Customizable User Interface For Electronic Devices

• US 20080172610A1
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Blair, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/908,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172610A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• 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 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2474 Telephone terminals specially adapted for disabled people user interfaces for cordless or mobile telephones specially adapted for disabled users H04M1/72475; network based special services or facilities for hearing-impaired persons H04M3/42391; devices for conversing with the deaf-blind G09B21/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions

Abstract

Techniques and devices (110, 310, 350) for providing a customized user interface for a programmable electronic device (101, 330, 340) originally equipped with a user interface different from the customized user interface. The operation of programmable electronic devices such as mobile phone (101) and game consoles (330, 340) can be adapted to user preferences and to persons with disabilities.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a custom software driver in a programmable electronic device to convert a customized command to an event code of an operating system of the programmable electronic device to execute a corresponding function of the programmable electronic device; and

using a custom user interface device, which has a custom user interface different from a user interface of the programmable electronic device, to communicate the customized command from a user to the programmable electronic device, wherein the user interface device provides at least one customized user interface for a user to enter the customized command and a transmitter which generates a transmission signal carrying the customized command.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the programmable electronic device is a mobile phone based on the Symbian operating system.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the programmable electronic device is a mobile phone based on an operating system different from the Symbian operating system.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the programmable electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) electronic device.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the programmable electronic device is a portable computer.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the programmable electronic device is a game console equipped with a game controller different from the custom user interface device.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the one customized user interface includes control buttons.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the one customized user interface includes a voice input interface.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein the one customized user interface includes a voice input interface, and the user interface device further comprises a second customized user interface with control buttons.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the transmitter in the user interface device includes an IR diode to wirelessly transmit the customized command.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the transmitter in the user interface device includes a radio transmitter to wirelessly transmit the customized command.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver port in the electronic device is an IrDA USB dongle.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein the programmable electronic device is a mobile phone based on a BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless) operating system.

14. The method as in claim 1, wherein the programmable electronic device is a Java-enabled mobile phone.

15. The method as in claim 1, wherein the transmitter in the user interface device is operable to transmit the customized command via a cable connected between the user interface device and the programmable electronic device.

16. A method for controlling a game console, comprising:

providing a custom software driver in a game console to convert a customized command to an event code of an operating system of the game console and to cause the operating system to execute a corresponding function of the game console; and

using a custom user interface device, which has a custom user interface different from a user interface of an original game controller for the game console, to transmit the customized command from a user to the game console.

17. The method as in claim 16, further comprising:

encoding the customized command into an encoded signal according to a transmission signal protocol for transmission between the game console and the custom user interface device; and

transmitting the encoded signal to the game console.

18. A method for controlling a game console, comprising:

providing a customized user interface device, which has a customized user interface different from a user interface of an original game controller for the game console, to allow a user to enter commands for controlling the game console;

providing a mechanism inside the customized user interface device to convert an entered command from the customized user interface into a command executable by of an operating system of the game console; and

providing a mechanism to transmit the converted command from the customized user interface device to the game console to be executed by the game console.

19. A customized user interface device, comprising:

a user input interface comprising a plurality of control button input jacks configured to accept control buttons for controlling the operation of a separate electronic device having a different user input interface;

a microcontroller to encode an user input into an encoded signal according to a communication protocol for signal transmission to the electronic device; and

a signal transmitter to generate a transmission signal that carries the encoded signal.