U.S. patent application number 12/912472 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-19 for touch sensitive panel supporting stylus input.
This patent application is currently assigned to BROADCOM CORPORATION. Invention is credited to MONIKA GUPTA, BOB LUKAS, SUMANT RANGANATHAN, DAVID A. SOBEL, PIETER VORENKAMP.
Application Number | 20110115741 12/912472 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44010905 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110115741 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LUKAS; BOB ; et al. |
May 19, 2011 |
TOUCH SENSITIVE PANEL SUPPORTING STYLUS INPUT
Abstract
Operating a user input device by scanning touch sensitive
elements of a touch pad to measure touch sensitive element values.
The touch sensitive element values are compared to a stylus input
threshold pattern. Upon a favorable comparison, a stylus input
condition is determined, stylus input touch pad processing settings
are enacted, and a position of the stylus upon the touch pad is
detected. Detection of the stylus position upon the touch pad is
based upon the touch sensitive element values and the stylus input
touch pad processing settings. The touch sensitive element values
are compared to a touching finger threshold pattern. Upon a
favorable comparison, a touching finger condition is determined,
touching finger touch pad processing settings are enacted, and the
touching finger's position upon the touch pad is detected based
upon the touch sensitive element values.
Inventors: |
LUKAS; BOB; (DELTA, CA)
; SOBEL; DAVID A.; (LOS ALTOS, CA) ; GUPTA;
MONIKA; (IRVINE, CA) ; RANGANATHAN; SUMANT;
(SARATOGA, CA) ; VORENKAMP; PIETER; (LAGUNA
NIGUEL, CA) |
Assignee: |
BROADCOM CORPORATION
IRVINE
CA
|
Family ID: |
44010905 |
Appl. No.: |
12/912472 |
Filed: |
October 26, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61261702 |
Nov 16, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/174 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/033 20130101;
G06F 21/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/174 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/045 20060101
G06F003/045 |
Claims
1. A method for operating a user input device comprising: scanning
a plurality of touch sensitive elements of a touch pad to measure a
plurality of touch sensitive element values; comparing the
plurality of touch sensitive element values to a stylus input
threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison: determining a
stylus input condition; enacting stylus input touch pad processing
settings; and detecting a position of the stylus upon the touch pad
based upon the plurality of touch sensitive element values and the
stylus input touch pad processing settings; and comparing the
plurality of touch sensitive element values to a touching finger
threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison: determining a
touching finger condition; enacting touching finger touch pad
processing settings; and detecting a position of the touching
finger upon the touch pad based upon the plurality of touch
sensitive element values.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive element
values are selected from the group consisting of: touch sensitive
element measured capacitance; touch sensitive element measured
inductance; and touch sensitive element measured Radio Frequency
(RF) impedance.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the
plurality of touch sensitive element values to produce one of:
video game controller input; remote control input; vehicle data
input device input; cellular telephone input; portable electronic
device input; computer input; and keypad replacement device
input.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein: the stylus input threshold
pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive element
thresholds for a first proximate group of touch sensitive elements;
and the touching finger threshold pattern comprises substantially
uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a second proximate
group of touch sensitive elements, the second proximate group of
touch sensitive elements greater in number than the first proximate
group of touch sensitive elements.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stylus input touch pad
processing settings have finer resolution than do the touching
finger touch pad processing settings.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein: the stylus input touch pad
processing settings are enacted for a first portion of the touch
pad; and the touching finger touch pad processing settings are
enacted for a second portion of the touch pad.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: ignoring touch
sensitive element values for the second portion of the touch pad;
and processing the touch sensitive element values for the first
portion of the touch pad to determine touch pad input.
8. The method of claim 6, further comprising: processing the touch
sensitive element values for the first portion of the touch pad
using the stylus input touch pad processing settings to determine
first touch pad input; and processing the touch sensitive element
values for the second portion of the touch pad using the touching
finger touch pad processing settings to determine second touch pad
input.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein: the stylus input touch pad
processing settings support single touch input; and the touching
finger touch pad processing settings support multiple touch
input.
10. A method for operating a user input device comprising: scanning
a plurality of touch sensitive elements of a touch pad to measure a
plurality of touch sensitive element values; comparing the
plurality of touch sensitive element values to a stylus input
threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison: determining a
stylus input condition; and enacting stylus input touch pad
processing settings; comparing the plurality of touch sensitive
element values to a touching finger threshold pattern and, upon a
favorable comparison: determining a touching finger condition; and
enacting touching finger touch pad processing settings; processing
the plurality of touch sensitive element values based upon an
enacted one of the stylus input touch pad processing settings and
the touching finger touch pad processing settings to produce touch
pad input.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the
touch pad input to a remote device via a communications interface
of the user input device.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein: the stylus input threshold
pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive element
thresholds for a first proximate group of touch sensitive elements;
and the touching finger threshold pattern comprises substantially
uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a second proximate
group of touch sensitive elements, the second proximate group of
touch sensitive elements greater in number than the first proximate
group of touch sensitive elements.
13. A user input device comprising: a communications interface; a
touch pad having a plurality of touch sensitive elements; and
processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and to
the touch pad, the processing circuitry operable to: scan the
plurality of touch sensitive elements to measure a plurality of
touch sensitive element values; compare the plurality of touch
sensitive element values to a stylus input threshold pattern and,
upon a favorable comparison: determine a stylus input condition;
and enact stylus input touch pad processing settings; compare the
plurality of touch sensitive element values to a touching finger
threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison: determine a
touching finger condition; and enact touching finger touch pad
processing settings; process the plurality of touch sensitive
element values based upon an enacted one of the stylus input touch
pad processing settings and the touching finger touch pad
processing settings to produce touch pad input.
14. The user input device of claim 13, wherein touch sensitive
element values are selected from the group consisting of: touch
sensitive element measured capacitance; touch sensitive element
measured inductance; and touch sensitive element measured Radio
Frequency (RF) impedance.
15. The user input device of claim 13, wherein the user input
device comprises one of: a video game controller; a remote control;
a vehicle data input device; a cellular telephone; a portable
electronic device; a computer; and a keypad replacement device.
16. The user input device of claim 13, wherein: the stylus input
threshold pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive
element thresholds for a first proximate group of touch sensitive
elements; and the touching finger threshold pattern comprises
substantially uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a
second proximate group of touch sensitive elements, the second
proximate group of touch sensitive elements greater in number than
the first proximate group of touch sensitive elements.
17. The user input device of claim 13: further comprising a touch
pad display coupled to the processing circuitry and corresponding
to the touch pad, the touch pad display having a plurality of
display elements configured to display at least one simulated
button, each simulated button corresponding to a plurality of touch
sensitive elements; and wherein upon the processing circuitry is
operable to cause the touch pad display to indicate depression of a
simulated button based upon the touch pad input.
18. The user input device of claim 13, wherein the stylus input
touch pad processing settings have finer resolution than do the
touching finger touch pad processing settings.
19. The user input device of claim 13, wherein: the processing
circuitry enacts the stylus input touch pad processing settings for
a first portion of the touch pad; and the processing circuitry
enacts the touching finger touch pad processing settings for a
second portion of the touch pad.
20. The user input device of claim 19, wherein: the processing
circuitry ignores touch sensitive element values for the second
portion of the touch pad; and the processing circuitry processes
touch sensitive element values for the first portion of the touch
pad to determine the touch pad input.
21. The user input device of claim 19, wherein: the processing
circuitry supports single touch input for the stylus input touch
pad processing settings; and the processing circuitry supports
multiple touch input for the touching finger touch pad processing
settings.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATION
[0001] The present U.S. Utility Patent Application claims priority
pursuant to 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application
Ser. No. 61/261,702, entitled "TOUCH PAD USER IDENTIFICATION,
GAMING INPUT, AND PREFERENCE INPUT," (Attorney Docket No. BP20924),
filed Nov. 16, 2009, pending, which is hereby incorporated herein
by reference in its entirety and made part of the present U.S.
Utility Patent Application for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to electronic
devices, and more particularly to electronic devices having touch
pads/panels.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] User gaming devices are fairly well known. These devices
include game consoles with communicatively coupled controllers such
as Nintendo game consoles, Sony game consoles, Microsoft game
consoles, and various other game console devices. These game
consoles couple to a television, may couple to an audio system, and
support user game playing. Some of these game consoles support
wireless communications with handheld game controllers and/or other
game controllers. For example, the Nintendo Wii includes handheld
controllers that detect their orientation to some degree,
acceleration to some degree, and receive standard button inputs
from a user. This information is wirelessly relayed to the game
controller to control operation of corresponding game elements
within the gaming environment. Other game controllers may include
simulated game pieces such as musical instruments, baseball bats,
golf clubs, and various other types of simulated devices. Further,
other types of gaming systems are contained in a single unit such
as the Nintendo GameBoy and the Sony PlayStation Portable, among
other units.
[0006] With the continued advancement of technology, the
complexities and capabilities of game consoles have become
advanced. The game controllers support sophisticated gaming inputs
received via numerous input sources, e.g., buttons, accelerometers,
IR orientation detectors, positional detectors, and various other
gaming inputs. The gaming environment in which these gaming inputs
are received is very complex, providing a fairly realistic
experience for a user of the gaming device/console. While some
games supported by a game console may support only a few gaming
inputs, other games require a large number of gaming inputs.
[0007] Most game consoles support many differing games, which are
software controlled via respective software programming. Sometimes
game controllers are specific to the particular game being
supported, e.g., guitar hero, rock star, and various other
particular types of games. In such a case, these various types of
inputs must be supported by differing unique game controllers. The
expense and complexity of the multiple game controllers can be
overwhelming for some users from a cost standpoint.
[0008] Many gaming systems are contained within one unit such as
the Nintendo Game Boy and its successors and the Sony Play Station
and its successors, for example. These gaming systems include
processing resources and a user interface contained within a single
unit. With these units, various buttons receive user input while a
display and speakers provide user output. Because of the limited
battery life available for these units, their functionality has
been limited in some regard.
[0009] Audio/video entertainment systems that include cable boxes,
satellite boxes, and audio visual components typically include one
or more remote control devices. These remote control devices allow
users to remotely control system operation. Such technology is very
old and has been prevalent for a number of years. However, one
problem with these devices is that the operation generally of the
set-top box is generic to all users and must be uniquely programmed
if desired for a particular user. However, this particular
programming in other settings is typically applied across the board
to all potential users of the device.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods
of operation that are further described in the following Brief
Description of the Drawings, the Detailed Description, and the
claims. Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of the
invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a system diagram illustrating a video game system
constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a system diagram illustrating an audio/video
entertainment system constructed according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a game console
constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 4A is a first perspective view of a game controller
constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 4B is a second perspective view of the game controller
of FIG. 3A that is constructed according to one or more embodiments
of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a game controller and
coupled secondary game controller, both of which are constructed
according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a game controller
constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an entertainment
system remote control constructed according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a touch pad and touch
pad circuitry constructed according to one or more embodiments of
the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating both a
user's finger and a stylus touching a touch pad constructed and
operating according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a touch pad and the manner
in which a touching finger and a touching stylus may be detected
via differing capacitance levels according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a user
input device (video game controller, video game console, remote
control, automobile data input device, keypad replacement device,
etc.) according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating particular operations of
the user input device of FIG. 11 when enacting stylus input touch
pad settings and touching finger touch pad settings according to
one or more embodiments of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a touch pad that
operates according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention; and
[0025] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a touch pad that
operates according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] FIG. 1 is a system diagram illustrating a video game system
constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. The gaming system 100 of FIG. 1 includes a game console
102 and a plurality of game controllers 108A, 108B, and 108C. The
game console 102 couples to an audio/visual system 104 that
includes a video monitor and an audio system. The game console 102
also couples to an infrared (IR) detector 106.
[0027] The game controllers 108A, 108B, and 108C communicate with
the game console 102 via one or more of a wired and/or wireless
communication link. The wired communication link may be a tethered
controller including conductors that support wired communications.
Wireless communications may be in various Radio Frequency (RF)
bands and/or in the infrared range. Thus, each of the game
controllers 108A, 108B, and 108C includes communication circuitry
that allow the game controllers 108A, 108B, and 108C to communicate
with the game console 102.
[0028] According to one or more embodiments of the present
invention, each of game controllers 108A, 108B, and 108C includes
one or more touch pads/touch panels/touch sensitive pads (referred
to herein interchangeably) 110A, 110B, and 110C, respectively.
According to some aspects of the present invention, the touch pads
110A, 110B, and 110C of the game controllers 108A, 108B, and 108C
are used to identify users of the game controllers, to provide
gaming input, to determine whether a user is active, and/or to
provide other information to the game console 102 for subsequent
action. Data captured by the touch pads 110A, 110B, and 110C may be
solely processed by a host game controller, e.g., 108A, may be
partially processed and transmitted to the game console 102 for
further processing, or may be transferred in an unprocessed format
from the game controller 108A to the game console 102. Based upon
one or more embodiments of the present invention, touch pads are
coupled to touch pad circuitry that measures capacitance
(inductance or RF propagation) characteristics observed by a
plurality of touch sensitive elements of the touch pads.
[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each
of the game controllers 108A, 108B, and 108C includes touch pads
110A, 110B, and 110C that support both finger and stylus inputs.
With the finger input operations of the touch pads 110A, 110B, and
110C, the touch pads enact touching finger touch pad processing
settings that are tailored for receiving input via a finger of the
user. In another operation, each of the touch pads 110A, 110B, and
110C enact stylus input touch pad processing settings that are
tailored for receipt of input by a stylus. Distinguishing touching
finger input from stylus input allows a user to more finely control
or to provide greater resolution in inputs when using a stylus. It
is generally known that styluses used in conjunction with touch
pads have a magnetic or metallic end portion that has a relatively
small diameter. When this end portion or tip of the stylus touches
a touch pad, it has a much smaller cross section than a finger
touching a touch pad. In this case, the use of a stylus as an input
to touch pads 110A, 110B, and 110C provides greater resolution for
input to a game service by game console 102 and game controllers
108A, 108B, or 108C. The game console 102 may include one or more
touch pads that support both stylus input and touching finger
input.
[0030] The inventive concepts described herein may also be applied
to/embodied by a single package video game, i.e., a video game
system that is contained in a single housing, a single package
telephone, a single package remote control, a single package
computer, a computer touch pad display, or other single package
device. Such single package system includes a display, a user
input, which includes one or more touch pads, processing
components, memory components, and powering components, such as a
battery and power circuitry. Thus, the teachings of the present
invention further apply to all forms of touch sensitive systems
including touch sensitive panel computers, touch sensitive panel
monitors, touch sensitive panel laptop computers, smart phones,
etc.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a system diagram illustrating an audio/video
entertainment system constructed according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention. The audio/video entertainment
system 200 includes a multimedia system 202 that couples to monitor
204 and related multimedia system components such as speakers,
audio components such as CD Players, DVD Players, tape deck, and/or
various other multimedia system components. In some embodiments,
the multimedia system 202, the monitor 204, and the IR detector 206
may be contained in single housing, e.g., stand-alone television,
television with stereo, television with CD/DVD/tape deck, etc.
[0032] The multimedia system 202 also couples to an IR detector 206
or has such an IR detector built-in. The audio/video entertainment
system 200 of FIG. 2 further includes at least one remote control
208A, 208B, and/or 208C. Each of these remote controls 208A, 208B,
and 208C includes respective touch pads 210A, 210B, and 210C.
[0033] Each of remote controls 208A, 208B, and 208C includes touch
pads 210A, 210B, and 210C that support both stylus input and
touching finger input. As was previously described with reference
to FIG. 1, the stylus input and touching finger input are supported
via different processing settings. The processing settings for
processing input from the touch pads 210A, 210B, and 210C differ
for stylus input touch pad operations and touching finger touch pad
operations.
[0034] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a game console
constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. The game console 302 of FIG. 3 includes a wireless
interface(s) 304, an infrared interface 306, an IR Transmit/Receive
element 307, processing circuitry 308, one or more wired interfaces
310, and memory 312. The game console 302 typically also includes a
user interface 314, a video interface 316, an audio interface 318,
and may include a video camera/video camera interface 320. The
wireless interface(s) 304 support wireless communications with at
least the game controllers 108A, 108B, and 108C described with
reference to FIG. 1. This wireless interface may be a Bluetooth
interface, a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface, or
another type of wireless communication interface that supports
communications between the game console 302 and one or more game
controllers. Further, the wireless interface 304 may support
communications with a WLAN router or access point, a cellular
infrastructure, a satellite communications network, or another type
of wireless communications systems.
[0035] The IR interface 306 couples to the IR transmit/receive
element 307 and supports IR communications with game controllers
108A, 108B, and 108C as shown in FIG. 1. The IR communications
between the game console 302 and the game controllers 108A, 108B,
and 108C may support an industry standard or proprietary
communications protocol. The processing circuitry 308 may include
one or more of a system processor, a digital signal processor, a
processing module, dedicated hardware, application specific
integrated circuit, or other circuitry that is capable of executing
software instructions and for processing data. The processing
circuitry 308 may perform some processing to detect a hovering
finger and determine a position of the hovering finger, and then
use that input as gaming input or non-gaming input. The memory 312
may be RAM, ROM, FLASH RAM, FLASH ROM, an optical memory, magnetic
memory, or other types of memory that is capable of storing data
and/or instructions in allowing processing circuitry to access
same. The wired interface(s) 310 may include a USB interface, a
fire wire interface, a serial interface, a parallel interface, an
optical interface, or another type of interface supported by a
media that is copper, metal, or optical.
[0036] The user interface 314 may include a keypad, a video
display, cursor control, a touch pad, or other type of interface
that allows a user to interface with the game console 302. The
video interface 316 couples the game console 302 to one or more
video monitors to provide display for the gaming environment
supported by game console 302. The communications link between the
video interface 316 on the video monitor(s) may be an HDMI
interface, a composite video interface, component video interface,
an S-video interface, or another type of video interface supported
by both the video monitor and the game console 302. The audio
interface 318 couples the game console 312 to speakers and/or
microphones for audio content delivery and receipt. The video
camera/video camera interface 302 may include an onboard video
camera or may couple the game console 302 to an external video
camera. The external video camera may be used to provide gaming
input or other types of information that the game console 302 uses
within its operation to produce a gaming environment.
[0037] The game console 302 may receive touch pad input from one or
more coupled game controllers. This touch pad input may be input
caused by the use of a stylus or the finger (or other body part) of
a user. According to one aspect of the present invention, the game
console 302 may operate in conjunction with one or more game
controllers to initiate stylus input touch pad processing settings
and touching finger touch pad processing settings. For each of the
particular cases, the input received from the touch pad indicative
of a touch of a stylus or a finger of locations corresponding to a
plurality of touch sensitive elements will cause different user
inputs to be produced based upon which processing settings are
enacted.
[0038] The game console 302 may direct one or more game controllers
to enact one or more of the stylus input touch pad processing
settings and the touching finger touch pad processing settings
based upon a particular gaming operation, based upon input from the
touch pad, or based upon other operational conditions. For example,
in some cases, the game console 302 may support a video game that
has a portion or segment that is designed to receive stylus input.
In such case, the game console 302 may enact stylus input touch pad
processing settings for the particular portion of the game.
Likewise, other portions of the supported game of the game console
302 may require touching finger touch pad processing settings to
receive user finger input for those portions. In this case, the
game console 302 therefore initiates the stylus input touch pad
processing settings and the touching finger touch pad processing
settings at different points in the operation of the game.
[0039] FIG. 4A is a first perspective view of a game controller
constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 4A, a game controller 402 includes a
cursor control 404, mechanical buttons 410 and 406, and may include
a touch pad 408. The cursor control 404 may be a touch pad. When
404 and 408 are both touch pads, they receive inputs and may be
used for user identification, gaming input, or other operations
supported by the gaming system and includes game controller 402.
The touch pad 408 of the gaming controller 402 of FIG. 4A may
support both stylus input and touching finger input.
[0040] FIG. 4B is a second perspective view of the game controller
402 of FIG. 4A that is constructed according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4B, a
reverse portion of the game controller 402 may include a touch pad
452. The touch pad 452 may wrap around a back portion of the game
controller 402. Alternatively, the touch pad 452 may reside on a
battery cover of the game controller 402. As will be described
further herein, the touch pad 452 includes a plurality of touch pad
locations/touch sensitive elements that receive input that may be
further used for user ID, gaming input, and/or other purposes. The
touch pad 452 of FIG. 4B supports both stylus input touch pad
processing settings and touching finger touch pad processing
settings according to one or more operations of the present
invention.
[0041] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a game controller and
coupled secondary game controller, both of which are constructed
according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. As
shown in FIG. 5, primary game controller 502 includes a display
506, a circular input device 508, and input devices 510, 512, 514,
516, 518, and 520. Any of these input devices 508, 510, 512, 514,
516, 518, and 520 of primary game controller 502 may be touch pads,
as is further described herein. These touch pads receive gaming
input in a manner that is consistent with mechanical counterparts
that were previously implemented according to prior devices.
[0042] The primary game controller 502 couples to secondary game
controller 504 via either a wired or a wireless interface. The
secondary game controller 504 includes input components 521, 522,
and 524. These input components 521, 522, and 524 of the secondary
game controller 504 may be embodied by either mechanical input
devices or touch pads. The manners in which touch pads are
implemented are described further herein. Data collected from these
input components 521, 522, and 524 are relayed to game controller
502, which may process the inputs. Alternately, the input received
from input components 521, 522, and/or 524 may be relayed to a
servicing game console. The primary game controller 502 and the
secondary game controller 504 may both be hand-held devices.
Alternately, one or the other of these game controllers may be
placed on the floor, inserted into a simulated gaming piece, e.g.,
guitar, drums, simulated golf club, simulated baseball bat, etc.
Each of these game controllers 502 and 504 may capture touch pad
input as is further described herein with reference to the FIGs.
The touch pad input captured by game controllers 502 and 504 may be
processed to produce combined gaming input or transmitted
separately to a game console 202. The combined or separate touch
pad input may be used as gaming input, may be processed to identify
a user, or may be processed to otherwise provide input to a
supported video game.
[0043] Still referring to FIG. 5, the input devices 521, 522, 524,
508, 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, and 520 may be touch pads that
support both stylus input touch pad processing settings and
touching finger touch pad processing settings according to one or
more embodiments of the present invention. In some operations, the
stylus input touch pad processing settings are enacted based upon
detection of a touch of a stylus. In other operations, the stylus
input processing settings are enacted based upon a direction
received from game console as was just described with reference to
FIG. 3. In either case, when the stylus input touch pad processing
settings are enacted, the touch pads of the game controllers 502,
and 504 will be tailored to receive input via a touch pad based
upon the expected stylus characteristics. The game controller 504
may produce user input based upon the stylus input and relay the
user input to a game console.
[0044] Likewise, each of the touch pads 522, 524, 514, 516, 518,
and 520 may also be configured to enact touching finger touch pad
processing settings. The touching finger touch pad processing
settings are tailored for receipt of user input via a user's
finger, as contrasted to the use of a stylus by a user. In such
case, the user input received by the touching finger may be used to
produce user input that is relayed from game controller 502 to a
game console.
[0045] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a game controller
constructed according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. The game controller 602 includes one or more wireless
interfaces 604, an IR interface 606 that includes an IR
transmit/receive element 608, processing circuitry 610, wired
interface(s) 612, memory 614, and user interface(s) 616. These
particular components of the game controller 602 may be similar to
the like named components of the game console 302 illustrated in
FIG. 3 and described with reference thereto. However, in other
embodiments, these like named components may have differing
construct/functionality, e.g., smaller memory, less processing
capability, lower power wireless interfaces, etc. Thus, commonly
named components will not be described further herein as they have
been previously described with reference to FIG. 3.
[0046] The game controller 602 includes one or more touch pad(s)
618, motion/position detector 620, orientation detector 622,
display 624, speaker/microphone 626, and a video camera 628. The
game controller may also include other components such as one or
more environmental conditions detectors 630 that are used to sense
environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and other
environmental conditions. The structure and operations of the touch
pads 618 will be described further herein with reference to
subsequent FIGs. The motion/position detector 620 detects
motion/acceleration of the game controller 602. Detection of such
motion/acceleration may be performed in conjunction with the game
controller, using a GPS system, using an accelerometer or gyrator
of the game controller 602 and/or using external components to
determine motion/acceleration position of the game controller. The
motion/position detector 620 may also determine position of the
game controller. The manner in which the motion/position detector
620 determines the position of the game controller 602 is not
described further herein. However, the position detector 620 may
use external reference devices in order to determine position of
the game controller within a gaming environment. Motion,
acceleration, and position of the game controller 602 may be
provided to a servicing game console as a gaming input. The game
controller 602 supports detection of a hovering finger and
determines a position of the hovering finger, as described
herein.
[0047] The orientation detector 622 determines an orientation
and/or direction in which the game controller is pointed. Such
orientation detection provided by orientation detector 622 may be
accomplished in conjunction with the IR interface 606 of the game
controller 602. Such orientation detection may be performed in
conjunction with the IR detector 106 of the gaming system 100 of
FIG. 1.
[0048] The display 624 of the game controller 602 may have a
relatively small size or relatively large size that presents
information to a user and that allows the user to respond
accordingly. The speaker/microphone 626 may receive audio input and
provide audio output to a user of the game controller 602. Audio
input captured by the microphone may be used in conjunction with
touch pad 618 input for user identification and/or for gaming
input. Video camera 628 of the game controller may be used to
determine a location of the game controller and/or may be used to
provide additional gaming input for gaming environments supported
by the game controller 602.
[0049] According to one particular aspect of the gaming system of
FIG. 1, the touch pad(s) 618 of the game controller 602 (and/or
game console) may be capacitive, inductive, or RF based. With
regard to inputs received via the touch pad of the game controller,
the raw data received by the touch pad of the game controller may
be fully communicated to the game console of the gaming system.
Alternatively, information captured via the touch pad(s) 618 of the
game controller may be processed by the processing circuitry 610 of
the game controller 602 (or other processing circuitry such as the
touch pad processing circuitry shown in FIG. 6, which may be
different or the same as the processing circuitry 610) prior to
communicating such information to the game console 102 of FIG. 1.
Such processing may be full or partial to determine whether and
what data to upload to the game console.
[0050] Referring again to FIG. 5, the touch pad input received by
game controller may be received at both primary 502 and secondary
504 game controllers of FIG. 5. The input received from multiple
touch pads of the primary and secondary game controllers 502 and
504 may be received and at least partially processed by processing
circuitry of the game controller(s) prior to uploading the data to
a game console. The basis for touch pad input processing may be
based upon a current usage of the game controllers. For example,
the primary game controller 502 may be relevant to a first portion
of a user's body while the secondary game controller 504 may be
relevant to a second portion of a user's body.
[0051] Referring again to FIG. 6, the game controller includes
touch pads 618. These touch pads 618 support both stylus input and
touching finger input. According to some operations of the present
invention, the processing circuitry 610 enacts stylus touch pad
processing settings based upon a direction received from a game
console or by meeting a stylus input condition. The stylus input
condition is met when the game controller 602 detects that a stylus
is being used to provide input to the touch pads 618. Likewise, the
processing circuitry 610 implements touching finger touch pad
processing settings for touch pads 618 upon detection of a touching
finger or based upon direction received from the game controller
via wireless interface 604 or infrared interface 606, or wired
interface 612. In such case, the further operations of the touch
pads 618 to receive user input are based upon the enacted
settings.
[0052] In another embodiment of the present invention, the
structure 602 of FIG. 6 is a single unit video game with the
entirety of a video game supported thereby. With this embodiment,
both stylus input and touch pad input are supported by the touch
pad(s) 618.
[0053] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an entertainment
system remote control constructed according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention. The remote control 702 may be
used as one of the remote controls 208A, 208B, or 208C in
conjunction with the multimedia system 202 of the system 200 of
FIG. 2. The remote control includes one or more wireless interfaces
704, IR interface 706 that includes an IR T/R element 708,
processing circuitry 710 and one or more wired interfaces 712. The
remote control 702 further includes memory 714, one or more user
interfaces 716, one or more touch pads 718, and/or one or more
displays 720. The remote control 702 of FIG. 7 may include
components that are of same/similar construct as those components
previously described with reference to the game controller 602 of
FIG. 6. However, as is illustrated in FIG. 7, the remote control
702 may have fewer components than those typically included with a
game controller. The functions of each of the components of the
remote control 702 of FIG. 7 may have similar input characteristics
to those of game controller 602 of FIG. 6. The touch pads 718 and
supporting circuitry 710 may be configured to enact one or both of
the stylus input touch pad processing settings and touching finger
touch pad processing settings.
[0054] As will be further described with reference to subsequent
FIGs herein (and also for any of the game console, game controller
or remote control), the stylus input processing settings may be
enacted for a portion of the touch pad 718 and the touching finger
touch pad processing settings may be enacted for a second portion
of the touch pad 718. In either case, when the touch pad 718 is
configured for particular types of input, the processing circuitry
710 will process touch sensitive element values based upon the
settings to produce user input. Such user input may be relayed to
the multimedia system 202 of FIG. 2 via wireless interface 704,
infrared interface 706, or wired interface 712.
[0055] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a touch sensitive pad
and touch pad circuitry constructed according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention. A touch pad 802 includes a
plurality of touch sensitive elements 804 each of which corresponds
to a particular location of the touch pad 802. With the embodiment
of FIG. 8, the touch pad includes an array of touch sensitive
elements 804, each of which may be a particular capacitively
coupled location, inductively coupled location, or a radio
frequency (RF) touch sensitive element. Touch pad circuitry 806
couples via a grid structure to the plurality of touch sensitive
elements 804 to sense the particular capacitance, inductive, or RF
characteristics at each of the touch sensitive elements.
[0056] Touch pad circuitry 806 scans the plurality of touch
sensitive elements 804 via access of particular row-column
combinations at particular times. The frequency or voltage at which
the touch pad circuitry 806 scans the plurality of touch sensitive
elements 804 may be altered over time. Choosing the scanning
frequency or scanning voltage may be based upon a particular
operational use of the touch pad. For example, at some points in
time the manner in which the touch pad is scanned will change based
upon a particular point in a game of a gaming system with which the
touch pad functions as a gaming input device. Further, a first
scanning frequency/scanning voltage may be employed for user
identification while a second scanning frequency/scanning voltage
may be employed for gaming input functions.
[0057] The scanning done by the touch pad circuitry 806 of the
plurality of touch sensitive elements 804 may be made using a
spread spectrum frequency scanning technique. Such technique may be
employed to more efficiently capture information from the touch pad
802 at the various touch sensitive elements 804 or to determine
which particular scanning frequencies are more successful than
others in capturing input information.
[0058] Further, the scanning of each row and column corresponding
to a particular touch sensitive element 804 may be altered based
upon a detected capacitance (inductance/RF propagation) at the
location. For example, one particular touch sensitive element 804
may have a fixed capacitance that does not vary over time. Such
fixed capacitance may indicate that the particular touch sensitive
element 804 is inoperable or that it receives no discernable input.
In such case, by not scanning the particular touch sensitive
element, other touch sensitive elements may be more frequently
scanned or energy may be saved by not scanning all touch sensitive
elements.
[0059] According to another aspect of the present invention, some
portions of the touch pad may be disabled while others are enabled
at differing points in time. Enablement of some touch sensitive
elements and not others may be based upon a custom configuration of
the touch pad for a particular input function provided.
[0060] The touch pad 802 may also be calibrated by the touch pad
circuitry 806 based upon the environmental factors such as
temperature, humidity, and surrounding noise from the capacitance,
inductance, or RF perspective. Calibration of the touch pad 802
allows the touch pad 802 to have more efficient and effective touch
pad input for user identification and/or for other input
purposes.
[0061] The touch pad 802 may also be calibrated by the touch pad
circuitry 806 based upon the environmental factors such as
temperature, humidity, and surrounding noise as detected by
measured capacitance, inductance, or RF propagation
characteristics. Calibration of the touch pad 802 allows the touch
pad 802 to be more efficient and more effectively receive touch pad
input for user identification and/or for other input purposes. The
calibration of the touch pad 802 by the touch pad circuitry 806 may
be initiated at particular points in time. The touch pad circuitry
806 may simply initiate calibration of the touch pad 802 upon the
expiration of a timer such that the touch pad is calibrated at a
particular regular time interval. Alternatively, the touch pad 802
may be calibrated after a period of inactivity, i.e., the touch pad
circuitry 806 performs calibration when it determines that no input
is present on the touch pad 802. With other operations or
embodiments, the touch pad 802 may be calibrated by the touch pad
circuitry 806 using other input criteria as well.
[0062] Still referring to FIG. 8, the touch pad circuitry 806 may
enact stylus input touch pad processing settings and/or touching
finger touch pad processing settings for processing of input
received via the plurality of touch sensitive elements 804. As will
be further described herein, the touch pad circuitry 806 may enact
the stylus input touch pad processing settings upon detection of a
stylus touching the touch pad 802 or upon a direction received
locally or from a remote device Likewise, the touch pad circuitry
806 may enact the touching finger touch pad processing settings
upon detection of a finger touching the touch pad 802 or upon a
direction received locally or from a remote device. Once the
particular processing settings are enacted, the touch pad circuitry
806 processes the plurality of touch sensitive element values
according to such processing settings to produce user input.
[0063] FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating both a
user's finger and a stylus touching a touch pad constructed and
operating according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the touch pad 902 includes a
plurality of touch pad elements 904 that are disposed in two
dimensions, as was shown in FIG. 8, across the touch pad 902. Each
of the touch pad elements 904 is coupled to touch pad circuitry 912
and scanned by the touch pad circuitry 912 to determine a
corresponding plurality of touch sensitive element values. Each
touch sensitive element value corresponds to a particular touch
sensitive element. As was previously described, each of the touch
sensitive element values may be one or more of touch sensitive
element measured capacitance, touch sensitive element measured
inductance, or touch sensitive element measured Radio Frequency
(RF) impedance.
[0064] Processing circuitry 916 couples to touch pad circuitry 912.
The touch pad 902 may include/be constructed in conjunction with a
touch pad display that includes a plurality of touch pad display
elements 910 controlled by touch pad display circuitry 914, which
also couples to processing circuitry 916. The touch pad display
circuitry 914 controls the touch pad display elements 910 to create
visible icons that may be viewed by a user of the touch pad 902.
The manner in which icons are created and displayed is described
further herein with reference to FIG. 14.
[0065] According to one aspect of the present invention, the touch
pad 902 supports both stylus 908 input and touching finger 906
input. As is shown, the stylus 908 has a much smaller diameter at
its tip than does the finger 906 at its tip. The stylus 908
includes a tip that is constructed of a material that causes the
touch pad elements 904 to alter their measurable characteristics
(touch sensitive element values) that are measurable by the touch
pad circuitry 912. A cross section of the touch pad 902 whose touch
sensitive element values are affected by the stylus 908 is
correspondingly smaller than a cross section of the touch pad 902
whose touch sensitive element values are affected by the touching
finger 906. Further, the extent to which a touching finger alters
touch sensitive element values may differ from a touching
stylus.
[0066] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a touch pad and the manner
in which a touching finger and a touching stylus may be detected
via differing capacitance levels according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention. Referring to both FIGS. 9 and
10, the touch sensitive element values are measured by touch pad
circuitry 912 for a plurality of touch sensitive elements 904. For
a location at which a finger touches the touch pad 902, the touch
sensitive element values are depicted as touching finger pattern
1004. Likewise a location upon the touch pad 902 that the stylus
908 touches is depicted as a touching stylus pattern 1002. As is
shown, the touching finger 906 creates a much different touch pad
element value pattern 1004 than does the touch sensitive element
value pattern 1002 created by the stylus 908 touching the touch pad
902. The different characteristics of the touching finger 906 and
the touching stylus 908 as measured by the touch pad circuitry 912
enables the touch pad 902 to differentiate between a touching
finger 906 and a touching stylus 908. Generally, the pattern of the
touch sensitive element values are compared to both a touching
finger threshold pattern and a stylus input threshold pattern.
Based upon this comparison, processing circuitry may enact one or
both of the stylus input touch pad processing settings and the
stylus input touch pad processing settings, as described further
herein. The manner in which the touch pad 902 may be operated to
distinguish these varying operational characteristics and to enact
processing settings based thereon is described further with
reference to FIGS. 11-13.
[0067] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a user
input device (video game controller, video game console, remote
control, automobile data input device, keypad replacement device,
etc.) according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. The operations 1100 commence with touch pad circuitry or
other circuitry scanning a plurality of touch sensitive elements of
a touch pad (step 1102). Based upon the scanning, the touch pad
circuitry in cooperation with the touch pad may determine a stylus
input condition (step 1104), determine a touching finger input
condition (step 1106), or enter touch pad calibration operations
(step 1108).
[0068] The touch pad circuitry determines that a stylus input
condition is met at step 1104 by comparing a plurality of touch
sensitive element values measured at step 1102 to a stylus input
threshold pattern. The determination made at step 1104 is made
based upon a favorable comparison of the plurality of touch
sensitive element values to the stylus input threshold pattern.
Likewise, the touch pad circuitry or other processing circuitry
operating upon the touch pad input determines that a touching
finger input condition is met at step 1106 based upon comparing the
plurality of touch sensitive element values to a touching finger
threshold pattern.
[0069] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the
stylus input threshold pattern has substantially uniform touch
sensitive element thresholds for a first proximate group of touch
sensitive elements. Further, the touching finger threshold pattern
has a substantially uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for
a second group of touch sensitive elements, the second group of
touch sensitive elements corresponding to the touching finger
threshold pattern being is greater in number than the first
proximate group of touch sensitive elements. Such patterns
therefore favor an indication that a touching finger has a greater
surface area in contact with the touch pad than does a stylus.
[0070] Referring again to FIG. 10, the stylus input threshold
pattern may correspond to the touching stylus pattern 1002, while
the touching finger threshold pattern may correspond to the touch
sensitive element values indicated at the touching finger pattern
1004. As shown in FIG. 10, the touching finger threshold pattern
1004 has a greater number of affected touch sensitive elements than
does the touching stylus pattern 1002. Further, as may be the case
based upon the characteristics of the stylus, the affect, e.g.,
capacitance, inductance, change in RF propagation, on the touch
sensitive elements of the touching stylus pattern 1002 may be
greater than the effect on the touch sensitive elements at the
touching finger pattern 1004. Such would be the case if the stylus
tip has a strong magnetic or metallic structure.
[0071] Referring again to FIG. 11, upon a determination of the
stylus input condition at step 1104, the touch pad circuitry or
other circuitry controlling operation of the touch pad enacts
stylus input touch pad processing settings (step 1110). The touch
pad circuitry then processes the touch sensitive element values
using the stylus input touch pad processing settings to produce
user input (step 1112). The processing circuitry or another
component of a device, e.g. game controller or remote control,
vehicle data input device, or key pad replacement device, etc., may
transmit user input to a remote device (step 1114). The user input
is produced by the processing circuitry using the stylus input
touch pad processing settings and the touch sensitive element
values of the plurality of touch sensitive elements of the user
input device. Further, as will be described with reference to FIG.
14, the touch pad display may be operated to indicate a button
depression (step 1116). From step 1116, operation returns to step
1102.
[0072] From step 1106, upon determining a touching finger input
condition, the touch pad circuitry or other processing circuitry
enacts the touching finger touch pad processing settings (step
1118). With the touching finger touch pad processing settings
determined, the user input device processes the touch sensitive
element values of the touch pad using the touching finger touch pad
processing settings to produce user input (step 1120). The device
may then transmit the user input to a remote device (step 1122).
The remote device may be a game console and the user input device
may be a game controller. Alternately, the user input device may be
a remote control and the remote device may be an entertainment
system. Further, the user input device may be a keyboard with a
touch pad built therein and the remote device may be a computer.
The user input device may alternately be a touch pad located within
an automobile and the remote device may be an automobile computer
system. Further, after step 1122, the user input device may
indicate a button depression (step 1124).
[0073] The operations 1100 may further include calibrating the
touch pad (step 1108). The touch pad may be calibrated for stylus
input at step 1126 by directing a user to touch the touch pad at
various locations with a stylus. Then, based upon the touch
sensitive element values received at step 1126, the user input
device determines the stylus input threshold pattern at step 1128,
which is subsequently used for detection of a stylus input
condition. At step 1130, the user input device calibrates the touch
pad for touching finger operations. The calibration operations of
step 1130 may include directing a user to touch various locations
of the touch pad with his or her finger and measuring touch
sensitive element values upon such input condition. Then, at step
1132, the user input device determines the touching finger
threshold pattern based upon the data captured at step 1130.
Operations from step 1124 and step 1132 also return to step
1102.
[0074] According to other operations 1100 of FIG. 11, the stylus
input condition and touching finger condition may be enacted based
upon direction received from another device or from a user. As was
previously described with reference to the gaming system, different
points in the game may require stylus input or touching finger
input. In such case, the direction to configure the touch pad and
related circuitry for either the stylus input or touching finger
input may be done in such a fashion. Upon enacting the stylus input
touch pad processing settings, the touch pad may have a greater
sensitivity, greater scanning rate, or a reduced detected touch
area. These modifications of the operation of the touch pad may
also be enacted based upon a function of the touch pad, e.g. key
pad replacement device, gaming input device, remote control
settings input, etc.
[0075] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating particular operations of
the user input device of FIG. 11 when enacting stylus input touch
pad processing settings and touching finger touch pad processing
settings according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. The operations 1200 of FIG. 12 commence with enacting
stylus input touch pad processing settings for a first portion of a
touch pad (step 1202). Operation continues with enacting touching
finger touch pad processing settings for a second portion of the
touch pad (step 1204). Once the stylus input touch pad processing
settings and the touching finger touch pad processing settings have
been enacted for different portions of the touch pad, the touch pad
circuitry or other processing circuitry may ignore touch sensitive
element values for the second portion of the touch pad and process
touch sensitive element values for the first portion of the touch
pad (step 1206).
[0076] Alternatively, the user input device may differently process
touch sensitive element values received via the first portion of
the touch pad display and/or the second portion of the touch pad
display (step 1208). For example, with the operations 1200 of FIG.
12, one portion of the screen may be set in a stylus input touch
pad processing mode of operation with the other portion of the
screen being set as a touching finger touch pad processing mode of
operation. The operations 1200 of FIG. 12 may be enacted when the
processing circuitry or touch pad circuitry detects a finger
resting on the touch pad. In such case, when the user input device
detects that the finger is resting on the display, it accepts the
stylus input as primary screen input. Further, the touch pad
circuitry may detect that the stylus is resting on the display and
receives touching finger input as primary touch pad input.
[0077] According to other operations of FIG. 12, multi-touch
operations of the touch pad may initiated or ceased with the touch
pad processing settings enacted. For example, with touching finger
touch pad processing settings, multiple fingers may be detected
upon the touch pad. In such case, the multiple touches may be used
to determine touch pad input. Further, when in the stylus input
touch pad processing settings mode, a first touch of the stylus may
be received and stored and, after a delay period, the touch pad
detects a second stylus touch at a different location on the touch
pad and treats the first and second touches as multi-touches for
multi-touch operations of the touch pad. Further, multi-touch
operations may be employed wherein the touching finger provides one
of the multi-touches and the stylus provides a second of the
multi-touches on the touch pad.
[0078] FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a touch pad that
operates according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. Different processing settings may be enacted for
differing portions 1312 and 1314 of the touch pad and touch
sensitive element values for the differing portions 1312 and 1314
may be processed differently. With the example of FIG. 13, touching
fingers are detected at locations 1308 and 1306. Likewise, a stylus
touch in detected at location 1310. Based upon these detected
events, stylus input touch pad processing settings are enacted for
a first portion 1314 of the touch pad 1302 while touching finger
touch pad processing settings are enacted for a second portion 1312
of the touch pad 1302. With these respective processing settings
enacted for the first 1314 and second 1312 portions of the touch
pad 1302, the touch pad circuitry may ignore touch sensitive
element values for the first portion 1314 of the touch pad 1302 and
use touch sensitive element values for the first portion 1312 of
the touch pad 1302 are used to produce touch pad input.
Alternatively, touch sensitive element values of the first portion
1312 of the touch pad 1302 may be ignored and touch sensitive
element values of the second portion 1314 of the touch pad 1302 are
used to determine touch pad input.
[0079] With the example of FIG. 13, the touch sensitive element
values for the first portion 1312 of the touch pad 1302 may be
processed using the touching finger touch pad processing settings
to determine first touch pad input and touch sensitive element
values for the first portion 1314 of the touch pad may be processed
using the stylus input touch pad processing settings to determine
second touch pad input. The touch pad 1302 may be divided into
differing portions in other operations.
[0080] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a touch pad that
operates according to one or more embodiments of the present
invention. The touch pad 1402 of FIG. 14 includes a plurality of
touch sensitive elements 1404. The structure of the touch pad 1402
of FIG. 14 corresponds to the structure described with reference to
FIG. 9 and includes a touch pad display and touch pad display
circuitry. Based upon control of the touch pad display circuitry,
which controls the touch pad display elements, button icons 1406,
1408, 1410, 1412, 1414, 1416, 1418, 1420, 1422, 1424, 1426, and
1428 are displayed to a user. With the example of FIG. 14, each of
these elements is a simulated button with each of the buttons
corresponding to a plurality of touch sensitive elements. The
processing circuitry is operable to cause the touch pad display to
indicate depression of a simulated button based upon the touch pad
input that is received via touch sensitive elements 1404.
[0081] The structure and operation of FIG. 14 may be employed when
the touch pad/touch pad circuitry is configured to receive user
input at particular locations; each input location serving as a
particular button function in some embodiments. For example, when
the user input device is a remote control, a plurality of simulated
buttons 1406, 1408, 1410, 1412, 1414, 1416, 1418, 1420, 1422, 1424,
1426, and 1428 corresponds to functionality of the audio/visual
system. User input (finger input, stylus input, etc) is received by
a user touching the touch pad at location(s) corresponding to the
simulated buttons. Of course, the touch pad display can be
configured to display a limitless number of differing icons and
icon combinations. Thus, the touch pad may be customized to receive
user input in many different manners.
[0082] The terms "circuit" and "circuitry" as used herein may refer
to an independent circuit or to a portion of a multifunctional
circuit that performs multiple underlying functions. For example,
depending on the embodiment, processing circuitry may be
implemented as a single chip processor or as a plurality of
processing chips. Likewise, a first circuit and a second circuit
may be combined in one embodiment into a single circuit or, in
another embodiment, operate independently perhaps in separate
chips. The term "chip," as used herein, refers to an integrated
circuit. Circuits and circuitry may comprise general or specific
purpose hardware, or may comprise such hardware and associated
software such as firmware or object code.
[0083] The present invention has also been described above with the
aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified
functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of
these functional building blocks and method steps have been
arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description.
Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the
specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed.
Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the
scope and spirit of the claimed invention.
[0084] The present invention has been described above with the aid
of functional building blocks illustrating the performance of
certain significant functions. The boundaries of these functional
building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of
description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the
certain significant functions are appropriately performed.
Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily
defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To
the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence
could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain
significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both
functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences
are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. One
of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional
building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and
components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete
components, application specific integrated circuits, processors
executing appropriate software and the like or any combination
thereof.
[0085] As may be used herein, the terms "substantially" and
"approximately" provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its
corresponding term and/or relativity between items. Such an
industry-accepted tolerance ranges from less than one percent to
fifty percent and corresponds to, but is not limited to, component
values, integrated circuit process variations, temperature
variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermal noise. Such
relativity between items ranges from a difference of a few percent
to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, the term(s)
"coupled to" and/or "coupling" and/or includes direct coupling
between items and/or indirect coupling between items via an
intervening item (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, a
component, an element, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for
indirect coupling, the intervening item does not modify the
information of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage
level, and/or power level. As may further be used herein, inferred
coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another element by
inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two items
in the same manner as "coupled to." As may even further be used
herein, the term "operable to" indicates that an item includes one
or more of power connections, input(s), output(s), etc., to perform
one or more its corresponding functions and may further include
inferred coupling to one or more other items. As may still further
be used herein, the term "associated with," includes direct and/or
indirect coupling of separate items and/or one item being embedded
within another item. As may be used herein, the term "compares
favorably," indicates that a comparison between two or more items,
signals, etc., provides a desired relationship. For example, when
the desired relationship is that signal 1 has a greater magnitude
than signal 2, a favorable comparison may be achieved when the
magnitude of signal 1 is greater than that of signal 2 or when the
magnitude of signal 2 is less than that of signal 1.
[0086] The present invention has also been described above with the
aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified
functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of
these functional building blocks and method steps have been
arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description.
Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the
specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed.
Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the
scope and spirit of the claimed invention.
[0087] Moreover, although described in detail for purposes of
clarity and understanding by way of the aforementioned embodiments,
the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It will
be obvious to one of average skill in the art that various changes
and modifications may be practiced within the spirit and scope of
the invention, as limited only by the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *