Multi-touch Desktop Surface with Segmented Input Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-touch surfaces in desktop environments face limitations due to sensing resolution issues, which affect precision in tasks like typing and selecting fine features, and lack tactile feedback, making users uncomfortable with on-screen keyboards.
Innovation Solution
Integrating a multi-touch surface into a desktop environment by detecting input devices and defining regions for enhanced task bars, multi-functional touch pads, and digital mouse pads, allowing users to perform precise operations using both traditional and multi-touch inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a multi-touch surface replaces traditional input devices in a desktop environment, then interaction efficiency is improved, but sensing resolution is insufficient for precision tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-touch surface is divided into multiple functional zones: a first region for traditional keyboard input and a second region for multi-touch gestures. This segmentation allows each zone to specialize in its optimal input mode, with the keyboard handling precision tasks and the multi-touch surface handling efficient gesture-based operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the multi-touch surface are assigned different input modalities based on their intended use. The first region maintains keyboard characteristics for precision input, while the second region optimizes for multi-touch gestures, creating local quality variations that address different user needs in different areas.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an on-screen keyboard is projected on the multi-touch surface, then device integration is improved, but tactile feedback is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines traditional keyboard and mouse devices with the multi-touch surface into an integrated desktop environment. The keyboard and mouse are positioned on or near the multi-touch surface, creating a unified interaction space that merges the tactile benefits of physical devices with the versatility of multi-touch gestures.
3Measurement precision
If traditional input devices are retained alongside multi-touch surface, then precision input is maintained, but interaction bandwidth is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-touch surface serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a gesture input surface for efficient operations, a positioning surface for traditional mouse input, and a support surface for keyboard input. This multi-functionality increases interaction bandwidth by allowing users to switch between input modes seamlessly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to input device arrangement by positioning the keyboard and mouse in specific regions of the multi-touch surface. This dimensional arrangement allows users to access different input modes by moving to different physical locations, expanding the interaction bandwidth without compromising precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for integrating a multi-touch surface into a desktop environment is disclosed. One or more multi-touch display devices are placed on the horizontal surface surrounding or beneath a keyboard or mouse. At least one region on the multi-touch surface is defined to display one or more user interface tools on the multi-touch surface. The one or more user interface tools displayed via the multi-touch surface may control or display information associated with desktop applications displayed via a primary display device.