DEVICE AND USER INTERFACE FOR VISUALIZING, NAVIGATING, AND MANIPULATING HIERARCHICALLY STRUCTURED INFORMATION ON HOST ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20150205367A1
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benjamin D. Bandt-Horn
• Original Assignee: Benjamin D. Bandt-Horn
• Inventors: Bandt-Horn, Benjamin D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,829,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information

Abstract

A defined class of input devices is disclosed, consisting of a graspable body in two forms. Both forms include a scroll wheel-style mechanism that functions as a button from multiple directions, both include an apparatus providing six degrees of gestural freedom in three dimensions, and both provide for the wireless transmission capacity of these inputs, user data, audio, and other communications for the purpose of carrying credentials among various host electronic devices, and for manipulating and navigating an associated user interface for hierarchy visualization of structured information to be displayed on those host devices.

Claims

1. A user interface input device for operative interaction with an information appliance or computational electronic device, said input device comprising:

a body, said body including an input mechanism, an inertial sensor, and a feedback mechanism;

said inertial sensor operative to detect movement of said body, with said input device wirelessly communicating with a host device to transfer data to the host device, and with said feedback mechanism operable to provide a response to a user of said input device.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein said body comprises an elongate longitudinal housing.

3. The input device of claim 2, wherein said input mechanism transects said body.

4. The input device of claim 3, wherein said input mechanism comprises a scroll wheel.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein said body has a generally toroidal shape.

6. The input device of claim 5, wherein said input mechanism encircles said body.

7. The input device of claim 1, wherein said inertial sensor detects movement over six degrees of freedom.