Peripheral user-interface device

• US 10,331,239 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Grant, Joshua Chapman, Palakunnel, Geo John, Demenschonok, Filipp
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US15/645,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20190012003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

A peripheral user-interface device for navigation of display content on an electronic display of a computer system. It comprises a base movable relative to the electronic display, a rotary dial arranged on the base and rotatable relative to the base, and an electronic touch sensor coupled mechanically to the base.

Claims

1. A peripheral user-interface device for a computer system, the peripheral user-interface device comprising:

a base movable relative to an electronic display of the computer system;

a rotary dial arranged on the base and rotatable relative to the base;

an electronic touch sensor coupled mechanically to the base;

a peripheral orientation sensor configured to sense an absolute orientation of the electronic touch sensor; and

an output interface configured to output, to the computer system, data representing an extent of rotation of the rotary dial and coordinates of user touch on the electronic touch sensor.

2. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 1 wherein the electronic touch sensor is coupled fixedly to the base, such that the rotary dial rotates while the electronic touch sensor remains stationary.

3. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 1 wherein the electronic touch sensor is coupled rotatably to the base and coupled fixedly to the rotary dial, such that the electronic touch sensor rotates with the rotary dial.

4. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 1 further comprising logic configured to transform the coordinates of user touch based on an orientation of the electronic touch sensor relative to the electronic display.

5. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 4 wherein the logic is configured to transform the coordinates of user touch based on output of the peripheral orientation sensor.

6. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 4 wherein the electronic display includes a host orientation sensor, and wherein the logic is configured to transform the coordinates of user touch based on comparative output of the host and peripheral orientation sensors.

7. A peripheral user-interface device for a computer system, the peripheral user-interface device comprising:

a base movable relative to an electronic display;

a rotary dial arranged on the base and rotatable relative to the base;

an electronic touch sensor coupled mechanically to the base;

a display-sensing orientation sensor configured to sense optical or acoustic radiation from the electronic display; and

an output interface configured to output, to the computer system, data representing an extent of rotation of the rotary dial and coordinates of user touch on the electronic touch sensor.

8. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 7 wherein the optical or acoustic radiation received from the electronic display is emitted by the electronic display during a calibration timeslice.

9. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 7 wherein the optical or acoustic radiation sensed from the electronic display is a reflected optical or acoustic radiation originating from the peripheral user-interface device.

10. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 7 wherein the display-sensing orientation sensor includes an imaging sensor cooperating with an object-recognition module.

11. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 7 wherein the display-sensing orientation sensor includes a time-of-flight sensor.

12. A peripheral user-interface device for a computer system, the computer system including an electronic display, the peripheral user-interface device comprising:

a base movable relative to the electronic display;

a rotary dial arranged on the base and rotatable relative to the base;

an electronic touch sensor coupled mechanically to the base;

a peripheral orientation sensor; and

an output interface configured to output to the computer system;

data representing an extent of rotation of the rotary dial, data representing coordinates of user touch on the electronic touch sensor, and data representing an orientation of the peripheral user-interface device, wherein the data representing the orientation of the peripheral user-interface device is usable in the computer system to map the coordinates of user touch onto a frame of reference of the electronic display.

13. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 12 wherein the peripheral orientation sensor is a display-sensing orientation sensor configured to sense optical or acoustic radiation from the electronic display.

14. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 12 wherein the peripheral orientation sensor is configured to sense an absolute orientation of the electronic touch sensor.

15. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 12 wherein the peripheral orientation sensor includes an electronic compass and an inclinometer.

16. The peripheral user-interface device of claim 12 further comprising a host orientation sensor, wherein the data representing the orientation of the peripheral user-interface device is usable in conjunction with output of the host orientation sensor to map the coordinates of user touch onto the frame of reference of the electronic display.