Patent ID: 8514187

Claim:
A user interface method comprising: determining a signal profile associated with the use of a manipulator with a touch sensor component, the signal profile corresponding to a plurality of signal levels along a surface of the touch sensor component; calculating a geometrical attribute of that portion of the signal profile having a value that exceeds a threshold signal value; and determining a type of the manipulator based on the calculated geometrical attribute; wherein calculating the geometrical attribute includes calculating a first cross-sectional area of the signal profile at a first threshold signal value, and calculating a second cross-sectional area of the signal profile at a second threshold signal value; and wherein determining the type of the manipulator includes determining that the type of the manipulator is a first type when the first cross-sectional area is substantially equal to a first threshold cross-sectional area, and determining that the type of the manipulator is a second type when the second cross-sectional area is substantially equal to a second threshold cross-sectional area.