Apparatuses, methods, and systems for an electronic device with a detachable user input attachment

• US 8,310,351 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Krahenbuhl, John Henry, Lundell, Louis Jerome, Slaby, Jiri
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/756,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.2, 340/825.72, 340/815.45, 340/815.48, 340/815.65, 340/815.71, 340/965
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic device (100) is configured to be operable with the user input attachment (102) so as to provide a user with the option of using a touch sensitive display (101) alone, or in conjunction with the control device or keypad having physical keys to enhance the tactile user experience. The electronic device (100) includes a touch sensitive display (101) and the controller (104) it is operable with a touch sensitive display (101). When the user input attachment (102) is coupled to the touch sensitive display (101), and identification module (106) is configured to identify the user input attachment (102) by way of a temporal signature signal (110). Once identified, and adaptation module (107) is configured to reconfigure the electronic device (100) in response to the user input attachment (102) being attached.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch sensitive surface comprising an electromagnetic field sensor;

a controller operable with the touch sensitive surface;

a passive user input attachment, attachable to the touch sensitive surface, and configured to deliver a temporal signature signal to the touch sensitive surface when attached;

an identification module, operable with the controller, and configured to identify the passive user input attachment from the temporal signature signal; and

an adaptation module, operable with the controller, configured to reconfigure the electronic device upon the passive user input attachment being attached and identified.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the passive user input attachment comprises:

a plurality of user actuatable keys disposed along a first major face; and

a plurality of conductive pads disposed along a second major face, arranged in a characteristic configuration, and configured to interact with the touch sensitive surface.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of conductive pads is less in number than the plurality of user actuatable keys, wherein the adaptation module is configured to reconfigure the electronic device by enabling multiplexed user input through the plurality of conductive pads.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive surface is a touch screen and the adaptation module is configured to reconfigure data presentation along the touch screen to be adjacent to the passive user input attachment.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the adaptation module is further configured to calibrate the touch sensitive surface in accordance with an identified temporal signature signal and a profile stored in a memory of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the profile comprises one or more of:

a predefined input region corresponding to a characteristic configuration of a plurality of conductive pads disposed on the passive user input attachment;

a tactile response to be delivered by the electronic device upon user actuation of one or more keys disposed on the passive user input attachment;

one or more user preferences corresponding to the passive user input attachment;

one or more amplification levels for signals received from the plurality of conductive pads;

one or more threshold levels for the signals received from the plurality of conductive pads;

or

a keystroke sensitivity corresponding to the one or more keys disposed along the passive user input attachment.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein when the passive user input attachment is attached to the touch sensitive surface along an interior region of the touch sensitive surface, the adaptation module is configured to configure a first portion of the touch sensitive surface extending from a first edge of the passive user input attachment differently from a second portion of the touch sensitive surface extending from a second edge of the passive user input attachment.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic field sensor comprises one or more of a capacitive sensor or a magnetic sensor.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the adaptation module is configured to reconfigure an input of the electronic device by one or more of the following:

configuring the touch sensitive surface for an input detection method corresponding to the passive user input attachment;

configuring system behaviors for predetermined input regions corresponding to the passive user input attachment;

setting system gains to receive signals from the passive user input attachment along the predetermined input regions;

or

combinations thereof.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the adaptation module is configured to reconfigure an output of the electronic device by one or more of the following:

configuring visible regions about the passive user input attachment for data presentation;

configuring non-visible regions beneath the passive user input attachment not to present data;

configure a luminescent layer of the electronic device to project light about or through the passive user input attachment;

or

combinations thereof.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the adaptation module is configured to reconfigure the electromagnetic field sensor by calibrating the temporal signature signal out of a predetermined region of the touch sensitive surface corresponding to the passive user input attachment so subsequent field signals can be detected as actuation of keys or controls on the passive user input attachment.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the passive user input attachment is configured to be attachable either along the touch sensitive surface or a portion of the electronic device other than along the touch sensitive surface; and

the adaptation module is configured to put the electronic device in a first mode when the passive user input attachment is coupled to the touch sensitive surface and a second mode when the passive user input detached from the touch sensitive surface.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the passive user input attachment is configured so as to be selectively positioned at any of a plurality of locations along the touch sensitive surface; and

the adaptation module is configured to adjust a presentation of information on the touch sensitive surface depending upon a location of the passive user input attachment.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the passive user input attachment comprises a user control interface operable with an external user control device coupled thereto, the user control interface being configured to deliver control signals from the external user control device to the electronic device.

15. A method, employing one or more controllers in an electronic device having a touch sensitive surface, of configuring the electronic device in response to a user control device being attached to the touch sensitive surface, the method comprising:

identifying, with the one or more controllers, the user control device from a temporal signature signal delivered from the user control device to the electronic device through the touch sensitive surface;

configuring a portion of the touch sensitive surface to receive input from the user control device, the configuring depending upon a type of the user control device and a placement location of the user control device;

wherein the configuring comprises adjusting behaviors of the electronic device within the portion to be capable of receiving the input from one or more conductive pads attached to the user control device and positioned within the portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the temporal signature signal comprises an electromagnetic field perturbation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the electromagnetic field perturbation is localized about the one or more conductive pads.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, with the one or more controllers, the placement location of the user control device along the touch sensitive surface; and

altering, with the one or more controllers, a presentation of information on a touch sensitive display in response to the identifying and determining.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the touch sensitive surface is a touch sensitive display, further comprising presenting information from a first application of the electronic device on a first portion of the touch sensitive display proximate with a first edge of the user control device and presenting information from a second application of the electronic device on a second portion of the touch sensitive display proximate with a second edge of the user control device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the altering comprises enabling a first mode of operation of the electronic device when the user control device is attached to the touch sensitive surface and enabling a second mode of operation of the electronic device when the user control device is detached from the touch sensitive surface.