Multi-touch integrated desktop environment

• US 8,988,366 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Grossman, Tovi, Matejka, Justin Frank, Fitzmaurice, George, Bi, Xiaojun
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Allison
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US12/985,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-184
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/04166 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 3/04883 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

A technique for integrating a multi-touch surface into a desktop environment is disclosed. One or more multi-touch display devices are placed on the horizontal surface surrounding or beneath a keyboard or mouse. At least one region on the multi-touch surface is defined to display one or more user interface tools on the multi-touch surface. The one or more user interface tools displayed via the multi-touch surface may control or display information associated with desktop applications displayed via a primary display device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for configuring a multi-touch surface to display a multi-functional touch pad, the method comprising:

defining a region on the multi-touch surface of a secondary display device for displaying the multi-functional touch pad, wherein the region is proximate to one or more input devices detected on the multi-touch surface;

generating one or more user interface elements that are disposed within the multi-functional touch pad, wherein each user interface element is configured to control a different operation within an application window displayed via a primary display device, and a first user interface element included in the one or more user interface elements comprises a tool that is configured to control two or more degrees of freedom of an object displayed within the application window based on multi-touch input;

displaying the multi-functional touch pad in the region on the multi-touch surface of the secondary display device;

detecting multi-touch input associated with the first user interface element disposed within the multi-functional touch pad; and

performing a first operation within the application window based on the multi-touch input,

wherein a second user interface element included in the one or more user interface elements comprises a first icon, a second operation is performed when second multi-touch input is received at a location on the multi-touch surface corresponding to the location of the second user interface element, and the one or more user interface elements further comprise a customizable tool palette having a plurality of application-specific icons that include the first icon.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting third multi-touch input associated with a third user interface element displayed on the multi-touch surface outside of the region, wherein the third multi-touch input comprises dragging the third user interface element into the region; and

in response, generating an additional user interface element disposed within the multi-functional touch pad for display within the multi-functional touch pad.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting third multi-touch input associated with a third user interface element, wherein the third multi-touch input comprises dragging the third user interface element out of the region; and

in response, removing the third user interface element from the multi-functional touch pad.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the application window displayed via the display device is not active; and

in response, hiding the multi-functional touch pad from user view.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-functional touch pad is displayed on the secondary display device and not on the primary display device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a first degree of freedom included in the two or more degrees of freedom adjusts the scale of the object, and a second degree of freedom included in the two or more degrees of freedom rotates the object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool is configured to control the two or more degrees of freedom for performing at least one of rotation and scaling of the object displayed within the application window based on multi-touch input.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for configuring a multi-touch surface to display a multi-functional touch pad, the operation comprising:

defining a region on the multi-touch surface of a secondary display device for displaying the multi-functional touch pad, wherein the region is proximate to one or more input devices detected on the multi-touch surface;

generating one or more user interface elements that are disposed within the multi-functional touch pad, wherein each user interface element is configured to control a different operation within an application window displayed via a primary display device, and a first user interface element included in the one or more user interface elements comprises a tool that is configured to control two or more degrees of freedom of an object displayed within the application window based on multi-touch input;

displaying the multi-functional touch pad in the region on the multi-touch surface of the secondary display device;

detecting multi-touch input associated with the first user interface element disposed within the multi-functional touch pad; and

performing a first operation within the application window based on the multi-touch input,

wherein a second user interface element included in the one or more user interface elements comprises a first icon, a second operation is performed when second multi-touch input is received at a location on the multi-touch surface corresponding to the location of the second user interface element, and the one or more user interface elements further comprise a customizable tool palette having a plurality of application-specific icons that include the first icon.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the operation further comprising:

detecting third multi-touch input associated with a third user interface element displayed on the multi-touch surface outside of the region, wherein the third multi-touch input comprises dragging the third user interface element into the region; and

in response, generating an additional user interface element disposed within the multi-functional touch pad for display within the multi-functional touchpad.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the operation further comprising:

detecting third multi-touch input associated with a third user interface element, wherein the third multi-touch input comprises dragging the third user interface element out of the region; and

in response, removing the third user interface element from the multi-functional touch pad.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the operation further comprising:

detecting that the application window displayed via the display device is not active; and

in response, hiding the multi-functional touch pad from user view.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein a first degree of freedom included in the two or more degrees of freedom adjusts the scale of the object, and a second degree of freedom included in the two or more degrees of freedom rotates the object.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the tool is configured to control the two or more degrees of freedom for performing at least one of rotation and scaling of the object displayed within the application window based on multi-touch input.

14. A system configured to display a multi-functional touch pad on a multi-touch surface, the system comprising:

a multi-touch surface; and

a processing unit coupled to the multi-touch surface and configured to;

define a region on the multi-touch surface of a secondary display device for displaying the multi-functional touch pad, wherein the region is proximate to one or more input devices detected on the multi-touch surface,

generate one or more user interface elements that are disposed within the multi-functional touch pad, wherein each user interface element is configured to control a different operation within an application window displayed via a primary display device, and a first user interface element included in the one or more user interface elements comprises a tool that is configured to control two or more degrees of freedom for of an object displayed within the application window based on multi-touch input,

display the multi-functional touch pad in the region on the multi-touch surface of the secondary display device,

detect multi-touch input associated with the first user interface element disposed within the multi-functional touch pad, and

perform a first operation within the application window based on the multi-touch input,

wherein a second user interface element included in the one or more user interface elements comprises a first icon, a second operation is performed when second multi-touch input is received at a location on the multi-touch surface corresponding to the location of the second user interface element, and the one or more user interface elements further comprise a customizable tool palette having a plurality of application-specific icons that include the first icon.

15. The system of claim 14, the processing unit further configured to:

detect third multi-touch input associated with a third user interface element displayed on the multi-touch surface outside of the region, wherein the third multi-touch input comprises dragging the third user interface element into the region; and

in response, generate an additional user interface element disposed within the multi-functional touch pad for display within the multi-functional touch pad.

16. The system of claim 14, the processing unit further configured to:

detect third multi-touch input associated with a third user interface element, wherein the third multi-touch input comprises dragging the third user interface element out of the region; and

in response, remove the third user interface element from the multi-functional touch pad.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein a first degree of freedom included in the two or more degrees of freedom adjusts the scale of the object, and a second degree of freedom included in the two or more degrees of freedom rotates the object.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the tool is configured to control the two or more degrees of freedom for performing at least one of rotation and scaling of the object displayed within the application window based on multi-touch input.