Human interface apparatus having input unit for pointer location information and pointer command execution unit

• US 9,880,637 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2017
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innopresso, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innopresso, Inc.
• Inventors: Cho, Eunhyung
• Primary Examiner(s): McLoone, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US15/475,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20170205896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0208 Arrangements for adjusting the tilt angle of a keyboard, e.g. pivoting legs for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1667
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

A human interface apparatus comprising the steps of: receiving text input from a user; switching to input mode for pointing location information; receiving input for pointing location information from the user; and switching the human interface apparatus to a text input mode, wherein the text input area and the pointing location information input area have at least a part of the area in common.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a text input unit comprising a plurality of physical buttons;

a left motion detection area formed on a surface of the physical buttons;

a right motion detection area formed on the surface of the physical buttons;

a right button configured to activate or deactivate the left motion detection area and to execute a first function at a first pointer location, wherein the right button is provided in a first area separate from the text input unit, the right button comprises a first capacitive touch sensor for detecting a first user touch input and the left motion detection area is activated while the first user touch input is maintained without mechanically pressing the right button, and the first function at the first pointer location is executed when the right button is mechanically pressed;

a left button configured to activate or deactivate the right motion detection area and to execute a second function at a second pointer location, wherein the left button is provided in a second area separate from the text input unit, the left button comprises a second capacitive touch sensor for detecting a second user touch input and the right motion detection area is activated while the second user touch input is maintained without mechanically pressing the left button, and the second function at the second pointer location is executed when the left button is mechanically pressed; and

a communication unit configured to transmit information indicating the first and second pointer locations to an external digital device.

2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the left motion detection area is permanently activated without maintaining the first user touch input while the right button is locked.

3. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the right motion detection area is permanently activated without maintaining the second user touch input while the left button is locked.

4. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the left and right motion detection areas are permanently activated without maintaining the first and second touch inputs while the right and left buttons are locked.

5. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a full motion detection area formed on the surface of the physical buttons, wherein the full motion detection area includes at least a part of the left motion detection area and at least a part of the right motion detection area.

6. The mobile electronic device of claim 5, further comprising a third button configured to activate or deactivate the full motion detection area and to execute a third function at a third pointer location.

7. The mobile electronic device of claim 6, wherein the full motion detection area is permanently activated while the third button is locked.