Gyratory sensing system to enhance wearable device user experience via HMI extension

• US 10,386,941 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yong, Khang Choong, Song, Wil Choon, Heck, Howard L., Phun, Su Sin Florence
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US14/740,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20160370181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0064 in which functions not related to time can be displayed digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods and systems may provide for a gyratory sensing system (GSS) for extending the human machine interface (HMI) of an electronic device, particularly small form factor, wearable devices. The gyratory sensing system may include a gyratory sensor and a rotatable element to engage the gyratory sensor. The rotatable element may be sized and configured to be easily manipulated by hand to extend the HMI of the electronic device such that the functions of the HMI may be more accessible. The rotatable element may include one or more rotatable components, such as a body, edge or face of a smart watch, that each may be configured to perform a function upon rotation, such as resetting, selecting, and/or activating a menu item.

Claims

1. A wearable apparatus comprising:

a memory device in communication with a processor; and

a gyratory sensing system to communicate with the processor, the gyratory sensing system including;

a human machine interface to receive a user input, wherein the human machine interface forms at least a part of a wearable device, and wherein the human machine interface includes a rotatable device having one or more rotatable components to navigate and engage the one or more functions, and

a gyratory sensor to sense the user input in a manner that extends a utility of the human machine interface to make one or more functions of the wearable device more accessible.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions are to be identified via one or more icons.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more icons are to select or adjust one or more functions associated with the wearable device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more icons are to select or adjust one or more functions associated with a device other than the wearable device.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotatable components are to zoom in and out of the one or more functions in order to improve one or more of the functionality, ergonomics, reliability or accuracy of the user input.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gyratory sensor is to sense a distance or degree of rotation of the human machine interface to detect a change in the state of the gyratory sensing system.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the gyratory sensor is a single axis sensor to sense rotation on one of three axes of movement.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the gyratory sensor is a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) rate gyroscope.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, via a human machine interface, a user input; and

sensing, via a gyratory sensor, the user input in a manner that extends a utility of the human machine interface; and

navigating and engaging, via one or more rotatable components of a rotatable device of the human machine interface, one or more functions associated with the human machine interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more rotatable components are capable of rotating independently.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more rotatable components include a body component, an edge component and a face component.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the gyratory sensor is a single axis sensor to sense rotation on one of three axes of movement.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the gyratory sensor is a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) rate gyroscope.

12. A system comprising:

a memory device;

a processor in communication with the memory device; and

a gyratory sensing system in communication with the processor, the gyratory sensing system including;

a human machine interface to receive a user input, wherein the human machine interface includes a rotatable device having one or more rotatable components to navigate and engage one or more functions associated with the human machine interface, and

a gyratory sensor to sense the user input in a manner that extends a utility of the human machine interface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more rotatable components are capable of rotating independently.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more rotatable components include a body component, an edge component and a face component.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is a system on chip (SoC) processor.