Apparatus and method for precise multi-touch input

• US 9,965,173 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Warner, Lynn Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Ibrahim A
• Application Number:
  US14/621,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20160239173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus and method for precise multi-touch input are provided. The method includes detecting a first touch input at a first location on a touchscreen; while the first touch input is maintained, detecting a second touch input at a second location on the touchscreen; detecting removal of the first touch input at the first location while the second touch input is maintained; and adjusting the first location according to movement of the second touch input, such that movement of the adjusted location is less than the movement of the second touch input.

Claims

1. A method for precise multi-touch input, the method comprising:

detecting, on a touchscreen, a first touch input at an approximate position of a first location;

displaying, in response to the first touch input, an input area on the touchscreen arranged so as not to overlap the location of the first touch input;

while the first touch input is maintained, detecting a second touch input at a second location within the displayed input area on the touchscreen;

detecting removal of the first touch input at the first location while the second touch input is maintained; and

adjusting the first location according to movement of the second touch input, such that the adjustment is less than and scaled to the movement of the second touch input,

wherein the second location is any location sufficiently distant from the first location to prevent the movement of a finger associated with the second touch input at the second location from affecting a view of the first location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a precise position of the first location when a third touch input is detected at a location of the touchscreen outside of the input area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a precise position of the first location when the second touch input is no longer detected in the input area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

stopping the display of the input area after the adjusting of the first location is completed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a size of the input area is determined according to a pixel density of the touchscreen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the input area comprises:

receiving a user selection of an area on the touchscreen; and

displaying the input area as enclosing the area selected by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

detecting an object displayed on the touchscreen at the first location; and

selecting the detected object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the adjusting of the first location comprises adjusting a position of the object according to the movement of the second touch input, such that the adjusted position of the object is less than and scaled to the movement of the second touch input.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the adjusting of the first location comprises:

rotating the object according to a rotation of the second touch input, such that the adjusted rotation of the object is less than and scaled to the rotation of the second touch input.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

when a precise position of the first location is determined, displaying a copy of the selected object at the final adjusted location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a precise position of the first location when the second touch input is no longer detected.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a precise position of the first location when a third input is detected on the touchscreen.

13. An apparatus configured to provide a precise multi-touch input, the apparatus comprising:

a display;

a touchscreen operatively coupled to the display and configured to detect a touch; and

a processor configured to;

detect, on a touchscreen, a first touch input at an approximate position of a first location,

in response to detecting the first touch input, control the display to display an input area arranged so as not to overlap the location of the first touch input,

detect a second touch input at a second location within the input area on the touchscreen while the first touch input is maintained,

detect removal of the first touch input at the first location while the second touch input is maintained, and

adjust the first location according to movement of the second touch input, such that the adjustment is less than and scaled to the movement of the second touch input,

wherein the second location is any location sufficiently distant from the first location to prevent the movement of a finger associated with the second touch input at the second location from affecting a view of the first location.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a precise position of the first location when a third touch input is detected at a location of the touchscreen outside of the input area.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a precise position of the first location when the second touch input is no longer detected in the input area.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to stop the display of the input area on the touchscreen after the adjusting of the first location is completed.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a size of the input area according to a pixel density of the touchscreen.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a user selection of an area on the touchscreen, and

display the input area as enclosing the area selected by the user.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect an object displayed on the touchscreen at the first location, and

adjust a position of the object according to the movement of the second touch input, such that the adjusted position of the object is scaled to and less than the movement of the second touch input.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a precise position of the first location when the second touch input is no longer detected.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a precise position of the first location when a third input is detected.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect an object displayed on the touchscreen at the first location, and

rotate the object according to the movement of the second touch input, such that the rotation of the object is less than and scaled to the movement of the second touch input.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect an object displayed on the touchscreen at the first location, and

change a size of the object according to the movement of the second touch input, such that the change in size of the object is less than and scaled to the movement of the second touch input.