Pushbutton user interface with functionality preview

• US 6,976,215 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ThinkLogix, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Inventors: Roderick, Jayne B., MacLean, Karon E., Verplank, William L., Snibbe, Scott S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLAND, SARA M
• Application Number:
  US09/918,789
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 345/702, 345/812, 345/701, 345/184, 715/702, 715/701, 715/812, 715/810
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/05 electromechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/032 Feedback about selected symbol, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/033 by speech

Abstract

A pushbutton user interface enables a user to preview the effect of activating a pushbutton of the interface before the pushbutton is activated. The pushbutton user interface can be implemented so that an input (preview input) to the pushbutton that does not produce an activation of the pushbutton is sensed and, in response to the sensed input, a preview is displayed that indicates the effect of activating the pushbutton. The preview input can be sensed using, for example, a force-sensitive resistor, potentiometer or strain gauge. The preview display can include, for example, a visual display, an audio display, a haptic display, or a combination of two or three such displays. The pushbutton user interface can be implemented so that the preview input and an activation input (i.e., an input that produces an activation of the pushbutton) are sensed as a result of an input to the pushbutton along the same axis or along different (e.g., orthogonal) axes.

Claims

1. A physical pushbutton user interface for enabling a user to preview the effect of activating a pushbutton, comprising:

preview sensing means for sensing an input to the pushbutton that does not produce an activation of the pushbutton, but determines the nature of the input and preview display functionality of the pushbutton; and

preview display means for displaying, in response to the sensed input, a preview comprising at least a portion of content data that would be provided as output if the pushbutton were activated, wherein the content of the preview varies in accordance with the degree of force applied to the pushbutton.

2. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the preview sensing means further comprises a force-sensitive resistor.

3. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the preview sensing means further comprises a potentiometer.

4. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the preview sensing means further comprises a strain gauge.

5. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the preview display means further comprises a visual display.

6. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the preview display means further comprises an audio display.

7. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the preview display means further comprises a haptic display.

8. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, further comprising an activation sensing means for sensing an input to the pushbutton that produces an activation of the pushbutton.

9. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 8, wherein the preview sensing means senses motion of the pushbutton along an axis that is the same as an axis along which the activation sensing means senses motion.

10. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 8, wherein the preview sensing means senses motion of the pushbutton along an axis that is different from an axis along which the activation sensing means senses motion.

11. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 10, wherein the preview sensing means senses motion of the pushbutton along an axis that is orthogonal to an axis along which the activation sensing means senses motion.

12. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the interface enables a user to preview the effect of activating any of a multiplicity of pushbuttons, the pushbutton user interface further comprising means for identifying to which of the multiplicity of pushbuttons an input has been provided, wherein the preview sensing means is adapted to sense an input to the identified pushbutton that does not produce an activation of the identified pushbutton, and the preview display means is adapted to produce, in response to the sensed input, a display of a preview indicating the effect of activating the identified pushbutton.

18. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the preview display means further comprises an olfactory display.

19. A pushbutton user interface as in claim 1, wherein the preview display means further comprises a taste display.

13. User interface apparatus for enabling a user to preview the effect of activating a mechanical input apparatus, comprising:

preview sensing means for sensing an input to the mechanical input apparatus that does not produce an activation of the mechanical input apparatus, but determines the nature of the input and preview display functionality of the mechanical input apparatus; and

preview display means for displaying, in response to the sensed input, a preview comprising at least a portion of content data that would be provided as output if the mechanical input apparatus were activated, wherein the content of the preview varies in accordance with the degree of force applied to the input to the mechanical input apparatus.

14. User interface apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the mechanical input apparatus comprises a doorknob.

15. User interface apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the mechanical input apparatus comprises a mechanical switching apparatus.

16. A method for enabling a user to preview the effect of activating a physical pushbutton, comprising the steps of:

sensing an input to the pushbutton that does not produce an activation of the pushbutton, but determines the nature of the input and preview display functionality of the pushbutton; and

displaying, in response to the sensed input, a preview comprising at least a portion of content data that would be provided as output if the pushbutton were activated, wherein the content of the preview varies in accordance with the degree of force applied to the pushbutton.

17. A computer readable storage medium or media on which is stored one or more computer programs for enabling a user to preview the effect of activating a physical pushbutton, the one or more computer programs comprising:

instructions for sensing an input to the pushbutton that does not produce an activation of the pushbutton, but determines the nature of the input and preview display functionality of the pushbutton; and

instructions for displaying, in response to the sensed input, a preview comprising at least a portion of content data that would be provided as output if the pushbutton were activated, wherein the content of the preview varies in accordance with the degree of force applied to the pushbutton.