Auxiliary Sensor for Touchscreen Device

摘要

Exemplary embodiments are described wherein an auxiliary sensor is removably attached to a touchscreen computing device and is communicably coupled to the device to provide additional user input to the computing device. In accordance with some embodiments, the additional user input may be used to affect how the computing device interprets and processes gestural user input from the touchscreen, or to simulate such input. In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, the auxiliary sensor establishes an optical path near the surface of the touchscreen and sensing user contact by observing blockage of the optical path by a user's pointing member.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a housing attachable to a computing device, the computing device having, on at least one first surface, both a first area implementing a touch-sensitive display and a second area that is not a touch-sensitive display; a light-emitting element disposed in the housing, the light-emitting element configured to transmit at least a portion of light along a path that is substantially parallel to, and in close proximity with, the first surface of the computing device and which crosses over the second area; a light-receiving element disposed in the housing, the light-receiving element configured to detect whether the at least a portion of light transmitted from the light-emitting element has been received; a detector system coupled to the light-receiving element, the detector system generating an output signal indicating whether or not light from the light-emitting element is detected as received by the light-receiving element; and a communication interface coupled to the computing device to communicate the output signal to the computing device.