Abstract: The present invention is aimed at a system and a method for instructing a computing device to perform zooming actions, for example on a picture (enlarging and reducing the size of a virtual object on a display) and scrolling actions (e.g. sliding text, images, or video across a display, vertically or horizontally) in an intuitive way, by using a controller which can detect the distance between an object (e.g. the user's finger) and a surface defined by a sensing system.

Abstract: A sensing surface is presented for use in monitoring a three dimensional behavior of one or more objects above the surface. The sensing surface is associated with a self-capacitance sensor and comprises a plurality of self-capacitive sensing pads located on a single layer. The sensing surface is configured for providing measured data indicative of a three-dimensional behavior of one or more objects over an active area of the sensing surface. The pattern of the pads is configured such that each sensing pad can be connected to an edge of the sensing surface on said single layer. The technique further enables the use of a capacitive sensor comprising the sensing surface.

Abstract: A method for operating a digitizer with an autonomous asynchronous stylus includes sampling outputs from a digitizer, detecting from the outputs at least one pulsed signal transmitted from an autonomous asynchronous stylus at a defined rate, determining a location of the stylus interaction with respect to the digitizer, and tracking stylus interaction with the digitizer over subsequent pulsed signals transmitted from the stylus.

Abstract: A method for operating a digitizer with an autonomous asynchronous stylus includes sampling outputs from a digitizer, detecting from the outputs at least one pulsed signal transmitted from an autonomous asynchronous stylus at a defined rate, determining a location of the stylus interaction with respect to the digitizer, and tracking stylus interaction with the digitizer over subsequent pulsed signals transmitted from the stylus.

Abstract: A method for use in controlling images on a screen, including identifying each object from some objects with respect to a sensing surface, and assigning a dedicated image to that object for presentation on a screen, sensing behavior of that object by monitoring its position contacting the sensing surface and generating position data indicative thereof, and selectively identifying a break in contact between the contacting object and the sensing surface and generating data indicative thereof, processing the position data and generating transformation data between the coordinate system of the sensing surface and a virtual coordinate system of the screen, and selectively generating and storing data indicative of a last position in the virtual coordinate system of an image corresponding to a contacting object, when the contacting object breaks contact with the sensing surface; and using the transformation data for controlling the image associated with each contacting object on the screen.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive stylus, comprises a movable tip that recedes within a housing of the stylus in response to user applied contact pressure, wherein a displacement of the tip along an axis on which it recedes is a function of the applied contact pressure, and an optical sensor enclosed within the housing for optically sensing the displacement of the tip and for providing output in response to the sensing.

Abstract: A method for operating a digitizer with an autonomous asynchronous stylus includes sampling outputs from a digitizer, detecting from the outputs at least one pulsed signal transmitted from an autonomous asynchronous stylus at a defined rate, determining a location of the stylus interaction with respect to the digitizer, and tracking stylus interaction with the digitizer over subsequent pulsed signals transmitted from the stylus.

Abstract: An input device includes a touch sensitive sensor operative to detect finger touch, a controller for controlling the touch sensitive sensor, the controller operative to set at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor for sampling output with a single touch sampling method and to set at least one other area of the touch sensitive sensor for sampling output with a multi-touch sampling method, wherein the multi-touch sampling method is other than a single touch sampling method, and a detection unit of the touch sensitive sensor controllable to apply the single touch sampling method over the at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor and to apply the multi-touch sampling method over the at least one other area of same touch sensitive sensor.

Abstract: An input device includes a touch sensitive sensor operative to detect finger touch, a controller for controlling the touch sensitive sensor, the controller operative to set at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor for sampling output with a single touch sampling method and to set at least one other area of the touch sensitive sensor for sampling output with a multi-touch sampling method, wherein the multi-touch sampling method is other than a single touch sampling method, and a detection unit of the touch sensitive sensor controllable to apply the single touch sampling method over the at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor and to apply the multi-touch sampling method over the at least one other area of same touch sensitive sensor.

Abstract: An input device comprises a touch sensitive sensor operative to sense finger touch, a detection unit controllable to apply a single touch detection method over at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor and a multi-touch detection method over at least one other area of same touch sensitive sensor, and a controller operative to set the areas of single touch and multi-touch detection.

Abstract: A method for detection on a digitizer sensor, the method comprises simultaneously transmitting orthogonal signals having the same frequency on at least two conductors of a digitizer sensor; sampling a signal on at least one other conductor crossing the at least two conductors, wherein the signal is responsive to capacitive coupling at cross-junctions formed between the at least two conductors and at least one other conductor; decomposing the sampled signal into orthogonal components; and analyzing the orthogonal components to detect user interaction at each cross junction.

Abstract: A monitoring unit is presented for use in monitoring a behavior of at least a part of a physical object. The monitoring unit comprises: a data input module configured for receiving measured data indicative of a behavior of at least a part of the physical object in a certain coordinate system associated with a predetermined sensing surface; and a digital signal processor configured and operable to be responsive to said measured data for transforming the measured data into an approximate representation of said at least portion of the physical object into a virtual coordinate system such that the transformation maintains a positional relationship between virtual points and corresponding portions within said at least part of the physical object. This technique enables further formatting of said approximate representation into a predetermined data input format of a certain electronic device.

Abstract: A method for detecting an object on a sensor sensitive to capacitive coupling comprises simultaneously transmitting signals on at least two electrodes of the sensor, wherein at least one of the signals transmitted on each of the at least two electrodes has a frequency that is different from a frequency of at least one other signal transmitted on another electrode of the at least two electrodes, sampling a signal on at least one other electrode crossing the at least two electrodes, wherein the signal is responsive to capacitive coupling formed between the at least two electrodes and the at least one other crossing electrode, and detecting at least one object from the sampled signals.

Abstract: A method for operating a digitizer with an autonomous asynchronous stylus includes sampling outputs from a digitizer, detecting from the outputs at least one pulsed signal transmitted from an autonomous asynchronous stylus at a defined rate, determining a location of the stylus interaction with respect to the digitizer, and tracking stylus interaction with the digitizer over subsequent pulsed signals transmitted from the stylus.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive stylus, comprises a movable tip that recedes within a housing of the stylus in response to user applied contact pressure, wherein a displacement of the tip along an axis on which it recedes is a function of the applied contact pressure, and an optical sensor enclosed within the housing for optically sensing the displacement of the tip and for providing output in response to the sensing.

Abstract: A system for determining information regarding at least one object, comprising: a sensor sensitive to capacitive coupling; at least one object adapted to create a capacitive coupling with the sensor when at least one signal is input to the sensor; a detector adapted to measure at least one output signal of said sensor associated with the at least one object, wherein the output signal associated with the at least one object is an object information code.

Abstract: A method for multi-touch detection in a touch input device comprising a grid based sensor, the method comprises sampling outputs from a grid based sensor over a first stage of detection, selecting sensor lines based on the sampled outputs, scanning the selected sensor lines along one axis of the grid based sensor over a second stage of detection, and determining positions of user interaction based on outputs sampled in response to scanning the selected sensor lines during the second stage of detection.

Abstract: An input device comprises a touch sensitive sensor operative to sense finger touch, a detection unit controllable to apply a single touch detection method over at least one area of the touch sensitive sensor and a multi-touch detection method over at least one other area of same touch sensitive sensor, and a controller operative to set the areas of single touch and multi-touch detection.

Abstract: A method for graphical object manipulation using a touch sensitive screen, the method comprises detecting a presence of two user interactions within a defined boundary of a graphical object displayed on the touch sensitive screen, determining position of each of the two user interactions with respect to the graphical object, detecting displacement of at least one of the two user interactions, and manipulating the graphical object based on the displacement to maintain the same position of each of the two user interactions with respect to the graphical object.

Abstract: A method for detection on a digitizer sensor, the method comprises simultaneously transmitting orthogonal signals having the same frequency on at least two conductors of a digitizer sensor; sampling a signal on at least one other conductor crossing the at least two conductors, wherein the signal is responsive to capacitive coupling at cross-junctions formed between the at least two conductors and at least one other conductor; decomposing the sampled signal into orthogonal components; and analyzing the orthogonal components to detect user interaction at each cross junction.