Human interface system

• US 7,667,692 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aplix IP Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zeemote, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, W. David, Marcus, Beth
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US12/329,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20090143142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 400/472, 341/22
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• 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 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

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.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a human interface and input system for use with a host hand-held electronic device configured to run applications, wherein at least one of the applications is associated with multiple input functions, the method comprising:

selectively disposing on a first surface of the system a first input assembly having input elements configured to receive input from a human user through manipulation of the input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements of the first input assembly is further configured to map to one or more of the input functions associated with a selected one of the applications;

selectively 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 of the input functions associated with the selected application; and

selectively arranging the first input assembly and the second input assembly in substantial opposition to each other.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising connecting a controller to the input elements of the first input assembly or the second input assembly to receive signals generated by a manipulation of one or more of the input elements-of first input assembly or the second input assembly.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selectively disposing the second input assembly to include at least one sensor pad comprising a selectively configurable sensing surface that provides more than one delineated active area based on the selected application.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising positioning a shape changing media relative to the sensor pad so as to permit the human user to tactilely discriminate between the plurality of delineated active areas.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising selectively arranging the first delineated active area and the second delineated active area based on the user'"'"'s hand.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising positioning a palpable detent with at least one input element of the first input assembly or the second input assembly so as to provide tactile feedback when manipulated by the human user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively arranging the first and second input assemblies comprises selectively arranging the first and second input assemblies based on thumb-finger opposition arrangement of the human user'"'"'s hand.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected application is at least one of a scrolling application, a text application and a game application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

physically or electronically labeling at least one input element of the first input assembly or the second input assembly so as to visually indicate an input function that can be selectively accessed by actuating the input element.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively disposing the first and second input assemblies comprises selecting the first and second input assemblies to include input elements configured to be actuated by the human user'"'"'s thumb and fingers arranged in substantial opposition.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising including with the system at least one of a gyroscope or an accelerometer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively arranging the first and second input assemblies comprises selectively arranging the first and second input assemblies based on thumb-finger opposition arrangement of the human user'"'"'s hand.

12. A method for configuring a human interface and input system for use with a host hand-held electronic device configured to run applications, wherein at least one of the applications is associated with multiple input functions, the method comprising:

selectively disposing on a first surface a first input assembly having 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 one or more of the input functions associated with a selected one of the of applications;

selectively 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

selectively mapping the input functions of the selected application to the one or more input elements of the first input assembly and the second input assembly based on finger-thumb opposition arrangement of the human user'"'"'s hand.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

selectively disposing the second input assembly to include at least one sensor pad comprising a selectively configurable sensing surface that provides more than one delineated active area based on the selected application.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising positioning a shape changing media relative to the sensor pad so as to permit the human user to tactilely discriminate between the plurality of delineated active areas.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the selected application is at least one of a scrolling application, a text application and a game application.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

physically or electronically labeling at least one input element of the first input assembly or the second input assembly so as to visually indicate an input function that can be selectively accessed by actuating the input element.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

connecting a controller to the input elements of the first input assembly or the second input assembly, wherein the controller is configured to receive signals generated by a manipulation of one or more of the input elements of first input assembly or the second input assembly.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein selectively disposing the first and second input assemblies comprises selecting the first and second input assemblies to include input elements configured to be actuated by the human user'"'"'s thumb and fingers arranged in substantial opposition.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising including with the system at least one of a gyroscope or an accelerometer.