TOUCH SENSITIVE PANEL SUPPORTING STYLUS INPUT

1 . A method for operating a user input device comprising:

scanning a plurality of touch sensitive elements of a touch pad to measure a plurality of touch sensitive element values;

comparing the plurality of touch sensitive element values to a stylus input threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison:

determining a stylus input condition;

enacting stylus input touch pad processing settings; and

detecting a position of the stylus upon the touch pad based upon the plurality of touch sensitive element values and the stylus input touch pad processing settings; and

comparing the plurality of touch sensitive element values to a touching finger threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison:

determining a touching finger condition;

enacting touching finger touch pad processing settings; and

detecting a position of the touching finger upon the touch pad based upon the plurality of touch sensitive element values.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive element values are selected from the group consisting of:

touch sensitive element measured capacitance;

touch sensitive element measured inductance; and

touch sensitive element measured Radio Frequency (RF) impedance.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing the plurality of touch sensitive element values to produce one of:

video game controller input;

remote control input;

vehicle data input device input;

cellular telephone input;

portable electronic device input;

computer input; and

keypad replacement device input.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the stylus input threshold pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a first proximate group of touch sensitive elements; and

the touching finger threshold pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a second proximate group of touch sensitive elements, the second proximate group of touch sensitive elements greater in number than the first proximate group of touch sensitive elements.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stylus input touch pad processing settings have finer resolution than do the touching finger touch pad processing settings.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the stylus input touch pad processing settings are enacted for a first portion of the touch pad; and

the touching finger touch pad processing settings are enacted for a second portion of the touch pad.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

ignoring touch sensitive element values for the second portion of the touch pad; and

processing the touch sensitive element values for the first portion of the touch pad to determine touch pad input.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

processing the touch sensitive element values for the first portion of the touch pad using the stylus input touch pad processing settings to determine first touch pad input; and

processing the touch sensitive element values for the second portion of the touch pad using the touching finger touch pad processing settings to determine second touch pad input.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the stylus input touch pad processing settings support single touch input; and

the touching finger touch pad processing settings support multiple touch input.

10 . A method for operating a user input device comprising:

scanning a plurality of touch sensitive elements of a touch pad to measure a plurality of touch sensitive element values;

comparing the plurality of touch sensitive element values to a stylus input threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison:

determining a stylus input condition; and

enacting stylus input touch pad processing settings;

comparing the plurality of touch sensitive element values to a touching finger threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison:

determining a touching finger condition; and

enacting touching finger touch pad processing settings;

processing the plurality of touch sensitive element values based upon an enacted one of the stylus input touch pad processing settings and the touching finger touch pad processing settings to produce touch pad input.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising transmitting the touch pad input to a remote device via a communications interface of the user input device.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the stylus input threshold pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a first proximate group of touch sensitive elements; and

the touching finger threshold pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a second proximate group of touch sensitive elements, the second proximate group of touch sensitive elements greater in number than the first proximate group of touch sensitive elements.

13 . A user input device comprising:

a communications interface;

a touch pad having a plurality of touch sensitive elements; and

processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and to the touch pad, the processing circuitry operable to:

scan the plurality of touch sensitive elements to measure a plurality of touch sensitive element values;

compare the plurality of touch sensitive element values to a stylus input threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison:

determine a stylus input condition; and

enact stylus input touch pad processing settings;

compare the plurality of touch sensitive element values to a touching finger threshold pattern and, upon a favorable comparison:

determine a touching finger condition; and

enact touching finger touch pad processing settings;

process the plurality of touch sensitive element values based upon an enacted one of the stylus input touch pad processing settings and the touching finger touch pad processing settings to produce touch pad input.

14 . The user input device of claim 13 , wherein touch sensitive element values are selected from the group consisting of:

touch sensitive element measured capacitance;

touch sensitive element measured inductance; and

touch sensitive element measured Radio Frequency (RF) impedance.

15 . The user input device of claim 13 , wherein the user input device comprises one of:

a video game controller;

a remote control;

a vehicle data input device;

a cellular telephone;

a portable electronic device;

a computer; and

a keypad replacement device.

16 . The user input device of claim 13 , wherein:

the stylus input threshold pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a first proximate group of touch sensitive elements; and

the touching finger threshold pattern comprises substantially uniform touch sensitive element thresholds for a second proximate group of touch sensitive elements, the second proximate group of touch sensitive elements greater in number than the first proximate group of touch sensitive elements.

17 . The user input device of claim 13 :

further comprising a touch pad display coupled to the processing circuitry and corresponding to the touch pad, the touch pad display having a plurality of display elements configured to display at least one simulated button, each simulated button corresponding to a plurality of touch sensitive elements; and

wherein upon the processing circuitry is operable to cause the touch pad display to indicate depression of a simulated button based upon the touch pad input.

18 . The user input device of claim 13 , wherein the stylus input touch pad processing settings have finer resolution than do the touching finger touch pad processing settings.

19 . The user input device of claim 13 , wherein:

the processing circuitry enacts the stylus input touch pad processing settings for a first portion of the touch pad; and

the processing circuitry enacts the touching finger touch pad processing settings for a second portion of the touch pad.

20 . The user input device of claim 19 , wherein:

the processing circuitry ignores touch sensitive element values for the second portion of the touch pad; and

the processing circuitry processes touch sensitive element values for the first portion of the touch pad to determine the touch pad input.

21 . The user input device of claim 19 , wherein:

the processing circuitry supports single touch input for the stylus input touch pad processing settings; and

the processing circuitry supports multiple touch input for the touching finger touch pad processing settings.