Virtual Touchpad for Wireless Display Cursor Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for wireless display connections, such as Intel Wireless Display (WiDi), WiFi Direct, and Miracast, do not provide a software-based solution for controlling a mouse cursor on an external monitor, limiting user interaction when using a mobile computing device to control an external display.
Innovation Solution
A virtual touch pad apparatus and method that utilizes a mobile device's touch screen to interpret user gestures and translate them into cursor control and keyboard inputs for an external display, allowing software-based control without the need for additional hardware, by employing a graphics processing unit to manage touch data and update graphical content on both the primary and extended screens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wireless display connection technologies (WiDi, WiFi Direct, Miracast) are used to extend display to external monitor, then content streaming capability is improved, but cursor control functionality on external display deteriorates (no software-based control solution exists)
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen serves multiple functions: it acts as both the primary display interface and a virtual touch pad for controlling the external display. By making the touch screen universal, the system eliminates the need for separate hardware controllers while maintaining full cursor control capability on the external monitor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual copy of touch pad functionality on the touch screen surface. By mapping touch screen gestures to cursor movements on the external display, the invention replicates the control experience of having a physical touch pad without requiring additional hardware.
2Ease of operation
If hardware solutions are used to enable cursor control on wireless display, then control functionality is improved, but device complexity and cost deteriorates (requires additional hardware)
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical hardware solution (external touch pad or controller) with a software-based implementation. The touch screen, already present in the mobile device, is repurposed through software to provide cursor control, eliminating the need for additional physical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device uses its own existing touch screen to control the external display, rather than requiring separate control hardware. The system is self-sufficient, utilizing resources already available in the device to provide the needed functionality.
3Device complexity
If traditional wireless display protocols are used, then connection simplicity is improved, but control functionality deteriorates (no gesture interpretation capability)
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the touch screen functionality based on the display mode. When an external display is connected, the touch screen automatically transitions from standard touch interface to virtual touch pad mode, enabling gesture interpretation for cursor control without complicating the connection setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the touch screen based on display configuration. By detecting external display connection, the system modifies the touch screen's behavior to interpret gestures as cursor movements, adding versatility without requiring different hardware configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method are described for using a touch screen device to control an external display. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises a touch screen to receive user touch input and display images; a processor communicatively coupled to the touch screen; a wireless session management module to establish and maintain a wireless display connection with an extended screen responsive to commands from the processor; and the processor to execute a process responsive to the user touch input to transform the touch screen or a portion thereof to a remote control touchpad device usable to provide control functions for content displayed on the extended screen.