ADAPTABLE INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE

• US 20120313854A1
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Inventors: SENANAYAKE, RUKMAN, DENKER, GRIT, LINCOLN, PATRICK D., KORNBLUH, ROY D., LINCOLN, SIERRA J., HEYDT, RICHARD P., PRAHLAD, HARSHA, AUKES, DANIEL McCONNELL, van DYK, KARL D., MANGUS, GEOFFREY A., ECKERLE, JOSEPH S.
• Application Number:
  US13/158,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313854A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adaptable input/output device. One embodiment of a hardware device for facilitating an interaction between a computing system and a user, the hardware device includes an adaptable surface for supporting the interaction, where the adaptable surface is dynamically deformable under a control of the computing system, and one or more sensors, in communication with the computing system, for detecting a physical presence that is not in direct contact with the adaptable surface. The computing system is configured to cause a deformation of the adaptable surface in response to the physical presence.

Claims

1. A hardware device for facilitating an interaction between a computing system and a user, the hardware device comprising:

an adaptable surface for supporting the interaction, the adaptable surface being dynamically deformable under a control of the computing system; and

one or more sensors, in communication with the computing system, for detecting a physical presence that is not in direct contact with the adaptable surface,

the computing system being configured to cause a deformation of the adaptable surface in response to the physical presence.

2. The hardware device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are operable to determine a proximity to the adaptable surface of the physical presence.

3. The hardware device of claim 1, wherein the computing system is further configured to determine one or more detected physical attributes of the user based on the physical presence.

4. The hardware device of claim 3, wherein the one or more detected physical attributes of the user include one or more of:

a body position of the user, a gesture of the user, an eye gaze of the user, a posture or the user, or a hand position of the user.

5. The hardware device of claim 3, wherein the computing system is further configured to cause the deformation of the adaptable surface at a location based on the detected physical attributes of the user.

6. The hardware device of claim 3, wherein the computing system is further configured to cause the deformation of the adaptable surface to be shaped based on the detected physical attributes of the user.

7. The hardware device of claim 1, wherein the deformation substantially mimics one or more physical characteristics associated with one or more input devices.

8. The hardware device of claim 7, wherein the one or more input devices comprises at least one of:

a key, a button, a mouse, or a joystick.

9. The hardware device of claim 1, wherein the adaptable surface further comprises:

a viewing surface that displays visual output under a control of the computing system.

10. The hardware device of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a plurality of cameras.

11. The hardware device of claim 1, further comprising one or more touch-sensitive sensors, in communication with the computing system, for detecting a physical touch in direct contact with the adaptable surface.

12. The hardware device of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors, in communication with the computing system, for detecting one or more display parameters of the computing system.

13. The hardware device of claim 12, wherein the one or more display parameters comprise at least one of:

an application that is currently active on the computing system, an input field that is associated with the currently active application, or a display configuration of the computing system.

14. A method for facilitating an interaction between a computing system and a user, the method comprising:

supporting the interaction via an adaptable surface that is dynamically deformable under a control of the computing system;

detecting a physical presence that is not in direct contact with the adaptable surface; and

causing a deformation of the adaptable surface in response to the physical presence.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting is performed using one or more sensors in communication with the computing system.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting determines a proximity to the adaptable surface of the physical presence.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting determines one or more detected physical attributes of the user based on the physical presence.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the causing comprises:

determining a current context of the interaction, based at least in part on the physical presence; and

deforming the adaptable surface such that the adaptable surface is capable of receiving an input from the user that is relevant to the current context.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the deformation takes a shape of one or more user input devices.

20. A computer readable storage device containing an executable program for facilitating an interaction between a computing system and a user, where the program performs steps of:

supporting the interaction via an adaptable surface that is dynamically deformable under a control of the computing system;

detecting a physical presence that is not in direct contact with the adaptable surface; and

causing a deformation of the adaptable surface in response to the physical presence.