Wide touchpad on a portable computer

• US 7,834,855 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Strickon, Joshua A., Huppi, Brian Q., Kerr, Duncan, Chaudhri, Imran, Andre, Bartley K., Christie, Greg, Ording, Bas, Hotelling, Steven P., Ligtenberg, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US10/927,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20060044259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,274 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-178
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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

Abstract

In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. Palm rest areas are formed by a touchpad disposed on the surface of the base assembly. In an alternative embodiment, a touchpad disposed on the base assembly has a width that extends substantially into the palm rests areas of the base assembly.

Claims

1. A portable computer, comprising:

a display assembly coupled to a base assembly, said base assembly having palm rest areas being positioned to support a user'"'"'s palms;

a touchpad being disposed on said base assembly, wherein said palm rest areas are formed by said touchpad, and the touchpad is configured to receive an input at any position on the touchpad including input to move an object on the display;

a sensor to detect a location of a user'"'"'s hand; and

a processor coupled to the touchpad and the sensor, wherein said processor determines if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional based upon the detected hand location, and wherein said processor rejects unintentional contact with the touchpad.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein said touchpad comprises regions having input device functionality, and wherein said touchpad comprises at least one of a left palm rest area and a right palm rest area.

3. The portable computer of claim 2, wherein said regions are capable of providing cursor control functionality and providing an area for a user to rest a body part.

4. The portable computer of claim 3, wherein one of said regions of said touchpad is capable of providing input device functionality concurrently while another of said regions provides an area for a user to rest a body part.

5. The portable computer of claim 3, further comprising a keyboard disposed adjacent to said touchpad, and wherein said touchpad extends along a width substantially from said left palm rest area to said right palm rest area.

6. The portable computer of claim 5, wherein said touchpad comprises a capacitive sensor touchpad.

7. The portable computer of claim 1,

wherein the sensor detects when a user'"'"'s hand is resting on the base assembly with a palm portion making contact with a portion of the touchpad, and wherein the processor determines that the palm contact is an unintentional contact.

8. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the processor further determines if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional using the size of a contact patch.

9. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the processor further determines if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional using the trajectory of a contact patch.

10. A portable computer, comprising:

a display assembly coupled to a base assembly, said base assembly having a width and a length;

palm rest areas formed on a top surface of said base assembly;

a wide touchpad disposed on said base assembly and extending substantially the entire width of said base assembly into said palm rest areas, wherein at least a portion of said palm rest areas is formed by said touchpad, said touchpad to operate as an input device, and the touchpad is configured to receive an input at any position on the touchpad including input to move an object on the display;

a sensor to detect a location of a user'"'"'s hand; and

a processor coupled to the wide touchpad and the sensor, wherein said processor determines if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional based upon the detected hand location, and wherein said processor rejects unintentional contact with the touchpad.

11. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein a portion of said wide touchpad extends into said palm rest areas to support a user'"'"'s palms.

12. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein said touchpad has a width of about 100 mm to about 400 mm and a length between about 45 mm to about 200 mm.

13. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein said wide touchpad comprises a capacitive sensor touchpad.

14. A portable computer, comprising:

a display assembly coupled to a base assembly;

a keyboard disposed on a top surface of said base assembly for inputting data into said portable computer;

a palm rest formed adjacent to said keyboard;

a touchpad disposed near said keyboard, wherein said touchpad comprises a first sensing region and a second sensing region, wherein said first region extends into said palm rest and said second sensing region operates as an input device, and the touchpad is configured to receive an input at any position on the touchpad including input to move an object on the display;

a sensor to detect a location of a user'"'"'s hand; and

a processor coupled to the wide touchpad and the sensor, wherein said processor determines if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional based upon the detected hand location, and wherein said processor rejects unintentional contact with the touchpad.

15. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein said touchpad has a width that is substantially similar to a width of said keyboard.

16. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein said touchpad has a width that is greater than a width of said keyboard.

17. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein said keyboard and said touchpad occupy a substantial area of said top surface of said base assembly.

18. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein said touchpad comprises a capacitive sensor touchpad.

19. A portable computer, comprising:

a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to rotate between an open position and a closed position;

a keyboard and a touchpad disposed on said base assembly, wherein said touchpad is capable of having palm rest areas being formed by said touchpad and the touchpad is configured to receive an input at any position on the touchpad including input to move an object on the display;

a sensor disposed near said keyboard and said touchpad, wherein said sensor detects a hand location when a user'"'"'s hand is positioned over said keyboard; and

a processor coupled to the wide touchpad and the sensor, wherein said processor determines if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional based upon the detected hand location, and wherein said processor rejects unintentional contact with the touchpad.

20. The portable computer of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises an infrared sensor disposed between said keyboard and said touchpad, and wherein said infrared sensor examines a plane extending upwards from a surface of said base assembly.

21. The portable computer of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises an optical emitter-detector imager disposed between said keyboard and said touchpad, and wherein said optical emitter-detector imager examines a plane extending upwards from a surface of said base assembly.

22. The portable computer of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises an imaging sensor disposed on said display assembly, and wherein said imaging sensor examines an area that includes said keyboard and said touchpad when said display assembly is in said open position.

23. The portable computer of claim 19, wherein a signal from said sensor changes at least a portion of said touchpad to operate in a dual mode.

24. A portable computer, comprising:

a display assembly coupled to a base assembly;

a keyboard and a touchpad disposed on said base assembly, said touchpad having a width that is substantially similar to a width of said keyboard wherein said touchpad is capable of having palm rest areas being formed by said touchpad and the touchpad is configured to receive an input at any position on the touchpad including input to move an object on the display;

a hand sensor disposed between said keyboard and said touchpad, said hand sensor to detect a hand location relative to said keyboard; and

a processor coupled to the wide touchpad and the hand sensor, wherein said processor determines if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional based upon the detected hand location, and wherein said processor rejects unintentional contact with the touchpad.

25. The portable computer of claim 24, wherein when said hand sensor detects a hand extended over said keyboard, said touchpad operates as a palm rest.

26. The portable computer of claim 25, wherein said hand sensor comprises an infrared sensor, and wherein said infrared sensor examines a plane extending upwards from a surface of said base assembly.

27. The portable computer of claim 24, wherein when said hand sensor does not detect a hand extended over said keyboard, said touchpad operates as an input device.

28. The portable computer of claim 24, wherein said hand sensor comprises an optical emitter-detector imager, and wherein said optical emitter-detector imager examines a plane extending upwards from a surface of said base assembly.

29. A portable computer, comprising:

a display assembly coupled to a base assembly, said base assembly having a touchpad and a keyboard disposed thereon, wherein the touchpad is configured to receive an input at any position on the touchpad including input to move an object on the display;

means for supporting a palm on a palm rest area, wherein said palm rest area is formed by said touchpad;

means for detecting a location of a hand; and

means for determining if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional based upon the detected hand location, and wherein said portable computer rejects unintentional contact with the touchpad.

30. The portable computer of claim 29, further comprises means for detecting a hand location relative to said keyboard.

31. The portable computer of claim 30, wherein said means for detecting is connected with a means for operating said touchpad as a palm rest when said hand is not detected over said keyboard.

32. The portable computer of claim 30, wherein said means for detecting is connected with a means for operating said touchpad as an input device when said hand is detected over said keyboard.

33. A portable computer, comprising:

a display assembly coupled to a base assembly, said base assembly having palm rest areas being adequately large to support a user'"'"'s palms;

one or more touchpads disposed on said base assembly, wherein said palm rest areas are formed by said one or more touchpads, wherein said palm rest areas include a left palm rest area and a right palm rest area, and wherein the one or more touchpads is configured to receive an input at any position on the one or more touchpads including input to move an object on the display;

a sensor to detect a location of a user'"'"'s hand; and

a processor coupled to the wide touchpad and the sensor, wherein said processor determines if the touchpad input is intentional or unintentional based upon the detected hand location, and wherein said processor rejects unintentional contact with the touchpad.

34. The portable computer of claim 33, wherein said one or more touchpads comprises regions having input device functionality.

35. The portable computer of claim 34, wherein said regions are capable of providing cursor control functionality and providing an area for a user to rest a body part.

36. The portable computer of claim 35, wherein one of said regions of said touchpad is capable of providing input device functionality concurrently while another of said regions provides an area for a user to rest a body part.

37. The portable computer of claim 35, further comprising a keyboard disposed adjacent to said touchpad, and wherein said touchpad extends along a width substantially from said left palm rest area to said right palm rest area.

38. The portable computer of claim 37, wherein said touchpad comprises a capacitive sensor touchpad.

39. The portable computer of claim 33, wherein the sensor comprises one of:

an infrared sensor to examine a plane extending upwards from the surface of the base assembly, an optical emitter-detector sensor to examine a plane extending upwards from the surface of the base assembly, or an imaging sensor disposed on the display assembly to detect an area of the base assembly.