Multi-surface controller

• US 10,534,447 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2017
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yinbo Li
• Original Assignee: Yinbo Li
• Inventors: Li, Yinbo
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas I
• Application Number:
  US15/405,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/20 for imaging minute objects, e.g. light-pointer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a controller device and a method of detecting user inputs. According to at least one embodiment, an electronic controller device includes first and second button components, a processing circuit and a communication interface. The first and second button components respectively include first and second touch pads. The first and second button components are configured to register click operations by respectively first and second fingers of a user. The first and second touch pads are configured to register touch operations by fingers. The processing circuit is configured to convert the click operations and the touch operations into input signals. The communication interface is configured to transmit the input signals to at least one external device.

Claims

1. An electronic controller device, comprising:

a first button component including a first touch pad, the first button component configured to register a press action by a first finger of a hand of a user holding the electronic controller device in the air, the first touch pad configured to register a touch gesture by the first finger;

a second button component including a second touch pad, the second button component configured to register a press action by a second finger of the hand of the user holding the electronic controller device in the air, the second touch pad configured to register a touch gesture by the second finger;

a processing circuit configured to;

detect a first touch gesture of the first finger on the first touch pad of the first button component, the first touch gesture being detected based on at least one of a first direction or a first distance of movement of the first finger on the first touch pad;

detect a second touch gesture of the second finger on the second touch pad of the second button component, the second touch gesture being detected based on at least one of a second direction or a second distance of movement of the second finger on the second touch pad;

generate a first input signal for an external device based on at least one of the first touch gesture or the second touch gesture;

detect one or more first press actions of the first finger on the first button component, each of the one or more first press actions being detected based on comparing a first pressure exerted by the first finger on the first button component against a first threshold;

detect one or more second press actions of the second finger on the second button component, each of the one or more second press actions being detected based on comparing a second pressure exerted by the second finger on the second button component against a second threshold; and

generate a second input signal for the external device based on at least one of the one or more first press actions or the one or more second press actions;

and

a communication interface configured to;

transmit the first input signal to the external device to cause the external device to perform a first function; and

transmit the second input signal to the external device to cause the external device to perform a second function.

2. The electronic controller device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing having a top surface,

wherein the first button component is located on the top surface of the housing such that a thumb of the hand rests on the first button component when the user holds the electronic controller device with the hand.

3. The electronic controller device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing having a head end,

wherein the second button component is located on the head end of the housing such that an index finger of the hand rests on the second button component when the user holds the electronic controller device with the hand.

4. The electronic controller device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing having a side surface and a bottom concave area; and

a third button component configured to register a press action,

wherein the third button component is located on the side surface of the housing such that a middle finger of the hand wraps around the bottom concave area and a tip of the middle finger rests on the third button component when the user holds the electronic controller device with the hand.

5. The electronic controller device of claim 4, wherein the third button component includes a third touch pad, the third touch pad configured to register a touch gesture by the middle finger.

6. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the second input signal include information of locations of at least one of the first touch gesture or the second touch gesture on, respectively, the first and second touch pads.

7. The electronic controller device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing having an ergonomic shape that fits human hand arches.

8. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the first and second button components are configured to register the first touch gesture and the second touch gesture simultaneously.

9. The electronic controller device of claim 1, further comprising:

a motion sensor configured to detect a location, a motion, or an orientation of the electronic controller device.

10. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second button components includes a haptic component configured to provide haptic feedback.

11. The electronic controller device of claim 1, further comprising:

a lighting component having a ring shape that outlines an edge of the first button component, the lighting component configured to emit light to indicate a status of the electronic controller device.

12. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second touch pads is configured to detect touch gestures by multiple fingers simultaneously.

13. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the communication interface is a wireless communication interface or a connector for an external cable.

14. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a display device;

wherein the second input signal is configured to indicate to the external device to change a 3-D view point of the display device; and

wherein the first input signal is configured to indicate a direction and a degree of rotation of the 3-D view point of the display device.

15. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a display device to display a mouse cursor and a text box;

wherein the first input signal is configured to set a location of the mouse cursor on the display device; and

wherein the second input signal is configured to locate a text cursor in the text box.

16. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a display device to display texts;

wherein the first input signal is configured to select a subset of the texts for editing; and

wherein the second input signal is configured to cause the display device to display a keyboard to edit the selected subset of the texts.

17. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the second input signal is configured to establish a wireless connection between the communication interface and the external device;

and

wherein the first input signal is transmitted via the wireless connection.

18. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises an eyewear that functions as a display device.

19. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the second input signal is configured to set an operation mode of the external device;

and

wherein the first input signal is configured to change a function of the external device within the operation mode.

20. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the external device comprises a display device to display a mouse cursor and a text box;

wherein the first input signal is configured to set a location of the mouse cursor on the display device; and

wherein the second input signal is configured to select an item that overlaps with at least a part of the mouse cursor on the display device.

21. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the first button component and the second button component face different directions.

22. The electronic controller device of claim 1, wherein the first signal is generated based on at least one of:

detecting a first number of the one or more first press actions, or detecting a second number of the one or more second press actions.

23. A method of detecting user inputs, comprising:

detecting, by a processing circuit via a first button component of a controller device, one or more first press actions by a first finger of a hand of a user holding the controller device in the air, each of the one or more first press actions being detected based on comparing a first pressure exerted by the first finger on the first button component against a first threshold;

detecting, by the processing circuit via a first touch pad included in the first button component, a first touch gesture by the first finger, the first touch gesture being detected based on at least one of a first direction or a first distance of movement of the first finger on the first touch pad;

detecting, by the processing circuit via a second button component of the controller device, one or more second press actions by a second finger of the hand of the user holding the controller device in the air, each of the one or more second press actions being detected based on comparing a second pressure exerted by the second finger on the second button component against a second threshold;

detecting, by the processing circuit via a second touch pad included in the second button component, a second touch gesture by the second finger, the second touch gesture being detected based on at least one of a second direction or a second distance of movement of the second finger on the second touch pad;

generating, by the processing circuit, a first input signal for an external device based on at least one of the first touch gesture or the second touch gesture;

transmitting, by the processing circuit, the first input signal to the external device via a communication interface of the controller device to cause the external device to perform a first function;

generating, by the processing circuit, a second input signal for the external device based on at least one of the one or more first press actions or the one or more second press actions; and

transmitting, by the processing circuit, the second input signal to the external device via the communication interface of the controller device to cause the external device to perform a second function.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

detecting, by the processing circuit and via a third button component, at least one of a third touch gesture or a third press action when a middle finger of the hand wraps around a bottom concave area of a surface of the controller device and a tip of the middle finger rests on the third button component, wherein the third button component is located on a side surface of the controller device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first touch gesture or the one or more first press actions is detected by the first button component when the hand holds the controller device and a thumb of the hand rests on the first button component;

and

wherein the first button component is located on a top surface of the controller device.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the second touch gesture or the one or more second press actions is detected by the second button component when the hand holds the controller device and an index finger of the hand rests on the second button component;

and

wherein the second button component is located on a head end of the controller device.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the first touch gesture and the second touch gesture are detected simultaneously.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first and second touch pads are configured to register touch gestures by multiple fingers simultaneously.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

emitting light that indicates a status of the controller device.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

detecting a location, a motion or an orientation of the controller device by a sensor of the controller device.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving an instruction from the external device via the communication interface; and

in response to the instruction, performing a haptic feedback by a haptic component of the controller device.