Mechanism for facilitating hybrid control panels within gaming systems

Abstract

A mechanism is described for facilitating hybrid control panels within gaming systems according to one embodiment of the invention. A method of embodiments of the invention includes employing one or more hybrid control panels at a computing device. The computing device may include a gaming device. The method may further include detecting user movements across a surface of each of the one or more hybrid control panels. The detecting may be performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid control panels. The method may further include interpreting the user movements, and facilitating actions based on the interpreted user movements.

1 . A method comprising:
 employing one or more hybrid control panels at a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a gaming device;   detecting user movements across a surface of each of the one or more hybrid control panels, wherein detecting is performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid control panels;   interpreting the user movements; and   facilitating actions based on the interpreted user movements.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise a hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at least one optical sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hybrid control panels are placed at the computing device such that one or more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more hybrid control panels when holding the computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more control panels comprise a non-planar shape. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the non-planar shape comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is designed to accommodate a human thumb. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device further comprises a touch screen to facilitate detection of additional user movements using the touch screen. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the touch screen serves as a display device of the computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting comprises distinguishing between a slight touch and a sustained press, wherein distinguishing comprises separating an accidental touch from an intentional touch. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a hybrid control panel further comprises one or more switches underlying one or more buttons placed at or near the surface of the control panel and surrounding the hybrid of capacitive and optical sensors of the control panel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein surface comprises a touch-sensitive surface having a material selected to have a low coefficient of friction ratio compared to human skin. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 a hybrid control panel mechanism having   first logic to employ one or more hybrid control panels at a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a gaming device;   second logic to detect user movements across a surface of each of the one or more hybrid control panels, wherein detecting is performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid control panels;   third logic to interpret the user movements; and   forth logic to facilitate actions based on the interpreted user movements.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the sensors comprise a hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at least one optical sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more hybrid control panels are placed at the computing device such that one or more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more hybrid control panels when holding the computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more control panels comprise a non-planar shape. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the non-planar shape comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is designed to accommodate a human thumb. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device further comprises a touch screen to facilitate detection of additional user movements using the touch screen. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the touch screen serves as a display device of the computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second logic is further to distinguish between a slight touch and a sustained press, wherein distinguishing comprises separating an accidental touch from an intentional touch. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a hybrid control panel further comprises one or more switches underlying one or more buttons placed at or near the surface of the control panel and surrounding the hybrid of capacitive and optical sensors of the control panel. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein surface comprises a touch-sensitive surface having a material selected to have a low coefficient of friction ratio compared to human skin. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a computing device having a memory to store instructions, and a processing device to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause the processing device to   employ one or more hybrid control panels at a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a gaming device;   detect user movements across a surface of each of the one or more hybrid control panels, wherein detecting is performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid control panels;   interpret the user movements; and   facilitate actions based on the interpreted user movements.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the sensors comprise a hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at least one optical sensor. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more hybrid control panels are placed at the computing device such that one or more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more hybrid control panels when holding the computing device. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more control panels comprise a non-planar shape. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the non-planar shape comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is designed to accommodate a human thumb. 
     
     
         26 . At least one machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to carry out a method according to one or more operations comprising:
 employing one or more hybrid control panels at a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a gaming device;   detecting user movements across a surface of each of the one or more hybrid control panels, wherein detecting is performed at least in part using sensors of the hybrid control panels;   interpreting the user movements; and   facilitating actions based on the interpreted user movements.   
     
     
         27 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the sensors comprise a hybrid of an array of capacitive sensors and at least one optical sensor. 
     
     
         28 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more hybrid control panels are placed at the computing device such that one or more user thumbs naturally fall on the one or more hybrid control panels when holding the computing device. 
     
     
         29 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more control panels comprise a non-planar shape. 
     
     
         30 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 29 , wherein the non-planar shape comprises a saddle shape, wherein the saddle shape is designed to accommodate a human thumb.