This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Applications No. 61/195,881, filed Oct. 10, 2008, titled “Pressure Sensitive Computer Mouse”, No. 61/196,630, filed Oct. 20, 2008, titled “Touch Sensing Technology”, No. 61/203,762, filed Dec. 29, 2008, titled “Portable Touch Screen”, and No. 61/203,763, filed Dec. 29, 2008, titled “3D Pointing Stick and Touchpad”.
The present invention introduces a new touch sensing technology that can be implemented in various computer input devices such as the touchpad, the touch screen, the computer mouse, the computer keyboard, the pointing stick, the three-dimensional computer input devices, or the like. The main advantage of the present touch sensing technology is converting the form and function of the traditional computer input devices into an innovative form and function that enable the user to perform his/her tasks in an easier and faster manner in different environments or conditions.
For example, the present touch sensing technology converts the traditional touchpad into an innovative touchpad that can detect not only the position of the finger along its surface but also the direction of the exerted force from the finger in three dimensions on the touchpad surface. In other words, the traditional touchpad is converted from a two-dimensional input device into a three-dimensional input device that manipulates the objects to move in 3D on the computer display. Also the present touch sensing technology converts the traditional touch screen into a portable thin sheet that an be attached to a regular computer display to turn it into a touch screen where the user can detach this thin sheet form the computer display and fold it when s/he finishes his/her task.
The present invention enables using the computer mouse without moving it on a surface where the user slightly touches the computer mouse to manipulate the cursor to move on the computer display. This possibility enables the user to use the computer mouse when there is no enough space or surface for the mouse movement, or when the user is away form his/her desk. The present touch sensing technology can be employed with the buttons of the computer keyboard to enable the keyboard buttons to detect the direction of the user's finger while touching the buttons or typing. In such case each different direction of the user's finger can be interpreted to provide the computer system with a unique input representing a shortcut similar to the keyboard shortcuts that are used in modern software applications.
The present touch sensing technology can be utilized with the traditional pointing stick to convert it into a three-dimensional pointing stick that enables the user with one finger to manipulate the objects to move or rotate in three dimensions on the computer display with a full control of the speed of the objects movement or rotation. Moreover, utilizing the present invention converts the complex designs of various 3D computer input devices into simple designs that enable the user to operate said 3D computer input devices in an intuitive manner saving the user's time and increasing his/her productivity.
The present invention is comprised of a touch surface which is a flat surface that can be touched by the user's finger, and a number of force sensors that are connected to the touch surface at certain positions. When the user touches the touch surface at a touch point specific forces are exerted on said certain positions where the force sensors detect these forces. An algorithm is utilized to compute the position of the touch point along the touch surface, in addition to, the value and the 3D direction of the exerted force from the user's finger on the touch surface.
In one embodiment the touch surface of the present invention can be utilized to function as a 2D/3D touchpad that manipulates the objects to move in two or three-dimensions on the computer display. In other embodiments, said touch surface can be in a form of a thin transparent sheet that can be attached to a computer display to manipulate the cursor to simultaneously move on the computer display with the finger movement on said thin transparent sheet, in other words, functioning like a touch screen.
In further embodiments, said touch surface can be a chasses of a mouse that can be held by the user's hand to manipulate the cursor to move on the computer display without moving the mouse on a surface. In certain alternate embodiments, said touch surface can be a keyboard button that detects the direction of the finger in three dimensions while typing, where each finger direction can provide a different input to the computer system. In some embodiments, said touch surface can be in a form of a hollow sphere where the user can insert his/her finger inside it to point in a specific 3D direction to manipulate the objects to move in the same 3D direction on the computer display.
The present invention of touch sensing technology can be implemented in various forms. For example,
The value of the vertical force can be computed by adding the four values of the four forces or reactions that are exerted at the positions of the four force sensors, whereas these four reactions represented by the output of the four force sensors. The position of the touch point can be computed by solving the equilibrium equations of the vertical force and the four reactions of the four force sensors as will be described subsequently. When the vertical force is moved on the touch surface the successive positions of the points of touch can be computed to represent the path of the vertical force movement on the touch surface. The vertical force can be any object that has a weight such as a user's finger, a pen, or the like.
Overall, the concept of utilizing the force sensors can be implemented in various computer input devices. For example,
The present touchpad has many advantages in comparison to the traditional touchpad. For example, the value of the vertical force can be utilized to represent the speed of moving objects on the computer display without utilizing additional buttons or using another finger. Moreover, in case of adding four force sensors to the boundary sides of the rectangular touch surface, as described previously, then the touchpad can detect the 3D direction of the exerted force which can be utilized to manipulate the objects to move in 3D on the computer display.
The idea of using the force sensors can be implemented in various 3D computer input devices that enable the user to manipulate the objects to move in 3D on the computer display. For example,
Overall, the main advantage of the present invention is utilizing an existing hardware technology that is simple and straightforward which easily and inexpensively carry out the present touch sensing technology. For example, the force sensor can be a digital force sensor or an analog force sensor that detects the exerted force on its surface and generates a signal representing the value of this force. The two commercially available force sensors in the market are in a form of a push button and a fixable strip where both of them can be easily utilized with the present invention. The microprocessor receives the signal of the force sensors and provides the computer system with an immediate input representing a movement in two or three-dimensions on the computer display.
The algorithm of the present touch sensing technology depends on structurally analyzing the output of the force sensors to compute the position, the value, and/or the direction of the force that is exerted form an object on the touch surface. Generally, as described previously the elements of the present touch sensing technology has three different structural forms. The first structural form is illustrated in
According to the structure analysis of the elements of
Fv=R1+R2+R3+R4
y=(0.5W−(LR2+WR4+(L2+W2)0.5R3)2/2WFv2)+(WR1+LR3+(L2+W2)0.5R2)2/2WFv2
x=(((WR1+LR3+(L2+W2)0.5R2)2/Fv2)−y2)0.5
In the previous equations, “Fv” represents the value of the vertical force. R1 represents the reaction of the first force sensor that is located on the upper left corner, R2 represents the reaction of the second force sensor that is located on the upper right corner, R3 represents the reaction of the third force sensor that is located on the lower right corner, and R4 represents the reaction of the fourth force sensor that is located on the lower left corner of the touch surface. “x” and “y”, respectively, represent the horizontal distance and the vertical distance of vertical force relative to the left bottom corner of the touch surface. “L” represents the length of the touch surface, and “W” represents the width of the touch surface.
According to the structure analysis of the elements of
tan θ=R1/R2 and Fh=R1/sin θ
If the direction of the horizontal force is located between the first force sensor and the fourth force sensor then;
tan(θ−90)=R4/R1 and Fh=R4/sin(θ−90)
If the direction of the horizontal force is located between the third force sensor and the fourth force sensor then;
tan(θ−180)=R3/R4 and Fh=R3/sin(θ−180)
If the direction of the horizontal force is located between the second force sensor and the third force sensor then;
tan(θ−270)=R2/R3 and Fh=R2/sin(θ−270)
In the previous equations, “Fh” represents the value of the horizontal force. R1, R2, R3, and R4 represent the four reactions of the four force sensors that are, respectively, located at the top side, right side, bottom side, and left side of the touch surface, while θ represents the angle between the horizontal force and the positive of the x-axis.
According to the structure analysis of the elements of
tan φ=Fv/Fh
F=Fv/sin φ
It is important to note that in case of using the portable touch screen of
It is also important to note that the touchpad of
Overall, as discussed above, a touch sensing technology is disclosed, while a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20100090973 A1 | Apr 2010 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61195881 | Oct 2008 | US | |
61196630 | Oct 2008 | US | |
61203762 | Dec 2008 | US | |
61203763 | Dec 2008 | US |