Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8952899B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 00:51:29+00:00

Document:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/927,577, filed Aug. 25, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIGS. 7-9 illustrate in greater detail, in one embodiment, the sensing of a user's fingers over the keys of keyboard 222. In the side view of FIG. 7, left hand 280 is illustrated in a typing position with respect to portable computer 200 in the open position (i.e., display assembly 210 rotated open relative to base assembly 220). Palm 281 rests on touchpad 224, and fingers 283 extend over sensor 240 and keyboard 222. As described above, the palm rest for palm 281 includes touchpad 224 because of the extra-wide or elongated dimensions of touchpad 224. FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 taken along line A-A through base assembly 220, sensor 240, and left hand 280. In one embodiment, sensor 240 includes a first imaging sensor 275 and a second imaging sensor 276. The imaging sensors may be infrared (IR) sensors that look “upward” (designated by the dash lines) and “see” the cross-sectional view of A-A. First and second imaging sensors 275, 276 examine a planar region in space extending upwards from the general line of sensor 240. For example, the fingers 283 of left hand 280 that breaks the planar region examined by first sensor 275. The sensing of fingers 283 may be associated with the contact patch made by palm 281 on touchpad 224 (e.g., on left region 242 as illustrated in FIG. 4), and as a result, either the entire left region 242 would not be active for any type of touchpad operation or the particular contact patch made by the palm 281 would be rejected, allowing for palm 281 to rest on touchpad 224. Because second sensor 276 does not detect any breaks along its portion of the planar region, portions of touchpad 224 associated with second sensor 276 are responsive to touchpad commands or operations (e.g., middle region 244 and right region 246).
deactivating the first predefined region, independently of a second predefined region of the touchpad, based upon the measured size and trajectory of the contact touch and the strictness criteria.
determining a location of the contact touch on the touchpad, wherein estimating a probability of intentional contact further includes using the location of the contact touch.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the establishing the strictness criteria further comprises repeating the determining of the location, size, and trajectory of the contact touch.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of an intentional contact decreases when the size of the contact touch is relatively large compared to a contact patch made by a finger.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of an intentional contact increases when the trajectory exceeds a predetermined distance.
estimating a probability of intentional contact for the second contact touch using measured quantities of the size and the trajectory of the second contact touch.
9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the establishing the strictness criteria further comprises repeating the determining of the location, size, and trajectory of the contact touch.
10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the probability of an intentional contact increases when the trajectory exceeds a predetermined distance.
11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the probability of an intentional contact decreases when the size of the contact touch is relatively large compared to a contact patch made by a finger.
deactivate the first predefined region, independently of a second predefined region of the touchpad, based upon the measured size and trajectory of the contact touch and the strictness criteria.
determine a location of the contact touch on the touchpad, wherein estimating a probability of intentional contact further includes using the location of the contact touch.
15. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the establishing the strictness criteria further comprises repeating the determining of the location, size, and trajectory of the contact touch.
16. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the probability of an intentional contact decreases when the size of the contact touch is relatively large compared to a contact patch made by a finger.
17. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the probability of an intentional contact increases when the trajectory exceeds a predetermined distance.
estimate a probability of intentional contact for the second contact touch using measured quantities of the size and the trajectory of the second contact touch.
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References: Application No. 05788888
 Application No. 05788888
 Application No. 12160763
 Application No. 08022346
 Application No. 1018237
 Application No. 0823047
 Application No. 200580027691
 Application No. 200580027691
 Application No. 200580027691
 Application No. 2007
 Application No. 2007
 Application No. 2007
 Application No. 05788888
 Application No. 05788888
 Application No. 08022346