RECONFIGURABLE CLIP-ON MODULES FOR MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20150033167A1
• Filed: 10/13/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Helmes, John, Taylor, Stuart, Hodges, Stephen E., Villar, Nicolas, Scott, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,564,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A set of reconfigurable clip-on modules for mobile computing devices includes two or more modules and at least one of the modules has an input button or other control and at least one of the modules can communicate with the computing device without needing to be connected to it via a wire. The input button is mapped to a user input in a program, such as a game, which is running or displayed on the computing device to which the modules are clipped. In an embodiment, user inputs via the buttons or other controls on the clip-on modules are mapped to user inputs in a game running on the device, which may be a touch-screen device, and the mapping between user inputs via the buttons and user inputs in the game may change dependent upon the game being played, user preference, or other criteria.

Claims

1. A method of providing user inputs to a target program, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from an input/output module attached around a periphery of a mobile computing device, the signal being indicative of a user input received at an input control on the input/output module; and

mapping the user input to a target user input in the target program.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the target program is running on the mobile computing device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

outputting a user input signal to the target program, the user input signal corresponding to the target user input.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the target program is running on a device separate from the mobile computing device.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a mapping set for use in the mapping of a user input to a target user input from a number of possible mapping sets.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is received and the mapping is performed by the target program.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is received and the mapping is performed by a service running on a remote server.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the target program is a game.

9. A method of providing user inputs to a target program, the method comprising:

receiving a reconfiguration signal at an input/output module attached around a periphery of a computing device, the reconfiguration signal specifying mappings between user inputs on the input/output module and user inputs in the target program; and

in response to a subsequent user input on the input/output module, mapping the user input to a user input in the target program based on the reconfiguration signal and sending a user input signal corresponding to the user input in the target program to the computing device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the target program is a game.

11. A mobile computing device comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

receive a signal from an input/output module attached around a periphery of the mobile computing device, the signal being indicative of a user input received at an input control on the input/output module; and

map the user input to a target user input in a target program.

12. The mobile computing device according to claim 11, wherein the target program is running on the mobile computing device.

13. The mobile computing device according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to output a user input signal to the target program, the user input signal corresponding to the target user input.

14. The mobile computing device according to claim 13, wherein the target program is running on a device separate from the mobile computing device.

15. The mobile computing device according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to select a mapping set for use in the mapping of a user input to a target user input from a number of possible mapping sets.

16. The mobile computing device according to claim 11, wherein the signal is received and the mapping is performed by the target program.

17. The mobile computing device according to claim 11, wherein the signal is received and the mapping is performed by a service running on a remote server.

18. The mobile computing device according to claim 11, wherein the target program is a game.

19. The mobile computing according to claim 11 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

send a reconfiguration signal to the input/output module attached around the periphery of the computing device, the reconfiguration signal specifying mappings between user inputs on the input/output module and user inputs in the target program;

in response to a subsequent user input on the input/output module, map the subsequent user input to a subsequent user input in the target program based on the reconfiguration signal; and

send a subsequent user input signal corresponding to the subsequent user input in the target program to the target program.

20. The mobile computing device according to claim 19, wherein the target program is a game.