Removable Clip With User Interface

• US 20130019207A1
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Dabov, Teodor
• Granted Patent: US 8,966,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver

Abstract

Various embodiments of removable user interfaces, electronic computing devices, and systems are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a body having a bend and a user interface area, a connector adapted to couple to a corresponding connector on an electronic device, and a plurality of conductive elements. The bend enables the user interface area to wrap around a portion of the electronic device when the connector is coupled to the corresponding connector on the electronic device. In another embodiment, a portable electronic system includes a removable user interface and an electronic computing device having a display surface, where the removable user interface is couplable to the electronic computing device such that the removable user interface is disposed over at least a part of the display surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus adapted to be operatively coupled to an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a body having an engagement end, a user interface area, and a bend located between the engagement end and the user interface area;

a connector located at the engagement end, the connector adapted to couple to a corresponding connector on the electronic device;

a user interface element carried by the body in the user interface area, the user interface element operable to perform at least one of;

receiving a user input and displaying information; and

a plurality of conductive elements coupled between the user interface element and the connector for communicating electrical signals between the user interface element and the connector,

wherein the bend enables the user interface area to wrap around a portion of the electronic device when the connector is coupled to the corresponding connector on the electronic device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the user interface area of the body is transparent.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the connector is a 30-pin connector, a USB connector, a firewire connector, an audio jack, a serial connector, a parallel connector, a monitor connector, or a magnetic connector.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the connector includes:

an upper surface;

a lower surface arranged opposite the upper surface;

contact electrodes arranged on the upper surface for establishing an electrical connection with the electronic computing device when the connector is coupled to the electronic computing device in a first orientation; and

contact electrodes arranged on the lower surface for establishing an electrical connection with the electronic computing device when the connector is coupled to the electronic computing device in a second orientation.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tactile feedback elements provided proximate to the user interface element for providing tactile feedback to a user.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the tactile feedback elements include at least one protrusion or cutout.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the tactile feedback elements are located on at least one surface of the body.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the tactile feedback elements are located on opposite surfaces of the body.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the user interface element is an electronic display.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the electronic display is a light-emitting diode display, electroluminescent display, plasma display panel, liquid crystal display, thin-film transistor display, organic light-emitting display, swept-volume display, varifocal mirror display, emissive volume display, or holographic display.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the user interface element is a touch pad operable to both display information and receive a user input.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the bend includes at least one of a curved portion and a straight portion such that the bend is approximately 180 degrees.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the bend includes at least one rotatable element for rotatably coupling the user interface element to the connector.

14. A removable clip for providing a removable user interface to a portable electronic computing device having a display surface and a rear surface arranged opposite the display surface, the clip comprising:

a body including an interface portion and an engagement end, the interface portion including first and second surfaces opposing one another and having a plurality of touch-sensitive regions;

a plurality of tactile feedback elements arranged on or formed by the first surface, each tactile feedback element being arranged over one of the plurality of touch-sensitive regions,

a connector located at the engagement end for mechanically and electrically coupling the body to the electronic computing device; and

a plurality of conductive traces extending within the body to the connector and operable to communicate electrical signals indicative of user-engagement with the touch-sensitive regions to the electronic computing device;

wherein the clip is operable to communicate the electrical signals to the electronic computing device when the connector engages the electronic computing device such that the first surface is exposed to receive user input and the second surface is oriented to face the display surface of the electronic computing device.

15. The removable clip of claim 14 wherein the clip is operable to removably attach the electronic computing device to an object when the connector engages the electronic computing device such that the second surface is oriented to face the rear surface of the electronic computing device.

16. A portable electronic system comprising:

an electronic computing device including a device connector, a display surface, and a rear surface, the rear surface being arranged opposite the display surface; and

a removable user interface including;

a body having an engagement end;

an interface connector located at the engagement end for mating with the device connector so as to couple the body to the electronic computing device;

a user interface element for displaying information or receiving a user input; and

a conductive element extending between the user interface element and the connector for communicating an electrical signal between the user interface element and the electronic computing device,

wherein the removable user interface is couplable to the electronic computing device such that the removable user interface is disposed over at least a part of the display surface.

17. The portable electronic system of claim 16 wherein the removable user interface further includes a plurality of tactile feedback elements, and the electronic computing device is operable to display icons on the display surface at locations corresponding to the plurality of tactile feedback elements.

18. The portable electronic system of claim 17 wherein the electronic computing device is operable to select a displayed icon in response to a user engagement with a corresponding tactile feedback element.

19. The portable electronic system of claim 16 wherein the connector is configured so that the removable user interface is couplable to the electronic computing device in a plurality of different orientations.

20. The portable electronic system of claim 16 wherein the removable user interface further includes at least one rotatable element located between the interface connector and the user interface element, wherein the rotatable element is operable to rotate the removable user interface from an orientation where the removable user interface is proximate the display surface of the electronic computing device to an orientation where the removable user interface is proximate the rear surface of the electronic computing device.

21. A method comprising:

monitoring a connector of an electronic computing device;

identifying a removable user interface when the user interface is coupled to the connector;

determining an orientation of the removable user interface when the user interface is coupled to the connector; and

displaying information on an electronic display of the electronic computing device based on the determined orientation of the removable user interface.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein displaying information includes displaying icons on the electronic display in locations corresponding to locations of tactile feedback elements included with the removable user interface.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein determining an orientation includes detecting a rotation of the removable user interface relative to the electronic computing device.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising detecting a user engagement with a surface of the removable user interface.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising executing a function in response to the detected user engagement.