Multi-event input system

• US 7,777,732 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Yepez, Roberto G., Westerman, Wayne Carl, Herz, Scott M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nitin
• Application Number:
  US11/619,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20080158170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-178, 178 1801- 1809
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Multi-event input systems, methods, and devices for use in connection with touch-sensitive electronic devices are disclosed. In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a third state called “hover” can be achieved on a touch-base user interface device in addition to the states of pointer down and pointer up. In an embodiment involving a capacitive touch-sensing surface, one way to achieve the third state is for the user to contact the touchpad or touch screen with a non-flesh part of a finger, such as a fingernail, rather than the fleshy part of a finger. In other embodiments, the non-flesh part may comprise an electrically insulative layer covering a portion of a finger. The third state enables an adjunct system'"'"'s user interface to achieve active navigation around the screen in a pointer-up (or left-up) input tool condition. One result is that mouseover pop-ups can be used on touch screen devices. Another result is that tooltips can be used on touch screen devices. Another result is that text can be selected using touch screen devices.

Claims

1. A multi-event input method comprising:

detecting an object in contact with or in proximity to a touch-surface display;

determining a particular input state of the object selected from a plurality of input states including at least a touch state and a hovering in-range state;

if the touch state is determined, discriminating between a first contact and a second contact, wherein the first contact is between the touch-surface display and a flesh surface, and the second contact is between the touch-surface display and a non-flesh surface;

using the first contact to drive a first event; and

using the second contact to drive a second event.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the flesh surface comprises a palmar aspect of a finger.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-flesh surface comprises a fingernail.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-flesh surface comprises an electrically insulative material coupled to a finger.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second event comprises a hover event.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first event comprises a touch event and the second event comprises a proximity event.

7. A program storage device, readable by a programmable control device, comprising instructions stored thereon for causing the programmable control device to perform the method as recited in claim 1.

8. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

9. A computer-implemented method for processing multiple types of touch inputs, the method comprising:

detecting an object in contact with or in proximity to a touch-surface display;

determining a particular input state of the object selected from a plurality of input states including at least a touch state and a hovering in-range state;

if the touch state is determined, determining whether the object comprises a flesh aspect or a non-flesh aspect of a finger;

if the object comprises a flesh aspect, driving a first event; and

if the object comprises a non-flesh aspect, driving a second event.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the non-flesh aspect comprises a fingernail.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the non-flesh aspect comprises an electrically insulative material coupled to a finger.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event comprises a hover event.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the first event comprises a touch event and the second event comprises a proximity event.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke a rollover.

15. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke a tooltip.

16. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke a phone number tooltip.

17. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke selection of text.

18. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke a zoom box.

19. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke configuration of an icon grid.

20. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke an action menu.

21. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke capitalization of a letter key.

22. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke toggling of a shift key.

23. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke deletion of a word.

24. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke deletion of a phone number.

25. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke advanced navigation of a calendar.

26. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is configured to invoke a user interface for cropping a photo.

27. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is used to invoke advanced navigation of an alphabetical list.

28. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the second event is used to invoke scrubbing media.

29. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of input states further includes an out-of-range state.

30. The method of claim 9, wherein the hovering in-range state is determined when the object is hovering while approaching the touch-sensitive display surface.

31. A touch input system comprising:

a display device for displaying a graphical user interface and operatively coupled to a touch surface;

a device driver operatively coupled to the touch surface, the device driver configured for detecting an object in contact with or in proximity to the touch surface, determining a particular input state of the object selected from a plurality of input states including at least a touch state and a hovering in-range state, and if the touch state is determined, determining whether the object comprises a flesh contact or a non-flesh contact; and

a window server configured to receive information from the device driver pertaining to the one or more input states and to convert the information into one or more events for dispatch to an application.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the touch surface comprises a touch screen positioned in front of the display device.

33. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the touch surface comprises a touch pad.

34. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein at least one of the one or more input states is selected from the group consisting of the following:

touching with flesh;

not touching with flesh;

in-range of a tracking area; and

out-of-range of the tracking area.

35. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein at least one of the one or more events is selected from the group consisting of the following:

left mouse button down;

left mouse button up;

mouse entered a tracking area;

mouse exited the tracking area;

mouse moved without pressing the left mouse button; and

mouse dragged while pressing the left mouse button.

36. The system as recited in claim 31, further comprising an imaging chip operatively coupled to the touch surface.

37. A portable electronic device comprising:

a display device for displaying a graphical user interface operatively coupled to a touch surface;

a device driver operatively coupled to the touch surface, the device driver configured for detecting an object in contact with or in proximity to the touch surface, determining a particular input state of the object selected from a plurality of input states including at least a touch state and a hovering in-range state, and if the touch state is determined, determining whether the object comprises a flesh contact or a non-flesh contact;

a window server configured to receive information from the device driver pertaining to the one or more input states and to convert the information into one or more events for dispatch to an application; and

a processor unit operatively coupled to the display device, wherein the application is executable within the processor unit.

38. The electronic device as recited in claim 37, wherein at least one of the one or more input states is selected from the group consisting of the following:

touching with flesh;

not touching with flesh;

in-range of a tracking area; and

out-of-range of the tracking area.

39. The electronic device as recited in claim 37, wherein at least one of the one or more events is selected from the group consisting of the following:

left mouse button down;

left mouse button up;

mouse entered a tracking area;

mouse exited the tracking area;

mouse moved without pressing the left mouse button; and

mouse dragged while pressing the left mouse button.

40. The electronic device as recited in claim 37, further comprising an imaging chip operatively coupled to the touch screen.

41. The electronic device as recited in claim 37, wherein the electronic device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of the following:

a laptop computer;

a tablet computer;

a handheld computer;

a wrist-worn computer;

a PDA;

a smart phone;

a telephone;

a media player;

a game console;

a navigation device; and

an exercise monitor device.