Multi-finger mouse emulation

• US 8,462,134 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Matejka, Justin Frank, Grossman, Tovi, Lo, Jessica, Fitzmaurice, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US12/493,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20100328227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-163, 345173-178, 178 1801- 1807, 178 2001- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for emulating left, right, and center mouse button functionality for a multi-touch input device to provide end-users with full mouse functionality. Various finger to mouse button mapping techniques are used to specify the left, right or middle mouse buttons. A single finger is used for tracking while a second finger or thumb is used to activate or deactivate one of the mouse buttons. Multi-finger mouse emulation enables more precise cursor control, while avoiding occlusion of the cursor and end-user fatigue, thereby improving the overall end-user experience.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for emulating mouse button functionality for a multi-touch input device, the method comprising:

displaying a cursor on a display device at a position based on a tracking digit that is in contact with the multi-touch input device;

receiving a signal indicating that a non-tracking digit is in contact with the multi-touch input device;

determining which mouse button of a multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit for emulation to produce an emulated mouse button; and

activating the emulated mouse button or deactivating the emulated mouse button based on a button activation mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the emulated mouse button is activated, and the button activation mode comprises a momentary activation mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the non-tracking digit is no longer in contact with the multi-touch input device; and

deactivating the emulated mouse button.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the button activation mode comprises a toggle activation mode, and the emulated mouse button is toggled from a not activated state to an activated state or from the activated state to the not activated state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining which button is mapped to the non-tracking digit comprises:

determining that a side-plus-distance mapping technique has been implemented; and

determining that a left mouse button of the multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit and that the non-tracking digit comprises a thumb.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises:

determining that a side-plus-distance mapping technique has been implemented; and

determining that a center mouse button of the multiple mouse button is mapped to the non-tracking digit and that the non-tracking digit comprises a near finger.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises:

determining that a side-plus-distance mapping technique has been implemented; and

determining that a right mouse button of the multiple mouse button is mapped to the non-tracking digit and that the non-tracking digit comprises a far finger.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the cursor comprises:

determining that an offset cursor mapping technique has been implemented; and

displaying the cursor on the display device at an offset relative to the position of the tracking digit on the display device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal indicating that the non-tracking digit is moved across the multi-touch input device in a downward or upward direction;

determining that a scrollwheel of the multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit for emulation to produce an emulated scrollwheel; and

activating the emulated scrollwheel.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal indicating that the non-tracking digit is moved in a circular motion across the multi-touch input device in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction;

determining that a scrollwheel of the multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit for emulation to produce an emulated scrollwheel; and

activating the emulated scrollwheel.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving the cursor based on movement of the tracking digit while the emulated mouse button is activated,

wherein movement of the non-tracking digit does not cause movement of the cursor.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a signal indicating that the non-tracking digit is in contact with the multi-touch input device further comprises:

receiving a signal indicating that the non-tracking digit is in contact with the multi-touch input device while moving the cursor based on movement of the tracking digit.

11. A computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to provide emulation of mouse button functionality for a multi-touch input device, by performing the steps of:

displaying a cursor on a display device at a position based on a tracking digit that is in contact with the multi-touch input device;

receiving a signal indicating that a non-tracking digit is in contact with the multi-touch input device;

determining which mouse button of a multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit for emulation to produce an emulated mouse button; and

activating the emulated mouse button or deactivating the emulated mouse button based on a button activation mode.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the emulated mouse button is activated, and the button activation mode comprises a momentary activation mode.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the non-tracking digit is no longer in contact with the multi-touch input device; and

deactivating the emulated mouse button.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the button activation mode comprises a toggle activation mode, and the emulated mouse button is toggled from a not activated state to an activated state or from the activated state to the not activated state.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the step of determining which button is mapped to the non-tracking digit comprises:

determining that a side-plus-distance mapping technique has been implemented; and

determining that a left mouse button of the multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit and that the non-tracking digit comprises a thumb.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the step of determining comprises:

determining that a side-plus-distance mapping technique has been implemented; and

determining that a center mouse button of the multiple mouse button is mapped to the non-tracking digit and that the non-tracking digit comprises a near finger.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the step of determining comprises:

determining that a side-plus-distance mapping technique has been implemented; and

determining that a right mouse button of the multiple mouse button is mapped to the non-tracking digit and that the non-tracking digit comprises a far finger.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying the cursor comprises:

determining that an offset cursor mapping technique has been implemented; and

displaying the cursor on the display device at an offset relative to the position of the tracking digit on the display device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal indicating that the non-tracking digit is moved across the multi-touch input device in a downward or upward direction;

determining that a scrollwheel of the multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit for emulation to produce an emulated scrollwheel; and

activating the emulated scrollwheel.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal indicating that the non-tracking digit is moved in a circular motion across the multi-touch input device in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction;

determining that a scrollwheel of the multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit for emulation to produce an emulated scrollwheel; and

activating the emulated scrollwheel.

21. A computing system configured to emulate mouse button functionality, comprising:

a multi-touch input device; and

a processor that is configured to;

display a cursor on a display device at a position based on a tracking digit that is in contact with the multi-touch input device;

receive a signal indicating that a non-tracking digit is in contact with the multi-touch input device;

determine which mouse button of a multiple button mouse is mapped to the non-tracking digit for emulation to produce an emulated mouse button; and

activate the emulated mouse button or deactivate the emulated mouse button based on a button activation mode.

22. The computing system of claim 21, wherein the multi-touch input device is integrated with the display device.