Capacitive mat information handling system display and totem interactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9753591-B2
Application number	US-201514691782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2015
Priority date	Apr 21, 2015
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

Identifying characteristics integrated in a totem and detected by a capacitive display mat are applied to perform functions in response to end user inputs. Identifying characteristics include capacitive feet integrated in a totem bottom surface with identifying features including varying capacitive values for the feet, varying pad sizes and shapes, varying pad patterns and varying capacitive oscillation frequencies. In one embodiment, the surface area of the totem in contact with the capacitive mat varies depending upon the pressure placed on the totem to alter the shape of a compressible material disposed at the bottom surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information handling system comprising:
a processor operable to execute instructions to process information;
memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the information;
a graphics system interfaced with the processor and memory, the graphics system operable to generate the visual images for presentation at one or more display devices;
a capacitive mat display device interfaced with the graphics system and operable to present the visual images, the capacitive mat disposed on a desktop surface and including capacitive sensors operable to detect touches;
an input device disposed on the capacitive mat display and having an upper surface to accept inputs from an end user and a lower surface to touch the capacitive mat display, the lower surface touching the capacitive mat display with plural feet disposed to provide an identifying characteristic; and
an input device controller interfaced with the capacitive mat display and operable to identify the input device by detecting the identifying characteristics;
wherein the identifying characteristic comprises a capacitor associated with each foot to provide a predetermined electro-magnetic resonance for each foot, the input device controller operable to determine a capacitance for each foot and compare the determined capacitance against known capacitances to identify the input device.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the identifying characteristic further comprises a shape formed at each foot, the input device controller operable to determine each shape and compare the determined shapes against known shapes to identify the input device.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined electro-magnetic resonance is provided by a first capacitance associated with a first foot and a second capacitance associated with a second foot.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the feet are removably coupled to the input device and the capacitance is integrated in each foot, the identifying characteristics for the input device altered by changing one or more of the feet to change the capacitance.

5. An information handling system comprising:
a processor operable to execute instructions to process information;
memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the information;
a graphics system interfaced with the processor and memory, the graphics system operable to generate the visual images for presentation at one or more display devices;
a capacitive mat display device interfaced with the graphics system and operable to present the visual images, the capacitive mat disposed on a desktop surface and including capacitive sensors operable to detect touches;
an input device disposed on the capacitive mat display and having an upper surface to accept inputs from an end user and a lower surface to touch the capacitive mat display, the lower surface touching the capacitive mat display with plural feet disposed to provide an identifying characteristic; and
an input device controller interfaced with the capacitive mat display and operable to identify the input device by detecting the identifying characteristics;
wherein the input device further comprises a compressible body proximate the lower surface, the compressible body altering a surface area pressed against the capacitive mat based upon pressure placed on the upper surface, the input device controller analyzing the surface area to determine an input value.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the input value comprises a hover associated with a first surface area and a press associated with a second surface area.

7. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the input value comprises a tilt in a direction of the input device having the greatest surface area.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
a camera interfaced with the input device controller, the camera aligned to capture an image of the input device;
wherein the input device controller activates input detection associated with the input device based upon a proximity of an end user's hand to the input device as indicated by an image captured by the camera.

9. A method for determining inputs made by one or more input devices disposed on a capacitive mat, the method comprising:
detecting physical contact between the one or more input devices and the capacitive mat at plural feet disposed on a bottom surface of the one or more input devices;
analyzing values detected by the capacitive mat for the plural feet to identify the one or more input devices; and
applying a value to inputs made at the one or more input devices based upon the identifying of the input device;
disposing a compressible material at the input device bottom surface; and
determining an input value for the input device based upon the surface area covered by the compressible material, the compressible material covering varying surface area based upon pressure placed upon the input device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
applying values to inputs at a first input device for only a first application associated with the first input device; and
applying values to inputs at a second input device for only a second application associated with the second input device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein analyzing values detected by the capacitive mat further comprises analyzing a shape defined by a perimeter around the plural feet.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein analyzing values detected by the capacitive mat further comprises analyzing an oscillation frequency associated with each of the plural feet.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein analyzing values detected by the capacitive mat further comprises analyzing a shape formed by each foot at the point of contact of each foot with the capacitive mat.

14. A method for determining inputs made by one or more input devices disposed on a capacitive mat, the method comprising:
detecting physical contact between the one or more input devices and the capacitive mat at plural feet disposed on a bottom surface of the one or more input devices;
analyzing values detected by the capacitive mat for the plural feet to identify the one or more input devices; and
applying a value to inputs made at the one or more input devices based upon the identifying of the input device;
removing a first of the plural feet from the input device; and
replacing the first of the plural feet with a second foot, the second foot having a distinguishable characteristic to change the values for identifying the input device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
monitoring the input device with a camera;
analyzing images captured with the camera to detect an end user hand in a predetermined proximity to the input device;
determining inputs at the input device if the predetermined proximity is detected; and
ignoring inputs at the input device if the predetermined proximity is not detected.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising presenting visual information with a display integrated in the capacitive mat, the visual information presented at a location based upon the location of the input device and including content based upon the identity of the input device.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising detecting pressure pressed upon the input device by relating pressure at one or more of the plural feet to a capacitance value at the one or more plural totem feet.

18. A method for inputting data from a totem to an infor

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Bui Vinh X
• Morrison John T
• Ancona Rocco
• Pacheco Roman J
• Krishnakumar Karthik
• Sultenfuss Andrew T
• Sanaullah Abu S
• Ligameri Mark R
• Knoppert Michiel Sebastiaan Emanuel Petrus

Classifications

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/0425

  using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected (tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386) · CPC title

• G06F3/0418

  for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment · CPC title

• G06F2203/04106

  Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection · CPC title

• G06F3/038

  Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry · CPC title