Multifunction floating button

• US 20040222979A1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Synerdyne Corporation
• Original Assignee: Synerdyne Corporation
• Inventors: Knighton, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US10/437,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20040222979A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/002 having an operating member rectilinearly slidable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033

Abstract

A floating button that may be used to replace a plurality of distinct buttons and/or a graphical pointing device. The floating button translates in a region defined by a housing. A sensor detects the location of the button in the region. The locations within the region may be mapped to a plurality of virtual buttons. This permits a button of a size appropriate for comfortable operation by a finger, while allowing the selection of a large number of functions in a space that is only somewhat larger than a single button. The location of the button within its translation region also provides an immediate tactile and visual reference as to the function to be selected.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a physical button of a size and shape to facilitate manipulation by a finger, the physical button to permit the actuation of a plurality of different functions;

a coupling which links the button to the housing while permitting the button and any component fixed thereto, to translate on a surface relative to the housing; and

a sensor to provide a proportional indication of the amount of translation of the physical button relative to a defined origin.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing defines a region with an opening defined in the region and wherein the button resides within the region and is moveable in two orthogonal directions within the region, the button having a retention mechanism passing through the opening, and wherein the size permits translation throughout the region without exposing the opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is no physical constraint around a perimeter of the physical button that constrains its motion.

4. The apparatus claim 1 wherein the housing defines a region with an opening corresponding to a range of translation, and the physical button has a flange captured below the opening, and the flange of a size which permits translation throughout the region without exposing an edge of the flange.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a textured surface coupled to the housing to provide a tactile indication to a user of a location of the physical button on the surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a mechanical drive coupled to the button to provide a tactile indication to a user of a location of the physical button on the surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a display wherein a range of translation of the physical button defines a region which is absolutely mapped to the display such that each possible button location maps to exactly one display location.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the defined region has a shape and an orientation relating directly to a shape and an orientation of the display.

9. The, apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a mechanical drive coupled to the button to provide a tactile indication of a property of a virtual environment relative to a cursor on the display.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the coupling permits limited motion in a direction substantially orthogonal to the surface to actuate the button.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first linear bearing coupled to the housing; and

a second linear bearing mounted substantially orthogonally to the first linear bearing, wherein the physical button is mounted on the second linear bearing, the physical button and the second bearing as a unit, to translate along the first bearing responsive to a force component parallel to the first bearing and the physical button to translate along the second bearing responsive to a force component parallel to the second bearing.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is linked to a display having a region absolutely mapped to a portion of the surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor coupled to the physical button to detect when a user is in contact with the button.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a mechanism to provide tactile response to an actuation.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the physical button is mounted cantilevered to facilitate the tactile response.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an optical emitter; and

an optical detector in optical communication with the optical emitter to form an optical pair, each member of the optical pair coupled to at least one of the physical button and housing to encode a position of the button on the surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the sensor further comprises:

a target pattern coupled to the other of the physical button and housing from the optical emitter such that the position of the button on the surface is encoded from reflection of the optical emitter off the target.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises:

a electromagnetic (EM) emitter; and

an EM detector electromagnetically coupled to the EM emitter to form an EM pair, each member of the EM pair coupled to one of the physical button and the housing to encode a position of the button on the surface.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein a member of the EM pair is a component of one of a capacitor, a resistor, and an inductor.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a physical button of a size and shape to facilitate manipulation by a finger, the physical button to permit the actuation of a plurality of different functions;

a coupling which links the button to the housing while permitting the button and any components fixed thereto, to translate on a surface relative to the housing; and

an array of switches to provide an indication of a location of the physical button to a granularity of at least ten positions.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a physical button of a size and shape to facilitate manipulation by a finger, the physical button to permit the actuation of a plurality of different functions;

a coupling which links the button to the housing while permitting the button to translate on a substantially planar surface relative to the housing;

a sensor to provide a proportional indication of the amount of translation of the physical button relative to a defined origin.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

an array of physical buttons of a size and shape to facilitate manipulation by a finger of a hand of an operator;

a coupling which links each button to the housing while permitting the button, and any components fixed thereto, to translate on a surface relative to the housing; and

a sensor to determine the location of the button wherein the locations of the buttons are mapped to a function of a typewriter keyboard associated a respective finger position.