Systems for and methods of providing inertial scrolling and navigation using a fingerprint sensor

Abstract

An emulation system receives a swipe along a finger sensor to set a computer display in motion. After the swipe is completed, the display continues along its previous path. Depending on their direction, subsequent swipes can be used to accelerate or decelerate the motion. Gradually, the display decelerates. In one embodiment, this deceleration simulates an inertial decay, providing the user with a pleasing display that gradually rolls to a stop. The deceleration is modeled on a joystick return-to-home inertial decay, allowing the user greater control when navigating over the display. The finger sensor is used to emulate different electronic devices, such as a mouse, a scroll wheel, and a rotating wheel.

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A method for moving at least one display element on a display using a finger sensor as an emulated input device, the method comprising:
 (a) determining finger movement along the finger sensor based upon sequentially captured finger surface patterns;   (b) translating the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device;   (c) moving the at least one display element on the display based upon the updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device; and   (d) determining if the finger is still touching the finger sensor, and when the finger is still touching the finger sensor then repeating steps (a) through (c), and when the finger is no longer touching the finger sensor then applying updated position and inertial acceleration parameters to continue movement of the at least one display element on the display.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  comprising stopping continued movement based upon a subsequent tapping of the finger sensor. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the determining finger movement along the finger sensor comprises determining finger movement as at least one of a speed, a direction, and a time of finger swiping movement. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the determining finger movement along the finger sensor comprises determining speed of finger swiping movement; and wherein translating comprises translating a faster speed of finger swiping movement into a slower deceleration. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the determining finger movement along the finger sensor comprises determining speed of finger swiping movement; and wherein translating comprises translating a greater time of finger swiping movement into a slower deceleration. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the emulated input device comprises at least one of a joystick, mouse, and scroll wheel. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the captured finger patterns comprise at least one of bifurcations, pores, ridge endings, swirls, and whorls. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 34  wherein translating comprises translating the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device based upon values stored in a look-up table. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 34  wherein translating comprises translating the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device based upon an inertial decay function. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the computer display shows one of a list of items, a region of an image, a grid menu, slides of images, a game image, and an element of a computer simulation. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the at least one display element comprises a movable window. 
     
     
         45 . A method for moving at least one display element on a display using a finger sensor as an emulated input device, the method comprising:
 (a) determining finger movement along the finger sensor as at least one of a speed, a direction, and a time of finger swiping movement based upon sequentially captured finger surface patterns;   (b) translating the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device;   (c) moving the at least one display element on the display based upon the updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device;   (d) determining if the finger is still touching the finger sensor, and when the finger is still touching the finger sensor then repeating steps (a) through (c), and when the finger is no longer touching the finger sensor then applying updated position and inertial acceleration parameters to continue movement of the at least one display element on the display and stopping continued movement based upon a subsequent tapping of the finger sensor.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the determining finger movement along the finger sensor comprises determining speed of finger swiping movement; and wherein translating comprises translating a faster speed of finger swiping movement into a slower deceleration. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the determining finger movement along the finger sensor comprises determining speed of finger swiping movement; and wherein translating comprises translating a greater time of finger swiping movement into a slower deceleration. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the emulated input device comprises at least one of a joystick, mouse, and scroll wheel. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the captured finger patterns comprise at least one of bifurcations, pores, ridge endings, swirls, and whorls. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 45  wherein translating comprises translating the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device based upon values stored in a look-up table. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 45  wherein translating comprises translating the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device based upon an inertial decay function. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the at least one display element comprises a movable window. 
     
     
         53 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display;   a finger sensor; and   a motion translator configured to
 (a) determine finger movement along the finger sensor based upon sequentially captured finger surface patterns, 
 (b) translate the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of an emulated input device, 
 (c) move the at least one display element on the display based upon the updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device, and 
 (d) determine if the finger is still touching the finger sensor, and when the finger is still touching the finger sensor then repeat steps (a) through (c), and when the finger is no longer touching the finger sensor then apply updated position and inertial acceleration parameters to continue movement of the at least one display element on the display. 
   
     
     
         54 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the motion translator is configured to stop continued movement based upon a subsequent tapping of the finger sensor. 
     
     
         55 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the motion translator is configured to determine finger movement as at least one of a speed, a direction, and a time of finger swiping movement. 
     
     
         56 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the motion translator is configured to determine speed of finger swiping movement, and translate a faster speed of finger swiping movement into a slower deceleration. 
     
     
         57 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the motion translator is configured to determine speed of finger swiping movement, and translate a greater time of finger swiping movement into a slower deceleration. 
     
     
         58 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the emulated input device comprises at least one of a joystick, mouse, and scroll wheel. 
     
     
         59 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the captured finger patterns comprise at least one of bifurcations, pores, ridge endings, swirls, and whorls. 
     
     
         60 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the motion translator is configured to translate the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device based upon values stored in a look-up table. 
     
     
         61 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the motion translator is configured to translate the determined finger movement to updated position and inertial acceleration parameters of the emulated input device based upon an inertial decay function. 
     
     
         62 . The electronic device of  claim 53  wherein the at least one display element comprises a movable window.