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US 9,176,652 B1Granted
Method and system for dynamically defining scroll-wheel functionality on a touchpad
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsNirmal J. Patel, Thad E. Starner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for providing scroll-wheel functionality on a touchpad without the touchpad predefining a scroll-wheel. The method includes receiving data corresponding to progressive movement of a touch point on the touchpad, determining from the received data that the progressive movement is substantially elliptical, defining an ellipse around an ellipse center. The method further includes detecting, based on the determined movement, continued angular movement of the touch point around the ellipse center, and registering the continued angular movement as one or more scroll events in the computing system.
Claims26
In a computing system, a method for providing scroll-wheel functionality on a touchpad, the method comprising:
- receiving data corresponding to angular movement of a touch point on the touchpad;
- determining from the received data that the angular movement is substantially elliptical, wherein the angular movement defines an ellipse around an ellipse center;
- in response to the angular movement that is substantially elliptical:
- defining, on the touchpad, an elliptical path corresponding to the ellipse;
- and
- activating scroll-wheel functionality on the elliptical path;
- and
- while the scroll-wheel functionality is activated on the elliptical path, detecting, based on the received data, continued angular movement of the touch point around the ellipse center, and registering the continued angular movement as one or more scroll events in the computing system, wherein registering the continued angular movement comprises:
- determining that an angle defined by the continued angular movement is equal to or greater than an angular threshold, wherein changing in a first direction a speed of the continued angular movement causes the angular threshold to change in an opposite second direction;
- and
- changing a display on a display screen in accordance with the determined angle.
8 more elements
A computing system, comprising:
- a display device configured to display graphical images;
- a touchpad positioned on the display device, and configured to generate a signal indicative of an angular movement of a touch point on the touchpad;
- a memory unit storing a program instructions executable to perform functions for providing scroll-wheel functionality on a touchpad, the functions comprising:
- (a) receiving data corresponding to the angular movement of the touch point on the touchpad,
- (b) determining from the received data that the angular movement is substantially elliptical, wherein the angular movement defines an ellipse around an ellipse center,
- (c) in response to the angular movement that is substantially elliptical:
- (i) defining, on the touchpad, an elliptical path corresponding to the ellipse, and
- (ii) activating scroll-wheel functionality on the elliptical path;
- and
- (d) while the scroll-wheel functionality is activated on the elliptical path, detecting, based on the received data, continued angular movement of the touch point around the ellipse center, and registering the continued angular movement as one or more scroll events in the computing system, wherein registering the continued angular movement comprises:
- (i) determining that an angle defined by the continued angular movement is equal to or greater than an angular threshold, wherein changing in a first direction a speed of the continued angular movement causes the angular threshold to change in an opposite second direction;
- and
- (ii) changing a display on the display device in accordance with the determined angle;
- and
- a processor unit operatively coupled to the memory unit, the touchpad, and the display device, and configured to execute the program instructions.
12 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions that cause a computing system to perform functions for providing scroll-wheel functionality on a touchpad without the touchpad predefining a scroll-wheel, the functions comprising:
- receiving data corresponding to angular movement of a touch point on the touchpad;
- determining from the received data that the angular movement is substantially elliptical, wherein the angular movement defines an ellipse around an ellipse center;
- in response to the angular movement that is substantially elliptical:
- defining, on the touchpad, an elliptical path corresponding to the ellipse;
- and
- activating scroll-wheel functionality on the elliptical path;
- and
- while the scroll-wheel functionality is activated on the elliptical path, detecting, based on the received data, continued angular movement of the touch point around the ellipse center, and registering the continued angular movement as one or more scroll events in the computing system, wherein registering the continued angular movement comprises:
- determining that an angle defined by the continued angular movement is equal to or greater than an angular threshold, wherein changing in a first direction a speed of the continued angular movement causes the angular threshold to change in an opposite second direction;
- and
- changing a display on a display screen in accordance with the determined angle.
8 more elements
A head-wearable display device comprising:
- a display element for displaying graphical images;
- an image projecting unit for projecting the graphical images on the display element;
- a touchpad configured to generate a signal indicative of an angular movement of a touch point on the touchpad, wherein the touchpad is outside a field of vision of a user while wearing the head-wearable display device;
- a memory unit storing program instructions that are executable to provide functions for providing scroll-wheel functionality on the touchpad, the functions comprising:
- (a) receiving data corresponding to the angular movement of the touch point on the touchpad, (b) determining from the received data that the angular movement is substantially elliptical, wherein the angular movement defines an ellipse around an ellipse center, (c) in response to the angular movement that is substantially elliptical:
- (i) defining, on the touchpad, an elliptical path corresponding to the ellipse, and (ii) activating scroll-wheel functionality on the elliptical path, (d) while the scroll-wheel functionality is activated on the elliptical path, detecting, based on the received data, continued angular movement of the touch point around the ellipse center, registering the continued angular movement as one or more scroll events in the computing system, wherein registering the continued angular movement comprises:
- (i) determining that an angle defined by the continued angular movement is equal to or greater than an angular threshold, wherein changing in a first direction a speed of the continued angular movement causes the angular threshold to change in an opposite second direction, and (ii) changing a display on the display device in accordance with the determined angle, and (e) traversing one of the projected graphical images in accordance with each of the one or more scroll events;
- and
- a processor operatively coupled to the memory, the touchpad, and the image projecting unit, and configured to execute the method.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.