Reconfigurable objects for touch panel interaction

• US 9,229,548 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goldilocks Consulting, LLC
• Original Assignee: Goldilocks Consulting, LLC
• Inventors: Thompson, Laura, Keating, Joe, Cohen, Bradley, Roberts, Frank D II, Minnig, Ryan C
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US14/213,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Systems disclosed herein provide objects that are capable of altering a configuration of touch points in contact with a surface of a touch-sensitive system. In one embodiment, an object includes an outer member, an intermediate member, and an inner member. The outer member has an opening between a top surface and a bottom surface. The intermediate member has an opening between a top surface and a bottom surface, where the intermediate member fits within the opening of the outer member. The inner member fits within the opening of the intermediate member and has a bottom surface. The bottom surface of each of the members includes a touch point. A contact with the surface for each touch point is coplanar when the members are fit together. Further, the configuration of touch points in contact with the surface defines an identifier for the object to the touch-sensitive system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an object capable of altering a configuration of touch points in contact with a surface of a touch-sensitive system, the object comprising;

an outer member having an opening between a top surface and a bottom surface;

an intermediate member having an opening between a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the intermediate member fits within the opening of the outer member; and

an inner member that fits within the opening of the intermediate member and has a bottom surface;

wherein the bottom surface of each of the outer member, the intermediate member, and the inner member includes a touch point;

wherein a contact point with the surface for each touch point is coplanar when the outer member, the intermediate member, and the inner member are fit together;

wherein the configuration of touch points in contact with the surface defines an identifier for the object to the touch-sensitive system;

wherein the inner member is configured to rotate with respect to the outer member to change the configuration of the touch points in contact with the surface of the touch-sensitive system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the outer member has an inner surface defined by the opening of the outer member;

the intermediate member has an exterior surface that fits within the inner surface of the outer member; and

at least one of the inner surface and the exterior surface includes a locking feature that prevents the intermediate member from rotating within the opening of the outer member when the outer member and the intermediate member are fit together.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the intermediate member has an inner surface defined by the opening of the intermediate member;

the inner member has an exterior surface that fits within the inner surface of the intermediate member; and

at least one of the inner surface and the exterior surface includes a locking feature that prevents the inner member from rotating within the opening of the intermediate member when the intermediate member and the inner member are fit together.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the inner member is configured to be withdrawn from the opening of the intermediate member, rotated with respect to the intermediate member, and re-inserted into the opening of the intermediate member to change the configuration of the touch points in contact with the surface of the touch-sensitive system.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the intermediate member is configured to be withdrawn from the opening of the outer member, rotated with respect to the outer member, and re-inserted into the opening of the outer member to change the configuration of the touch points in contact with the surface of the touch-sensitive system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the inner member further includes:

a cap that includes a locking feature;

wherein the locking feature is configured to prevent the inner member from rotating within the opening of the intermediate member when the inner member and the intermediate member are fit together; and

wherein the locking feature is configured to prevent the intermediate member from rotating within the opening of the outer member when the outer member, the intermediate member, and the inner member are fit together.

7. A system comprising:

an object capable of altering a configuration of touch points in contact with a surface of a touch-sensitive system, the object comprising;

a spindle;

an outer disk fixed to an end of the spindle, wherein the outer disk has a top surface facing the spindle and a bottom surface;

an intermediate disk rotatably coupled to the end of the spindle and having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the intermediate disk is proximate to the bottom surface of the outer disk, wherein a radius of the intermediate disk is less than a radius of the outer disk; and

an inner disk rotatably coupled to the end of the spindle and having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the inner disk is proximate to the bottom surface of the intermediate disk, wherein a radius of the inner disk is less than the radius of the intermediate disk;

wherein the bottom surface of each of the outer disk, the intermediate disk, and the inner disk includes a touch point;

wherein a contact point with the surface for each touch point is coplanar;

wherein the configuration of touch points in contact with the surface defines an identifier for the object to the touch-sensitive system;

wherein the inner disk is configured to rotate with respect to the outer disk to change the configuration of the touch points in contact with the surface of the touch-sensitive system.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the inner disk is configured to rotate with respect to the outer disk by a pre-configured step size.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the object further comprises:

a housing that includes a top surface and an open bottom surface;

wherein the housing is configured to surround the outer disk, the intermediate disk, and the inner disk; and

wherein the bottom surface of the housing is proximate to the bottom surface of the outer disk, the intermediate disk, and the inner disk.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein:

the bottom surface of the housing is covered by an electrically neutral film.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the object further comprises:

a cap configured to electrically couple to the touch points.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the object further comprises:

a cap configured to couple to the spindle proximate to the top surface of the housing and to allow an application of a downward force on the spindle to move the bottom surface of the outer disk, the intermediate disk, and the inner disk toward the surface of the touch-sensitive system.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the object further comprises:

a tensioning device configured to apply an upward force on at least one of the spindle, the outer disk, the intermediate disk, and the inner disk to move the bottom surface of the outer disk, the intermediate disk, and the inner disk away the surface of the touch-sensitive system.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein:

the intermediate disk is configured to rotate with respect to the outer disk to change the configuration of the touch points in contact with the surface of the touch-sensitive system.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the intermediate disk is configured to rotate with respect to the outer disk by a pre-configured step size.

16. A system comprising:

an object configured to contact a surface of a touch-sensitive system, the object comprising;

a first touch point configured to contact the surface;

a second touch point configured to contact the surface, wherein the first touch point and the second touch point define a vector of orientation of the object;

an optical sensor configured to detect optical pulses from a display of the touch-sensitive system proximate to the surface; and

a controller configured to receive the optical pulses, and to assign an identifier for the object based on the optical pulses;

the controller configured to generate a first electrical signal at the first touch point, and to generate a second electrical signal at the second touch point, wherein the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal allow the touch-sensitive system to identify the vector of orientation of the object;

the controller configured to transmit the identifier for the object to the touch-sensitive system utilizing at least one of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein:

the first electrical signal and the second electrical signals comprise at least one of a clock signal and a data signal.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein:

the first electrical signal identifies a tail of the vector to the touch-sensitive system; and

the second electrical signal identifies a head of the vector to the touch-sensitive system.