The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 12, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1998
Gregg S. Goyins, Boise, ID (US);
Mark F. Resman, Boise, ID (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
There is provided a method and apparatus for categorizing substantially simultaneous inputs to a touchscreen. The method is described within a computer device having a display screen adapted to receive touchscreen input. In a first step, the display screen is divided into a plurality of sectors. Next, the sectors are sequentially scanned for input. When a plurality of substantially simultaneous inputs are sensed in respective sectors, the location by sector of each input is ascertained. A unique value is then assigned to each input received, the assigned values corresponding to the sequence in time of the respective inputs based upon the sequentially scanned sectors in which the inputs occurred. The apparatus includes a display screen adapted to receive touchscreen input. A touchscreen driver/sensor is provided to divide the display screen into a plurality of sectors and to sense input in each of the sectors. A sequence counter is used to actuate the driver/sensor to scan the display screen sectors sequentially and at predetermined intervals for input, and to assign a unique value to each input received.