Microsoft recently patented a new technology named “Using an Alternate Input Device as a Maneuverable Emulated Touch Screen Device” that comes under the category of ingenious inventions if it works well as it does in the patent drawings. Microsoft stated that the company is working on an input mode trigger that will allow an advanced computing system to treat inputs from a touch sensing device (trackpads) like touch inputs.
With the touch sensing feature, a user will be able to control any focus area input within the operating system. This will be based on the detected maneuver touch input program on the touchpad or similar hardware, and the focus area in Windows 10 will be shifted to a new position. With this, one can also use two fingers to shift the focus area in Windows 10 and perform other touch gestures, like zoom in or zoom out. They can also swipe downwards with their finger from the top subsequently shut down an app. However, this thing will only work when the user extends the ‘focus area’ to cover the top portion of the UI.
Microsoft Touch Control
Win 10 render
“The result of the touch gestures on the trackpad will be highlighted within the focus area input mechanism on screen. These can be used to affect the underlying content on the canvas immediately,” the patent filing stated. The patented “input mode trigger” wouldn’t be affected by things like a user wearing gloves or glasses. One can use the existing trackpads to control the movement within the focus area of the operating system. However, they would still need a trackpad or other touch sensing hardware to enable the touch control feature on a non-touchscreen display.
However, patents don’t always end up as final products, especially the patents filed by Microsoft, but it seems as though Microsoft can be viewed as a family of new devices.
Using the touch feature with Windows
Windows would work faster with touchscreen or touchpad gestures. The user can try swiping across the screen to acquire the information they need faster. To swipe, one has to slide their finger across the screen quickly.
- Swipe across from the right side of the screen to open the action center.
- Swipe across from the left side of the screen to view all the opened apps in the task view.
- Swipe across from the top side of the screen to view a full-screened app’s title bar.
- Swipe across from the bottom side of the screen to view the taskbar in full-screened apps.
Enabling and disabling the touch screen in Windows 10
- Go to the search box on the taskbar, search for Device Manager, and select it.
- Select the arrow next to the Human Interface Devices and then click on the HID-compliant touch screen.
- Select the Action tab located at the top of the window. Select the Disable device or Enable device option, and then confirm.
- If there is more than one HID-compliant touchscreen device listed on the screen, perform the steps 2–3 again for those.
