Handheld computing platform with integrated pressure sensor and associated methods of use

• US 9,262,064 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ActivBody, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EZ As A Drink Productions Incorporated
• Inventors: Yanev, Kostadin Dimitrov, Yanev, Ivo Kostadinov, Vassilev, Angel Georgiev
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US13/938,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20150015476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 345/661, 455/566, 726/19, 715/701, 600/474
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser

Abstract

Receipt of user input may be facilitated using a handheld computing platform with an integrated pressure sensor. Exemplary implementations may allow a user to simply squeeze the handheld computing platform in order to control one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform. That is, instead of tapping a touch screen or pressing buttons, a user may merely need to apply compressive pressure to the handheld computing platform by applying opposing forces to opposing surfaces of the handheld computing platform. By way of non-limiting example, the one or more aspects of operation controlled by squeezing the handheld computing platform may include one or more of input of a value, selection from a menu, manipulation of a virtual object, entry of a password or a code, interaction with a fitness program, interaction with a rehabilitation and/or medical treatment program, interaction with a game, and/or other aspects of operation.

Claims

1. A handheld computing platform with an integrated pressure sensor to facilitate receipt of user input, the handheld computing platform comprising:

a housing body configured to house components of the handheld computing platform;

a pressure sensor disposed within the housing body, the pressure sensor being configured to provide a pressure signal conveying information associated with a compressive pressure applied to the housing body, the pressure signal being provided responsive to the housing body being squeezed by two opposing forces applied to opposing surfaces of the housing body;

an accelerometer disposed within the housing body, the accelerometer being configured to provide an accelerometer signal conveying information associated with a position and/or a change in position of the handheld computing platform; and

one or more hardware processors disposed within the housing body, the one or more hardware processors being configured by machine-readable instructions to control one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform based on one or both of the pressure signal or the accelerometer signal;

wherein the one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform include manipulation facilitated by the one or more hardware processors of a virtual object presented in a three-dimensional space (1) such that the virtual object is virtually grasped responsive to the handheld computing platform being squeezed and (2) such that a position of the virtual object is controlled through corresponding position and/or change in position of the handheld computing platform.

2. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the two opposing forces are applied to any opposing surfaces of the housing body.

3. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is further configured to provide a second pressure signal conveying information associated with a second compressive pressure applied to the housing body, the second pressure signal being provided responsive to the housing body being squeezed by two opposing forces applied to a second set of opposing surfaces of the housing body.

4. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor comprises a stress gauge configured to facilitate measuring stress undergone by the housing body.

5. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor comprises a deflection configured to facilitate measuring a deflection undergone by the housing body.

6. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the compressive pressure must breach a threshold magnitude for the pressure signal to be provided.

7. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform further include one or more of:

input of a value;

selection from a menu;

entry of a password or a code;

interaction with a fitness program;

interaction with a rehabilitation program;

interaction with a medical treatment program;

or

interaction with a game.

8. The handheld computing platform of claim 7, wherein the value inputted based on the pressure signal is an analog value or a digital value.

9. The handheld computing platform of claim 7, wherein entry of the password or the code based on the pressure signal is achieved by a sequence of squeezes performed on the handheld computing platform.

10. The handheld computing platform of claim 7, wherein the fitness program includes squeezing the handheld computing platform with a threshold force, for a threshold duration of time, and/or for a number of repetitions.

11. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to receive multiple contemporaneous pressure signals provided by the pressure sensor and interpret the multiple contemporaneous pressure signals to control one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform.

12. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions interpret the pressure signal to control one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform based on a position on the handheld computing platform on which the opposing forces were applied.

13. The handheld computing platform of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to quantify the compressive pressure applied to the housing body on an arbitrary scale.

14. The handheld computing platform of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to quantify the compressive pressure applied to the housing body in absolute units.

15. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing platform is configured to be removably coupled with an accessory, the accessory being configured to facilitate squeezing the housing body by two opposing forces applied to opposing surfaces of the housing body.

16. The handheld computing platform of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions quantify the compressive pressure applied to the housing body.

17. A method of facilitating receipt of user input using a handheld computing platform with an integrated pressure sensor, the method comprising:

receiving, using one or more processors, a pressure signal conveying information associated with a compressive pressure applied to a housing body of the handheld computing platform, the pressure signal being provided by a pressure sensor disposed within the housing body, the pressure signal being provided responsive to the housing body being squeezed by two opposing forces applied to opposing surfaces of the housing body;

receiving, using one or more hardware processors, an accelerometer signal conveying information associated with a position and/or a change in position of the handheld computing platform, the accelerometer signal being provided by an accelerometer disposed within the housing body; and

controlling, using one or more hardware processors, one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform based on one or both of the pressure signal or the accelerometer signal;

wherein the one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform include manipulation facilitated by one or more hardware processors of a virtual object presented in a three-dimensional space (1) such that the virtual object is virtually grasped responsive to the handheld computing platform being squeezed and (2) such that a position of the virtual object is controlled through corresponding position and/or change in position of the handheld computing platform.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform further include one or more of:

input of a value;

selection from a menu;

entry of a password or a code;

interaction with a fitness program;

interaction with a rehabilitation program;

interaction with a medical treatment program;

or

interaction with a game.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising quantifying the compressive pressure applied to the housing body.

20. An apparatus having an integrated pressure sensor for facilitating user input involving variable forces and/or positions on which forces are applied, the apparatus comprising:

a housing body configured to house a portion of a handheld computing platform;

a pressure sensor integrated within the housing body, the pressure sensor being configured to provide a first signal conveying information associated with a first force applied to the housing body; and

an accelerometer disposed within the housing body, the accelerometer being configured to provide an accelerometer signal conveying information associated with a position and/or a change in position of the handheld computing platform;

wherein the pressure sensor is configured to be communicatively coupled with one or more hardware processors, the one or more hardware processors being configured to interpret the signal provided by the pressure sensor to determine user input based on one or both of (1) a magnitude of the first force or (2) a position on the housing body on which the first force was applied;

wherein the user input controls one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform; and

wherein the one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform include manipulation facilitated by the one or more hardware processors of a virtual object presented in a three-dimensional space (1) such that the virtual object is virtually grasped responsive to the handheld computing platform being squeezed and (2) such that a position of the virtual object is controlled through corresponding position and/or change in position of the handheld computing platform.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform further include one or more of input of a value, selection from a menu, entry of a password or a code, interaction with a fitness program, interaction with a rehabilitation program, interaction with a medical treatment program, or interaction with a game.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the pressure sensor is further configured to provide a second signal conveying information associated with a second force applied to the housing body, the second force being applied contemporaneously with the first force.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to interpret the signal provided by the pressure sensor to determine the user input based on one or both of (1) a magnitude of the second force or (2) a position on the housing body on which the second force was applied.

24. A handheld computing platform with an integrated pressure sensor to facilitate receipt of user input, the handheld computing platform comprising:

a housing body configured to house components of the handheld computing platform;

a pressure sensor disposed within the housing body, the pressure sensor being configured to provide a pressure signal conveying information associated with a compressive pressure applied to the housing body, the pressure signal being provided responsive to the housing body being squeezed by two opposing forces applied to opposing surfaces of the housing body;

an accelerometer disposed within the housing body, the accelerometer being configured to provide an accelerometer signal conveying information associated with a position and/or a change in position of the handheld computing platform; and

one or more hardware processors disposed within the housing body, the one or more hardware processors being configured by machine-readable instructions to control one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform based on one or both of the pressure signal or the accelerometer signal;

wherein the one or more aspects of operation of the handheld computing platform include manipulation facilitated by the one or more hardware processors of a menu digitally displayed by the handheld computing platform such that (1) scrolling through the menu and (2) selecting items from the menu are controlled based on the pressure signal.