PROGRAMMABLE TOUCH SENSITIVE CONTROLLER

• US 20110234495A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hoe Chan, Wui Kwang Tan
• Original Assignee: Hoe Chan, Wui Kwang Tan
• Inventors: Tan, Wui Kwang, Chan, Hoe
• Application Number:
  US12/670,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20110234495A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An improved user input device is disclosed having touch-sensitive areas. The touch-sensitive device may be implemented in a standard computer mouse, replacing the traditional buttons with a touch-sensitive region that may be configured specifically for the user or application desired. Alternatively, the touch-sensitive region may be incorporated into an otherwise traditional QWERTY keyboard. The touch-sensitive area may be programmed or mechanically actuated with a touch-sensitive membrane.

Claims

1. A touch-sensitive computer input device comprising:

a housing adapted to be held within a hand of a user, said housing having an interior region and top and bottom surfaces, said top surface having front and back areas;

a mouse subsystem within said housing and adapted to measure movement of the input device along an x-axis and a y-axis;

a touch sensitive surface on said front area, wherein said touch sensitive surface comprises a plurality of demarcated regions corresponding to a plurality of input signals, said demarcated regions adapted to be controlled by at least an index finger and a middle finger of said hand of said user while said housing is held within said user'"'"'s hand.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein said demarcated regions are color-coded.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein said demarcated regions are identifiable by texture.

4. The input device of claim 1, wherein said demarcated regions are identifiable by illumination.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein said demarcated regions are identifiable by a charged layer which creates a visual display, and wherein said charged layer does not require electricity to power.

6. The input device of claim 1, wherein said touch sensitive surface comprises an electronically stimulated membrane.

7. The input device of claim 6, wherein said electronically stimulated membrane comprises electrorheological fluid.

8. The input device of claim 6, wherein said electronically stimulated membrane is programmable.

9. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a memory.

10. The input device of claim 9, wherein said memory is programmed with one or more profiles associated with one or more desired layouts for said demarcated regions.

11. The input device of claim 1, wherein said device is generally shaped like a traditional computer mouse.

12. The input device of claim 11, comprising four demarcated regions.

13. The input device of claim 11, comprising six demarcated regions.

14. The input device of claim 1, wherein said demarcated regions can be programmed to blink or pulsate for visual effect, regardless of whether said demarcated regions are programmed to perform one or more functions.

15. The input device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to function like a scroll wheel.

16. The input device of claim 15, wherein said at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to detect a strength of touch.

17. The input device of claim 15, wherein said at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to detect a speed of swipe.

18. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a second touch sensitive surface not disposed on said front area but disposed elsewhere on said housing.

19. The input device of claim 1, further comprising software responsive to a graphical user interface for creating a plurality of associations between said demarcated regions and a plurality of control inputs.

20. The input device of claim 1, further comprising replaceable, transparent overlays adapted to rest above said demarcated regions.

21. A touch-sensitive computer input device comprising:

a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;

adjoining said keyboard, a plurality of demarcated, touch sensitive regions.

22. The input device of claim 21, further comprising a nonvolatile memory for storing a plurality of associations between said demarcated regions and a plurality of control inputs.

23. The input device of claim 21, further comprising software responsive to a graphical user interface for creating said associations.

24. The input device of claim 21, wherein said demarcated regions are color-coded.

25. The input device of claim 21, wherein said demarcated regions are identifiable by texture.

26. The input device of claim 21, wherein said demarcated regions are identifiable by illumination.

27. The input device of claim 21, wherein said touch sensitive regions comprise an electronically stimulated membrane.

28. The input device of claim 27, wherein said electronically stimulated membrane is programmable.

29. The input device of claim 27, wherein said electronically stimulated membrane comprises electrorheological fluid.

30. The input device of claim 21, wherein said keyboard comprises a full QWERTY keyboard.

31. The input device of claim 21, wherein said demarcated regions can be programmed to blink or pulsate for visual effect, regardless of whether said demarcated regions are programmed to perform one or more functions.

32. The input device of claim 21, wherein at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to function like a scroll wheel.

33. The input device of claim 32, wherein said at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to detect a strength of touch.

34. The input device of claim 32, wherein said at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to detect a speed of swipe.

35. The input device of claim 21, further comprising replaceable, transparent overlays adapted to rest above said demarcated regions.

36. A touch-sensitive computer input device comprising:

an exterior housing;

disposed on said exterior housing, a plurality of demarcated, touch sensitive regions, said touch sensitive regions having a plurality of associations between with a plurality of control inputs;

wherein said plurality of associations are programmable using a graphical user interface.

37. The input device of claim 36, further comprising software adapted for creating a plurality of profiles, each of said profiles having a different plurality of associations.

38. The input device of claim 37, further comprising a nonvolatile memory for storing said plurality of profiles.

39. The input device of claim 38, wherein said nonvolatile memory is located within said input device.

40. The input device of claim 38, further comprising a second memory for storing an active profile selected from said plurality of profiles.

41. The input device of claim 36, wherein said demarcated regions are color-coded.

42. The input device of claim 36, wherein said demarcated regions are identifiable by texture.

43. The input device of claim 36, wherein said demarcated regions are identifiable by illumination.

44. The input device of claim 36, wherein said touch sensitive regions comprise an electronically stimulated membrane.

45. The input device of claim 44, wherein said electronically stimulated membrane is programmable.

46. The input device of claim 44, wherein said electronically stimulated membrane comprises electrorheological fluid.

47. The input device of claim 36, wherein said demarcated regions can be programmed to blink or pulsate for visual effect, regardless of whether said demarcated regions are programmed to perform one or more functions.

48. The input device of claim 36, wherein at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to function like a scroll wheel.

49. The input device of claim 48, wherein said at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to detect a strength of touch.

50. The input device of claim 48, wherein said at least one of said demarcated regions is adapted to detect a speed of swipe.

51. The input device of claim 36, further comprising replaceable, transparent overlays adapted to rest above said demarcated regions.

52. The input device of claim 36, wherein said device is a gamepad.

53. The input device of claim 36, wherein said device is a computer mouse.

54. The input device of claim 36, wherein said device is a computer keyboard.