Human interface system

• US 7,463,245 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aplix IP Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zeemote, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, W. David, Marcus, Beth
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US11/747,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 400/472, 341/22
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• 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 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A human interface configured to optimize a biomechanical effect of a human user'"'"'s opposing thumb and fingers by including, on one surface, one or more software configurable input elements manipulatable by a user'"'"'s thumb(s) or a stylus, and, on another surface, one or more software configurable selection elements manipulatable by a user'"'"'s finger(s). A selection element may be a pressure sensor pad configurable to represent delineated active areas that are mapped to one or more input functions. Shape changing media may be provided to permit a user to tactilely discriminate between delineated active areas. Tactile feedback may be provided to a user through palpable detents, vibratory or force producing units. Inputting data may include mapping each selection element to a shift function, mapping each input element to text functions, and using the selection elements to shift between text functions associated with an input element to input a desired text function.

Claims

1. A hand-held device comprising:

a processor configured to process a selected application having two or more functions;

a first surface including at least a first input element mapped to at least a first function of the selected application; and

a second surface including at least a second input element having a sensor pad comprising a selectively configurable sensing surface that provides more than one delineated active area based on the selected application, wherein at least a first delineated active area is mapped to a second function of the selected application and a second delineated active area is mapped to a third function of the selected application, further wherein the second surface is substantially in opposition to the first surface.

2. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the selected application comprises a game application.

3. The hand-held device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the functions of the game application comprises a weapon fire control, directional control, speed control, a size control or a position control.

4. The hand-held device of claim 2, wherein the first function of the game application comprises a directional control, a speed control, a size control or a position control.

5. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the second function of the game application comprises a weapon fire control.

6. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the second surface further includes a directional pad.

7. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with a host device.

8. The hand-held device of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer.

9. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a gyroscope.

10. A hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the second surface comprises a back surface or a side surface.

11. The hand-held device of claim 1, wherein the first delineated active area and the second delineated active area are further configurable based on the user'"'"'s hand.

12. A hand-held device comprising:

a first surface including at least an input element mapped to at least a first function of an application; and

a second surface including at least a touch sensing input element comprising a selectively configurable sensing surface that provides more than one delineated active area based on the selected application, wherein at least a first delineated active area is mapped to a second function of the selected application and a second delineated active area is mapped to a third function of the selected application.

13. The hand-held device of claim 12, wherein the application comprises a game application.

14. The hand-held device of claim 13, wherein first function comprises a directional control, a speed control, a size control or a position control.

15. The hand-held device of claim 13, wherein the second function comprises a weapon fire control.

16. The hand-held device of claim 12, wherein the input element comprises a rotary sensor or a directional pad.

17. The hand-held device of claim 12, wherein the input element and the touch sensing input element are communicatively coupled to a host device.

18. The hand-held device of claim 12, further comprising an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

19. The hand-held device of claim 17, further comprising an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

20. A hand-held device of claim 12, wherein the second surface comprises a back surface or a side surface.