Control of virtual object using device touch interface functionality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9092135-B2
Application number	US-91736210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2010
Priority date	Nov 1, 2010
Publication date	Jul 28, 2015
Grant date	Jul 28, 2015

Abstract

A virtual object can be controlled using one or more touch interfaces. A location for a first touch input can be determined on a first touch interface. A location for a second touch input can be determined on a second touch interface. A three-dimensional segment can be generated using the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface. The virtual object can be manipulated using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input. The manipulated virtual object can be displayed on a display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a virtual object, comprising:
a) determining a location for a first touch input on a first touch interface, wherein determining the location of the first touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the first touch input on the first touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;
b) determining a location for a second touch input on a second touch interface, wherein determining the location of the second touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the second touch input on the second touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;
c) generating a three-dimensional segment having an orientation determined by the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface; and
d) manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first touch interface is a touch screen.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second touch interface is a touch pad.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first touch interface in a) is situated on a first device and the second touch interface in b) is situated on a second device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first device and the second device are connected over a wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
e) displaying the manipulated virtual object on a display.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein e) includes displaying the virtual object on a display separate from a device containing the first touch interface and a device containing the second touch interface.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein e) includes displaying the virtual object on a first touch screen.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein e) also includes displaying the virtual object on a second touch screen.

10. An apparatus for controlling a virtual object, comprising:
a first touch interface;
a second touch interface;
a processor operably coupled to the first touch interface; and
instructions executable by the processor configured to:
a) determine a location of a first touch input on the first touch interface, wherein determining the location of the first touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the first touch input on the first touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;
b) determine a location of a second touch input on the second touch interface, wherein determining the location of the second touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the second touch input on the second touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;
c) generate a three-dimensional segment having an orientation determined by the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface; and
d) manipulate the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input.

11. The apparatus in claim 10 , wherein the processor is further operably coupled to the second touch interface; and the first touch interface and the second touch interface are both situated on a case having first and second major surfaces.

12. The apparatus in claim 11 , wherein the first touch interface is a touch screen located on the first major surface.

13. The apparatus in claim 12 , wherein the second touch interface is a touch pad located on the second major surface.

14. The apparatus in claim 10 , wherein the first touch interface in a) is situated on a first device and the second touch interface in b) is situated on a second device.

15. The apparatus in claim 14 , wherein the first device and the second device are connected over a wireless network.

16. The apparatus in claim 10 , further comprising a visual display separate from a device containing the first touch interface and a device containing the second touch interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured to:
e) display the manipulated virtual object.

18. A computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for controlling a virtual object using two touch interfaces, said computer program product having:
a) computer readable program code means for determining a location of a first touch input on a first touch interface, wherein determining the location of the first touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the first touch input on the first touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;
b) computer readable program code means for determining a location of a second touch input on a second touch interface, wherein determining the location of the second touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the second touch input on the second touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;
c) computer readable program code means for generating a three-dimensional segment having an orientation determined by the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface; and
d) computer readable program code means for manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , further comprising:
e) computer readable program code means for displaying the manipulated virtual object.

Assignees

• Chen Ruxin
• Sony Computer Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Chen Ruxin

Classifications

• G06F3/04886 Primary

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G06F1/1626 Primary

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• G06F3/04815

  Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object · CPC title

• G06F3/04186

  Touch location disambiguation · CPC title

• G06F2203/04802

  3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user · CPC title