Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8686964B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 11:28:55+00:00

Document:
2008-02-01 Assigned to PLENUS III (C.I.), L.P., PLENUS II , (D.C.M.) LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, PLENUS III , (D.C.M.) LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, PLENUS III, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, PLENUS II , LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, PLENUS III (2), LIMITED PARTNERSHIP reassignment PLENUS III (C.I.), L.P. SECURITY AGREEMENT Assignors: N-TRIG LTD.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, amplitude and gradient spatial patterns are constructed to characterize a user's finger touch. According to some embodiments of the present invention, a user's input signal is characterized based on patterns of signal amplitudes and patterns of signal amplitude gradients. Typically, each user touches the sensor differently. For example, some users have a light touch and produce a relatively low amplitude pattern and low gradient at the contour of the touch area. Other users which have a stronger touch produce a higher amplitude pattern over a larger area with higher gradients at the contour of the touch area. The width of the finger also affects the signal detected. In some exemplary embodiments, methods similar to methods described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/812,994 filed on Jun. 13, 2006 and corresponding US Patent Application filed on Jun. 13, 2007 and assigned to the common assignee. Reference is now made to FIG. 7A showing an exemplary signal pattern of signal amplitude outputs from a differential amplifier obtained from a finger touch and to FIG. 7B showing an exemplary signal pattern of signal amplitude gradients obtained from a finger touch according to some embodiments of the present invention. The present inventors have found signal patterns that are typical of finger touch and that thus it is possible to differentiate between finger touch and other detected signals on the digitizer, e.g. due to a hand resting on the digitizer, mechanical changes between the digitizer and the LCD. According to some embodiments of the present invention, amplitude patterns typical to a specific user are defined and used to differentiate between finger touch and other detected signals on the digitizer. For example, the number of conductive lines having amplitude above a defined threshold can be used to identify a finger touch for a specific user and differentiate between the user's finger touch and other events detected.
determining if subsequently detected signals comply with the characterizing.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the user interaction is detected by capacitive touch methods.
3. The method according to claim 1 comprising accepting the subsequently detected signals for user interaction on the condition that the subsequently detected signals comply with the characterizing.
4. The method according to claim 1 comprising rejecting the subsequently detected signals that do not comply with the characterizing.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein characterization is performed once for the specific user.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the characterization is performed during a system startup.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the characterization is updated periodically.
8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the characterization is performed automatically during user operation of the digitizer by the specific user.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the characterization is based on averages of a plurality of the user interaction signals.
10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the characterization is performed during a dedicated calibration procedure.
11. The method according to claim 1 comprising requesting user identification.
12. The method according to claim 1 wherein a host computer associated with the digitizer supplies the user identification.
13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the characterization includes characterization of a finger of the specific user, selected for user interaction.
14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the characterization includes characterization of a plurality of fingers of the specific user.
determining a parameter of the characterizing to differentiate between the user interaction signals and the palm resting signals.
16. The method according to claim 1 comprising performing palm rejection on subsequently detected signals that do not comply with the characterizing.
a memory operative to store the at least one parameter of the characterization.
18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to accept the subsequently detected signals for user interaction with the digitizer on the condition that the subsequently detected signals comply with the at least one characterization.
19. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to reject the subsequently detected signals for user interaction with the digitizer on the condition that the subsequently detected signals do not comply with the at least one characterization.
20. The system according to claim 17 comprising a host computer associated with the digitizer, wherein the digitizer forwards to the host computer signals that comply with the at least one characterization.
21. The system according to claim 20 wherein signals that do not comply with the at least one characterization are rejected for forwarding.
22. The system according to claim 17 wherein the digitizer performs palm rejection on signals that do not comply with the at least one characterization.
23. The system according to claim 17 comprising a digitizer sensor, wherein the digitizer sensor comprises a grid of conductive lines and wherein the controller is operative to detect a characterization criteria based on number of conductive lines from which the user interaction signals are obtained.
24. The system according to claim 23 wherein the digitizer sensor is transparent.
25. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to characterize the user interaction signals once for the specific user.
26. The system according to claim 17, wherein the amplitude gradient characterized by the controller is an amplitude gradient obtained from an intended user interaction.
27. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to update the at least one characterization periodically based on the subsequent detected signals.
28. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to detect at least one characterization automatically during the specific user's operation of the digitizer system.
29. The system according to claim 17 wherein the characterization is based on averages of a plurality of signals.
30. The system according to claim 17 comprising a GUI to guide the specific user through a calibration procedure to characterize the user interaction signals.
31. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to identify the specific user.
32. The system according to claim 17 wherein a host computer associated with the digitizer is operative to identify the specific user.
33. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to characterize the user interaction signals of a finger of the specific user, selected for user interaction.
34. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to characterize the user interaction signals of a plurality of fingers of the specific user.
35. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to characterize palm resting signals of the specified user and to determine a characterization to differentiate between the user interaction signals and the palm resting signals.
36. The system according to claim 17 wherein the intended user interaction is stylus together with finger touch.
37. The system according to claim 36 wherein detection of the stylus is implemented to characterize a concurrent finger touch.
38. The method of claim 1, wherein the amplitude gradient characterized is an amplitude gradient obtained from an intended user interaction.
39. The method according to claim 38 wherein the intended user interaction that is characterized is finger touch.
40. The method according to claim 38 wherein the intended user interaction that is characterized is finger hovering.
41. The method according to claim 38 comprising characterizing the intended user interaction signals of the specific user based on a number of conductive lines on the digitizer from which the intended user interaction signals are obtained.
42. The method according to claim 38 comprising characterizing the intended user interaction signals of the specific user based on a pattern of signal amplitudes of the intended user interaction signals.
43. The method according to claim 38 comprising characterizing the intended user interaction signals of the specific user based on an area on the digitizer over which the intended user interaction signals are obtained.
44. The method according to claim 38 comprising characterizing the intended user interaction signals of the specific user based on a dimension of an area over which the intended user interaction signals are obtained.
45. The method according to claim 38 comprising characterizing the intended user interaction signals of the specific user based on at least one of shape and pressure of the intended user interaction on the digitizer.
46. The system according to claim 26, wherein the intended user interaction is finger touch.
47. The system according to claim 26, wherein the intended user interaction is finger hovering.
48. The system according to claim 26, wherein the intended user interaction is detected by capacitive touch methods.
49. The system according to claim 26, wherein the controller is operative to determine a characterization criteria based on a pattern of signal amplitudes of the intended user interaction signals.
50. The system according to 26, wherein the controller is operative to determine a characterization criteria based on a range of an area over which the intended user interaction signals are detected.
51. The system according to claim 26, wherein the controller is operative to determine a characterization criteria based on a dimension of an area over which the intended user interaction signals are detected.
52. The system according to claim 26, wherein the characterizing includes characterizing at least one of shape and pressure of the intended user interaction on the digitizer.
53. The system according to claim 17 wherein the controller is operative to characterize the user interaction signals during a system startup.
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