Multi-Pointer Indirect Input Device Acceleration Mapping

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-pointer indirect input devices face challenges in managing pointer ballistics and resolution differences between the input sensor and target display, making precise pixel-level point-to-point navigation difficult due to the complexity of mapping multiple input points.

Innovation Solution

The system identifies a characteristic input point with the least displacement and uses this to adjust the mapping of multiple input points from the sensor to their corresponding display coordinates, employing viewport selection and input mapping modules to manage viewport size, position, and bounding conditions, and applying acceleration and span adjustments to ensure accurate display mapping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If acceleration and deceleration (pointer ballistics) are applied to achieve pixel-level targeting precision, then navigation precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepixel-level targeting precisionVSAvoidmapping system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies acceleration and deceleration parameters to the pointer movement to achieve pixel-level precision. The mapping system dynamically adjusts movement parameters based on distance to target, applying acceleration when far from target and deceleration when approaching, thereby resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity through parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the input device sensor spans only a subset of the target display coordinate space in relative mapping mode, then ease of operation is improved, but navigation efficiency deteriorates due to multiple strokes required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinput device usabilityVSAvoidnavigation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic viewport adjustment where the mapping relationship between sensor and display changes based on pointer position and movement characteristics. The viewport can expand, contract, or reposition dynamically, allowing the system to maintain ease of operation while reducing the number of strokes needed for navigation across the display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the input sensor has smaller resolution or large aspect ratio difference relative to display coordinate space in absolute mapping mode, then adaptability is improved, but pixel-level navigation precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemapping mode flexibilityVSAvoidpoint-to-point navigation precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts mapping parameters including resolution scaling and aspect ratio compensation based on the specific input device characteristics and current operational context. By changing these parameters adaptively rather than using fixed mappings, the system maintains versatility while achieving pixel-level precision when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Device complexity

If multiple input points are mapped directly without acceleration adjustment, then device complexity is reduced, but spatial accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemapping computation simplicityVSAvoidspatial accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different acceleration adjustments to different input points based on their local characteristics such as distance to target, movement velocity, and positional importance. Rather than applying uniform processing to all points, the system tailors the acceleration parameters locally for each point, maintaining spatial accuracy while avoiding excessive overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2769288B1Acceleration-based interaction for multi-pointer indirect input devices
Publication Date: 2024.05.29 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP2769288B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2769288B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2769288B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An indirect interaction input device, such as but not limited to a touch sensor, can provide multiple points of input. These multiple points are in turn mapped to multiple positions on an output device such as a display. The multiple points of input, however, make the application of pointer ballistics and resolution differences between the input sensor and target display more difficult to manage. Thus, a characteristic of the set of points is identified and used to adjust the mapping of each of the points. For example, one way to solve this problem is to identify the input point with the least displacement from a prior frame, whether from its prior point or from a reference point. This displacement is used to adjust the mapping of the set of input points from the input device to their corresponding display coordinates.