Patent Publication Number: US-9405328-B2

Title: Touch pad function modification

Description:
FIELD 
     The subject matter disclosed herein relates to touchpads and more particularly relates to touchpad function modification. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Button-less touchpads may include button zones that operate as controls. Such controls can be used with other pointing devices. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The inventors have recognized a need for an apparatus, method, and program product that modify touchpad function. An apparatus is disclosed for modifying touchpad function. The apparatus includes a computer readable storage medium and a control module. The computer readable storage medium stores machine readable code executable by a processor. The control module employs interim controls in an interim state for a touchpad in response to detecting use of a pointer embedded in a keyboard in a touchpad state. The control module further employs pointing controls in a pointing state in response to satisfying pointing criteria in the interim state. The control module also employs touchpad controls in a touchpad state in response to satisfying touchpad criteria in the pointing state. The method and program product also perform the functions of the apparatus. 
     These features and advantages of the embodiments will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the embodiments as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more particular description of the embodiments briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only some embodiments and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of scope, the embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing illustrating one embodiment of a computer; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of a keyboard; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of control states; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of controls for a touchpad state; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of controls for an interim state; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of controls for a pointing state; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a computer; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a modification apparatus; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a touchpad modification method; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic flowchart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a pointer criteria determination method; and 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic flowchart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a touchpad criteria determination method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the embodiments may be embodied as a system, method or program product. Accordingly, embodiments may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, embodiments may take the form of a program product embodied in one or more computer readable storage devices storing machine readable code. The storage devices may be tangible, non-transitory, and/or non-transmission. 
     Many of the functional units described in this specification have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the like. 
     Modules may also be implemented in machine readable code and/or software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of machine readable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of executable code which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module. 
     Indeed, a module of machine readable code may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different computer readable storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network. Where a module or portions of a module are implemented in software, the software portions are stored on one or more machine readable storage devices. 
     Any combination of one or more computer readable medium may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a machine readable signal medium or a machine readable storage medium such as a computer readable storage medium. The machine readable storage medium may be a storage device storing the machine readable code. The storage device may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic, micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
     More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the storage device would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     A machine readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with machine readable code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A machine readable signal medium may be any storage device that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Machine readable code embodied on a storage device may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, Radio Frequency (RF), etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
     Machine readable code for carrying out operations for embodiments may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The machine readable code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of an embodiment. 
     Aspects of the embodiments are described below with reference to schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams of methods, apparatuses, systems, and program products according to embodiments. It will be understood that each block of the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, can be implemented by machine readable code. These machine readable code may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks. 
     The machine readable code may also be stored in a storage device that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the storage device produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks. 
     The machine readable code may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the program code which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatuses, systems, methods and program products according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions of the program code for implementing the specified logical function(s). 
     It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more blocks, or portions thereof, of the illustrated Figures. 
     Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the depicted embodiment. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted embodiment. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and machine readable code. 
     Descriptions of figures may refer to elements described in previous figures, like numbers referring to like elements. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing illustrating one embodiment of a computer  100 . The computer  100  may be a laptop computer. One of skill in the art will recognize that the embodiments may be practiced with other computer form factors that employ a touchpad  110 . The computer  100  includes the touchpad  110 , a keyboard  115 , and a pointer  105  in a keyboard area  120 . The pointer  105  may be a TrackPoint pointer  105  produced by Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. The pointer  105  may employ a strain gauge or an optical sensor to convert motion into direction information. 
     The touchpad  110  may be used as a pointing device. The touchpad  110  may be a button-less touchpad  110 . Alternatively, the touchpad  110  may include one or more control buttons. 
     The touchpad  110  may have areas that function as virtual buttons or controls. The controls may be activated within the touchpad  110  by a touching specified areas of the touchpad  110  as will be described hereafter. 
     When a user is employing the pointer  105 , it may be advantageous to employ much of the area of the touchpad  110  as controls with various functions. The embodiments described herein may automatically modify the controls of the touchpad  110  to support the user&#39;s current mode of using the pointer  105  and the touchpad  110 . 
       FIG. 2  is a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of the keyboard area  120 . The keyboard area  120  is a keyboard area  120  of  FIG. 1 . The user may employ both the pointer  105  and the touchpad  110  within the keyboard area  120 . The user may use the pointer  105  exclusively for pointing. The touchpad  110  may be used to provide controls and may not be required for pointing. As a result, the areas and/or functions of controls on the touchpad  110  may be modified to ease of use. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of control states  600 . Each state  600  is indicative of the controls that are available on the touchpad  110 . The control states  600  include a touchpad state  605 , an interim state  610 , and a pointing state  615 . In one embodiment, the touchpad state  605  is an initial state. For example the touchpad state  605  may be employed with the computer  100  is activated. 
     In the touchpad state  605 , the touchpad  605  may function as a pointing device as well as provide controls. In one embodiment, touchpad controls, as will be described hereafter, are available on the touchpad  110  in the touchpad state  605 . 
     In one embodiment, the touchpad state  605  transitions to the interim state  610  in response to detecting use of the pointer  105 . In one embodiment, the touchpad state  605  transitions to the interim state  610  in response to a level of pointer use exceeding a pointer use threshold. 
     In the interim state  610 , interim controls, as will be described hereafter, are available on the touchpad  110 . The interim state  610  may transition to the touchpad state  605  in response to not satisfying pointing criteria in the interim state  610 . The pointing criteria will be described hereafter. The interim state  610  may also transition to the pointing state  615  in response to satisfying pointing criteria in the interim state  610 . 
     Pointing controls are available in the pointing state  615 . The pointing controls are described hereafter. The pointing state  615  may transition to the touchpad state  605  in response to satisfying touchpad criteria in the pointing state  615 . 
       FIG. 4  is a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of the touchpad controls  620  for the touchpad state  605 . The touchpad controls  620  include a primary button control  210   a , a tertiary control  205   a , and a first secondary button control  215   a.  In addition, the touchpad controls  620  may include a one finger tap, a two-three finger tap, a one-three finger count, a one finger scrolling region, a one finger drag, a two finger drag, a generic gesture, a one finger edge swipe, a w-value, and a key-time. 
     The primary button control  210   a  may be equivalent to a primary mouse button such as a left mouse button. The secondary button control  215   a  may be equivalent to a secondary mouse button such as a right mouse button. The tertiary control  205   a  may be equivalent to a tertiary mouse control such as a scroll wheel. In addition, the touchpad controls  620  may allow the touchpad  110  to receive the one finger tap, the two-three finger tap, the one-three finger count, the one finger scrolling region, the one finger drag, the two finger drag, the generic gesture, the one finger edge swipe, the w-value, and the key-time. Specific functions may be related to the one finger tap, the two-three finger tap, the one-three finger count, the one finger scrolling region, the one finger drag, the two finger drag, the generic gesture, the one finger edge swipe, the w-value, and the key-time. Generic gestures may include but are not limited to a two finger pinch, a two finger rotate, a two finger swipe, a three swipe, and a four finger swipe. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of interim controls  625  for the interim state  610 . The interim controls  625  include a primary button control  210   b , a tertiary control  205   b , a first secondary button control  215   b , and a second secondary button control  220   b . The primary button control  210   b  may be equivalent to a primary mouse button such as a left mouse button. Each secondary button control  215   b ,  220   b  may be equivalent to a secondary mouse button such as a right mouse button. The tertiary control  205   b  may be equivalent to a tertiary mouse button such as a scroll wheel. 
     In addition, the generic gestures, the one finger edge swipe, and the w-value may be enabled. The one finger tap, the two-three finger tap, the one-three finger count, the one finger scrolling region, the one finger drag, and the two finger drag may be suppressed. 
       FIG. 6  is a top view drawing illustrating one embodiment of pointing controls  630  for a pointing state  615 . The pointing controls  630  include a primary button control  210   c , a tertiary control  205   c , and a second secondary button control  220   c . The primary button control  210   c  may be equivalent to a primary mouse button such as a left mouse button. The second secondary button control  220   c  may be equivalent to a secondary mouse button such as a right mouse button. The tertiary control  205   c  may be equivalent to a tertiary mouse button such as a scroll wheel. 
     The pointing control  630  further includes a starting zone  225  and a resting zone  230 . In one embodiment, the resting zone  230  is the area of the touchpad  110  outside of the starting zone  225 . The controls for the touchpad state  605 , the interim state  610 , and the pointer state  615  are listed in table 1. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Control 
                 Touchpad State 
                 Interim State 
                 Pointer State 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Primary Button 
                 P 210a 
                 P 210b 
                 P 210c + Starting 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Zone 220 
               
               
                 Secondary Button 
                 S1 215a 
                 S1 215b + S2 
                 S2 220c 
               
               
                   
                   
                 220b 
               
               
                 Tertiary Button 
                 T 205a 
                 T 205b 
                 T 205c 
               
               
                 1 Finger Tap 
                 Enabled 
                 Suppressed 
                 Suppressed 
               
               
                 2-3 Finger Tap 
                 Enabled 
                 Suppressed 
                 Suppressed 
               
               
                 1-3 Finger Count 
                 Enabled 
                 Suppressed 
                 Suppressed 
               
               
                 1 Finger Scrolling 
                 Enabled 
                 Suppressed 
                 Suppressed 
               
               
                 Region 
               
               
                 1 Finger Drag 
                 Enabled 
                 Suppressed 
                 Suppressed 
               
               
                 2 Finger Drag 
                 Enabled 
                 Suppressed 
                 Suppressed 
               
               
                 Generic Gesture 
                 Enabled 
                 Enabled 
                 Enabled 
               
               
                 1 Finger Edge 
                 Enabled 
                 Enabled 
                 Enabled 
               
               
                 Swipe 
               
               
                 W-Value 
                 Enabled 
                 Enabled 
                 Enabled 
               
               
                 Key-time 
                 Enabled 
                 Disabled 
                 Disabled 
               
               
                 Pointer Filtering 
                 Disabled 
                 Disabled 
                 Disabled 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Besides the controls listed in the above table, other control functions may be associated with the pointer  105  and the touchpad  110 , such as audio, haptic, and backlighting function controls. 
     Although the controls as depicted are similar in the touchpad state  605 , the interim state  610 , and the pointing state  615 , the controls need not occupy the same area of the touchpad  110 . For example, each of the primary button controls  210  may be disposed in a different area of the touchpad  110 . Similarly, each secondary button control  215 ,  220  may be disposed in a different area of the touchpad  110  and each tertiary button control  205  may also be disposed in a different area of the touchpad  110 . 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a computer  100 . The computer  100  may be the computer  100  of  FIG. 1 . The computer  100  includes a processor  305 , a memory  310 , and communication hardware  315 . The memory  310  may be a computer readable storage medium such as a semiconductor storage device, a hard disk drive, an optical storage device, a micromechanical storage device, and combinations thereof. The memory  310  may store machine readable code. The processor  305  may execute the machine readable code. The communication hardware  315  may communicate with the touchpad  110  and the pointer  105 . 
     In one embodiment, the communication hardware  315  receives position data indicating an absolute screen position, a relative motion on the screen, or combinations thereof from the touchpad  110  and/or the pointer  105 . The communication hardware  315  may parse control activations and/or a cursor position from the position data. Alternatively, the pointer  105  and/or touchpad  110  may communicate the cursor position and/or the control activations to the communication hardware  315 . 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a modification apparatus  350 . The modification apparatus  350  includes a control module  320 , the touchpad  110 , and the pointer  105 . Some functions of the control module  320 , the touchpad  110 , and the pointer  105  may be implemented hardware. In one embodiment, the control module  320  is at least partially embodied in a computer readable storage medium such as the memory  310 . The computer readable storage medium may store machine readable code that when executed by the processor  305  performs the operations of the control module  320 . 
     The control module  320  may determine the controls employed for the touchpad  110 . In addition, the control module  320  may determine the control state  600 . In one embodiment, the control module  320  employs the interim controls  625  in the interim state  610  for a touchpad  110  in response to detecting use of the pointer  105  embedded in the keyboard  115  in a touchpad state  605 . 
     The control module  320  may further employ the pointing controls  630  in the pointing state  615  in response satisfying the pointing criteria in the interim state  610 . In addition, the control module  320  may employ the touchpad controls  620  in the touchpad state  605  in response to satisfying touchpad criteria in the pointing state  615 . The functions of the apparatus  350  will be described in greater detail in  FIGS. 9-11 . 
       FIG. 9  is schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a control modification method  500 . The method  500  may perform the functions of the apparatus  350  and/or computer  100 . The method  500  may be performed by the processor  305 . In addition, the method  500  may be performed by machine readable code stored in a computer readable storage medium such as the memory  310 . 
     The method  500  starts, and in one embodiment, the control module  320  employs  505  the touchpad controls  620  in the touchpad state  605  for the touchpad  110 . For example, the touchpad controls  620  as described for  FIG. 4  may be employed for the touchpad  110 . 
     The control module  320  may determine  510  if the pointer  105  is in use. In one embodiment, the control module  320  determines  510  that the pointer  105  is in use if data is received from the pointer  105 . Alternatively, the control module  320  determines  510  the pointer  105  is in use if the pointer  105  indicates a change in cursor position. If the pointer  105  is not in use, the control module  320  continues to employ  505  the touchpad controls  620  in the touchpad state  605 . 
     If the pointer  105  is in use, the control module  320  may employ  515  the interim controls  625  in the interim state  610  in response to detecting the use of a pointer  105 . During the interim state  610 , the control module  320  may determine  520  if pointing criteria are satisfied. In one embodiment, the pointing criteria are satisfied if the pointer  105  continues to be in use. The pointing criteria are described in more detail in  FIG. 10 . 
     If the pointing criteria are not satisfied, the control module  320  employs  505  the touchpad controls  620  in the touchpad state  605 . If the pointing criteria are satisfied, the control module  320  may employ  525  the pointing controls  630  in the pointing state  615 . While in the pointing state  615 , the control module  320  may further determine  530  if touchpad criteria are satisfied. The touchpad criteria are described in more detail in  FIG. 11 . 
     If the touchpad criteria are satisfied, the control module  320  employs  505  the touchpad controls  620  in the touchpad state  605 . If the touchpad criteria are not satisfied, the control module  320  continues to employ  525  the pointing controls  630  in the pointing state  615 . 
     Thus the touchpad controls  620  are available to the user until the user begins to use the pointer  105 . The interim controls  625  are then employed until it is determined whether the pointing criteria are satisfied, indicating that the user will likely use the pointer  105  for pointing functions. If the pointing criteria are not satisfied, the touchpad controls  620  are again available to the user. If the pointing criteria are satisfied, the pointing controls  630  are made available to the user until there is an indication of the user will use the touchpad  110  for pointing. In response to the indication that the user will use the touchpad  110  for pointing, the touchpad controls  620  are again made available to the user. Thus the embodiments automatically customize the controls for the touchpad  110  in response to the manner of the user employing the touchpad  110  and the pointer  105 . 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic flowchart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a pointer criteria determination method  501 . The method  501  may be the pointing criteria satisfied step  520  of  FIG. 9 . The method  501  determines if the pointer criteria are satisfied. The method  501  may perform the functions of the apparatus  350  and/or computer  100 . The method  501  may be performed by the processor  305 . In addition, the method  501  may be performed by machine readable code stored in a computer readable storage medium such as the memory  310 . 
     The method  501  starts, and in one embodiment the control module  320  determines  535  if the pointer  105  is in use. In one embodiment, the pointer  105  is in use if a pointing use counter does not equal zero. The pointing use counter may be checked after a specified time interval. Alternatively, the pointing use counter may be checked periodically in the course of program execution. 
     The control module  320  may set the pointing use counter to zero upon entering the interim state  605 . The control module  320  may further increment the pointing use counter each time the pointer  105  is used. If the pointing use counter is not equal to zero, the pointer  105  may be determined  535  to be in use. 
     If the pointer  105  is not in use, the pointing criteria are not satisfied  560  and the method  501  ends. If the pointer  105  is in use, the control module  320  determines  540  if the starting zone requirement is satisfied. The starting zone requirement may be satisfied if only one first finger is on the touchpad  110  outside of the resting zone  230  and the first finger makes a motion within the starting zone  225  on the touchpad  110 . 
     If the starting zone requirement is satisfied, the control module  320  may reset the pointing use counter to zero. The control module  320  may further determine  535  if the pointer  105  is in use. 
     If the starting zone requirement is not satisfied, the control module  320  may determine  550  if the pointing use counter exceeds a pointing threshold. In one embodiment, the pointing threshold is a nonzero number. If the pointing use counter does not exceed the pointing threshold, the control module  320  continues to determine  535  if the pointer  105  is in use. 
     If the pointing use counter exceeds the pointing threshold, the pointing criteria are satisfied  555  and the method  501  ends. 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic flowchart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a touchpad criteria determination method  502 . The method  502  may be the touchpad criteria satisfied step  530  of  FIG. 9 . In one embodiment, the method  502  determines if the touchpad criteria are satisfied. The method  502  may perform the functions of the apparatus  350  and/or the computer  100 . The method  502  may be performed by the processor  305 . In addition, the method  502  may be performed by machine readable code stored in a computer readable storage medium such as the memory  310 . 
     The method  502  starts, and in one embodiment the control module  320  determines  565  if a pointing idle exceeds a pointing idle threshold. In one embodiment, the pointing idle is a time interval from a last use of the pointer  105  to the current time. Alternatively, the pointing idle is a time interval from a second-to-last use of the pointer  105  to the last use of the pointer  105 . The pointing idle threshold may be a time measured in seconds, milliseconds, or the like. 
     If the pointing idle does not exceed the pointing idle threshold, the control module  320  continues to determine  565  if the pointing idle is greater than the pointing idle threshold. If the pointing idle does exceed the pointing idle threshold, the control module  320  determines  570  if a keyboard idle exceeds a keyboard idle threshold. In one embodiment, the keyboard idle is a time interval from the last use of the keyboard  115  to the current time. Alternatively, the keyboard idle is a time interval from a second-to-last use of the keyboard  115  to a last use of the keyboard  115 . The keyboard idle threshold may be a time measured in seconds, milliseconds, or the like. 
     If the keyboard idle does not exceed the keyboard idle threshold, the control module  320  continues to determine  565  if the pointing idle is greater than the pointing idle threshold. If the keyboard idle does exceed the keyboard idle threshold, the control module  320  may determine  575  if the starting zone requirement is satisfied. If the starting zone requirement is not satisfied, the control module  320  continues to determine  565  if the pointing idle is greater than the pointing idle threshold. If the starting zone requirement is satisfied, the touchpad criteria are satisfied  580  and the method  502  ends. 
     The touchpad criteria may prevent the control module  320  from employing the pointing controls  630  simply because the pointer  105  and the keyboard  115  are not in use. If the touchpad criteria are satisfied in the pointing state  615 , the control module  320  modifies the controls of the touchpad  110  to employ the touchpad controls  620  in the touchpad state  605 . However, as long as the touchpad criteria is not satisfied in the pointing state  615 , the control module continues to employ the pointing controls  630  in the pointing state  615 . Thus a user employing the pointer  105   4  pointing functions may have access to the pointing controls  630  until the touchpad  110  is again used as a pointing device. As a result, the functions of the touchpad  110  are automatically modified in accordance with the user&#39;s use of the pointer  105  and the touchpad  110 . 
     Embodiments may be practiced in other specific forms. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.