Multi-point feedback control for touchpads

A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a method, the method comprising:

• detecting an input at an input surface of a touchpad;
• associating the detected input with an input area of the touchpad;
• detecting a contact at the input surface of the touchpad;
• associating the detected contact with a cancellation area of the touchpad;
• transmitting, by a one haptic engine, of a plurality of haptic engines of the touchpad, a first haptic feedback signal in response to the detecting of the input in the input area;
• determining a time delay based on a position of the cancellation area on the touchpad, the time delay defining a period of time;
• detecting that the period of time has elapsed since the transmitting of the first haptic feedback signal;
• and
• transmitting, by an other haptic engine of the plurality of haptic engines of the touchpad, after detecting that the period of time has elapsed since the transmitting of the first haptic feedback signal, a second haptic feedback signal in response to the detecting of the contact in the cancellation area, the second haptic feedback signal being an inverse of the first haptic feedback signal that cancels a haptic effect of the first haptic feedback signal in the cancellation area of the touchpad.

A computing device, comprising:

• a base;
• a touchpad extending from a first lateral side portion of the base to a second lateral side portion of the base, the first lateral side portion of the base being opposite the second lateral side portion of the base, the touchpad including:
• an input surface;
• a plurality of pressure sensors arranged in communication with the input surface;
• a capacitive sensor in communication with the input surface;
• and
• a plurality of haptic engines arranged in communication with the input surface;
• and
• a processor configured to control the plurality of haptic engines of the touchpad in response to inputs detected at the input surface, wherein the processor is configured to:
• associate an input detected by one or more of the plurality of pressure sensors with an input area of the touchpad;
• associate a contact detected by the capacitive sensor with a cancellation area of the touchpad;
• control one haptic engine, of the plurality of haptic engines, to transmit a first haptic feedback signal in response to the detected input in the input area;
• determine a time delay based on a position of the cancellation area on the touchpad, the time delay defining a period of time;
• and
• control an other haptic engine, of the plurality of haptic engines, to transmit a second haptic feedback signal, after the period of time has elapsed, in response to the detected contact in the cancellation area, wherein the second haptic feedback signal is an inverse of the first haptic feedback signal that cancels a haptic effect the first haptic feedback signal in the cancellation area of the touchpad.