Bezel based input mechanism and user interface for a smart watch

• US 6,556,222 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ke, Peng
• Application Number:
  US09/607,594
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 345/786, 345/787, 345/828, 345/829, 345/830, 345/701, 345/700, 345/704, 345/810, 345/835, 345/839, 345/832, 345/853, 345/854, 345/964, 345/173, 345/174, 368/251, 368/244, 368/246, 368/248, 368/243, 368/10, 368/109, 368/247, 368/250, 368/262, 368/263, 368/267, 368/69, 368/295
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• 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 3/0233 Character input methods
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A wearable mobile computing device/appliance (e.g., a wrist watch) with a high resolution display that is capable of wirelessly accessing information from the network and a variety of other devices. The mobile computing device/appliance includes a user interface employing a bezel-based input mechanism including a bezel ring which may be rotated and depressed for generating both rotation and wheel click events for enabling navigation, selection and entry of various displayed textual and graphical items.

Claims

1. A wearable appliance implementing a user interface, said wearable appliance comprising:

a high-resolution pixel-addressable display for displaying text and graphic items, at least one item including a cursor element;

a bezel-based input mechanism comprising a bezel ring capable of being manipulated for generating signals representing bezel rotation events corresponding to user manipulation of said bezel ring for navigating said cursor element through said display, and wheel click events corresponding to user activation of a displayed item highlighted by said cursor; and

,

a control device for receiving said signals and enabling navigation, selection and entry of displayed items through said user interface.

2. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signals representing rotation events further enables scrolling through regions of said display.

3. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signals representing rotation events further enables scrolling through a long page of displayed text that does not fit within an interface display area.

4. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said generated signals representing rotation events further includes a signal representing direction of said bezel rotation.

5. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein a displayed item includes a graphic icon representing an application capable of being executed in said appliance.

6. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 5, wherein said said bezel ring includes:

one or more fixed icons corresponding to applications capable of being executed in said appliance, said bezel ring manipulated for aligning a fixed icon with a predetermined position and activating said aligned fixed icon of said selected application.

7. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 5, wherein said bezel ring includes:

a display mechanism for presenting one or more graphic icons corresponding to applications capable of being executed in said appliance, said control device initiating display of said one or more graphic icons in said bezel ring display according to an application selected in said user interface display.

8. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control device includes mechanism for placing said appliance in a text/character entry mode, said mechanism enabling display of text and characters to be entered, whereby said bezel-based input mechanism is manipulated to highlight a desired text/character and activated to enter the desired highlighted text/character.

9. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 8, wherein said text/character entry mode mechanism automatically places said appliance in a mode for receiving a next text/character to be input after a first character is entered.

10. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control device includes mechanism for placing said appliance in a text/information retrieval mode, said mechanism enabling display of alphabetic characters, whereby said bezel-based input mechanism is manipulated to select an alphabetic character, and activated to display previously entered information associated with that selected character.

11. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of said applications including an appointment book application for entering and storing dates and times pertaining to events relevant to a user, said bezel-based input mechanism enabling browsing of appointments names included in said appointment book by positioning an icon on the bezel ring at an hourly position and activating said bezel-based input mechanism to initiate a detailed display of all the events pertaining to that selected hourly interval.

12. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 11, wherein said bezel-based input mechanism may be subsequently turned to position said icon at a subsequent hour position to initiate displays of events for a subsequent hourly interval.

13. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bezel-based input mechanism further comprises a gasket device surrounding said bezel-based input mechanism input and responsive to user interaction for activating an application or selecting and entering displayed items via said user interface.

14. The wearable appliance as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control device includes mechanism for placing said appliance in a zoom mode by selection of a zoom mode graphic item, whereby rotation of the bezel ring in a first direction effects an increase in size of characters being displayed, while rotation of the bezel ring in a second direction effects a decrease in size of characters being displayed.

15. A method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance including a high-resolution display for displaying text and graphic items and a bezel-based input device having a bezel ring capable of being rotated and activated for executing user interface functions, said method comprising the steps of:

generating display of said user interface functions via said display and initiating display of a cursor navigation element thereof;

generating signals in response to rotation of said bezel ring for navigating said cursor through displayed graphic and text items;

generating a signal in response to activation of said bezel-based input mechanism for selecting a displayed graphic and text item highlighted by said cursor; and

,

receiving said signals and effecting navigation, selection and entry of displayed items through said user interface.

16. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 15, wherein said navigation includes scrolling of displayed content through regions of said display in response to received signals.

17. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 15, wherein said navigation includes scrolling through a long page of displayed text that does not fit within an interface display area in response to received signals.

18. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 15, wherein said step of generating signals in response to rotation of said bezel ring includes generating signals representing direction of said bezel rotation.

19. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 15, wherein said displayed items include icons representing applications for execution in said appliance.

20. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 19, wherein said bezel ring includes:

one or more fixed icons corresponding to applications capable of being executed in said appliance, said method further including the step of;

receiving signals for aligning a fixed icon with a predetermined position and activating said aligned fixed icon of said selected application for launching said application.

21. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 19, wherein said bezel ring includes:

a display mechanism for presenting one or more graphic icons corresponding to applications capable of being executed in said appliance, said method further including the step of;

initiating display of said one or more graphic icons in said bezel ring display according to an application selected in said user interface display.

22. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 19, wherein said appliance is placed in a text/character entry mode, said method including:

receiving signals for initiating display of text and characters to be entered while in said text/character entry mode; and

,

receiving signals related to bezel-based device selection of a desired text/character to be entered and activation of said bezel-based device for entering the desired highlighted text/character.

23. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 22, wherein when in said text/character entry mode, the step of automatically placing said appliance in a mode for receiving a next text/character to be input after a first character is entered.

24. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 19, wherein said appliance is placed in a text/information retrieval mode, said method including:

initiating display of alphabetic characters; and

,

receiving signals related to bezel-based device selection of an alphabetic character, and activating said bezel-based device for displaying previously entered information associated with that selected character.

25. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 20, wherein said displayed items include icons representing applications for execution in said appliance, one of said applications including an appointment book application for entering and storing dates and times pertaining to events relevant to a user and browsing of appointment names included in said appointment book, said method including the steps of:

positioning an icon on the bezel ring at an hourly position; and

,

activating said bezel-based input mechanism for initiating a detailed display of all the events pertaining to that selected hourly interval.

26. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 25, further including the step of:

initiating display of events for a subsequent hourly interval in response to receipt of signals placing said icon at a subsequent hour position.

27. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 19, wherein said bezel-based input further comprises a gasket device surrounding said bezel-based input mechanism, said method including:

generating signals in response to user interaction with said gasket device input; and

activating an application or selecting and entering displayed items via said user interface in response to said generating.

28. The method for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance as claimed in claim 26, wherein said appliance is placed in a zoom mode, said method including:

increasing a size of characters being displayed in response to rotation of the bezel-based input device in a first direction; and

,

decreasing a size of characters being displayed in response to rotation of the bezel-based input device in a second direction.

29. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for controlling user interface functions in a wearable appliance including a high-resolution display for displaying text and graphic items and a bezel-based input device having a bezel ring capable of being rotated and activated for executing user interface functions, said method steps including the steps of:

generating display of said user interface functions via said display and initiating display of a cursor navigation element thereof;

generating signals in response to rotation of said bezel ring for navigating said cursor through displayed graphic and text items;

generating a signal in response to activation of said bezel-based input mechanism for selecting a displayed graphic and text item highlighted by said cursor; and

,

receiving said signals and effecting navigation, selection and entry of displayed items through said user interface.

30. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein said navigation includes scrolling of displayed content through regions of said display in response to received signals.

31. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein said navigation includes scrolling through a long page of displayed text that does not fit within an interface display area in response to received signals.

32. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein said step of generating signals in response to rotation of said bezel ring includes generating signals representing direction of said bezel rotation.

33. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein said displayed items include icons representing applications for execution in said appliance.

34. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 33, wherein said bezel ring includes:

one or more fixed icons corresponding to applications capable of being executed in said appliance, said method further including the step of;

receiving signals for aligning a fixed icon with a predetermined position and activating said aligned fixed icon of said selected application for launching said application.

35. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 33, wherein said bezel ring includes:

a display mechanism for presenting one or more graphic icons corresponding to applications capable of being executed in said appliance, said method further including the step of;

initiating display of said one or more graphic icons in said bezel ring display according to an application selected in said user interface display.

36. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 33, wherein said appliance is placed in a text/character entry mode, said method including:

receiving signals for initiating display of text and characters to be entered while in said text/character entry mode; and

,

receiving signals related to bezel-based device selection of a desired text/character to be entered and activation of said bezel-based device for entering the desired highlighted text/character.

37. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 36, wherein when in said text/character entry mode, the step of automatically placing said appliance in a mode for receiving a next text/character to be input after a first character is entered.

38. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 33, wherein said appliance is placed in a text/information retrieval mode, said method including:

initiating display of alphabetic characters; and

,

receiving signals related to bezel-based device selection of an alphabetic character, and activating said bezel-based device for displaying previously entered information associated with that selected character.

39. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein said displayed items include icons representing applications for execution in said appliance, one of said applications including an appointment book application for entering and storing dates and times pertaining to events relevant to a user and browsing of appointment names included in said appointment book, said method including the steps of:

positioning an icon on the bezel ring at an hourly position; and

,

activating said bezel-based input mechanism for initiating a detailed display of all the events pertaining to that selected hourly interval.

40. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 39, wherein said bezel-based input device includes one or more icons at pre-defined positions, said step of receiving signals related to navigating signals for enabling browsing of appointment names further includes:

activating said bezel-based input device when an icon is at a desired hourly position; and

,

initiating a detailed display of all the events pertaining to an interval of time associated with said selected hourly position.

41. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 40, further including the step of:

initiating display of events for a subsequent hourly interval in response to receipt of signals placing said icon at a subsequent hour position.

42. The program storage device readable by a machine as claimed in claim 40, wherein said appliance is placed in a zoom mode, said method including:

increasing a size of characters being displayed in response to rotation of the bezel-based input device in a first direction; and

,

decreasing a size of characters being displayed in response to rotation of the bezel-based input device in a second direction.