UNIVERSAL INPUT DEVICE

• US 20080088468A1
• Filed: 06/18/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Yong-duck
• Granted Patent: US 8,502,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• 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

Abstract

A universal input device to attach to a target of a user, including a motion detector to detect motion of the target, a contact detector to detect types of contacts with the target, a controller to generate position data corresponding to the motion and control data, including mode setting data to set a mode of the device, corresponding to the types of the contacts, a communicator which transmits the position and the control data to an external host device, and a casing, accommodating the motion detector, the contact detector, the communicator, and the controller, into which the target is inserted.

Claims

1. A universal input device to attach to a target of a user, comprising:

a motion detector to detect motion of the target;

a contact detector to detect types of contacts with the target; and

a controller to generate position data corresponding to the motion and control data, including mode setting data to set a mode of the device, corresponding to the types of the contacts.

2. The universal input device according to claim 1, further comprising a communicator which transmits the position and the control data to an external host device.

3. The universal input device according to claim 2, further comprising a casing, accommodating the motion detector, the contact detector, the communicator, and the controller, into which the target is inserted.

4. The universal input device according to claim 3, wherein the casing is ring shaped.

5. The universal input device according to claim 4, wherein the contact detector comprises a plurality of joints, the plurality of joints being bent to correspond to the ring shaped casing.

6. The universal input device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage part, wherein the motion detector further comprises a pattern detector to detect a predetermined input pattern corresponding to the motion, and wherein the controller generates the position data corresponding to a preset pattern to be transmitted to the external host device if the detected predetermined pattern is substantially similar to the preset pattern.

7. The universal input device according to claim 1, wherein the position data is either two-dimensional position data or three-dimensional position data according to a preset mode corresponding to the mode setting data.

8. The universal input device according to claim 1, wherein the casing comprises an elastic member to allow the target to be inserted into the casing.

9. The universal input device according to claim 1, wherein the contact detector comprises a first contact detector and a second contact detector, and wherein the controller generates position and control data corresponding to a predetermined menu selection if the first contact detector detects a first type of contact between the first contact detector and the target and generates position and control data corresponding to a predetermined menu display if the second contact detector detects a second type of contact between the second contact detector and the target, and controls the communicator to transmit the data.

10. The universal input device according to claim 9, wherein the controller generates different control data according to a position of the target with respect to the types of the contact between the target and the first and second contact detectors.

11. The universal input device according to claim 9, wherein the controller generates different control data according to a contact time of the target with the first and second contact detectors.

12. The universal input device according to claim 9, wherein the mode setting data allows the universal input device to be recognized as one of a keyboard, a mouse and a remote controller by a contact of the second contact detector.

13. The universal input device according to claim 1, wherein the controller generates position data symmetrical to a predetermined axis according to a preset mode and transmits the position data to the external host device.

14. The universal input device according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply to supply power to the universal input device, wherein the controller controls the power supply to supply power to the motion detector, the contact detector and the communicator.

15. The universal input device according to claim 14, further comprising a switch to supply or cut off the power from the power supply according to a connection or a disconnection of the target with respect to the universal input device.

16. The universal input device according to claim 15, wherein the switch is provided between the power supply and the casing.

17. The universal input device according to claim 1, wherein the communicator communicates through a wireless protocol.

18. The universal input device according to claim 1, wherein, if the universal input device is recognized as a keyboard, the controller estimates x, y and z components of the motion to determine whether a predetermined text or symbol is being traced by the target.

19. The universal input device according to claim 1, wherein, if the universal input device is recognized as a mouse, the controller calculates x and y components of the motion.

20. The universal input device according to claim 1, wherein the control data corresponds to either a left or a right mouse button.

21. The universal input device according to claim 20, wherein the control data corresponds to either a left or a right mouse button based on whether a long contact or a short contact is detected.

22. A method of operating a universal input device for use with two or more external hosts, comprising:

generating control data to set a mode of the device by detecting a predetermined contact with respect to the device such that the device is operable with one of the external hosts;

generating position data in accordance with an acceleration of the device in space;

generating input data in accordance with the position data and any contacts with respect to the device following the predetermined contact; and

transmitting the input data to the one of the external hosts.

23. A circuit of a universal input device for use with an external host to attach to a target of a user, the circuit comprising:

a motion detector to detect motion of the target;

first and second contact detectors to detect first and second contacts with the target; and

a controller to generate position data corresponding to the motion and control data, including mode setting data to set a mode of the device, corresponding to the types of the contacts.