Touch pad for handheld device

Abstract

A touch pad system is disclosed. The system includes mapping the touch pad into native sensor coordinates. The system also includes producing native values of the native sensor coordinates when events occur on the touch pad. The system further includes filtering the native values of the native sensor coordinates based on the type of events that occur on the touch pad. The system additionally includes generating a control signal based on the native values of the native sensor coordinates when a desired event occurs on the touch pad.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An electronic device comprising:
 a touch panel having a touch-sensitive surface divided into a plurality of angular regions, wherein the plurality of angular regions corresponds to a plurality of native sensor coordinates; and   a controller configured to:
 receive, from the touch panel, a signal indicative of a touch input at a first native sensor coordinate of the plurality of native sensor coordinates, 
 determine, based on the signal, an angular region of the plurality of angular regions, the angular region corresponding to the first native sensor coordinate, 
 apply, to a first data comprising a control signal indicative of the angular region, a filtering process to reduce a size of the first data from a first size to a second size, and 
 send, to a host device, the first data. 
   
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a movement function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions corresponds to a movement direction. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein each angular region of the plurality of angular regions corresponds to a button input. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a joystick function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions is associated with an input of a joystick. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a menu selection function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions is associated with an input to a menu. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to an image manipulation function. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the image manipulation function comprises a panning operation and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions is associated with a panning direction. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the signal is further indicative of a location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface, and   the controller is further configured to:
 determine, based on the signal, whether a distance between the location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface and a prior location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface is greater than a threshold value, and 
 in accordance with a determination that the distance is not greater than the threshold value, forgo sending the first data to the host device. 
   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine whether the touch input is associated with an undesired input event; and   in accordance with a determination that the touch input is associated with an undesired input event, forgo sending the first data to the host device.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a touch panel having a touch-sensitive surface, the touch-sensitive surface divided into a plurality of angular regions, the plurality of angular regions corresponding to a plurality of native sensor coordinates, a signal indicative of a touch input at a first native sensor coordinate of the plurality of native sensor coordinates;   determining, based on the signal, an angular region of the plurality of angular regions, the angular region corresponding to the first native sensor coordinate;   applying, to a first data comprising a control signal indicative of the angular region, a filtering process to reduce a size of the first data from a first size to a second size; and   sending, to a host device, the first data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a movement function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions corresponds to a movement direction. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each angular region of the plurality of angular regions corresponds to a button input. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a joystick function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions is associated with an input of a joystick. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a menu selection function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions is associated with an input to a menu. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to an image manipulation function. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the image manipulation function comprises a panning operation and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions is associated with a panning direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the signal is further indicative of a location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface, and   the controller is further configured to:
 determine, based on the signal, whether a distance between the location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface and a prior location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface is greater than a threshold value; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the distance is not greater than the threshold value, forgo sending the first data to the host device. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine whether the touch input is associated with an undesired input event; and   in accordance with a determination that the touch input is associated with an undesired input event, forgo sending the first data to the host device.   
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
 receiving, from a touch panel having a touch-sensitive surface, the touch-sensitive surface divided into a plurality of angular regions, the plurality of angular regions corresponding to a plurality of native sensor coordinates, a signal indicative of a touch input at a first native sensor coordinate of the plurality of native sensor coordinates;   determining, based on the signal, an angular region of the plurality of angular regions, the angular region corresponding to the first native sensor coordinate;   applying, to a first data comprising a control signal indicative of the angular region, a filtering process to reduce a size of the first data from a first size to a second size; and   sending, to a host device, the first data.   
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a movement function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions corresponds to a movement direction. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein each angular region of the plurality of angular regions corresponds to a button input. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a joystick function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions is associated with an input of a joystick. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the control signal is configured to provide an input to a menu selection function, and each angular region of the plurality of angular regions is associated with an input to a menu. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the signal is further indicative of a location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface, and   the controller is further configured to:
 determine, based on the signal, whether a distance between the location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface and a prior location of the touch input with respect to the touch-sensitive surface is greater than a threshold value; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the distance is not greater than the threshold value, forgo sending the first data to the host device. 
   
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine whether the touch input is associated with an undesired input event; and   in accordance with a determination that the touch input is associated with an undesired input event, forgo sending the first data to the host device.