Human interface system
DCFirst Claim
1. A hand-held electronic device comprising:
- a memory configured to store a plurality of applications, wherein each application is associated with a set of functions;
a processor configured to process a selected one of the plurality of applications;
a first input assembly having a plurality of input elements on a first surface configured to receive input from a human user through manipulation of the plurality of input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements on the first surface is configured to selectively map to one or more input functions of the set of functions associated with the selected one of the plurality of applications;
a second input assembly having one or more input elements on a second surface configured to be manipulated by one or more of the human user'"'"'s fingers, wherein at least one of the input elements on the second surface is further configured to be selectively mapped to one or more input functions of the set of functions corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of applications, further wherein the plurality of input elements on the first surface and the one or more input elements on the second surface are arranged so as to substantially optimize a biomechanical effect of the human user'"'"'s hand; and
wherein at least one of the input elements of the second input assembly is a sensor pad configured to selectively represent a plurality of delineated active areas, wherein manipulation of a delineated active area causes the input function of one or more input elements of the first input assembly to change.
10 Assignments
Litigations
3 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A human interface configured to optimize a biomechanical effect of a human user'"'"'s opposing thumb and fingers by including, on one surface, one or more software configurable input elements manipulatable by a user'"'"'s thumb(s) or a stylus, and, on another surface, one or more software configurable selection elements manipulatable by a user'"'"'s finger(s). A selection element may be a pressure sensor pad configurable to represent delineated active areas that are mapped to one or more input functions. Shape changing media may be provided to permit a user to tactilely discriminate between delineated active areas. Tactile feedback may be provided to a user through palpable detents, vibratory or force producing units. Inputting data may include mapping each selection element to a shift function, mapping each input element to text functions, and using the selection elements to shift between text functions associated with an input element to input a desired text function.
190 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A hand-held electronic device comprising:
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a memory configured to store a plurality of applications, wherein each application is associated with a set of functions; a processor configured to process a selected one of the plurality of applications; a first input assembly having a plurality of input elements on a first surface configured to receive input from a human user through manipulation of the plurality of input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements on the first surface is configured to selectively map to one or more input functions of the set of functions associated with the selected one of the plurality of applications; a second input assembly having one or more input elements on a second surface configured to be manipulated by one or more of the human user'"'"'s fingers, wherein at least one of the input elements on the second surface is further configured to be selectively mapped to one or more input functions of the set of functions corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of applications, further wherein the plurality of input elements on the first surface and the one or more input elements on the second surface are arranged so as to substantially optimize a biomechanical effect of the human user'"'"'s hand; and wherein at least one of the input elements of the second input assembly is a sensor pad configured to selectively represent a plurality of delineated active areas, wherein manipulation of a delineated active area causes the input function of one or more input elements of the first input assembly to change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A hand-held electronic device comprising:
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a memory configured to store a plurality of applications, wherein each application is associated with a set of functions; a processor configured to process a selected one of the plurality of applications, wherein the set of functions associated with the selected application includes a plurality of text symbol functions and a plurality of shifting functions; a first surface having a plurality of input elements configured to receive input from a human user through manipulation of the plurality of input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements of the first surface is further configured to selectively map to more than one text symbol function; and a second surface having one or more input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements of the second surface having one or more selectable active areas configured to be manipulated by one or more of the human user'"'"'s fingers, each selectable active area configured to selectively map to a different shifting function, wherein manipulation of one of the selectable active area causes the text symbol function of the one or more input elements of the first surface to change, further wherein the plurality of input elements of the first surface and the one or more input elements of the second surface are arranged so as to substantially optimize a biomechanical effect of the human user'"'"'s hand. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for configuring a human interface and input system for use with a hand-held electronic device configured to run a plurality of applications, each application associated with a set of functions, the method comprising:
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disposing on a first surface a first input assembly having a plurality of input elements configured to receive input from a human user through manipulation of the plurality of input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements of the first input assembly is further configured to map to more than one input function associated with a selected one of the plurality of applications; disposing on a second surface a second input assembly having one or more input elements configured to be manipulated by one or more of the human user'"'"'s fingers, wherein at least one of the input elements of the second input assembly is further configured to selectively map to one or more input functions associated with the selected application; and arranging the plurality of input elements of the first input assembly and the one or more input elements of the second input assembly to substantially optimize a biomechanical effect of the human user'"'"'s hand. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for inputting data on a hand-held electronic device having a first surface with a plurality of input elements configured to receive input from a human user through manipulation of the plurality of input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements is further configured to map to a plurality of symbols in a data input mode, wherein each of the plurality of symbols is associated with a unique index position identifier, and a second surface having one or more selection elements configured to be manipulated by one or more of the human user'"'"'s fingers, wherein each selection element corresponds to one of the unique index position identifiers, further wherein the plurality of input elements and the one or more selection elements are arranged to substantially optimize a biomechanical effect of the human user'"'"'s hand, the method comprising:
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executing a selected application from a plurality of applications, wherein the selected application is associated with a set of functions determining the index position identifier of a desired symbol to be inputted based on the functions associated with the selected application; pressing the selection element corresponding to the index position identifier of the desired symbol with any digit or object held in the human user'"'"'s hand; and pressing the input element configured to map to the desired symbol with any digit or object held in the human user'"'"'s hand. (page 14, lines 2–
27). - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for a human user to input data on a hand-held electronic device using an interface and input system comprising a plurality of input elements in a thumb-manipulated assembly to substantially optimize a biomechanical effect of the human user'"'"'s thumb and fingers, wherein at least one input element is mapped to more than one text function, and one or more selection elements in a finger-manipulated input assembly, wherein each selection element is mapped to a unique shift position, the method comprising:
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executing a selected text application from a plurality of applications, wherein the selected application is associated with a set of functions pressing a desired selection element of the finger-manipulated input assembly with a human a finger to select a desired shift position the selected text application; and pressing a desired input element of the thumb-manipulated input assembly with a human thumb to input a desired text character. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A hand-held electronic device comprising:
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a memory configured to store a plurality of applications, wherein each application is associated with a set of functions; a processor configured to process a selected one of the plurality of applications; a first input assembly disposed on a first surface of the electronic device, wherein the first input assembly comprises a plurality of input elements configured to be actuated by a human user'"'"'s hand, wherein at least one of the input elements of the first input assembly is configured to map to one or more input functions of the set of functions associated with the selected one of the plurality of applications; and a second input assembly disposed on a so as to substantially optimize a biomechanical effect of the human user'"'"'s hand, wherein the second input assembly comprises one or more input elements configured to be manipulated by one or more of the human user'"'"'s fingers, wherein at least one of the input elements of the second input assembly is a selectively configurable sensing surface so as to provide a plurality of delineated active areas, further wherein one or more of the delineated active areas is mapped to one or more functions associated with the selected application, further wherein the memory is further configured to store for each application a mapping of the selectively configurable sensing surface to the plurality of delineated active areas. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for configuring a human interface and input system for use with a hand-held electronic device configured to run a plurality of applications, each application associated with a set of functions, the method comprising:
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disposing on a first surface a first input assembly having a plurality of input elements configured to receive input from a human user'"'"'s hand through manipulation of the plurality of input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements of the first input assembly is further configured to map to more than one input function associated with a selected one of the plurality of applications; disposing on a second surface a second input assembly having one or more input elements configured to be manipulated by one or more of the human user'"'"'s fingers, wherein at least one of the input elements of the second input assembly is further configured to selectively map to one or more input functions associated with the selected application; and mapping the set of functions of the selected application to the one or more input elements of the first input assembly and the second input assembly to substantially optimize a biomechanical effect of the human user'"'"'s hand. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification