Method of operating a multi-zone input device

• US 9,201,559 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Piot, Julien, Merminod, Baptiste, Dayer, Christophe, White, Niall, Harvey, Stephen, Fortin, Frederic, Meisser, Mathieu, Ramond, Nicolas, Mathis, Olivier, Croisonnier, Regis
• Primary Examiner(s): EURICE, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/296,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20130120261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/173, 345/174, 345/164, 463/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0332 Ergonomic shaped mouse adjustable to suit one of both hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0334 Ergonomic shaped mouse for vertical grip, whereby the hand controlling the mouse is resting or gripping it with an attitude almost vertical with respect of the working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03541 Mouse/trackball convertible devices, in which the same ball is used to track the 2D relative movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method of operating an input device in conjunction with a host device includes determining that the input device is in a stationary state and receiving a first signal from a first sense zone of the input device. The method also includes determining an input command based on determining that the input device is in the stationary state and the first signal and transmitting a signal associated with the input command from the input device to the host device.

Claims

1. A method of operating an input device in conjunction with a host device, the method comprising:

monitoring a displacement sensor configured to detect movement of the input device relative to a work surface;

monitoring a first touch zone of the input device, the first touch zone configured to detect a touch movement along a surface of the first touch zone;

monitoring a second touch zone of the input device, the second touch zone configured to detect a touch movement along a surface of the second touch zone, the second touch zone being physically separate from the first touch zone, such that a portion of a housing of the input device separates the two touch zones;

simultaneously detecting no movement by the displacement sensor and detecting a touch movement signal on the surface of the first touch zone;

inhibiting the first input command based on the combination of detecting movement by the displacement sensor and detecting the touch movement on the first touch zone;

determining that no movement is detected along the second touch zone of the input device;

determining a first input command based on the combination of detecting no movement by the displacement sensor, detecting the touch movement gesture on the first touch zone, and detecting no touch movement gesture on the second touch zone;

and

transmitting a signal associated with the first input command from the input device to the host device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a second signal from a second two-dimensional touch zone comprising a signal associated with a click action, the second touch zone configured to detect a touch along two dimensions of a surface of the second touch zone, wherein:

the first signal comprises a signal associated with either a scrolling action or a rotation action; and

the input command is related to a vertical select action.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second signal from a second two-dimensional touch zone comprising a signal associated with an arc action, the second touch zone configured to detect a touch along two dimensions of a surface of the second touch zone; and

receiving a third signal from a third two-dimensional touch zone comprising a signal associated with a scrolling action, the third touch zone configured to detect a touch along two dimensions of a surface of the third touch zone,

wherein the input command is related to a forward or back action.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a second signal from a second two-dimensional touch zone comprising a signal associated with a scrolling action, the second touch zone configured to detect a touch along two dimensions of a surface of the second touch zone;

wherein;

the first signal comprises a signal associated with an arc action; and

the input command is related to a zoom action.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first signal comprises a signal associated with either a scrolling action or a rotation action; and

the input command is related to a vertical scrolling action.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first signal comprises a signal associated with an arc action.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second touch zone is a two-dimensional touch zone, and further comprising determining that a second two-dimensional touch zone of the input device is in an unactivated state, the second touch zone configured to detect a touch along two dimensions of a surface of the second touch zone.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining that the second touch zone of the input device is in an unactivated state comprises periodically monitoring a signal from the second touch zone of the input device.

9. A method of operating an input device in conjunction with a host device, the method comprising:

determining that a first sense zone of the input device is in an unactivated state, the first sense zone being a two-dimensional touch sensor;

receiving a signal associated with a click action from a second sense zone, the second sense zone being a two-dimensional touch sensor, the second touch zone configured to detect a touch movement along a surface of the second touch zone, the second touch zone being physically separate from the first touch zone, such that a portion of a housing of the input device separates the two touch zones;

receiving a motion signal from a displacement sensor comprising a second signal associated with movement of the input device in one or two dimensions relative to a surface;

determining an input command based on determining substantially simultaneously that the first sense zone is in the unactivated state, the second sense zone is providing the click action, and the displacement sensor is providing the motion signal; and

transmitting a third signal associated with the input command from the input device to the host device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the input command is related to a panning action.

11. A method comprising:

providing an input device having a displacement sensor and a plurality of two-dimensional touch pads;

receiving a motion signal from the displacement sensor comprising a signal associated with movement of the input device in one or two dimensions relative to a surface;

receiving a first touch signal from one of the plurality of two-dimensional touch pads, wherein the first touch signal is associated with at least one of a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation;

receiving a second touch signal from another of the plurality of two-dimensional touch pads, wherein the second touch signal is associated with a horizontal scrolling motion;

determining that the motion signal, the first touch signal, and the second touch signal are received substantially simultaneously; and

generating and transmitting a control signal corresponding to the displacement sensor signal, the first touch signal, and the second touch signal, wherein the control signal is associated with at least one of a forward action or a back action to an electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

periodically monitoring a displacement signal from the motion sensor; and

determining that the input device is stationary.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the first touch signal comprises a clockwise rotation;

the second touch signal comprises a scrolling motion to the right; and

the control signal is associated with a forward or next action.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the first touch signal comprises a counter-clockwise rotation;

the second touch signal comprises a scrolling motion to the left; and

the control signal is associated with a back or previous action.

15. An input device comprising:

a processor;

a first touch sensor coupled to the processor, the first touch sensor configured to detect a touch along two-dimensions on the surface of the first touch sensor;

a second touch sensor configured to detect a touch movement along a surface of the second touch sensor, the second touch sensor being physically separate from the first touch sensor, such that a portion of a housing of the input device separates the two touch sensors; and

a displacement sensor to detect movement of the input device along a work surface,

wherein the processor is configured to generate an input command in response to substantially simultaneously detecting a touch or gesture on the first touch sensor, detecting no gesture on the second touch sensor and detecting no movement of the input device by the displacement sensor.