Non-line-of-sight touch input device
View Patent ↗A portable information handling system may be used in tablet-laptop mode, where a first body and a second body are rotatable about each other within an angular range of about 360°. Depending on the detected angular rotation of the first body about the second body, among other detectable usage aspects, line-of-sight operation or non-line-of-sight operation of touch input devices, such as a touch pad and/or a keyboard, may be activated.
1. A method for enabling non-line-of-sight operation of a touch pad in a portable information handling system, wherein the portable information handling system includes:
a first body comprising:
a solid-state keyboard on a first surface of the first body; and
the touch pad on the first surface; and
a second body comprising:
a display device hingeably attached to rotate about the first body,
the method comprising:
when the second body is rotated less than about 180° about the first body:
activating the solid-state keyboard to receive first user input from buttons of the solid-state keyboard; and
deactivating at least a portion of the touch pad from receiving second user input from touch activity on the touch pad;
when the second body is rotated greater than about 340° about the first body:
deactivating at least a portion of the solid-state keyboard from receiving the first user input;
responsive to detecting a touch event on the touch pad, wherein the touch event originates from a surface area on the touch pad corresponding to a tip of at least one human digit, activating at least a portion of the touch pad to receive the second user input;
activating a first section of the touch pad, the first section selected to extend within a length of a human digit from the surface area where the touch event originates; and
mapping the first section of the touch pad to a screen area of the display device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second body further includes:
a touch panel associated with the display device, and
wherein the method further comprises:
when the second body is rotated between about 180° and about 340° about the first body:
deactivating the solid-state keyboard from receiving the first user input; and
deactivating the touch pad from receiving the second user input.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mapping the first section of the touch pad includes:
rotating an orientation of the touch pad with respect to the display device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activating at least a portion of the touch pad to receive the second user input is performed responsive to:
detecting a touch pressure on the touch pad, wherein the touch pressure is less than a first threshold pressure and greater than a second threshold pressure.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activating at least a portion of the touch pad to receive the second user input is performed responsive to:
detecting, at the first surface, an elevated temperature with respect to ambient temperature.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second user input includes touch activity selected from at least one of:
movements for controlling a cursor;
taps for controlling mouse clicks;
swipes for advancing page displays; and
sliding motions for scrolling.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activating at least a portion of the touch pad to receive the second user input is performed responsive to:
receiving third user input indicating activation of non-line-of-sight operation of the touch pad.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the third user input is selected from at least one of:
operation of a switching element included in the portable information handling system;
touch activity on the touch pad exceeding a specified duration;
touch activity on the touch pad corresponding to a specified gesture; and
touch activity at a specified portion of the touch pad.
9. A portable information handling system for enabling non-line-of-sight operation of a touch pad, wherein the portable information handling system includes:
a first body comprising:
a solid-state keyboard on a first surface; and
the touch pad on the first surface;
a second body comprising:
a display device hingeably attached to rotate about the first body; and
a sensor for detecting an angular rotation of the second body about the first body; and
a processor subsystem having access to a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor subsystem, cause the processor subsystem to:
when the second body is rotated less than about 180° about the first body:
activate the solid-state keyboard to receive first user input from buttons of the solid-state keyboard; and
deactivate at least a portion of the touch pad from receiving second user input from touch activity on the touch pad;
when the second body is rotated greater than about 340° about the first body:
deactivate at least a portion of the solid-state keyboard from receiving the first user input;
responsive to detecting a touch event on the touch pad, wherein the touch event originates from a surface area on the touch pad corresponding to a tip of at least one human digit, activate at least a portion of the touch pad to receive the second user;
activate a first section of the touch pad, the first section selected to extend within a length of a human digit from the surface area where the touch event originates; and
map the first section of the touch pad to a screen area of the display device.
10. The portable information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the second body further includes:
a touch panel associated with the display device, and
further comprising instructions to:
when the second body is rotated between about 180° and about 340° about the first body:
deactivate the solid-state keyboard from receiving the first user input; and
deactivate the touch pad from receiving the second user input.
11. The portable information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to map the first section of the touch pad include instructions to:
rotate an orientation of the touch pad with respect to the display device.
12. The portable information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to activate at least a portion of the touch pad to receive the second user input are performed responsive to instructions to:
detect a touch pressure on the touch pad, wherein the touch pressure is less than a first threshold pressure and greater than a second threshold pressure.
13. The portable information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to activate at least a portion of the touch pad to receive the second user input are performed responsive to instructions to:
detect, at the first surface, an elevated temperature with respect to ambient temperature.
14. The portable information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the second user input includes touch activity selected from at least one of:
movements for controlling a cursor;
taps for controlling mouse clicks;
swipes for advancing page displays; and
sliding motions for scrolling.
15. The portable information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to activate at least a portion of the touch pad to receive the second user input are performed responsive to instructions to:
receive third user input indicating activation of non-line-of-sight operation of the touch pad.
16. The portable information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the third user input is selected from at least one of:
operation of a switching element included in the portable information handling system;
touch activity on the touch pad exceeding a specified duration;
touch activity on the touch pad corresponding to a specified gesture; and
touch activity at a specified portion of the touch pad.