Method and apparatus for integrating manual input

• US 7,339,580 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Westerman, Wayne, Elias, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lesperance; Jean
• Application Number:
  US11/015,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20050104867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/173, 345/174, 345/178, 345/179, 345/184, 345/863
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24137 Distances to cluster centroïds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• 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 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/19173 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1983 Syntactic or structural pattern recognition, e.g. symbolic string recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/107 : Static hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 : using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960725 : Charge-transfer

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, compliant, and flexible multi-touch surface. The surface consists of compressible cushion dielectric, electrode, and circuitry layers. A simple proximity transduction circuit is placed under each electrode to maximize signal-to-noise ratio and to reduce wiring complexity. Such distributed transduction circuitry is economical for large surfaces when implemented with thin-film transistor techniques. Scanning and signal offset removal on an electrode array produces low-noise proximity images. Segmentation processing of each proximity image constructs a group of electrodes corresponding to each distinguishable contact and extracts shape, position and surface proximity features for each group. Groups in successive images which correspond to the same hand contact are linked by a persistent path tracker which also detects individual contact touchdown and liftoff. Combinatorial optimization modules associate each contact'"'"'s path with a particular fingertip, thumb, or palm of either hand on the basis of biomechanical constraints and contact features. Classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.

Claims

1. A method for mapping gestures to graphical user interface commands, the method comprising generating a cut command in response to a pinching motion between a thumb and a fingertip detected on a multi-touch-sensitive surface.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a copy command in response to a synchronized tap of a thumb and a fingertip detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising generating a paste command in response to a movement of the thumb and a fingertip away from each other detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a paste command in response to a movement of the thumb and a fingertip away from each other detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface.

8. The method of any of claims 1-7 further comprising generating mouse manipulations by:

generating mouse pointer motion signals in response to translational slides of a predetermined number of fingertips detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface; and

generating mouse drag signals in response to translational slides of a second predetermined number of fingertips detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising generating text cursor manipulations by:

generating text cursor motion signals in response to translational slides of a third predetermined number of fingertips detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface; and

generating text selection signals in response to translational slides of a fourth predetermined number of fingertips detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein mouse manipulations are performed with a first hand and text cursor manipulations are performed with an opposite hand.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and third predetermined number of fingertips are equal and wherein the second and fourth predetermined number of fingertips are equal.

12. The method of any of claims 1-7 further comprising generating text cursor manipulations by:

generating text cursor motion signals in response to translational slides of a first predetermined number of fingertips detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface; and

generating text selection signals in response to translational slides of a second predetermined number of fingertips detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface.

5. A method for mapping gestures to graphical user interface commands, the method comprising generating a copy command in response to a synchronized tap of a thumb and a fingertip detected on a multi-touch-sensitive surface.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising generating a paste command in response to a movement of the thumb and a fingertip away from each other detected on the multi-touch-sensitive surface.

7. A method for mapping gestures to graphical user interface commands, the method comprising generating a paste command in response to a movement of the thumb and a fingertip away from each other detected on a multi-touch-sensitive surface.