Cushioned User Interface Or Control Device

• US 20080174546A1
• Filed: 01/05/2008
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ergonomic Ingenuity, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ergonomic Ingenuity, LLC
• Inventors: Schneider, Paul W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,519,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

A user interface or control includes a cushion-type support member and a user input member that is interconnected with and carried by the support member. The support member defines an upwardly facing recess, and the input member may be a user interface or control device that is contained within the upwardly facing recess. The support member may be formed to surround the recess about the user interface or control device. The support member may include an air vent that vents air exhausted from the user interface or control device. The user interface or control device may be a laptop computer having a body including a keyboard contained within the recess, and a screen carried by the body. The user interface or control device may alternatively be an electronic input member having an upwardly facing screen, a convertible input member movably mounted to a mounting member, or a game controller.

Claims

1. A user interface or control device, comprising:

a cushion member defining an upwardly facing surface; and

a user input member interconnected with and carried by the upwardly facing surface of the cushion member.

2. The user interface or control device of claim 1, wherein upwardly facing surface of the cushion member defines an upwardly facing recess, and wherein the cushion member is formed so as to peripherally surround the upwardly facing recess about the user input member.

3. The user interface or control device of claim 2, wherein the cushion member includes an air vent arrangement that opens into the recess so as to vent air exhausted from the user input member.

4. The user interface or control device of claim 2, wherein the user interface comprises a laptop computer having a body including a keyboard contained within the recess, and a foldable screen carried by the body.

5. The user interface or control device of claim 1, wherein the user input member comprises an electronic input member having an upwardly facing screen.

6. The user interface or control device of claim 5, wherein the electronic input member comprises a document scanner.

7. The user interface or control device of claim 1, wherein the user input member comprises a mounting member contained within an upwardly facing recess formed in the upwardly facing surface of the cushion member, and a convertible member movably mounted to the mounting member, wherein the convertible member includes a keyboard facing in a first direction and a screen facing in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the convertible member is movable between a first orientation in which the keyboard faces upwardly and the screen faces downwardly, and a second orientation in which the screen faces upwardly and the keyboard faces downwardly.

8. The user interface or control device of claim 1, wherein the cushion member includes a hardware interface area that is interconnected with the user input member.

9. The user interface or control device of claim 8, wherein the hardware interface area is located on a side surface of the cushion member that faces laterally relative to the user input member.

11. The user interface or control device of claim 1, further comprising a removable cover configured to enclose the cushion member.

12. The user interface or control device of claim 1, wherein the cushion material comprises a foam material.

13. The user interface or control device of claim 12, wherein the foam material comprises a beaded foam material.

14. The user interface or control device of claim 12, wherein the cushion member further includes a fluid-containing member.

15. The user interface or control device of claim 14, wherein the fluid-containing member comprises a bladder that is adapted to receive a variable quantity of fluid so as to adjust the volume of the bladder.

16. The user interface or control device of claim 1, including a number of differently configured input members, wherein the input members are selectively engageable with the cushion member.

17. The user interface or control device of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism associated with the cushion member, wherein the adjustment mechanism interacts with the input member so as to vary the external contour of the input member.

18. The user interface or control device of claim 1, wherein the cushion member includes a handle.

19. The user interface or control device of claim 1, wherein the upwardly facing surface of the cushion member defines an upwardly facing recess, and wherein the cushion member is formed so as to peripherally surround the upwardly facing recess about the user input member, and further comprising a storage compartment associated with the cushion member that is accessible through the upwardly facing recess.

20. The user interface or control device of claim 1, wherein the cushion member comprises an upper section defining a peripheral upwardly facing surface adapted to surround of the input member, and a lower section interconnected with and located below the upper section.

27. The interactive system of claim 20, wherein the processing unit and the user interface are used in an interactive learning application.

28. The interactive system of claim 20, wherein the processing unit and the user interface are used in an interactive shopping application.

10. The user interface or control device of claim one, wherein the user input member includes a hardware interface area, and wherein the cushion member defines an opening for providing access to the hardware interface area from the exterior of the cushion member.

21. A user interface or control device, comprising:

a cushion-type support member;

a user input member interconnected with the support member; and

an interface area associated with the support member and configured to enable connection of external components to the user input member.

22. The user interface or control device of claim 21, wherein the hardware interface area is located on a side surface of the cushion member that faces laterally relative to the user input member.

23. The user interface or control device of claim 21, wherein the cushion-type support member defines an upwardly facing recess within which the user input member is located.

24. The user interface or control device of claim 23, wherein the support member is formed so as to surround the upwardly facing recess.

25. The user interface or control device of claim 23, further comprising an air vent arrangement that extends between the recess and the side surface of the cushion member.

26. An interactive system, comprising:

a processing unit;

a signal receiver interconnected with the processing unit; and

a cushion-type support member that includes a user input member, wherein the user input member is operable to emit signals in response to user inputs, wherein the signals are received by the signal receiver and transferred by the signal receiver to the processing unit.

29. An interactive method, comprising the acts of:

providing a display on a screen associated with a monitor at a first location;

providing user inputs at the first location, in response to the display, on a user interface supported on a cushion-type support member, wherein the user interface includes a user input area and is operable to emit signals in response to user inputs; and

transmitting the signals to a second location remote from the first location.

30. The interactive method of claim 29, wherein the display and the user inputs provided to the user interface are used in an online interactive learning application.

31. The interactive method of claim 29, wherein the display and the user inputs provided to the user interface are used in an online shopping application.

32. The interactive method of claim 29, wherein the display and the user inputs provided to the user interface are used in a wireless Internet application.

33. A user interface or control device, comprising:

a cushion member defining an interface device mounting area; and

a user interface interconnected with the interface device mounting area of the cushion member, wherein the user interface device is arranged so as to be spaced above an upwardly facing surface defined by the cushion member.