Method to parameterize and recognize circular gestures on touch sensitive surfaces

1. A method to parameterize and recognize circular gestures on touch sensitive surfaces comprising:

dividing the touch sensitive surface into four quadrants;

detecting a transition from a first quadrant into a second quadrant;

time-stamping and tracking each detected quadrant transition;

computing the time between quadrant transitions so that the circular speed and direction of the circular gestures on the touch sensitive surface can be detected; and

classification of the four quadrants;

wherein each touch point (X, Y) across time is grouped in a respective quadrant depending on the changes in the current X and Y positions in a current touch frame with respect to a previous frame,

wherein a tracking touch point is classified in Quadrant 1 (Q 1 ) when a current Y coordinate is less than a previous Y coordinate and a current X coordinate is greater than a previous X coordinate,

wherein a tracking touch point is classified in Quadrant 2 (Q 2 ) when a current Y coordinate is greater than a previous Y coordinate and a current X coordinate is greater than a previous X coordinate,

wherein a tracking touch point is classified in Quadrant 3 (Q 3 ) when a current Y coordinate is greater than a previous Y coordinate and a current X coordinate is less than a previous X coordinate, and

wherein a tracking touch point is classified in Quadrant 4 (Q 4 ) when a current Y coordinate is less than a previous Y coordinate and a current X coordinate is less than a previous X coordinate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the direction comprises a clockwise direction.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the direction comprises a counter-clockwise direction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each tracked touch point is monitored for quadrant transitions, and a clockwise touch point movement is recognized by a sequence of increasing quadrant numbers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each tracked touch point is monitored for quadrant transitions, and a counter-clockwise touch point movement is recognized by a sequence of decreasing quadrant numbers.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a quadrant transition value.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein a quadrant transition value of 00 comprises a no quadrant transition value.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein a quadrant transition value of 01 comprises a clockwise quadrant transition value.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein a quadrant transition value of 10 comprises a counter-clockwise quadrant transition value.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a timestamp value.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the timestamp value is provided when there is a quadrant transition.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the timestamp value measures the time lapsed between a current and a previous quadrant transition.

13. A method to parameterize and recognize circular gestures on touch sensitive surfaces comprising:

dividing the touch sensitive surface into four quadrants;

detecting a transition from a first quadrant into a second quadrant;

time-stamping and tracking each detected quadrant transition;

computing the time between quadrant transitions so that the circular speed and direction of the circular gestures on the touch sensitive surface can be detected; and

providing at least three distinct quadrant transition values.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a quadrant transition value of 00 comprises a no quadrant transition value.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein a quadrant transition value of 01 comprises a clockwise quadrant transition value.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein a quadrant transition value of 10 comprises a counter-clockwise quadrant transition value.