Input Device

• US 20140104180A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Argotext, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Argotext, Inc.
• Inventors: Schaffer, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,477,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/08 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

The present invention is a data entry device featuring a novel way of touch-typing on a small smart-device using two or more opposing touchpad surfaces positioned around a display, said surfaces comprising a housing. Bumps or other touch sensitive features are arrayed around the periphery of a digital display on the device. The bumps or other touch sensitive features provide both a locating means for finger placement and a zone for sensing the shift of a pressure point or sensing motion of the finger along the surface, the shift or motion in a preferred direction indicating a selection from a displayed menu to be made by lifting the finger from contact. A novel way of holding the device by its wrist band or handle or strap while fingering the bumps leads to a fluid method of keying functionalities for use as a phone and as an internet-enabled texting device.

Claims

1. A data entry device, comprising:

a housing having a top surface and four side surfaces forming a periphery there around;

a digital display on the top surface;

a wrist-band connected to two opposing side surfaces, the wrist band functioning to removably attach the housing to a person'"'"'s wrist;

at least one panel on each of the two remaining, unbanded, side surfaces;

at least two bumps on each of at least one panel on each side, each bump configured to receive the touch of a finger-tip, each bump defining a zone enabled with sensor technology at least in a zone surrounding said bump to respond to finger-tip pressure toward one of at least two preferred directions on the panel; and

a programmable processor coupled with memory inside the housing, the processor in signal communication with the sensor technology and the digital display and programmed to associate each bump with a stored menu and each preferred direction with a functionality;

whereas, with the thumb and index fingers of each hand hovering over the unbanded side surfaces, a functionality can be selected by touching at least one of the bumps with one of the hovering fingers to cause a menu to be displayed by the integrated processor on the digital display and thereafter urging the touching finger toward one of the preferred directions as indicated by the menu.

2. The data entry device of claim 1, wherein there are two panels stacked upper and lower on each of the two unbanded side surfaces, the upper and lower panels inclined to each other and to the display.

3. The data entry device of claim 2, wherein each upper panel and one of the lower panels each have three zones defined by bumps.

4. The data entry device of claim 1, further comprising a timer inside the housing in signal communication with the sensor technology and the processor.

5. The data entry device of claim 4, wherein a timed sequence of finger touches is determined by the timer and the processor is programmed to associate different functionalities with different sequences.

6. The data entry device of claim 5, wherein the functionality is selected by a pincher movement of the thumb and index finger.

7. The data entry device of claim 1, wherein the selected functionality is executed by a release of the touch.

8. The data entry device of claim 1, wherein the functionality results in the selection of a letter, number or character to be entered in a data field in the display.

9. The data entry device of claim 1, wherein the functionality results in an operational command.

10. The data entry device of claim 1, wherein there are four preferred directions arrayed orthogonally.

11. The data entry device of claim 1, wherein the display in a home state is divided into an entry part and a grid part, the entry part displaying the current selections, the grid part associating, by a layout of cells in correspondence to the bump positions, each bump with a sub-menu indicating selections available by touching said bump, the home state in display when no touching occurs.

12. The data entry device of claim 3, wherein the display in a home state is divided into an entry part and a grid part, the entry part displaying the current selections, the grid part associating, by a layout of cells in correspondence to the nine bump positions, each of the bumps with a sub-menu indicating selections available by touching said bump, the layout of cells in rows and positioning of alphabet in cells corresponding to a QWERTY keyboard, the home state in display when no touching occurs.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the touches are determined to be simultaneous or sequential according to a preferred timer delay.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a simultaneous touch toggles between data entry modes.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data entry modes include lower case alpha, upper case alpha, number, and character.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a sequential touch results in the display of a menu of functions assignable to bump positions.

20. The data entry device of claim 1, wherein wireless technology is enabled for data entry communication to remote devices.

13. A method of entering data by means of wrist deployment, comprising the steps:

providing to the wrist of a person a data entry device comprising a wrist-sized housing having a top surface and four side surfaces forming a periphery there around;

a digital display on the top surface;

a wrist-band connected to two opposing side surfaces, the wrist band functioning to removably attach the housing to the wrist;

at least one panel on each of the two remaining, unbanded, side surfaces;

at least two bumps on each of at least one panel on each side, each bump configured to receive the touch of a finger-tip, each bump enabled with sensor technology at least in a zone surrounding said bump to respond to finger-tip pressure toward one of at least two preferred directions on the panel; and

a programmable processor coupled with memory and located inside the housing, the processor in signal communication with the sensor technology and the digital display and programmed to associate each bump with a stored menu and each preferred direction with a functionality;

removing the data entry device from the wrist;

holding the data entry device in a reading position with at least one of the middle, ring or little fingers of each hand gripping the wrist-band from both sides, whereby the index fingers and thumbs are deployed to hover over the at least one panel;

touching at least one bump with a thumb or index finger to cause a menu of selection choices to appear on the display;

selecting one of the choices by urging the touching finger or thumb in one of the preferred directions indicated by the menu; and

entering the selection by releasing the touch.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the providing step further comprises two panels stacked upper and lower on each of the two unbanded side surfaces, the upper and lower panels inclined to each other and to the display, and a timer inside the housing in signal communication with the sensor technology and the processor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the touching step comprises touches by both the index finger and thumb of at least one hand.

21. A hosted data entry device, comprising:

an electronic object having two ends, two sides, a top surface and an interior space;

at least one panel on each of the two sides;

at least two bumps on each of the panels, each bump enabled with sensor technology at least in a zone surrounding said bump to respond to finger-tip pressure toward one of at least two preferred directions on the panel; and

a programmable processor coupled with memory in the interior space, the processor in signal communication with the sensor technology and a digital display within the field of vision of the user, said processor programmed to associate each bump with a stored menu and each preferred direction with a functionality;

whereas, with the electronic object held proximate each end in a manner to free the thumb and index fingers of a user'"'"'s two hands to hover over the side surfaces, a functionality can be selected by touching at least one of the bumps with one of the hovering fingers to cause a menu to be displayed by the processor on the digital display and thereafter urging the touching finger toward one of the preferred directions as indicated by the menu.

22. The data entry device of claim 21, wherein the digital display is remote and communication therewith is by wireless means.

23. The data entry device of claim 21, wherein the electronic object is a wristwatch, a TV remote control, a PDA, a cell phone, or a game controller.

24. A data entry device comprising:

housing including a front surface and a plurality of edge surfaces, when each edge surface is set at an angle from the front surface and each other edge surface,

a touch and motion sensor associated with each edge surface, whereas the touch sensor detects contact of a finger with the edge and further detects a direction of sliding motion of a finger across the surface of the edge.

25. A data entry device comprising:

a housing including a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces, wherein the side surfaces include a plurality of delineated regions;

one or more sensors associated with a respective one of each of the delineated regions wherein the sensor detects contact by a user'"'"'s finger and a sliding motion along the surface of the delineated region in one of at least two directions;

a processor connected to the sensors, wherein the processor processes a signal from one of more of the sensors to detect a direction of the sliding motion along at least one of the delineated regions and to translate the direction of the sliding motion into a symbol.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein at least one delineated regions is delineated by being set at an angle from other regions of the device.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein at least one delineated region is delineated by raised ridges.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein at least one delineated region is delineated by grooves in the surface of the device.