KR101631069B1 - An integrated exclusive input platform supporting seamless input mode switching through multi-touch trackpad - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrated exclusive input platform supporting seamless input mode switching, through a multi-touch trackpad and, more specifically, to a multi-touch trackpad providing a user with an integrated exclusive input platform by performing a seamless switching process of input modes in a seamless manner, in the multi-touch trackpad in which a keyboard input mode, a mouse input mode, and a gesture input mode are integrated.

Description

AN INTEGRATED EXCLUSIVE INPUT PLATFORM SUPPORTING SEAMLESS INPUT MODE SWITCHING THROUGH MULTI-TOUCH TRACKPAD "

The present invention relates to an integrated dedicated input platform for seamless input mode switching through a multi-touch trackpad, and more particularly, Touch trackpad that provides a dedicated input platform integrated to a user by allowing the pad to switch seamlessly between the input modes.

In a conventional computer system, the user input device is represented by a keyboard and a mouse.

The keyboard can be used to input letters, special characters or numbers into the computer by pressing a key on the keyboard with a finger. The keyboard can be divided into a membrane type, a pentagonal type, a mechanical type or a capacitive type according to a driving mechanism.

The mouse is also an input device for operating a pointing image called a cursor displayed on the display of a computer with a mouse to move the cursor on the display and executing various operations according to the position indicated by the cursor by using a plurality of buttons mounted on the mouse .

Although these keyboards and mice are used simultaneously in the computer work environment, they occupy a lot of work space because they are separately provided, and there is a delay in the operation due to the alternate movement between the keyboard and the mouse and the inconvenience of always repositioning the keyboard typing position .

In recent years, track pads have been developed to solve the above inconvenience. The trackpad is a pointing device capable of manipulating a cursor by touching a finger on a flat pad and is used in various electronic terminals such as a notebook PC and a desktop PC.

The trackpad also provides a user interface that supports various functions such as a search function, a scroll function, a screen rotation, a screen enlargement and reduction as well as a conventional mouse function such as pointing, clicking, and dragging.

In addition, since the trackpad manages the cursor by the user's body contact, the trackpad can be operated anywhere, unlike a mouse that requires a separate mouse pad. In addition, since the trackpad can be mounted in the keyboard, There are advantages.

However, even in the case of the trackpad, the trackpad is physically separated from the keyboard like a mouse. In some cases, the trackpad is also provided separately. This does not go beyond the limitations of always repositioning the keyboard.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the keyboard input function and the mouse input function are integrated in the trackpad of the keyboard size, and the keyboard input and the mouse input are simultaneously performed, thereby eliminating the inconvenience of delaying the computer operation time and re- A mouse wheel, a scroll, and a screen enlargement and reduction function through recognition of a touch operation, thereby improving the operation efficiency and providing an input device that can provide convenience to the user.

Next, a brief description will be given of the prior arts that exist in the technical field of the present invention, and technical matters which the present invention intends to differentiate from the prior arts will be described.

Korean Patent Registration No. 1268029 (Feb. 29, 2013) discloses a human interface apparatus having a pointer position information input unit and a pointer execution command unit, and is provided with a position information input area of a pointing device on the upper side of a text input area plane of a text input device And a gesture and a switching unit for switching between a text input mode and a pointing position information input mode, thereby realizing a pointing input operation while minimizing movement of a user's hand through simple input mode switching during text input.

The prior art is somewhat similar to the present invention in that the keyboard input device and the mouse input device are integrated into a single device so that the keyboard input and the mouse input can be performed according to the input mode switching. The keyboard input mode, the mouse input mode, or the gesture input mode can be switched between the simple touch input of the user or the change of the touch sensitivity, Keyboard functions, keyboard input, mouse input, and gesture input, as well as the conventional trackpad function, so that technical features that can provide convenience to the user are not described or suggested.

Korean Patent No. 1042285 (Jun. 10, 2011) discloses a keyboard in which a touch pad having a mouse and a multi-touch function is integrated into a key cap, and a mouse and a multi-touch function are simultaneously performed on the surface of a specific key cap on the keyboard A touch pad is formed so that a keyboard input and a mouse input can be operated simultaneously when a computer is operated.

The prior art has a limitation on the movement of the touch pad area by setting the touch pad area narrower and there is a substantial inconvenience in performing mouse pointing using the touch pad due to disturbance by the outwardly projecting keys.

On the other hand, according to the present invention, a keyboard pad capable of inputting a keyboard keypad is attached to a multi-touch trackpad having a size larger than a keyboard size. When a user inputs a key, a change in sensitivity is measured to perform keyboard input. Various touch gesture inputs using margins other than the area where the keyboard is located are provided in an area composed of right, upper, left, or a combination of them, and the user can seamlessly switch to the mouse input mode with a simple touch or sensitivity difference The mouse pointing input can be performed without interfering with the keyboard key cap anywhere in the touch pad area.

Korean Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1999-0062858 (July 26, 1999) is related to a cordless keyboard input device, in which a pointing device operation and a keyboard input device operation can be performed simultaneously in a free attitude, It is implemented.

While the prior art has implemented a pointing device separately in a single keyboard device, the keyboard and the pointing device alternately move between the keyboard and the pointing device. However, the present invention is not limited to the multi- A simple touch input including a simple touch gesture, a change in the sensitivity of the touch gesture, a number of touch gestures perceived as a touch, or a combination of them can be used to input a keyboard, a mouse input capable of pointing at any position, It is possible to provide convenience to the user by eliminating the inconvenience of moving the input devices alternately and performing computer work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a keyboard and a keyboard capable of inputting a keyboard by attaching a keyboard to a trackpad having a keyboard size or more, It is an object of the present invention to provide various touch gesture inputs using the margins of the keyboard composed of a top, a bottom, or a combination thereof and an input mode switching between a mouse and a keyboard, thereby improving the efficiency of computer work and providing convenience to the user.

The seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a touch recognition unit for recognizing a touch input of a user through a trackpad, a recognition unit for recognizing an input mode of the recognized touch input, And a user input performing unit for performing a user input including the keyboard input, the mouse input, the gesture input, or a combination thereof according to the input mode, wherein the device performs a plurality of input functions, And is characterized by being capable of seamless mode switching between a plurality of input functions.

Also, the touch area of the trackpad includes a keyboard recognition area, a touch gesture recognition area, and a mouse recognition area, and the keyboard recognition, the touch gesture recognition, and the mouse recognition are used without discrimination of the recognition area.

Further, a touch gesture and a mouse recognition may be performed through the mode conversion touch, the number of touch points, the change in touch intensity, or a combination thereof on the keyboard recognition area, or a touch may be performed through an edge portion including the corner of the multi- And a gesture can be input.

Also, the multi-touch track pad may have a curved or folded flexible touch area at an edge portion of the multi-touch track pad including an upper, a lower, a left, a right, or a combination thereof, And recognizes the gesture as a navigation operation.

The navigation operation may include an upward, downward, leftward or rightward scrolling or moving operation of a screen, a mouse wheel operation, a joystick operation, a zoom in or zoom out operation, and a page turning operation of an electronic book.

Further, in the multi-touch track pad, a touch gesture input is performed through an edge portion of the multi-touch track pad including left, right, upper, and lower sides or a combination thereof, or a predetermined specific portion is touched, A gesture input is performed by switching the keyboard recognition area to the gesture recognition area by changing the intensity of touching or touching according to the number of one touch point, The edge portion is a portion excluding the keyboard recognition area, and the touch gesture can always be input without switching the mode.

The multi-touch trackpad may further include a memory for storing a mapping table for touch coordinates and keys of the keyboard, a function preset by the user, and a setting of a pattern key for a key or a gesture of the keyboard. do.

The recognition of the mouse input and the gesture input is performed by recognizing the movement direction and the velocity of the touch coordinates within the touch region and performing a predetermined input according to the movement direction and the pattern according to the velocity.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch input method using a multi-touch trackpad, including: a touch recognition step of recognizing a touch input through a trackpad in a multi-touch trackpad; Processing the touch input in response to the input mode, wherein the touch input includes a keyboard input, a mouse input, a gesture input, or a combination thereof; Devices are integrally provided, and seamless mode switching is supported between a plurality of input functions.

The present invention relates to an integrated dedicated input platform for seamless input mode switching through a multi-touch trackpad, wherein a keyboard input mode, a mouse input mode, and a gesture input mode are integrated on a trackpad, The mutual switching between the input modes is seamlessly switched, thereby providing a dedicated input platform integrated to the user.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the case where the input mode switching button is not provided, It is possible to simplify the mutual switching between the keyboard input, the mouse input, or the gesture input through the simple touch input of the user, thereby minimizing unnecessary movement of the user's finger for switching and minimizing movement of the user's eyes, There is an effect that can be done.

1 is a plan view of a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for performing input through a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 (a) is a perspective view illustrating a seamless multi-touch track pad according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 (b) is a side view of a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5A is an exemplary diagram for explaining use of the seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention in a keyboard input mode. FIG.
5 (b) is an exemplary diagram for explaining use of the seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention in a mouse input mode.
FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a gesture input in a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference symbols in the drawings denote like elements.

1 is a plan view of a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Conventional trackpads, which typically combine the functionality of the trackpad with keyboard input, provide a simple display that allows the user to visually recognize the shape of the keyboard keyboard, such as a keyboard-shaped sticker on the trackpad, Most of them have integrated trackpad functions and keyboard input functions.

In addition, the existing trackpad, which integrates the function of the trackpad and the keyboard input function by separating the space where the trackpad is located on the keyboard, requires space for the trackpad to be located separately in addition to the keyboard space, To switch between functions, a separate button can be pressed and the keyboard can be input or the mouse pointing function is enabled when the button is pressed or pressed once. This is an inconvenience in that it is necessary to newly shift the keyboard typing position and the shift of the unnecessary user's gaze and the delay of the operation due to the alternation between the keyboard and the trackpad in order to switch between the keyboard input and the trackpad function at the time of the computer operation .

In addition, the conventional trackpad, which integrates keyboard input and trackpad functions with a simple display for the user to recognize the shape of the keyboard, such as a keyboard-shaped sticker on the trackpad, There is a problem in that the above-described operation delay, the movement of the unnecessary user's gaze, and the keyboard typing position must be resumed at all times. Also, in the case of keyboard input, the user inputs a character corresponding to the keyboard layout through the simple touch of the keyboard input portion displayed by the user. This is because the user can not feel the sense of the key for the actual keyboard input, which slows the typing and causes a lot of typos.

Accordingly, by attaching the keyboard of the keyboard to the upper end of the multi-touch track pad 100 having a size equal to or larger than the keyboard size and adding a sensitivity recognition function to the track pad, the user can feel the key feeling on the keyboard input, And to provide a trackpad capable of providing convenience to a user and a touch input method using the same. In addition, the trackpad operates on the keyboard with keystroke, and the change in sensitivity is measured to distinguish keyboard input from mouse input.

In addition, the keyboard input and the trackpad functions can be switched between the user-definable area on the trackpad of the keyboard size and the keyboard input and the trackpad function The present invention provides a trackpad and a touch input method using the same that can provide convenience to a user by minimizing unnecessary movement of a finger for the switching.

As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-touch track pad 100 that simultaneously performs a keyboard input function, a mouse input function, and a gesture input function according to the present invention can be applied to a multitouch operation (for example, Enlargement and reduction of the screen used, up and down movement of the screen, or scrolling operation).

In addition, a keyboard input mode, a mouse input mode, and a gesture input mode are supported. The input modes listed above can perform a keyboard input function, a mouse input function, and a gesture input function in a touch region of the multi-touch trackpad 100 .

Also, since the keyboard input keyboard is attached to the upper end of the multi-touch track pad 100 having a keyboard size or more, the user can feel the key feel of the keyboard input sufficiently, , The multi-touch trackpad 100 senses the sensitivity of the keyboard, and also operates the trackpad on the keyboard to measure the change in sensitivity, thereby performing the actual keyboard input function.

This is because when the user touches the multi-touch track pad 100, the multi-touch track pad 100 recognizes the sensitivity of the touch, so that even when the user performs a keyboard input through the keyboard, Input can be performed at the same time. For example, when the user makes a touch input on the keyboard, the multi-touch track pad 100 recognizes the strength of the touch, and classifies it into a keyboard input or a mouse input according to the strength of the recognized touch, Keyboard input or mouse input.

Also, it is possible to recognize various multi-touch operations such as drag, click, or double-click using a finger in the touch area of the multi-touch track pad 100 through the multi-touch track pad 100 as a base, have.

The multi-touch trackpad 100 is an input device that recognizes the position of a user when the user touches the plane of the multi-touch trackpad 100 with a finger or a pen, and transmits the recognized position to the system. Film, capacitive, ultrasonic, infrared, and optical. Particularly, the electrostatic capacitance type is used in most of electronic apparatuses today. It uses static electricity in the human body to coat the trackpad pad with a conductive compound to keep the electric current flowing, The electrons flowing in the track pad plane are attracted to the contact point, which is sensed by the sensor at the corner of the touch pad to discriminate the input. Such a capacitive method can be utilized as an input device by using a finger, a dedicated pen, or the like, and has an advantage that multi-touch is possible. However, the touch recognition application technology applied in the present invention is not limited thereto.

Further, in the case of the keyboard input mode provided by the multi-touch trackpad 100, when the user touches the keyboard key board key attached to the upper part of the multi-touch track pad 100 to perform keyboard input, The pad 100 recognizes that the key button of the corresponding keyboard is pressed according to the change of the touch sensitivity of the user, and performs the keyboard operation.

 Also, even when the multi-touch trackpad 100 is in the keyboard input mode, it is possible to perform a gesture input by touching the touch gesture recognition area as shown in FIG. 1, which can be performed simultaneously with the keyboard input.

On the other hand, the touch gesture recognition area can always recognize the touch gesture of the user and perform the touch gesture input without changing the input mode.

In addition, it is possible to perform a mouse input or a gesture input in the area where the keyboard is located according to the sensed sensitivity through recognition of the sensation of the multi-touch track pad 100 as well as the gesture recognition area, The keyboard input, the mouse input, or the gesture input can be seamlessly switched according to the user's preference.

On the other hand, the touch gesture recognition area is a recognition area for always recognizing a touch gesture even in a keyboard input mode, and in the case of a touch gesture input mode to be described later, It is natural that you can do gesture input.

In the case of the mouse input mode, the switching to the mouse input mode is recognized according to a simple touch input within the user-definable touch area, and the movement direction and speed of the moved touch coordinates are recognized and the mouse operation is performed. Therefore, since the fingers other than the user's finger performing the mouse input are positioned on the typing keyboard, it is not necessary to move the other finger away from the keyboard for the mouse input, thereby switching to the keyboard input is efficient.

The touch input is for switching a keyboard input, a mouse input, and a gesture input, and is configured by a touch pattern set by the user, a number of touch points recognized by a touch, or a combination thereof.

On the other hand, the number of touch points recognized by the touch refers to the number of touches recognized as a touch input by the user for switching the respective inputs. For example, in the multi-touch track pad 100, It means that the number of touches recognized as a touch by the right fingers is 5 or less.

In addition, the number of the touch points is not limited thereto.

Also, the user can preset the input mode to be switched according to the number of touch points.

In addition, the multi-touch trackpad 100 supports basic trackpad operations in addition to a mouse operation. The multi-touch operation of the multi-touch trackpad 100 is performed by switching the screen using a plurality of fingers, The user can perform the above function efficiently without moving or moving the finger other than the finger used in the touch gesture like a mouse operation.

Also, the gesture input can always perform a gesture input through the touch gesture recognition area. Also, switching to the gesture input mode is recognized by a simple touch input in a user definable touch area, It is possible to perform a touch gesture input in the area.

Further, various function operations that can be defined by the user using the margins of the upper, lower, left, and right keyboard keyboards 200 of the multi-touch trackpad 100 can be performed through the gesture recognition Gesture input can be performed.

The switching method of the keyboard input mode, the mouse input mode, and the gesture input mode is performed through a touch input set in various ways according to a user within a user-definable touch area. For example, if the lower side of the margin of the keyboard substrate 200 of the multi-touch trackpad housing 300 is dragged to the left side, the mode is switched to the keyboard mode and the lower side is dragged to the right side to switch to the mouse mode or the gesture mode. have.

The method of switching to the keyboard input mode, the mouse input mode, and the gesture input mode is a method in which the left side of the margin of the keyboard keyboard 200 of the trackpad enclosure 300 is moved to the left- , Or can operate in the mouse or touch gesture input mode only when the bottom surface of the keyboard keyboard 200 of the trackpad enclosure 300 is touched with the left hand thumb, to be. This is because unlike the conventional trackpad, by touching and changing a user definable area without pressing a specified key or placing a separate button for switching, it is possible to minimize movement of a hand during typing, So that the efficiency of the computing work can be maximized and the convenience to the user can be provided.

In addition, when the multi-touch track pad 100 is in the mouse input mode, the user can point the mouse anywhere in the touch area where the multi-touch track pad 100 is the entire mouse pointer.

In addition, a keyboard keyboard 200 attached to the upper portion of the multi-touch track pad 100 for inputting a keyboard has a keyboard keyboard having an actual keyboard input key sense attached to the upper portion of the trackpad, , A special key or a direction key can be easily recognized visually and tactually.

As described above, the mouse input and the gesture input can be simultaneously performed on the keyboard through the recognition of the sensitivity of the multi-touch trackpad 100.

Also, the multi-touch trackpad 100 may provide a device or application (App) to operate the corresponding multi-touch trackpad 100 to a user terminal, / Wireless connection, it can be used in various electronic devices such as a smart phone, a tablet PC, or a smart TV as well as a general desktop PC or a notebook PC.

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a seamless multi-touch track pad apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2, the multi-touch track pad device 100 includes a touch recognition unit 110 for recognizing a touch input and a touch sensitivity of a user, a keyboard input mode, a mouse input mode, A user input performing unit 130 for performing an input according to an input mode according to a command of the control unit, a user input mode switching A memory for storing a touch input operation or a touch gesture function operation and a communication interface unit for communicating with a user terminal via wire or wireless communication.

The touch recognition unit 110 recognizes the position of the touch and the change in sensitivity of the touch using the user's body (e.g., a finger) or a dedicated pen, etc., formed in the touch area of the trackpad, And transmits the touch to the control unit 120. [

Also, the touch recognition unit 110 may be implemented using various touch recognition methods of the multi-touch track pad 100 to recognize a user's touch.

In addition, the control unit 120 may switch the mode to the keyboard input mode, the mode to the mouse input mode, or the mode to the gesture input mode according to the touch input of the user recognized by the touch recognition unit 110 and the change of the touch sensitivity The keyboard input performing unit 131, the mouse input performing unit 132 or the gesture input performing unit 133 for the input mode switching as a result of the determination, Allows you to do the work. On the other hand, if it is determined that the input mode is not to be switched, the conventional input mode is maintained and the corresponding touch input can be performed.

Also, the controller 120 controls the user input performing unit 130 to perform keyboard input, mouse input, touch gesture input, or a combination thereof, as well as controlling the multi-touch track pad 100 It is possible to perform overall control such as data flow or driving between constituent parts constituting.

Meanwhile, the user's touch input for switching the input mode may be a touch pattern arbitrarily set by a user in an arbitrary area, and may be a touch pattern provided by the multi-touch track pad. Of course, the touch pattern provided by the multi-touch track pad can be arbitrarily set and changed by the user.

The user input performing unit 130 may include a keyboard input performing unit 131 for inputting a keyboard, a mouse input performing unit 132 for performing a mouse input, and a gesture input performing unit 133 for inputting a touch gesture input. .

Also, the keyboard input performing unit 131 is switched by the controller 120 as a touch input for switching the input mode of the user, and performs the same function as a general keyboard input.

Meanwhile, the controller 120 may control the keyboard input, the mouse input, or the gesture according to the sensitivity change of the user recognized by the touch recognition unit 110 while the keyboard input is performed through the keyboard input performing unit 131. [ And may control the user input performing unit 130 to perform input.

This has the effect of maximizing the efficiency of the user's computer work by promptly and seamlessly supporting the switching of the respective input modes without any special movement when the user inputs keyboard or gesture when performing a keyboard input .

Meanwhile, as another embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard input performing unit 131 may use a mapping table for keyboard coordinates of a predetermined coordinate predefined in touch coordinates of the multi-touch trackpad 100 stored in the memory When the user touches the touch area (keyboard layout) of the multi-touch trackpad 100 in the keyboard input mode, the keyboard layout is recognized as an input of a corresponding keyboard layout key mapped according to the coordinates, have.

In addition, when the user performs the keyboard input mode and simultaneously performs a gesture input by touching the upper, lower, left, or right margins of the keyboard, the touch recognition unit 100 recognizes the touch gesture of the user The controller 12 may control the user's input unit 130 to support the touch gesture input according to the recognized touch gesture.

If there is a touch input for switching the input mode of the user, the mouse input performing unit 132 performs a mouse input function according to a command of the controller 120. [

In addition, when the user performs a mouse pointing operation, the mouse input performing unit 132 recognizes the moving direction and speed of the moved touch coordinates and displays the movement of the cursor on the screen of the user terminal.

The mouse input performing unit 132 may perform various operations according to the position of the cursor displayed on the user terminal. For example, movement of the icon where the cursor is located, dragging of the screen, click or double-click is performed.

The gesture input performing unit 133 performs a touch gesture input function under the control of the controller 120 when there is a touch input for switching the gesture input mode of the user.

The gesture input performing unit 133 may perform not only the mouse pointing operation performed by the mouse input performing unit 132 in the touch area of the multi-touch trackpad 100, but also the screen scrolling function, screen turning, A search for text, a search for an image, or a combination thereof is defined as a single touch gesture, so that various functions such as a screen scroll function and the like can be simply performed with the single touch gesture defined above.

When the multitouch trackpad 100 is in the keyboard input mode, the gesture input performing unit 133 may be configured to allow the user to select the gesture input unit 100 on the top, bottom, left, or right side of the touch region of the multi- The gesture input function can be performed by recognizing the gesture of the user including the mouse input. That is, even in the keyboard input mode, the touch gesture input or the mouse input can be performed in an area other than the keyboard keyboard 200 attached to the multi-touch track pad 100.

Meanwhile, the user's touch gesture input through the touch gesture recognition area can perform the touch gesture input by touching the touch gesture area, not only in the touch gesture input mode but also in the keyboard input mode and the mouse input mode, The touch gesture input of the user can be performed by always recognizing the user's touch gesture without switching the input mode of the touch gesture.

In addition, the memory 150 may store the coordinates of the mapping table or the multi-touch track pad 100 for the keyboard key board key, a function operation corresponding to a user's basic gesture or a function operation corresponding to a basic gesture, The touch time of the touch pattern, the intensity of the touch sensitivity, and the like.

Also, the communication interface unit 140 transmits a text or a computer operation command performed by the keyboard input performing unit 131, the mouse input performing unit 132, or the gesture input performing unit 133 to the user terminal. On the other hand, the user terminal can receive the text or the command and perform an operation according to the received text or command.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a multi-touch trackpad in which a keyboard input mode, a mouse input mode, and a gesture input mode are integrated on a trackpad, so that the mutual switching between the input modes is seamlessly switched, Platform.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for performing input through a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The multi-touch trackpad 100 performs a function of the multi-touch trackpad 100 on the assumption that the multi-touch trackpad 100 and the user terminal are connected through a driver or an application for driving the multi- Describe the procedure in detail.

First, when the user touches the multi-touch track pad 100 to perform a computer operation, the multi-touch track pad 100 recognizes a touch input of the user through the touch recognition unit 110 (S110 ).

Next, the control unit 120 determines whether the recognized touch input is a touch input for switching the input mode (S120, S130, and S140).

Meanwhile, although it is exemplified that the determination is based on the touch input of the user, the change of the touch sensitivity to the touch of the user with respect to the input mode switching as well as the touch input, Number, or a combination thereof.

Also, the touch input for switching the input mode can be arbitrarily set by a user, or is basically provided in a multi-touch track pad.

If it is determined in step 120 that the input is a touch input for switching to the keyboard input mode, the keyboard input performing unit 131 recognizes the keyboard key input by the user and performs keyboard input (S121). On the other hand, the recognition of the keyboard input has already been described in detail, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the case of the touch input for switching the mouse input mode, the mouse input performing unit 132 recognizes the coordinate movement direction and the velocity of the mouse pointing of the user and performs mouse input (S131) If the touch input is the touch input for switching the gesture input mode, the gesture input is performed by recognizing a user defined gesture or a gesture for a function operation defined in principle (S141).

If the touch input of the user is not the touch input for switching the input mode, the conventional input mode is continuously performed (S150).

4 (a) is a perspective view illustrating a multi-touch track pad apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4 (a), a keyboard keyboard 200 is attached to an upper portion of the multi-touch trackpad housing 300 having a keyboard size or larger to perform the keyboard input function.

When the user touches the keyboard of the keyboard in the keyboard input mode, the multitouch trackpad 100 measures a change in the sensitivity of the user's touch to recognize that the actual key is pressed And performs a keyboard function. As described above, when the keyboard key of the keyboard keyboard 200 is mapped to the coordinates of the multi-touch trackpad 100 and the user touches a specific keyboard key, the user is mapped to the coordinates corresponding to the area of the keyboard key It is also possible to perform the keyboard function by recognizing the keyboard key input.

In addition, the keyboard keyboard 200 has an effect of reducing the occurrence of normal typing and typo by allowing the user to feel the key input feeling as well as being prompt and visual to the actual user. .

4 (b) is a side view of a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the upper portion of the multi-touch track pad housing 300 can be formed as a curved surface.

Accordingly, the touch recognition board formed in the track pad enclosure 300 is made of a flexible PCB 400, and the flexible PCB board 400 is formed on the curved surface on the trackpad enclosure 300 Can be attached.

This allows the user to conveniently perform the mouse wheel operation or the up / down scroll operation through the touch recognition on the curved surface within the touch area of the multi-touch track pad 100. [

In the meantime, the multi-touch track pad enclosure 300 may be formed as a curved surface. The multi-touch track pad enclosure 300 may include an upper portion, a lower portion, a right portion, a left portion, And the flexible PCB board 400 can be attached by forming curved edges.

Further, the flexible PCB board 400 may be attached in a folded form when the top, bottom, right or left sides of the multi-touch trackpad housing 300 are not curved (e.g., flat) The upper surface, the lower surface, or the side surface of the touch track pad housing 300 can be configured to be touch-inputable together.

That is, a flexible touch region having a curved surface or a folded shape is provided at an edge portion of the multi-touch track pad 100 including the top, bottom, left, right, or a combination of the multi-touch track pads 100, And the touch gesture input may be performed according to the recognized navigation operation.

On the other hand, the navigation operation is an operation including an upward, downward, leftward or rightward scrolling of a screen, a movement of a screen, a mouse wheel, a joystick operation, a zooming in or zooming out of a screen, a page turning operation of an electronic book, The user can arbitrarily define and input.

Meanwhile, the navigation operation refers to a touch gesture for inputting a touch gesture of a user, and is not limited to a specific operation, but is used in the same sense as a touch gesture.

FIG. 5A is an exemplary diagram for explaining use in a keyboard input mode in a multi-touch track pad device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5 (a), a user can perform general keyboard input using the keyboard board 200 attached to the multi-touch track pad 100.

In addition, the keyboard keyboard 200 is a keyboard that allows the user to feel the input key feeling when the user actually performs the keyboard input. Unlike the conventional trackpad that performs keyboard input by simply touching the surface of the trackpad, By allowing the user to feel the sense of the key, it is possible to increase the speed feeling of typing and reduce the occurrence of typos.

That is, the keyboard key 200 can instantly recognize the key of the keyboard to be input by the user, and the multi-touch trackpad 100 can recognize the key strength of the keyboard And recognizes that the key button is depressed so that the keyboard operation can be performed. This makes it possible for the user to feel the key feel of the keyboard input, thereby improving the problem of the frequent typing of the keyboard input through only the touch and the lowering of the input speed.

In addition, the keyboard key plate key can be mapped according to the touch coordinates of the multi-touch track pad 100 as described above. For example, the coordinates (x1, y3) of the multi-touch trackpad can be predefined and mapped to the letter "a" of the keyboard and the coordinates (x5, y1) of the keyboard as a space bar.

Further, the multi-touch trackpad 100 may set a touch gesture recognition area in addition to the upper, lower, left, or right side of the keyboard keyboard 200 or the recognition area of the keyboard keyboard 200 when the keyboard input mode is being performed It is possible to support the user to input the touch gesture at the same time as the keyboard input and to simultaneously perform the keyboard input and the mouse input or the gesture input according to the sensitivity recognition of the multi- same.

The touch gesture recognition area on the upper, lower, left, or right side of the keyboard 200 refers to a part excluding the keyboard recognition area, and the touch gesture input through the touch gesture recognition area is a separate input mode change It is possible to always perform the touch chess input without performing the touch chess operation.

FIG. 5B is an exemplary diagram for explaining use in the mouse input mode in the seamless multi-touch track pad device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5B, when the user touches the left thumb of the lower end of the multi-touch track pad 100, the multi-touch track pad recognizes switching to the mouse input mode, Touch trackpad 100 in the mode shown in FIG.

In general, a conventional keyboard having an integrated trackpad function and a mouse input function may be provided with a specific specific button or a specific key set on the keyboard, and when the corresponding button or specific key is pressed or once pressed, The keyboard input mode, the gesture input mode, the keyboard input mode, and the gesture input mode can be performed only by a user-definable touch area and a touch pattern or touch sensitivity recognition in the touch area of the multi-touch track pad 100. However, Mode is switched. This is because unlike a conventional trackpad, a specific button is provided or the input mode is seamlessly switched even if the touch area defined by the user is changed to a simple touch or intensity of the touch without pressing a specific key, And unnecessary movement of the eyes is minimized, thereby providing convenience to the user.

In addition, when the mode is switched to the mouse input mode, the user can perform a mouse pointing operation using a finger (for example, a right index finger), which is positioned in the touch area of the multi- You can perform mouse pointing operations regardless.

Also, it is possible to perform multi-touch operations in addition to the mouse operation. Various functions such as movement of the screen up and down and left and right, enlargement or reduction of the screen, searching for text characters, searching for images, etc. can be performed using a plurality of fingers.

On the other hand, when the user's left thumb is touched, the switch to the mouse input mode is only one embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the keyboard input mode, the mouse input mode, The touch input pattern can be freely set and changed by the user.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a gesture input in a seamless multi-touch trackpad according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the user can perform a gesture input through the touch gesture recognition area.

The touch gesture recognition area shown in Fig. 6 is located on the upper, lower, right and left sides of the keyboard, and refers to a portion excluding the recognition area of the keyboard.

The touch gesture input through the touch gesture recognition area is simultaneously performed in the keyboard input mode or the mouse input mode. That is, the touch gesture input through the touch gesture recognition area can always receive the touch gesture input by recognizing the user's touch gesture without switching the input mode.

In addition, the touch gesture input may perform various functions that can be defined by the user through gesture recognition. In the touch gesture recognition area, a gesture that moves up and down using a finger or a gesture that moves left and right is taken Up / down scroll operation or left / right scroll operation of the screen.

As described above, in the case of the touch gesture input mode as well as the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the multi-touch track pad 100, the touch gesture input is applied to the entire area of the touch area of the multi- It is natural that it can be done.

Touch trackpad 100 along the curved surface formed on the edge of the multi-touch track pad 100 including the top, bottom, left, right, or a combination thereof, It can be easily performed.

As described above, the seamless multi-touch trackpad and the touch input method using the same according to the present invention are characterized in that a keyboard keyboard 200 is attached to a multi-touch trackpad 100 of a keyboard size to simultaneously perform keyboard input and mouse input, By providing motion actions such as mouse wheel, scrolling, zooming in or out of the screen through motion recognition, it is necessary to recalibrate the operation delay and keyboard typing position caused by moving alternately between the keyboard, the mouse and the trackpad when the computer is operated The multitouch track pad 100 can be switched between the input modes by simply touching the multitouch track pad 100 without any additional button configuration for switching between the keyboard input mode, the mouse input mode, and the gesture input board, There is a very efficient advantage.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. .

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

100: Seamless multi-touch trackpad 110: Touch recognition unit
120: control unit 130: user input performing unit
131: keyboard input performing unit 132: mouse input performing unit
133: gesture input performing unit 140: communication interface unit
150: memory 200: keyboard keyboard
300: Multi-touch track pad enclosure 400: Flexible recognition substrate

Claims (13)

A touch recognition unit for recognizing a touch input of the user through the trackpad;
Recognizing the input mode with respect to the recognized touch input according to the change of the touch input of the user and the change of the touch sensitivity and switching the input mode to selectively receive the corresponding touch input and controlling the flow or driving of data between the constituent parts of the trackpad A controller; And
And a user input performing unit for performing a user input including the keyboard input, the mouse input, the gesture input, or a combination thereof according to the input mode,
A device for performing a plurality of input functions integrally,
Mode switching is possible without pressing a button between multiple input functions,
The recognition area of the keyboard input, the mouse input, and the gesture input is used indiscriminately in the touch area of the trackpad,
A touch gesture and a mouse recognition are performed through a change in the number of touch points, a change in touch intensity, or a combination thereof on a recognition area for the keyboard input,
A gesture input is performed through an edge portion of a multi-touch track pad including left, right, up, down, or a combination thereof, a predetermined portion is touched, a touch is made according to the number of preset touch points, By changing the intensity of the touch, the gesture input is performed by switching the keyboard recognition area to the gesture recognition area,
Wherein the edge portion is a portion excluding the keyboard recognition area, and the touch gesture can always be input without switching the mode. delete delete The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the multi-
Touch track pad having curved or folded flexible touch areas at the edges of the multi-touch track pad including upper, lower, left, right, or combinations thereof,
And recognizing the touch gesture input along the curved surface as a navigation operation. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the navigation operation comprises:
Wherein the multi-touch track pad includes an upper, lower, left or right scroll or move operation, a mouse wheel movement, a joystick movement, a zoom in or zoom out, or an electronic book page turn operation. delete The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the multi-
A mapping table for touch coordinates and keys of the keyboard keyboard, and
Further comprising a memory for storing a preset function and a setting of a pattern key for a key or a gesture of the keyboard. The method according to claim 1,
The recognition of the mouse input and the gesture input may be performed,
Recognizes a movement direction and a velocity of the touch coordinates in the touch region and performs a preset input according to a pattern corresponding to the movement direction and the velocity. A touch recognition step of recognizing a touch input through the trackpad in the multi-touch trackpad;
Recognizes the input mode of the touch input according to the change of the touch input of the user and the change of the touch sensitivity, switches the touch input to selectively receive the touch input, and controls the flow or driving of data between the constituent parts of the trackpad step; And
Processing the touch input according to the switched input mode, the touch input including a keyboard input, a mouse input, a gesture input, or a combination thereof,
Wherein the multi-
A device for performing a plurality of input functions integrally,
Mode switching is possible without pressing a button between multiple input functions,
The recognition area of the keyboard input, the mouse input, and the gesture input is used indiscriminately in the touch area of the trackpad,
A touch gesture and a mouse recognition are performed through a change in the number of touch points, a change in touch intensity, or a combination thereof on a recognition area for the keyboard input,
A gesture input is performed through an edge portion of the multi-touch track pad including left, right, upper, lower, or a combination thereof, or a predetermined specific portion is touched or touched according to the number of preset touch points , The gesture input is performed by switching the keyboard recognition area to the gesture recognition area by changing the intensity of the touch,
Wherein the edge portion is a portion excluding the keyboard recognition area, and the touch gesture can always be input without switching the mode. delete The method of claim 9,
Wherein the multi-
Touch track pad having curved or folded flexible touch areas at the edges of the multi-touch track pad including upper, lower, left, right, or a combination thereof,
Recognizing a touch gesture inputted along the flexible touch area as a navigation operation,
Wherein the navigation operation comprises:
Wherein the touch input operation includes an upward, downward, leftward or rightward scroll or movement operation of the screen, a mouse wheel operation, a joystick operation, a zoom in or zoom out operation, or a page turn operation of an electronic book. delete The method of claim 9,
The recognition of the mouse input and the gesture input may be performed,
Recognizing a movement direction and a velocity of the touch coordinates in the touch region and performing a preset input according to a pattern according to the movement direction and the velocity.

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