Method for providing feedback responsive to sensing a physical presence proximate to a control of an electronic device

• US 7,358,956 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bathiche, Steven N., Hinckley, Kenneth P., Vong, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Duc Q
• Application Number:
  US09/804,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20010011995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,590 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 345/184, 345/700, 345/701, 345/702, 715700-703, 715/711, 715/719, 715/727, 715/862
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/67 adaptively or by learning from player actions, e.g. skill level adjustment or by storing successful combat sequences for re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6027 using adaptive systems learning from user actions, e.g. for skill level adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04766 providing feel, e.g. indexing means, means to create counterforce
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04774 with additional switches or sensors on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 : Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 : Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 : Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 : Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 : Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 : Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 : Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 : based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 : Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 : using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

In a computer system, a touch sensitive input device having touch sensitive auxiliary controls can be used to provide a user with information regarding the functionality of an auxiliary control. When a user'"'"'s hand approaches a touch sensitive input device, feedback can be displayed on a display screen. A user can receive feedback without activating the input device by touching or being extremely proximate to an auxiliary control. The feedback may take the form of a tool tip related to the auxiliary control or a combination of auxiliary controls simultaneously touched. When the hand of a user is moved away from the touch sensitive input device, the feedback brought on by sensing the user'"'"'s hand may disappear.

Claims

1. In a computer system including an auxiliary control and a display, a method comprising the steps of:

detecting a first physical presence proximate to or contacting a first auxiliary control for a predefined period in which the first auxiliary control maintains an inactive state; and

generating feedback responsive to said step of detecting, the feedback providing an indication of the functionality of the first auxiliary control, the functionality of the first auxiliary control and associated feedback being dependent upon which one of a first application program and a second application program is active, the generating includes displaying a first display widget on the display;

detecting a second physical presence proximate to or contacting a second auxiliary control different from the first auxiliary control;

generating second feedback responsive to said step of detecting the second physical presence, the second feedback indicating functionality associated with the second auxiliary control;

the generating second feedback includes displaying second widget on the display responsive to the step of detecting the second physical presence; and

discontinuing display of the first display widget responsive to detecting the second physical presence,

wherein the first auxiliary control has a first function in the first application program and a second function, different from the first function, in the second application program.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feedback includes acoustic feedback.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the computer system has a game controller including the first auxiliary control.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feedback includes tactile feedback.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feedback further includes at least one of acoustic feedback and tactile feedback.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of detecting further comprises detecting the first physical presence for the first predefined period in which both the first auxiliary control and a pointing device maintain an inactive state.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first display widget includes a user interface configured to receive user input to change settings of the functionality of the first auxiliary control.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

detecting absence of the first physical presence proximate to or contacting the first auxiliary control for a second predefined period in which the first auxiliary control maintains the inactive state while displaying the first display widget; and

discontinuing display of the first display widget, responsive to detecting the absence of the first physical presence for the second predefined period in which the first auxiliary control maintains the inactive state.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of discontinuing display of the first display widget responsive to activation of the second auxiliary control.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying the first display widget responsive to deactivation of the second auxiliary control when the first physical presence remains proximate to or in contact with the first auxiliary control.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second auxiliary control is the first auxiliary control.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of disabling display of the first display widget after deactivation of the second auxiliary control until after the first physical presence breaks contact with or is no longer proximate to the first auxiliary control.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second auxiliary control is the first auxiliary control.

14. In a computer system including an auxiliary control and a display, a method comprising the steps of:

detecting a first physical presence proximate to or contacting a first auxiliary control for a predefined period in which the first auxiliary control maintains an inactive state;

detecting a second physical presence proximate to or contacting a second auxiliary control different from the first auxiliary control in which the second auxiliary control maintains an inactive state while detecting the first physical presence proximate to or contacting the first auxiliary control; and

generating feedback responsive to said step of detecting the second physical presence, the feedback indicating functionality associated with simultaneous activation of the combination of the first auxiliary control and the second auxiliary control,

wherein the first auxiliary control and the second auxiliary control correspond to a separate controls on an input device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the input device is a keyboard.