Dual touch surface multiple function input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9292114-B2
Application number	US-201213485633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2012
Priority date	May 31, 2012
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

For one disclosed embodiment, an apparatus includes a first housing and a touch input device supported by the first housing. The touch input device includes a first touch surface layer, a second touch surface layer, and a touch sensor disposed between the first touch surface layer and the second touch surface layer. The touch sensor is configured to detect a first touch input associated with the first touch surface layer and a second touch input associated with the second touch surface layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing coupled to the first housing, the first housing and the second housing being rotatable between an open configuration and a closed configuration;
a lid position sensor configured to provide a lid position signal indicative of the first housing and second housing being in either the open configuration or the closed configuration;
a touch input device supported by the first housing, the touch input device including:
a first touch surface layer;
a second touch surface layer; and
a touch sensor disposed between the first touch surface layer and the second touch surface layer, the same touch sensor being configured to detect both a first touch input associated with the first touch surface layer and a second touch input associated with the second touch surface layer;

a display device supported by the second housing, wherein the touch input device is configured such that a portion of the display device is visible through the touch input device when the first housing and the second housing are in the closed configuration;
an orientation sensor configured to provide an orientation signal indicative of an orientation of the touch sensor; and
logic configured to receive the orientation signal from the orientation sensor and the lid position signal from the lid position sensor, and deactivate the touch sensor based upon the lid position signal being indicative of the first housing and the second housing being in the closed configuration and the orientation signal being indicative of the touch sensor being in a downward facing orientation, wherein the logic is further configured to power off a portion of the display device that is not visible through the touch input device responsive to the lid position signal being indicative of the first housing and the second housing being in the closed configuration and the orientation sensor being indicative of the touch sensor not being in a downward facing orientation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first touch surface layer and the second touch surface layer has an at least partially transparent material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least partially transparent material includes one or more of glass and plastic.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the touch input device is positioned in proximity to the display device when the first housing and second housing are in the closed configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
logic configured to identify whether the first housing and the second housing are in the open configuration or the closed configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic is further configured to map the second touch input associated with the second touch surface layer to a display device as a touchscreen interaction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic is further configured to map the first touch input associated with the first touch surface layer to a display device as a touchpad interaction.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a notebook computer.

9. An apparatus, comprising:
first logic configured to receive one or more signals associated with touch input from a touch sensor associated with an electronic device, the touch sensor disposed between a first touch surface layer and a second touch surface layer, the same touch sensor being configured to detect both a first touch input associated with the first touch surface layer and a second touch input associated with the second touch surface layer;
second logic configured to map touch input to a display device associated with the electronic device;
a lid position sensor configured to provide a lid position signal indicative of the electronic device being in either an open configuration or a closed configuration, wherein the touch sensor is configured such that a portion of the display device is visible through the touch sensor when the electronic device is in the closed configuration;
an orientation sensor configured to provide an orientation signal indicative of an orientation of the touch sensor; and
third logic configured to receive the orientation signal from the orientation sensor and the lid position signal from the lid position sensor, and deactivate the touch sensor based upon the lid position signal being indicative of the electronic device being in the closed configuration and the orientation signal being indicative of the touch sensor being in a downward facing orientation, wherein the third logic is further configured to power off a portion of the display device that is not visible through the touch sensor responsive to the lid position signal being indicative of the electronic device being in the closed configuration and the orientation sensor being indicative of the touch sensor not being in a downward facing orientation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second logic is configured to ma touch input to the display device based upon whether the electronic device is in an open configuration or a closed configuration.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising fourth logic configured to identify whether the electronic device is in the open configuration or the closed configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising fifth logic configured to reduce power to a portion of the display device if the electronic device is in the closed configuration.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first touch surface layer and the second touch surface layer has an at least partially transparent material.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least partially transparent material includes one or more of glass and plastic.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
wherein the second logic is configured to map the second touch input associated with the second touch surface layer to the display device as a touchscreen interaction.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second touch input has touchpad coordinates associated therewith, and wherein the second logic is configured to map the second touch input to the display device by inverting the touchpad coordinates associated with the second touch input.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second logic is configured to map the first touch input associated with the first touch surface layer to the display device as a touchpad interaction.

18. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
logic configured to determine whether the first touch input is associated with a touchpad activation area of the first touch surface layer; and
logic configured to activate a touchpad mode of the electronic device if the touch input is associated with the touchpad activation area.

19. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
logic configured to determine whether the first touch input is associated with a gesture area of the first touch surface layer; and
logic configured to map the first touch input to the display device as a gesture if the touch input is associated with the gesture area.

20. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
logic configured to reduce power to one or more of the touch sensor and a portion of the display device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising:
logic configured to determine whether one or more of the display device and the touch sensor are oriented in a predetermined direction; and
logic configured to reduce power to one or more of the display device

Assignees

• Adamson Peter S
• Paek Gary
• Oakley Nicholas W
• Valavi John J
• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Adamson Peter S
• Paek Gary
• Oakley Nicholas W
• Valavi John J

Classifications

• Y02B60/1257

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02B60/1253

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G06F3/041 Primary

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title