Generating a virtual eraser area
View Patent ↗A processor detects an eraser surface on a touch screen. In addition, the processor generates a virtual eraser area for the touch screen from the eraser surface as the eraser surface shape with the virtual eraser area VA=K/√EA where K is a nonzero constant and EA is an eraser angle between the eraser surface and the touch screen.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a touch screen;
a processor;
a memory that stores code executable by the processor to:
detect an eraser surface contacting the touch screen using capacitive detection;
detect an eraser angle between the eraser surface and the touch screen using one or more of a video camera, an acoustic transmitter, an electromagnetic transmitter, and a radio transmitter; and
generate a virtual eraser area for the touch screen from the eraser surface as an eraser surface shape of the eraser surface with the virtual eraser area VA=K/√EA where K is a nonzero constant and EA is the eraser angle between the eraser surface and the touch screen.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor further erases displayed data from the touch screen at virtual locations that intersect the virtual eraser area.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the eraser surface is disposed on a distal end of an electronic pen.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the virtual eraser area is further a function of a percentage of the eraser surface in physical communication with the touch screen.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the virtual eraser area is further a function of a pressure of the eraser surface on the touch screen.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a virtual eraser strength is further a function of a pressure of the eraser surface on the touch screen, wherein the virtual eraser strength specifies a percentage of data that is erased by the virtual eraser area.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the eraser surface is further detected in response to one or more of an area of the eraser surface in physical communication with the touch screen, a radio signature, a proximity sensor signature, a resistive signature, an electromagnetic signature, an acoustic signature, and an electronic pen profile.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the eraser surface spreads as a result of pressure.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the eraser surface contacts the touch screen at the eraser angle.
10. A method comprising:
detecting, by use of a processor, an eraser surface contacting a touch screen using capacitive detection;
detecting an eraser angle between the eraser surface and the touch screen using one or more of a video camera, an acoustic transmitter, an electromagnetic transmitter, and a radio transmitter; and
generating a virtual eraser area for the touch screen from the eraser surface as an eraser surface shape of the eraser surface with the virtual eraser area VA=K/√EA where K is a nonzero constant and EA is the eraser angle between the eraser surface and the touch screen.
11. The method of claim 10 , the method further comprising erasing displayed data from the touch screen at virtual locations that intersect the virtual eraser area.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the eraser surface is disposed on a distal end of an electronic pen.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the virtual eraser area is further a function of a percentage of the eraser surface in physical communication with the touch screen.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the virtual eraser area is further a function of an angle of the eraser surface to the touch screen.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the virtual eraser area is further a function of a pressure of the eraser surface on the touch screen.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein a virtual eraser strength is further a function of a pressure of the eraser surface on the touch screen.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the eraser surface is detected in response to one or more of an area of the eraser surface in physical communication with the touch screen, a proximity sensor signature, a resistive signature, an electromagnetic signature, an acoustic signature, and an electronic pen profile.
18. A program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to perform:
detecting an eraser surface contacting a touch screen using capacitive detection;
detecting an eraser angle between the eraser surface and the touch screen using one or more of a video camera, an acoustic transmitter, an electromagnetic transmitter, and a radio transmitter; and
generating a virtual eraser area for the touch screen from the eraser surface as an eraser surface shape of the eraser surface with the virtual eraser area VA=K/√EA where K is a nonzero constant and EA is the eraser angle between the eraser surface and the touch screen.
19. The program product of claim 18 , the code further performing erasing displayed data from the touch screen at virtual locations that intersect the virtual eraser area.
20. The program product of claim 18 , wherein the eraser surface is disposed on a distal end of an electronic pen.