen. The method includes the steps of detecting a handprint of a hand placed on the touchscreen, determining if pre-defined characteristics exist for the handprint based on the shape and size of the handprint, if pre-defined characteristics exist for the handprint, creating a virtual pointing device under at least a portion of the hand in accordance with the pre-defined characteristics, and if pre-defined characteristics do not exist, creating a generic virtual pointing device under the at least a portion of the hand.

Claims

1. A method for directing a computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, to create a virtual pointing device on the touchscreen, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a handprint of a hand placed on the touchscreen;

(b) determining if pre-defined characteristics exist for the handprint based on the shape and size of the handprint;

(c) if pre-defined characteristics exist for the handprint, creating a virtual pointing device under at least a portion of the hand in accordance with the pre-defined characteristics; and

(d) if pre-defined characteristics do not exist, creating a generic virtual pointing device under the at least a portion of the hand.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises the steps of:

measuring a distance between a thumbprint area of the touchscreen under the thumb of the hand and a palmprint area of the touchscreen under the hand; and

measuring a area of the touchscreen under the palmprint.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises the step of:

measuring a distance between one or more fingerprint areas of the touchscreen under a finger and a palmprint area of the touchscreen under the palm.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises the step of:

measuring an area of one or more fingerprint areas.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein step (b) comprising the step of:

determining if the measurements of the first portion match any existing measurements stored in a database within a percentage tolerance.

6. A computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, for creating a virtual pointing device, comprising:

means for detecting a handprint of a hand placed on the touchscreen;

means for determining if pre-defined characteristics exist for the handprint based on the shape and size of the handprint;

if pre-defined characteristics exist for the handprint, means for creating a virtual pointing device under at least a portion of the hand in accordance with the pre-defined characteristics; and

if pre-defined characteristics do not exist, means for creating a generic virtual pointing device under the at least a portion of the hand.

7. The system according to claim 6 further comprising:

means for measuring a distance between a thumbprint area of the touchscreen under the thumb of the hand and a palmprint area of the touchscreen under the hand; and

means for measuring a area of the touchscreen under the palmprint.

8. The system according to claim 6 further comprising:

means for measuring a distance between one or more fingerprint areas of the touchscreen under a finger and a palmprint area of the touchscreen under the palm.

9. The system according to claim 6 further comprising:

means for measuring an area of one or more fingerprint areas.

10. The system according to claim 7 further comprising:

means for determining if the measurements of the first portion match any existing measurements stored in a database within a percentage tolerance.

11. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer system, having at least a processor, memory, and touchscreen, to create a virtual pointing device, the computer readable program code means in the article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to detect a handprint of a hand placed on the touchscreen;

computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to determine if pre-defined characteristics exist for the handprint based on the shape and size of the handprint;

if pre-defined characteristics exist for the handprint, computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to create a virtual pointing device under at least a portion of the hand in accordance with the pre-defined characteristics; and

if pre-defined characteristics do not exist, computer readable program code means for the computer system to create a generic virtual pointing device under the at least a portion of the hand.