Modular apparatus and system for reconfigurable user inputs

• US 10,013,051 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grant & Union Inc.
• Original Assignee: Grant & Union Inc.
• Inventors: Chu, Calvin, Dave, Ashok Parth, Ui Rashid, Shadab, Ting, Fred, Zhou, Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US15/790,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20180046244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a modular apparatus and system for providing customized, reconfigurable user inputs. In an aspect, there is provided a modular apparatus comprising a plurality of reconfigurable Input Modules with different types of user inputs, such as buttons, sliders, knobs, joysticks, trackballs, touch pads, touch screens, and other types of user interfaces. The Input Modules may be physically interconnected to a Master Module which is adapted to communicate with each Input Module and to a System Controller Application running on a connected computing device. The Input Modules are reconfigurable into any number of different physical layouts. The Master Module determines the physical layout of the connected Input Modules, and communicates the layout to the System Controller Application. The function of each Input Module is then programmed via the System Controller Application and the Master Module for performing specific functions in a compatible computer application.

Claims

1. A modular system for customizing user inputs for one or more user applications executing on a computing device, comprising:

a master module including a processor and a memory, and one or more electrical interconnection points for interconnecting one or more input modules via a bus connection;

at least one input module providing a type of user input, and one or more electrical interconnection points for connection to the master module or to another input module via the bus connection;

wherein, the master module is adapted to detect a configuration of any interconnected input modules, including position and orientation of each interconnected module, and to dynamically assign a bus address to each of the interconnected input modules, thereby to make the interconnected input modules addressable by a system controller application which can logically map the configuration of the interconnected input modules on a graphical display for assigning each user input on an interconnected input module to a function or command in the one or more user applications.

2. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the master module is further adapted to detect any input module added to or removed from the modular system, and update the interconnected input modules addressable by the system controller application to logically map the updated configuration of the interconnected input modules on the graphical display.

3. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the system controller application is configured to store in a memory one or more sets of user application functions assigned to each of the interconnected input modules.

4. The modular system of claim 3, wherein the system controller application is further configured to switch between two or more sets of user application functions for different fuctions performed by a user application.

5. The modular system of claim 3, wherein the system controller application is configured to recall from memory a set of user application functions assigned to each of the interconnected input modules upon opening a user application.

6. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the master module includes a display for displaying a current user application profile, and displaying which user application functions is active.

7. The modular system of claim 6, wherein the master module display is further adapted to display a mode of a current user application with which a set of user application functions is associated.

8. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the types of user input include one or more of buttons, sliders, knobs, joysticks, trackballs, touch pads, and touch screens.

9. The modular system of claim 8, wherein the master module is adapted to identify the relative orientation of any types of user input controls which are reversible, and configured to program the corresponding modules in accordance with the relative orientation.

10. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the modular system is further adapted to provide one or more outputs to the one or more interconnected modules, the one or more outputs comprising a light source, a sound source, a mechanical vibration, or a display for displaying text or graphics.

11. The modular system of claim 10, wherein the one or more outputs to the one or more interconnected modules is relayed from a user application.

12. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the system control application is configured to rotate the logically mapped configuration of the interconnected modules on the display based on user preference.

13. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the bus connection commonly interconnects all of the intereconnected modules.

14. The modular system of claim 13, wherein the bus connection is an I²C bus.

15. The modular system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more electrical interconnection points connect adjacent modules only.

16. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the interconnected modules are rectilinear.

17. The modular system of claim 16 wherein the interconnected modules are either a square module or a rectangular module corresponding to the size of two square modules.

18. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the interconnected modules are hexagonal.

19. The modular system of claim 18, wherein the relative orientations of the interconnected modules are determined by the master module and aligned to a common orientation.

20. The modular system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the interconnected modules are configured to connect to other non-modular devices.