Cable user interface

• US 20070237170A1
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Proctor, David, Cox, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,094,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06

Abstract

A cable user interface, such as a cable for audio headphones, enables control of one or more aspects of operation of a device to which such cable is connected. A user touches/applies pressure to the cable user interface, either along the full length of the cable, or to a localized part of the cable, in order to control the device. A mechanism is included for interfacing the pressure sensitive controller(s) to the device so that pressure/touch applied by a user can be translated to control of the device. In one embodiment, a headphone cable itself is an input device for volume and playback control of a portable media player.

Claims

1. A user interface component for controlling a computing device, comprising:

a cable including at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor integrated with the cable; and

an interface for interfacing to the computing device, wherein interacting with the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor generates control input for controlling the computing device.

2. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor includes at least one touch sensitive sensor and at least one pressure sensitive sensor, and wherein the interacting with the at least one touch sensitive sensor provides a first functionality, interacting with the at least one pressure sensitive sensor provides a second functionality, and wherein interacting with both the at least one touch sensitive sensor and at least one pressure sensitive sensor in a pre-defined manner provides a third functionality different from said first or second functionality.

3. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor is at least one capacitive sensor that measures a capacitance when a user interacts with the cable.

4. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor is a wire that makes electrical contact with a conductive sleeve of the cable when a user exerts pressure to the cable.

5. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor includes at least a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel carries a high frequency signal that capacitively couples with the second channel when a user exerts pressure to the cable.

6. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor is at least one piezoelectric pressure sensor.

7. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor includes a resistance measuring component that measures a resistance when a user interacts with the cable.

8. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein the computing device is a portable media player or a cell phone.

9. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein the computing device is a portable media player or a cell phone.

10. A user interface component according to claim 1, wherein interacting with the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor generates volume control input for controlling the amplitude of audio output from the computing device.

11. A computing device including the user interface component of claim 1.

12. A method for receiving user input from a user via a cable user interface component, comprising:

receiving a mechanical gesture by the user that interacts with the cable user interface component, wherein the cable user interface component includes at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor integrated with the cable; and

generating a signal by the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor based on the gesture, wherein said signal is utilized to control a functional aspect of a computing device.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the signal to the computing device for the purpose of controlling the computing device.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

wherein said generating includes generating a signal by the at least one touch/pressure sensitive sensor based on the gesture, wherein said signal is utilized to control the volume of audio output from the computing device.

15. A method according to claim 12, further including:

analyzing the signal to determine whether the gesture represents at least one pre-defined action;

if the gesture represents at least one pre-defined action, controlling the computing device in accordance with a functionality associated with the at least one pre-defined action.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising mapping the at least one pre-defined action to at least one pre-existing control input of the computing device.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one pre-defined action is any of a single press of short duration, a single press of a duration longer than the short duration, a double press, a triple press, and a press and hold action.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one pre-defined action is any of a fast swiping up the cable user interface component, a fast swiping down the cable user interface component, a swiping up the cable slower than the fast swiping and a swiping down the cable slower than the fast swiping.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one pre-defined action is any combination of at least one press and at least one swiping motion.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein said signal is an analog signal and the method further includes:

converting the analog signal to a digital signal that digitally represents the analog signal.

21. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 12.

22. A user interface component for controlling a computing device, comprising:

a cable, wherein the cable includes;

at least one means for sensing pressure exerted to the cable integrated with the cable; and

means for interfacing to the computing device, wherein exerting pressure to the at least one means for sensing pressure generates control input for controlling the computing device.