PORTABLE USER INPUT SYSTEM OPERABLE IN TWO MODES

• US 20140191941A1
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solatido, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solatido, Inc.
• Inventors: Sherlock, Thomas M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,921,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666

Abstract

A portable user interface device receives user inputs in two modes. The user interface device includes a central portion attached to two side portions. Relative rotation between the central portion and the side portions converts the user interface device between the two modes. In the first mode, the user interface device is suspended on the front of a user'"'"'s torso. In the second mode, the user interface device may be placed on a substantially flat horizontal surface.

Claims

1. A user interface device comprising:

a first portion;

a second portion comprising a first set of input devices, the second portion hinged to the first portion for relative rotation between a first mode and a second mode; and

a third portion comprising a second set of input devices, the third portion hinged to the first portion for relative rotation between the first mode and the second mode,

in the first mode;

the first portion is suspended on a front of a user'"'"'s torso with the first and second sets of input devices facing away from the user'"'"'s torso, and

in the second mode;

the first and second sets of input devices are arranged to face away from a substantially flat surface, and the first portion is placed on the substantially flat surface.

2. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a third set of input devices selected from a group consisting of:

keys, touch pads, scroll wheels, thumb wheels, joysticks, mouth controllers, and track balls, levers, directional pads, and touch screens.

3. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a housing configured to physically accommodate a processing device.

4. The user interface device of claim 3, wherein the processing device comprises a mobile computing device.

5. The user interface device of claim 1, further comprising:

a suspension system connected to at least one of the first, second, and third portions and configured to suspend the user interface device on the user'"'"'s torso.

6. The user interface device of claim 5, wherein the suspension system is selected from a group consisting of:

a neck strap, a torso strap, a shoulder strap, and hook and loop fasteners.

7. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second and third portions are configured to resist relative rotation when the first, second, and third portions are arranged in the first mode or the second mode.

8. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein each of the second and third portions further comprises:

a frame having at least four edges, two edges of the at least four edges being substantially parallel, the frame configured to secure the first or second set of input devices on the second or third portion; and

a plurality of skirts, each skirt attached to the frame at one of the at least four edges and extending substantially perpendicular to a plane containing the first or second set of input devices on the second or third portion, the plurality of skirts dimensioned to enclose the first portion in the first mode.

9. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein each of the second and third portions has a substantially flat edge along which the first set of input devices or the second set of input devices is arranged, the flat edges of the second and third portions forming an angle between 120 and 160 degrees in the second mode.

10. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the first set of input devices or the second set of input devices is selected from a group consisting of:

keys, touch pads, scroll wheels, thumb wheels, joysticks, mouth controllers, and track balls, levers, directional pads, and touch screens.

11. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the user interface device communicates with a display device that indicates functional assignment of the first and second sets of input devices.

12. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the user interface communicates with a head-mounted display.

13. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein functions of the first and second sets of input devices are reprogrammable.

14. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the second portion is hinged to a first edge of the first portion and a third portion is hinged to a second edge of the first potion, the second edge adjacent to the first edge.

15. The user interface device of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of input devices form a QWERTY keyboard.

16. A method for operating a user interface device, comprising:

arranging a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion of a user interface device in a first mode in which the first portion is suspended on a front of a user'"'"'s torso with a first set and a second set of input devices on the second and third portions facing away from the user;

detecting a change of an arrangement of the first, second, and third portions from the first mode into a second mode in which the first and second sets of input devices are arranged to face away from a substantially flat surface on which the first portion is placed; and

changing a mapping of signals from the input devices to a processor in response to detecting the change of the arrangement of the first, second, and third portions from the first mode into the second mode.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a change of the arrangement of the first, second, and third portions from the second mode into the first mode; and

changing the mapping of signals from the input devices to the processor in response to detecting the change of the arrangement of the first, second, and third portions from the second mode into the first mode.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the mapping associates signals from the first or second sets of input devices with at least one of:

a number, a letter, a punctuation mark, a linguistic character, a tone, a color, a musical note, a command to a program executing on the processor, a macro, a movement, and a symbol.

19. A computing device comprising:

a user interface device comprising;

a first portion;

a second portion comprising a first set of input devices, the second portion hinged to the first portion for relative rotation between a first mode and a second mode; and

a third portion comprising a second set of input devices, the third portion hinged to the first portion for relative rotation between the first mode and the second mode,

in the first mode;

the first portion is suspended on a front of a user'"'"'s torso with the first and second sets of input devices facing away from the user'"'"'s torso, and

in the second mode;

the first and second sets of input devices are arranged to face away from a substantially flat surface, and the first portion is placed on the substantially flat surface;

a processing unit coupled to the user interface device and configured to receive user input via the user interface device; and

a display device coupled to the user interface device and configured to display at least user input.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the user interface device comprises a housing configured to physically accommodate the processing unit.