Wide touchpad on a portable computer

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable computer, comprising:
 a display assembly coupled to a base assembly;   a touchpad disposed on the base assembly, wherein the touchpad includes a plurality of predefined regions, and the touchpad is configured to detect an object in contact with a surface at any position on the touchpad within a first predefined region of the plurality of predefined regions; and   a processor coupled to the touchpad, wherein the processor is configured to, in response to the processor determining that the contact of the object with the surface is unintentional, deactivate the first predefined region independently of a second predefined region of the plurality of predefined regions.   
     
     
         2 . The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the contact is unintentional comprises estimating a probability that the object detected on the surface of the touchpad is an intentional or unintentional contact based upon determining one or more characteristics of one or more contact patches, including the contact, on the touchpad. 
     
     
         3 . The portable computer of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more characteristics include contact patch location, trajectory, and size. 
     
     
         4 . The portable computer of  claim 2 , wherein estimating the probability that the object detected on the surface of the touchpad is an intentional or unintentional contact is further based upon determining a location of a hand using a hand location sensor included in the portable computer. 
     
     
         5 . The portable computer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a keyboard disposed on the base assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The portable computer of  claim 5 , wherein determining that the contact is unintentional comprises estimating a probability that the object detected on the surface of the touchpad is an intentional or unintentional contact based upon detecting whether a user's hand is positioned over the keyboard using a sensor disposed between the keyboard and the touchpad on the base assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The portable computer of  claim 5 , wherein determining that the contact is unintentional comprises estimating a probability that the object detected on the surface of the touchpad is an intentional or unintentional contact based upon detecting whether a user's hand is positioned over the keyboard using a sensor disposed in the display assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the touchpad comprises a capacitive sensor touchpad. 
     
     
         9 . The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 in response to the processor determining that the contact of the object with the surface is intentional:
 forgo deactivating the first predefined region; and 
 accept the contact of the object with the surface as an input command. 
   
     
     
         10 . The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 in response to the processor determining that the contact of the object with the surface is unintentional, reject the contact of the object with the surface.   
     
     
         11 . The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 while the first predefined region is deactivated, accept one or more contacts detected on the second predefined region as one or more input commands.   
     
     
         12 . A touchpad comprising:
 a plurality of predefined regions,   wherein the touchpad is configured to:
 detect an object in contact with a surface at any position on the touchpad within a first predefined region of the plurality of predefined regions, and 
 in response to a processor determining that the contact of the object with the surface is unintentional, deactivate the first predefined region independently of a second predefined region of the plurality of predefined regions. 
   
     
     
         13 . The touchpad of  claim 12 , wherein determining that the contact is unintentional comprises estimating a probability that the object detected on the surface of the touchpad is an intentional or unintentional contact based upon determining one or more characteristics of one or more contact patches, including the contact, on the touchpad. 
     
     
         14 . The touchpad of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more characteristics include contact patch location, trajectory, and size. 
     
     
         15 . The touchpad of  claim 13 , wherein estimating the probability that the object detected on the surface of the touchpad is an intentional or unintentional contact is further based upon determining a location of a hand using a hand location sensor that is separate from the touch pad. 
     
     
         16 . The touchpad of  claim 12 , wherein the touch pad and a keyboard are disposed on a base assembly of a portable computer. 
     
     
         17 . The touchpad of  claim 16 , wherein determining that the contact is unintentional comprises estimating a probability that the object detected on the surface of the touchpad is an intentional or unintentional contact based upon detecting whether a user's hand is positioned over the keyboard using a sensor disposed between the keyboard and the touchpad on the base assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The touchpad of  claim 16 , wherein determining that the contact is unintentional comprises estimating a probability that the object detected on the surface of the touchpad is an intentional or unintentional contact based upon detecting whether a user's hand is positioned over the keyboard using a sensor disposed in a display assembly of the portable computer. 
     
     
         19 . The touchpad of  claim 12 , wherein the touchpad comprises a capacitive sensor touchpad. 
     
     
         20 . The touchpad of  claim 12 , wherein the touchpad is further configured to:
 in response to the processor determining that the contact of the object with the surface is intentional:
 forgo deactivating the first predefined region; and 
 accept the contact of the object with the surface as an input command. 
   
     
     
         21 . The touchpad of  claim 12 , wherein the touchpad is further configured to:
 in response to the processor determining that the contact of the object with the surface is unintentional, reject the contact of the object with the surface.   
     
     
         22 . The touchpad of  claim 12 , wherein the touchpad is further configured to:
 while the first predefined region is deactivated, accept one or more contacts detected on the second predefined region as one or more input commands.