Method and apparatus for integrating manual input

A multi-touch surface apparatus for detecting a spatial arrangement of multiple touch devices on or near the surface of the multi-touch apparatus, comprising:

• one of a rigid or flexible surface, the surface having key region positions indicated by a raised dot near the center of selected regions, the raised portion of the dot being made from a conductive material to prevent weakening of a finger proximity signal as a finger is pushed up by the dot;
• a plurality of the sensing devices arranged on the surface, each sensing comprising:
• two electrical switching means connected together in series having a common node, an input node, and an output node,
• a dielectric-covered sensing electrode connected to the common node between the two switching means,
• a power supply providing an approximately constant voltage connected to the input node of the series-connected switching means,
• an integrating capacitor to accumulate charge transferred during multiple consecutive switchings of the series connected switching means,
• another switching means connected in parallel across the integrating capacitor to deplete its residual charge, and
• a voltage-to-voltage translation device connected to the output node of the series-connected switching means which produces a voltage representative of the proximity of the touch device to the sensing device;
• control circuitry for sequentially enabling each of the sensor devices;
• voltage measurement circuitry to convert sensor data to a digital code;
• and
• circuitry for communicating the digital code to another electronic device.

A method for mapping gestures performed on a multi-touch surface by a left hand to simulate text editing commands via arrow keys, the method comprising the steps of:

• reserving asynchronous single-finger motions for typing and five-finger motions for hand resting;
• generating arrow key signals in response to translational slides of two fingertips;
• and
• generating shift-arrow key signals in response to translational slides of three fingertips.

A method for mapping surface contact gestures performed by a hand on a multi-touch surface to clipboard commands, comprising:

• estimating fingertip or thumb identities for each surface contact;
• preparing to generate clipboard commands when the surface contacts are identified as a thumb and one fingertip;
• generating a cut to clipboard signal in response to a movement of the thumb and fingertip contacts toward each other;
• generating a copy to clipboard signal in response to a synchronized tap of the thumb and fingertip contacts;
• and
• generating a paste from clipboard signal in response to a movement of the thumb and fingertip contacts away from each other.

A method for mapping surface contact gestures performed by a hand on a multi-touch surface to cursor and object manipulation operations, comprising:

• tracking and counting the surface contacts;
• extracting hand translation and scaling motions from surface contact paths;
• generating cursor motion signals in response to translational slides of two fingertips;
• generating cursor selection and dragging signals in response to translational slides of three fingertips;
• generating scrolling signals in response to translational slides of four fingertips;
• and
• generating zooming signals in response to hand scaling slides of five fingertips.