Rotary controller arrangement

• US 9,411,429 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Schuller, Donald Geoffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Leiby, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US14/310,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20150370344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• 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: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for a rotary controller arrangement. A method may include receiving an indication that a rotary control element is moved to a first end position. A first action may be performed based on a selection of the first action at the first end position. An indication that the rotary control element is moved to a second end position may be received. A second action may be performed based on a selection of the second action at the second end position. The disclosed rotary controller arrangement includes assigning an action to the end point of rotation of a rotary control element. By assigning an action to an end point of rotation, a user may rotate the rotary control element to a particular end point to easily find and select the desired action.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a rotary control element is moved to a first end position in a first device, the first end position being a hard stop beyond which the rotary control element cannot physically be rotated any farther;

providing the indication to a second device external to the first device;

performing a first action based on a selection of the first action at the first end position in the second device;

receiving an indication that the rotary control element is moved to a second end position in the first device, the second end position being a hard stop beyond which the rotary control element cannot physically be rotated any farther; and

performing a second action different from the first action in the second device based on a selection of the second action at the second end position,

wherein the first action and the second action are selected from the group consisting of;

a delete action, a call action, a previous multimedia track action, a next multimedia track action, a return action, and a next navigation step action.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a mode, in a multimedia system, in response to movement of the rotary control element between the first end position and the second end position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in a first mode, the first end position is associated with the first action and the second end position is associated with the second action, and wherein, in a second mode, the first end position is associated with a third action and the second end position is associated with a fourth action.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mode is a telephone mode, and wherein the rotary control element is rotated clockwise and counter clockwise between the first end position and the second end position to select digits for input of a phone number.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of positions between the first end position and the second end position, wherein each position in the plurality of positions represents a unique digit.

6. The method of claim 1, the first end position is located at a 7 o'"'"'clock position on the rotary control element.

7. The method of claim 1, the second end position is located at a 5 o'"'"'clock position on the rotary control element.

8. A system comprising:

a rotary control element; and

a processor configured to;

receive an indication that the rotary control element is moved to a first end position, the first end position being a hard stop beyond which the rotary control element cannot physically be rotated any farther;

provide the indication to an external device;

perform a first action based on a selection of the first action at the first end position in the external device;

receive an indication that the rotary control element is moved to a second end position, the second end position being a hard stop beyond which the rotary control element cannot physically be rotated any farther; and

perform a second action different from the first action in the external device based on a selection of the second action at the second end position,

wherein the first action and the second action are selected from the group consisting of;

a delete action, a call action, a previous multimedia track action, a next multimedia track action, a return action, and a next navigation step action.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to control a mode, in a multimedia system, in response to movement of the rotary control element between the first end position and the second end position.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein in a first mode, the first end position is associated with the first action and the second end position is associated with the second action, and wherein, in a second mode, the first end position is associated with a third action and the second end position is associated with a fourth action.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the function is a telephone function, and wherein the rotary control element is rotated clockwise and counter clockwise between the first end position and the second end position to select digits for input of a phone number.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the rotary control element comprises a plurality of positions between the first end position and the second end position, wherein each position in the plurality of positions represents a unique digit.

13. The system of claim 8, the first end position is located at a 7 o'"'"'clock position on the rotary control element.

14. The system of claim 8, the second end position is located at a 5 o'"'"'clock position on the rotary control element.