Method and apparatus to reject accidental contact on a touchpad

Abstract

In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. Palm rest areas are formed by a touchpad disposed on the surface of the base assembly. In an alternative embodiment, a touchpad disposed on the base assembly has a width that extends substantially into the palm rests areas of the base assembly.

1 . A method for processing two-handed touchpad input, the method comprising:
 receiving multiple touchpad inputs, wherein the touchpad inputs result from physical contact with a first hand and a second hand on one or more touchpads disposed on a portable computer;   associating the touchpad input from the first hand with a first device functionality;   associating the touchpad input from the second hand with a second device functionality; and   displaying the first and second device functionalities on a display screen of the portable computer.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touchpad is divided into multiple sensing regions and wherein the touchpad input from the first hand is received due to contact with a first sensing region of a first touchpad and the touchpad input from the second hand is received due to contact with a second sensing region of the first touchpad. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the touchpad input from the first hand is received due to contact with a first touchpad and the touchpad input from the second hand is received due to contact with a second touchpad. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first device functionality is a cursor control operation. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second device functionality is one of the following: scrolling, panning, rotation, and zooming of objects or data on the display screen. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 estimating a probability of intentional contact for the contact with the touchpad input from the first hand; and   estimating a probability of intentional contact for the contact with the touchpad input from the second hand.   
   
   
       7 . A machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform a method for processing two-handed touchpad input, the method comprising:
 receiving multiple touchpad inputs, wherein the touchpad inputs result from physical contact with a first hand and a second hand on one or more touchpads disposed on a portable computer;   associating the touchpad input from the first hand with a first device functionality;   associating the touchpad input from the second hand with a second device functionality; and   displaying the first and second device functionalities on a display screen of the portable computer.   
   
   
       8 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the touchpad input from the first hand is received due to contact with a first sensing region of a first touchpad and the touchpad input from the second hand is received due to contact with a second sensing region of the first touchpad. 
   
   
       9 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the touchpad input from the first hand is received due to contact with a first touchpad and the touchpad input from the second hand is received due to contact with a second touchpad. 
   
   
       10 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the first device functionality is a cursor control operation. 
   
   
       11 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the second device functionality is one of the following: scrolling, panning, rotation, and zooming of objects or data on the display screen. 
   
   
       12 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 estimating a probability of intentional contact for the contact with the touchpad input from the first hand; and   estimating a probability of intentional contact for the contact with the touchpad input from the second hand.   
   
   
       13 . A portable computer comprising:
 a processor;   a display screen coupled to the processor; and   one or more touchpads coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to
 receive multiple touchpad inputs, wherein the touchpad inputs result from physical contact with a first hand and a second hand on the one or more touchpads, 
 associate the touchpad input from the first hand with a first device functionality, 
 associate the touchpad input from the second hand with a second device functionality, and 
 display the first and second device functionalities on the display screen. 
   
   
   
       14 . The portable computer of  claim 13 , wherein the touchpad input from the first hand is received due to contact with a first sensing region of a first touchpad and the touchpad input from the second hand is received due to contact with a second sensing region of the first touchpad. 
   
   
       15 . The portable computer of  claim 13 , wherein the touchpad input from the first hand is received due to contact with a first touchpad and the touchpad input from the second hand is received due to contact with a second touchpad. 
   
   
       16 . The portable computer of  claim 13 , wherein the first device functionality is a cursor control operation. 
   
   
       17 . The portable computer of  claim 13 , wherein the second device functionality is one of the following: scrolling, panning, rotation, and zooming of objects or data on the display screen. 
   
   
       18 . The portable computer of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 estimate a probability of intentional contact for the contact with the touchpad input from the first hand; and   estimate a probability of intentional contact for the contact with the touchpad input from the second hand.