Handedness detection for a physical manipulatory grammar

• US 6,243,074 B1
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Mochon, Carlos, Fishkin, Kenneth P., Harrison, Beverly L., Want, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mengisteab, Tewolde
• Application Number:
  US08/920,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer

Abstract

A device supporting a user interface includes a feedback module for presenting information related to a data structure and a processor for controlling the feedback module and the data structure. The device also has a detector for determining handedness of a user, allowing modification of the displayed data structure based on handedness of a user.

Claims

1. A device supporting a manipulatable user interface, the device comprising:

a feedback module for presenting information related to a data structure;

a processor for controlling the feedback module and the data structure;

a deformable piece including multiple subregions, the deformable piece physically coupled to the feedback module with the deformable piece contacting at least one sensor that monitors positional changes within multiple subregions of the deformable piece, the at least one sensor being connected to the processor; and

a detector for determining handedness of a user, the detector being connected to the processor for modifying the displayed data structure based on handedness of a user, wherein the detector comprises a first and second pressure sensor, with the first pressure sensor situated to be grasped by a left hand of a user and the second pressure sensor situated to be grasped by a right hand of a user.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector for determining handedness further comprises a first and a second pressure sensor, with the first pressure sensor situated to be grasped by a left hand of a user and the second pressure sensor situated to be grasped by a right hand of a user.

3. A device supporting a manipulatable user interface, the device comprising:

display for presenting visual information related to a data structure;

a processor for controlling the display and the data structure;

a deformable piece including multiple subregions, the deformable piece physically coupled to the display, with the deformable piece having at least one sensor connected to the processor to monitor relative position of its multiple subregions; and

a detector for determining handedness of a user, the detector being connected to the processor for modifying the displayed data structure based on handedness of a user, wherein the detector comprises a first and second pressure sensor, with the first pressure sensor situated to be grasped by a left hand of a user and the second pressure sensor situated to be grasped by a right hand of a user.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the detector for determining handedness further comprises a first and a second pressure sensor, with the first pressure sensor situated to be grasped by a left hand of a user and the second pressure sensor situated to be grasped by a right hand of a user.

5. A method for inputting information to a device connected to a deformable piece, the method comprising the steps of

determining handedness of a user grasping the device as a first morpheme input, and

asynchronously manipulating the deformable piece to provide a second morpheme input to the device, with the second morpheme input converting the normally triggered first default action to a second action based on determined handedness of the user.