Calibration Gestures For Finger-Mapped Gesture Systems

Abstract

A finger-mapped gesture system is a user interface method and apparatus for rapid data input on a touch-sensitive surface. The user gestures by holding the hand stationary relative to the surface and moving the fingers primarily by extension and flexion. Each finger gestures on a gesture surface instead of selecting among keys. The particular fingers gesturing and the gestures performed indicate the intended user input. On devices that do not directly identify fingers, users first perform a calibration gesture to associate finger identities with regions of the surface. The user may “drum” the fingers generally from one side of the hand to the other, or the user may “squeeze” or expand the hand on the surface with all fingers touching, including the thumb. These calibration gestures free users from having to look at a keyboard or at their fingers to target visual elements while gesturing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of user input on a touch device associated with a host that interprets user requests in response to user input, said method comprising the steps of:
 detecting a first set of at least three fingers touching a surface during a first gesture;   subsequent to said step of detecting a first set, concluding processing of a second gesture on said surface;   subsequent to said step of concluding processing of a second gesture, detecting a selecting finger set of gesturing fingers on said surface;   determining a selected identity set comprising a distinct finger identity for each finger of said selecting finger set, with said selected identity set being dependent on a property of said first gesture selected from the group consisting of the order in which fingers of said first set touched said surface and the direction of movement of at least one finger of said first set;   determining a user request dependent on said selected identity set and on the gestured path of at least one finger of said selecting finger set; and   reporting said user request to said host.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said property of said first gesture is said order in which fingers of said first set touched said surface. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein said method includes the steps of:
 (i) determining a series of fingers comprising fingers of said first set ordered dependent on touch locations of said fingers of said first set, with said series of fingers having at least three fingers and including two end-of-series fingers and an indicator finger, said indicator finger being selected from the group consisting of the first finger of said series of fingers to touch, the second finger of said series of fingers to touch, the second-from-last finger of said series of fingers to touch, and the last finger of said series of fingers to touch; and 
 (ii) identifying an indicated end-of-series finger as the finger of said two end-of-series fingers nearest in said series of fingers to said indicator finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said indicated end-of-series finger.   
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein said method further includes the steps of:
 (iii) establishing regions on said surface such that the initial touch location of each finger of said series of fingers is in a distinct region; and 
 (iv) defining a correspondence of said regions with a series of finger identities dependent on said indicated end-of-series finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said correspondence and on a touch location of each finger of said selecting finger set.   
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein said user request is dependent on the length of said gestured path. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said series of fingers has four fingers. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein said indicator finger is both said last finger of said series of fingers to touch and said indicated end-of-series finger. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein said step of determining a series of fingers selects fingers from said first set such that (a) the first and last fingers of said series of fingers to touch are on opposite halves of said series of fingers, and (b) at least one finger of said series of fingers has an initial touch time that is between the initial touch times of said two end-of-series fingers. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said first set includes a finger not in said series of fingers having an initial touch time that precedes the initial touch time of the third finger of said series of fingers to touch said surface. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said property of said first gesture is said direction of movement of said at least one finger of said first set. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein said method includes the steps of:
 (i) detecting that the fingers of said first set moved during said first gesture; and 
 (ii) determining a finger of said first set to be a thumb; 
   wherein said at least one finger of said first set includes a non-thumb finger that is not said thumb; and   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on the hand-relative positioning of said thumb in said first gesture.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein said user request is dependent on the length of said gestured path. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein said method further includes the steps of:
 (iii) establishing regions on said surface such that a touch location of each finger of a second set of fingers is in a distinct region, with said second set comprising each finger of said first set other than said thumb; and 
 (iv) defining a correspondence of said regions with a series of finger identities dependent on said hand-relative positioning of said thumb and on the direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said correspondence and on a touch location of each finger of said selecting finger set.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein said method further establishes a range of directions that is dependent on said direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and   wherein said step of determining a user request further determines said user request dependent on whether the direction of said gestured path is in said range of directions.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein said method further establishes a range of directions that is dependent on the direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and   wherein said step of determining a user request further determines said user request dependent on whether the direction of said gestured path is in said range of directions.   
     
     
         16 . A system for user input on a touch device associated with a host that interprets user requests in response to user input, said system comprising:
 a calibrating system that detects a first set of at least three fingers touching a surface during a first gesture;   a gesture system that:
 (i) subsequent to said step that detects a first set, concludes processing of a second gesture on said surface; 
 (ii) subsequent to said step that concludes processing of a second gesture, detects a selecting finger set of gesturing fingers on said surface; 
 (iii) determines a selected identity set comprising a distinct finger identity for each finger of said selecting finger set, with said selected identity set being dependent on a property of said first gesture selected from the group consisting of the order in which fingers of said first set touched said surface and the direction of movement of at least one finger of said first set; 
 (iv) determines a user request dependent on said selected identity set and on the gestured path of at least one finger of said selecting finger set; and 
 (v) reports said user request to said host. 
   
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein said property of said first gesture is said order in which fingers of said first set touched said surface. 
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein said calibrating system:
 (i) determines a series of fingers comprising fingers of said first set ordered dependent on touch locations of said fingers of said first set, with said series of fingers having at least three fingers and including two end-of-series fingers and an indicator finger, said indicator finger being selected from the group consisting of the first finger of said series of fingers to touch, the second finger of said series of fingers to touch, the second-from-last finger of said series of fingers to touch, and the last finger of said series of fingers to touch; and 
 (ii) identifies an indicated end-of-series finger as the finger of said two end-of-series fingers nearest in said series of fingers to said indicator finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said indicated end-of-series finger.   
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein said calibrating system further:
 (iii) establishes regions on said surface such that the initial touch location of each finger of said series of fingers is in a distinct region; and 
 (iv) defines a correspondence of said regions with a series of finger identities dependent on said indicated end-of-series finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said correspondence and on a touch location of each finger of said selecting finger set.   
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein said user request is dependent on the length of said gestured path. 
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein said series of fingers has four fingers. 
     
     
         22 . A system according to  claim 21 , wherein said indicator finger is both said last finger of said series of fingers to touch and said indicated end-of-series finger. 
     
     
         23 . A system according to  claim 21 , wherein said step that determines a series of fingers selects fingers from said first set such that (a) the first and last fingers of said series of fingers to touch are on opposite halves of said series of fingers, and (b) at least one finger of said series of fingers has an initial touch time that is between the initial touch times of said two end-of-series fingers. 
     
     
         24 . A system according to  claim 23 , wherein said first set includes a finger not in said series of fingers having an initial touch time that precedes the initial touch time of the third finger of said series of fingers to touch said surface. 
     
     
         25 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein said property of said first gesture is said direction of movement of said at least one finger of said first set. 
     
     
         26 . A system according to  claim 25 :
 wherein said calibrating system:
 (i) detects that the fingers of said first set moved during said first gesture; and 
 (ii) determines a finger of said first set to be a thumb; 
   wherein said at least one finger of said first set includes a non-thumb finger that is not said thumb; and   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on the hand-relative positioning of said thumb in said first gesture.   
     
     
         27 . A system according to  claim 26 , wherein said user request is dependent on the length of said gestured path. 
     
     
         28 . A system according to  claim 27 ,
 wherein said calibrating system further:
 (iii) establishes regions on said surface such that a touch location of each finger of a second set of fingers is in a distinct region, with said second set comprising each finger of said first set other than said thumb; and 
 (iv) defines a correspondence of said regions with a series of finger identities dependent on said hand-relative positioning of said thumb and on the direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said correspondence and on a touch location of each finger of said selecting finger set.   
     
     
         29 . A system according to  claim 28 ,
 wherein said calibrating system further establishes a range of directions that is dependent on said direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and   wherein said step that determines a user request further determines said user request dependent on whether the direction of said gestured path is in said range of directions.   
     
     
         30 . A system according to  claim 27 ,
 wherein said calibrating system further establishes a range of directions that is dependent on the direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and   wherein said step that determines a user request further determines said user request dependent on whether the direction of said gestured path is in said range of directions.   
     
     
         31 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein said calibrating system is said gesture system. 
     
     
         32 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying thereon instructions which when executed by a processor perform a method of user input on a touch device associated with a host that interprets user requests in response to user input, said method comprising the steps of:
 detecting a first set of at least three fingers touching a surface during a first gesture;   subsequent to said step of detecting a first set, concluding processing of a second gesture on said surface;   subsequent to said step of concluding processing of a second gesture, detecting a selecting finger set of gesturing fingers on said surface;   determining a selected identity set comprising a distinct finger identity for each finger of said selecting finger set, with said selected identity set being dependent on a property of said first gesture selected from the group consisting of the order in which fingers of said first set touched said surface and the direction of movement of at least one finger of said first set;   determining a user request dependent on said selected identity set and on the gestured path of at least one finger of said selecting finger set; and   reporting said user request to said host.   
     
     
         33 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 32 , wherein said property of said first gesture is said order in which fingers of said first set touched said surface. 
     
     
         34 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 33 ,
 wherein said method includes the steps of:
 (i) determining a series of fingers comprising fingers of said first set ordered dependent on touch locations of said fingers of said first set, with said series of fingers having at least three fingers and including two end-of-series fingers and an indicator finger, said indicator finger being selected from the group consisting of the first finger of said series of fingers to touch, the second finger of said series of fingers to touch, the second-from-last finger of said series of fingers to touch, and the last finger of said series of fingers to touch; and 
 (ii) identifying an indicated end-of-series finger as the finger of said two end-of-series fingers nearest in said series of fingers to said indicator finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said indicated end-of-series finger.   
     
     
         35 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 34 ,
 wherein said method further includes the steps of:
 (iii) establishing regions on said surface such that the initial touch location of each finger of said series of fingers is in a distinct region; and 
 (iv) defining a correspondence of said regions with a series of finger identities dependent on said indicated end-of-series finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said correspondence and on a touch location of each finger of said selecting finger set.   
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 35 , wherein said user request is dependent on the length of said gestured path. 
     
     
         37 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 36 , wherein said series of fingers has four fingers. 
     
     
         38 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 37 , wherein said indicator finger is both said last finger of said series of fingers to touch and said indicated end-of-series finger. 
     
     
         39 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 37 , wherein said step of determining a series of fingers selects fingers from said first set such that (a) the first and last fingers of said series of fingers to touch are on opposite halves of said series of fingers, and (b) at least one finger of said series of fingers has an initial touch time that is between the initial touch times of said two end-of-series fingers. 
     
     
         40 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 39 , wherein said first set includes a finger not in said series of fingers having an initial touch time that precedes the initial touch time of the third finger of said series of fingers to touch said surface. 
     
     
         41 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 32 , wherein said property of said first gesture is said direction of movement of said at least one finger of said first set. 
     
     
         42 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 41 ,
 wherein said method includes the steps of:
 (i) detecting that the fingers of said first set moved during said first gesture; and 
 (ii) determining a finger of said first set to be a thumb; 
   wherein said at least one finger of said first set includes a non-thumb finger that is not said thumb; and   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on the hand-relative positioning of said thumb in said first gesture.   
     
     
         43 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 42 , wherein said user request is dependent on the length of said gestured path. 
     
     
         44 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 43 ,
 wherein said method further includes the steps of:
 (iii) establishing regions on said surface such that a touch location of each finger of a second set of fingers is in a distinct region, with said second set comprising each finger of said first set other than said thumb; and 
 (iv) defining a correspondence of said regions with a series of finger identities dependent on said hand-relative positioning of said thumb and on the direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and 
   wherein said selected identity set is dependent on said correspondence and on a touch location of each finger of said selecting finger set.   
     
     
         45 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 44 ,
 wherein said method further establishes a range of directions that is dependent on said direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and   wherein said step of determining a user request further determines said user request dependent on whether the direction of said gestured path is in said range of directions.   
     
     
         46 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 43 ,
 wherein said method further establishes a range of directions that is dependent on the direction of movement of said non-thumb finger; and   wherein said step of determining a user request further determines said user request dependent on whether the direction of said gestured path is in said range of directions.