Secondary Gesture Input Mechanism for Touchscreen Devices

Abstract

A touchscreen device may have a secondary touch-enabled gesture input mechanism located near one or more edges of a touchscreen. The gesture input mechanism may sense several gestures, including swiping, sliding, zooming, tapping, and other gestures, and may cooperate or supplement similar gestures that a user may make with the touchscreen. The gesture input mechanism may be located parallel to one edge of a touchscreen, such that a user may operate the input device without blocking the touchscreen. The gesture input mechanism may be located on a parallel, perpendicular, angled, or other surface with respect to the touchscreen. Some devices may have gesture input mechanisms located around one or more sides of the touchscreen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a hardware platform comprising a computer processor, said hardware platform being a wearable device;   a touchscreen comprising a display having a display perimeter and a touch surface input mechanism within said display perimeter;   a gesture input mechanism having a major axis parallel to a first portion of said display perimeter, said gesture input mechanism being located outside of said display perimeter;   said computer processor adapted to:
 capture a first gesture from said gesture input mechanism; and 
 determine a first gesture input from said first gesture. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , said first gesture being a gesture captured by said gesture input mechanism without being captured by said touch surface input mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , said first gesture being one of a group composed of:
 a two-fingered pinching gesture; and   a two-fingered zoom out gesture.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , said first gesture being a gesture made by a single finger. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , said first gesture being one of a group composed of:
 a tap;   a double tap;   a swipe;   a scroll; and   a flick.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , said gesture input mechanism further comprising a first sensor surface, said sensor surface having a first portion being parallel with said touchscreen. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , said first portion further being coplanar with said touchscreen. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , said system having a first gap between said display perimeter and said gesture input mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , said gap being 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , said system where said gesture input mechanism abuts said display perimeter. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , said wearable device being a wrist-mountable device. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , said gesture input mechanism having a curved portion, said curved portion being curved in cross section perpendicular to said major axis. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , said gesture input mechanism comprising a first section having a first major axis parallel to a first portion of said touch screen perimeter and a second section having a second major axis parallel to a second portion of said touch screen perimeter. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , said first major axis being perpendicular to said second major axis. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , said major axis having a vertical orientation with respect to said touch screen. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , said major axis having a horizontal orientation with respect to said touch screen.