Facilitated user interface

• US 6,801,188 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Longobardi, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/918,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20020109731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/7, 345/8, 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/2.2, 345/3.1, 345/865, 340/825.19, 341/21
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items

Abstract

A facilitated input unit (165,170), particularly for allowing a disabled person to use a computer (100). The input unit includes a small display (165) for showing available input items (such as characters, number, and control keys), which is distinct from a monitor (145) of the computer; a headset (170), or other equivalent means, is used to select one of the items and enter the selected item into the system without using the user'"'"'s hands, thereby simulating a keyboard (155) of the computer.

Claims

1. A facilitated input unit for interacting with a system, the system having a first display for showing information to a user, the input unit including:

a second display distinct from the first display for showing available input items wherein a subset of the items are simultaneously shown on the second display, the subset consisting of a plurality of items arranged in an array having a first and a second end;

means for scrolling the items on the second display;

means for providing an indication of an active position along the subset, wherein the means for scrolling includes means for detecting a movement of a portion of the user'"'"'s body along a first direction, the active position moving along the subset in response to the detected movement along the first direction and the items scrolling on the second display after the active position reaches the first or the second end of the array; and

means for selecting one of the items and entering the selected items into the system without using the user'"'"'s hands wherein the means for selecting includes means for detect in a movement of the portion of the user'"'"'s body along a second direction, the item corresponding to the active position being selected/deselected and entered into the systems in response to the detected movement along the second direction.

2. The input unit according to claim 1, wherein the items are ordered in a sequence, the means for scrolling causing the items to wrap around the sequence.

3. The input unit according to any claim from 1, further including means for selectively defining the available input units.

4. The input unit according to claim 1, further including a control device having an input for connection to the means for selecting, at least one further input for connection to a hand-driven further input unit of the system, an output for connection to the second display, at least one further output for connection to the system, and means for selectively transferring input data from the input unit or from the further input unit to the system.

5. A facilitated input unit for interacting with a system, the system having a system display for displaying information, the facilitated input unit comprising:

an input display for displaying available items to a user, the input display being distinct from the system display;

means for detecting a movement of a portion of the user'"'"'s body along a first direction, the available items moving across the input display in response to the detected movement along the first direction;

means for detecting a movement of the portion of the user'"'"'s body along a second direction; and

means for selecting one of the displayed items based on the movement of the user'"'"'s body along the second direction.

6. The facilitated input unit according to claim 5 wherein the selecting means includes means for indicating an active position on the input display, the active position being the position of the selected item.

7. The facilitated input unit according to claim 6 further including means for moving the active position from a first end to a second end of the input display.

8. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for enabling a facilitated input unit to interact with a system, the system having a system display for displaying information, the computer program product comprising:

code means for displaying available items to a user on an input display, the input display being distinct from the system display;

code means for detecting a movement of a portion of the user'"'"'s body along a first direction, the available items moving across the input display in response to the detected movement along the first direction;

code means for detecting a movement of the portion of the user'"'"'s body along a second direction; and

code means for selecting one of the displayed items based on the movement of the user'"'"'s body along the second direction.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8 wherein the selecting code means includes code means for indicating an active position on the input display, the active position being the position of the selected item.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9 further including code means for moving the active position from a first end to a second end off the input display.

11. A method of enabling a facilitated input unit to interact with a system, the system having a system display for displaying information, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying available items to a user on an input display, the input display being distinct from the system display;

detecting a movement of a portion of the user'"'"'s body along a first direction, the available items moving across the input display in response to the detected movement along the first direction;

detecting a movement of the portion of the user'"'"'s body along a second direction; and

selecting one of the displayed items based on the movement of the user'"'"'s body along the second direction.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the selecting step includes the step of indicating an active position on the input display, the active position being the position of the selected item.

13. The method according to claim 12 further including the step of moving the active position from a first end to a second end of the input display.