Hand-ear user interface for hand-held device

• US 7,310,513 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bulthuis, Willem, Shteyn, Yevgeniy Eugene, Kusano, Mieko, Lambourne, Robert, Holzhauser, Lisa
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/305,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20060099908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/567, 455/569.1, 379/67, 379/68, 379/88.13, 379/433
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

A hand-held information processing device, such as a mobile phone, has a thumb wheel that lets the user scan a circular array of options. Each respective one of the options is represented by a respective audio output that gets played out when the wheel is turned a notch up or down. This enables the user to select an option with one hand and without having to look at the device. It also allows for a form factor smaller than that of a conventional mobile phones since a keypad is not needed for entering digits to make a call from a personalized directory.

Claims

1. An information processing device (100;

200;

300) comprising a user-interface (102) for enabling a user to interact with the device, the user-interface comprising;

a navigating input (106) for enabling the user to navigate in a set of options;

a feedback output (110) to provide respective auditory feedback information to the user about a respective selectable one of the options while the user is navigating;

a validating input (112) to enable the user to select the current option based on the feedback,

a mobile wireless terminal for operating with an application server for text-to-speech conversion, and

wherein the feedback output provides the respective auditory feedback in a first manner when the user is navigating fast, and in a second manner, different from the first manner, when the user navigating slowly fashion, and

wherein the device;

(1) includes a telephone and the set of options comprises telephone extensions or (2) is capable of email communication and the set of options comprises email addresses or (3) an audio play-out functionality and the set of options comprises respective introductory portions of respective audio files or (4) a remote control device and the set of options comprises a control code for a consumer appliance.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the navigating input comprises a manual input.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the validating input comprises a manual input.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the manual input enables stepping through the set of options.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the navigation input enables the user to scan an at least partly linear array of options.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the navigation input enables the user to scan an at least partly circular array of options.

7. The device of claim 1, that enables the user to program a memory for storing audio files for providing auditory feedback during navigating in the set of options.

8. The device of claim 1, comprising a computer (200).

9. The device of claim 1, comprising a remote control device for consumer appliances.

10. An information processing device comprising:

a user-interface for enabling a user to interact with the device, the user-interface comprising;

a navigating input for enabling the user to navigate in a set of options;

a feedback output to provide respective auditory feedback information to the user about a respective selectable one of the options while the user is navigating;

a validating input to enable the user to select the current option based on the feedback,

an apparatus for play-out of music files wherein the respective auditory feedback comprises a respective introductory portion of a respective one of the music files,

wherein the feedback output provides the respective auditory feedback in a first manner when the user is navigating fast, and in a second manner, different from the first manner, when the user navigating slowly fashion and

wherein the device;

(1) includes a telephone and the set of options comprises telephone extensions or (2) is capable of email communication and the set of options comprises email addresses or (3) an audio play-out functionality and the set of options comprises respective introductory portions of respective audio files or (4) a remote control device and the set of options comprises a control code for a consumer appliance.

11. A method of enabling a user to interact with an information processing device (100;

200;

300), the method comprising;

enabling the user to navigate (402-408) among a set of options;

providing respective auditory feedback information (410) to the user about a respective selectable one of the options while the user is navigating; and

enabling the user to validate (412) a current one of the options based on the feedback for accessing the selectable one of the options,

enabling the user to program a memory for storing audio files for providing auditory feedback during navigating in the set of options,

wherein the feedback output provides the respective auditory feedback in a first manner when the user is navigating fast, and in a second manner, different from the first manner, when the user navigating slowly,

wherein at least a sub-set of the options is arranged to be navigated sequentially or in a circular fashion and

wherein the device;

(1) includes a telephone and the set of options comprises telephone extensions or (2) is capable of email communication and the set of options comprises email addresses or (3) an audio play-out functionality and the set of options comprises respective introductory portions of respective audio files or (4) a remote control device and the set of options comprises a control code for a consumer appliance.