User-relocatable self-defining buttons to control machinery

• US 7,571,037 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Houston, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/314,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/1, 701/2, 701/41, 200/5.R, 200/4, 200/14, 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/184, 345/163, 345/169, 362/23, 362/29, 362/85, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

A method and system associate a user control in a user interface with a function of a controllable device by physically locating a self-defining user control which includes identification information at a first predefined location in a user interface, determining the identification information from the self-defining user control by a controller via a first interconnect, and the controller associating the self-defining user control with a predefined function for a controllable device. The method further detects a user input signal via the self-defining user control at the first predefined location; and activates the predefined function for the controllable device. The self-defining user control is one of a button, switch, knob, or any combination thereof, and is locatable at one of a plurality of predefined locations in the user interface.

Claims

1. A method for associating a user control in a user interface with a function of a controllable device, the method comprising:

physically placing, by an individual user, a self-defining user control at a first predefined location of a plurality of predefined locations of a user interface, the self-defining user control including identification information that is readable by a controller for a controllable device, wherein the self-defining user control is designed to be physically locatable and re-locatable by individual users at any of the plurality of predefined locations;

determining, by the controller, the identification information from the self-defining user control at the first predefined location; and

in response to determining the identification information, the controller associating the self-defining user control at the first predefined location with a predefined function for the controllable device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a user input signal via the self-defining user control at the first predefined location; and

in response to the detecting, activating the predefined function for the controllable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the self-defining user control comprises at least one of:

a button;

a switch;

a knob; and

a control module that includes at least one of a button, a switch, and a knob.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by the controller, the identification information from the self-defining user control comprises determining the identification information separately from monitoring a control function of the self-defining user control associated with the controllable device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by the controller, the identification information from the self-defining user control comprises determining the identification information as part of monitoring a control function of the self-defining user control associated with the controllable device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the self-defining user control comprises a switch cover and a switch receiver, wherein the determining the identification information of the self-defining user control comprises reading a switch identification device associated with the switch cover.

7. A system for associating a user control in a user interface with a function of a controllable device, the system comprising:

a user interface having a plurality of predefined locations;

a self-defining user control designed to be physically locatable and re-locatable by a user at any of the plurality of predefined locations;

while physically located at a first predefined location of the plurality of predefined locations of the user interface, the self-defining user control outputting control function information in response to interaction with a user, the self-defining user control also outputting identification information that associates the self-defining user control with a predefined function for a controllable device;

a first interconnect, communicatively coupled with the self-defining user control at the first predefined location; and

a controller, communicatively coupled with the first interconnect and the self-defining user control at the first pre-defined location, the controller for determining an identification information from the self-defining user control, and, in response thereto, the controller associating the self-defining user control with a predefined function for a controllable device only while the self-defining user control remains physically located at the first predefined location of the user interface.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a plurality of interconnects, each interconnect at one of a plurality of separate predefined locations of the user interface, each interconnect being communicatively coupled with the controller, such that when the self-defining user control is at the first predefined location of the user interface, the self-defining user control is communicatively coupled with the first interconnect, and such that when the self-defining user control is at a second predefined location of the user interface, the self-defining user control is communicatively coupled with a second interconnect,

wherein while the self-defining user control is located at one of the plurality of predefined locations, the self-defining user control is communicatively coupled with the controller for the controller reading the identification information from the self-defining user control, and, in response to the identification information, the controller associates the self-defining user control at the one of the plurality of predefined locations with the predefined function for the controllable device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of interconnects are communicatively coupled with the controller via one of a star electrical network arrangement, a ring electrical network arrangement, and a bus electrical network arrangement.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein controller determines the identification information from the self-defining user control separately from monitoring the control function information from the self-defining user control.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein controller determines the identification information from the self-defining user control as part of monitoring the control function information from the self-defining user control.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the self-defining user control comprises a switch cover and a switch receiver, wherein controller determines the identification information of the self-defining user control by reading a switch identification device associated with the switch cover.

13. An apparatus for controlling a controllable device, comprising:

a self-defining user control;

a controller for determining identification information from the self-defining user control;

an electrical interconnect;

an electrical circuit for providing an identification information via the electrical interconnect to the controller, the identification information associating the self-defining user control with a predefined function for a controllable device

a user interface having a plurality of pre-defined locations; and

a modular mechanical interconnect for mechanically locating the self-defining user control in any one of the plurality of pre-defined locations of the user interface,

wherein the electrical interconnect is capable of mechanically mating with a separate electrical interconnect located at the any one of the plurality of pre-defined locations in the user interface, and

wherein the controller is capable of determining the identification information from the self-defining user control via the electrical interconnect mechanically mated with the separate electrical interconnect located at the any one of the plurality of pre-defined locations in the user interface, thereby the controller being capable of determining the identification information for associating the self-defining user control with a predefined function for the controllable device controlled by the controller.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein controller determines the identification information from the self-defining user control separately from monitoring a control function of the self-defining user control associated with the controllable device.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein controller determines the identification information from the self-defining user control as part of monitoring a control function of the self-defining user control associated with the controllable device.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the self-defining user control further comprises a switch cover and a switch receiver, wherein controller determines the identification information of the self-defining user control by reading a switch identification device associated with the switch cover.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the switch identification device is at least one of:

a set of pins mechanically coupled to the switch cover; and

a non-volatile memory.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the switch receiver comprises a set of receptors for receiving the switch identification device associated with the switch cover.