Input apparatus with multi-mode switching function

• US 20090073144A1
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: CHEN, JIANN-JOU, KO, CHUEH-PIN
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An input apparatus with a multi-mode switching function is disclosed. In one embodiment, the input apparatus includes a body, an arc surface touching module and a control module. The arc surface touching module is arranged on surface of the body, and is used to input two-dimensional position data. The control module switches the input mode of said input apparatus based on the two-dimensional position data, and generates a control signal based on switched input mode and the two-dimensional position data. In another embodiment, upon transforming the two-dimensional position data into the three-dimensional position data based on the geometric characteristics of the body, the control module of the input apparatus switches the input mode of the apparatus based on the three-dimensional position data and generates a control signal in accordance with the three-dimensional position data.

Claims

1. An input apparatus with multi-mode switching function, comprising:

a body for holding;

an arc surface touching module, arranged on surface of said body, capable of detecting two-dimensional position data via at least one contact; and

a control module, coupled to said body, capable of switching said input apparatus to a first input mode based on said two-dimensional position data, and generating a control signal based on said first input mode and said two-dimensional position data.

2. The input apparatus of claim 1, wherein said body is configured to have a geometric shape of one of a cylindrical column, a cylinder, a cone, a sphere, and a circular column.

3. The input apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control module determines a holding pattern of a user'"'"'s hand based on said two-dimensional position data;

and is further capable of switching said input apparatus to one of a plurality of input modes corresponding to said holding pattern.

4. The input apparatus of claim 3, wherein said input apparatus is a pipe-shaped input apparatus, and wherein said holding pattern further includes one of an upright hold, a reverse hold, an upright grasp, a reverse grasp, a two-handed hold and a brush hold.

5. The input apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control module switches said first input mode of said input apparatus based on the relative relationship of said two-dimensional position data.

6. An input apparatus with multi-mode switching function, comprising:

a body;

an arc surface touching module, arranged on the surface of said body, for inputting a two-dimensional position data; and

a control module, coupled to said body, for transforming said two-dimensional position data into three-dimensional position data based on geometric characteristics of said body, and switching an input mode of said apparatus based on said three-dimensional position data, wherein said control module is capable of generating a control signal based on said switched input mode and said three-dimensional position data.

7. The input apparatus of claim 6, wherein said body is in the geometric shape of a cylinder, a cone, a sphere or any arc surface objects.

8. The input apparatus of claim 6, wherein said control module determines a holding pattern of a user'"'"'s hand based on said three-dimensional position data, wherein said control module switches said input apparatus to an input mode in response to said holding pattern.

9. The input apparatus of claim 8, wherein said input apparatus is a pipe-shaped input apparatus;

and wherein the holding pattern includes upright hold, reverse hold, upright grasp, reverse grasp, two-handed hold, or brush hold.

10. The input apparatus of claim 6, wherein said control module switches the input mode of said input apparatus based on the relative relationship of said three-dimensional position data.

11. A columnar input device for controlling an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a columnar body;

a cambered touch control module, installed on said columnar body, for inputting a two-dimensional data;

a signal transmission module, for transmitting a signal based on said two-dimensional data to said electronic apparatus; and

a sensor for detecting a physical quantity of said columnar input device.

12. The columnar input device of claim 11, further comprising an instruction identification module for generating an operation instruction based on said two-dimensional data and said physical quantity, and for transmitting said operation instruction to said electronic apparatus through said signal transmission module.

13. The columnar input device of claim 12, wherein said instruction identification module identifies a user'"'"'s operating movement in accordance with said two-dimensional data and said physical quantity, and generates said operation instruction corresponding to said operating movement.

14. The columnar input device of claim 12, wherein said sensor is one of an acceleration sensor, a gravity sensor, a gyroscope, and a direction detector.

15. An electronic system having a portable input device, comprising:

a system capable of processing information; and

a remote input device coupled to said system and capable of providing commands to the system in accordance with user'"'"'s instructions via a wireless communications network, wherein the remote input device is capable of decoding said user'"'"'s instructions by sensing two-dimensional contact locations between user'"'"'s hand and surface of the remote input device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said system is one of a personal digital assistant (“

PDA”

), a cellular phone and a smart phone.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said remote input device is a stylus with a touch sensitive surface.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said stylus and said touch sensitive surface are two independent elements.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said stylus and said touch sensitive surface are fabricated on a single structure.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said remote input device includes at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gravity sensor, a gyroscope sensor, and a digital compass.