HK1124411A - Human interface input acceleration system - Google Patents

Description

Human-machine interface input acceleration system

Technical Field

【0001】 The following description relates to handheld input acceleration devices for interacting with electronic devices such as cellular telephones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), pocket pcs, smart phones, handheld gaming devices, bar code readers, MP3 players and other similar input devices having a keypad or one or more input elements, and also relates to human interface and input systems for handheld acceleration devices.

Background

【0002】 Electronic devices have become increasingly complex and smaller in size, due in part to the reduction in the price of processing power and the concurrent increase in consumer demand for smaller devices. These devices tend to be limited in function and utility by the ability of a user to interact with the device to effect data input (e.g., text, numeric, and functional input) and/or device control, which is increasingly difficult as the available space on the surface of the device for positioning input elements used for data input and/or device control continues to diminish.

【0003】 Furthermore, with the proliferation of applications such as text-centric programs (e.g., entering data for email, instant messaging, Short Message Service (SMS), and Multimedia Message Service (MMS)), list navigation programs (e.g., one-or two-dimensional navigation, such as scrolling down a long list of songs to select songs), and gaming programs (e.g., maneuvering a car in a first-person driving game), keypads on electronic devices (e.g., cell phones) are increasingly becoming bottlenecks in the speed, accuracy, and ease of use of data entry, game play, selection of entries from long lists, web browsing, and launching programs.

【0004】 For example, many handheld electronic devices, particularly cellular telephones, typically use a D-pad as the primary means for navigating up and down a list of items (e.g., a list of songs) in an item-by-item manner. But such item-by-item scrolling is often inefficient when navigating from the first item of the list to the last item of the list, particularly if the list contains hundreds of items. While most of these electronic devices provide users with page up and page down functionality that allows users to scroll through multiple items at once, for example, some programs may associate 10 items per page, often such page up and page down functionality must be accomplished by tapping or pressing one or more input elements (of which a keypad typically consists). The particular number of taps or input elements required to wake up such page up and page down functionality is typically determined by the configuration of the program developer and therefore creates a difference between programs in the same electronic device. Even the same program may be implemented in different handheld electronic devices using different user interfaces.

【0005】 Various human interface and input systems and techniques for handheld electronic devices have been developed for data input and device control. These include miniature keyboards and keypads used in conjunction with chordal input techniques, modal input techniques and/or short-cut keys; and a touch screen used in conjunction with on-screen keyboard or keypad software or handwriting recognition software. In addition, some handheld electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, have incorporated miniature thumb joysticks on the surface of the device itself in lieu of a directional navigation keypad (D-pad) for gaming.

Keyboard or keypad used in combination with chordal, modal and shortcut techniques

【0006】 Miniature keyboards and keypads are similar to their standard full-size versions-that is, keyboards typically have a full or substantially full set of numeric, alphabetic, and functional input elements, while keypads typically have a reduced set of numeric, alphabetic, and/or functional input elements relative to keyboards. These miniature input devices are typically designed to fit within the limited space of one surface of a handheld electronic device or are designed to be small, portable, externally inserted devices. Thus, as handheld electronic devices become smaller, the size of the input elements has generally been reduced in order for the number of input elements required to fit into one surface of the electronic device.

【0007】 For data entry and device control, miniature keyboards and keypads typically use one of two input techniques — pressing a desired input element with one or more thumbs or fingers or "tapping" a desired input element using a stylus (which is often used when the input element is small in size). Various technologies such as chordal input technology, modal input technology, and short-cut keys have been developed and implemented to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of using miniature keyboards and keypads.

String input technique

【0008】 Chordal input techniques are generally based on the principle of: letters, symbols, words, phrases, or concepts may be represented by a reduced set of input elements. Thus, only a reduced combination of input elements need be pressed to improve functionality and enable faster and more accurate data entry. Chordal input techniques may be used for any keyboard or keypad configuration or any device with more than one input element and generally result in fewer input elements or more functionality relative to a conventional keyboard or keypad. An example of an electronic device that uses two handed chordal input techniques is a court clerk or stenographer's typewriter. One chordal Input technique that uses a keypad to reduce the number of actions to accomplish a large number of functions is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,621 to Levy, entitled "Compact Key Input Device," which is incorporated herein by reference.

Pattern input technique

【0009】 The pattern input technique is based on the concept of: functions of an electronic device, such as text messaging for a cellular telephone or PDA, may be performed by pressing a particular input element (or combination of elements) on a keyboard or keypad. Once the particular input element is pressed, the function of all or a portion of the input elements on the keyboard or keypad may change. Mode input technology is commonly used in calculators, cellular phones, and PDAs. For example, a mode input technique called multi-tap is common in cellular telephones, in which individual input elements on a keypad are associated with a plurality of symbols, such as characters, letters, numbers, icons or other types of symbols, thereby reducing the number of input elements required to perform a desired function, e.g., a 12-input element keypad may be used to represent all english letters and decimal numbers. The user may enter a desired symbol in the set of symbols associated with a particular input element by tapping the particular input element one or more times with a thumb, finger, or stylus to enter the desired character. Thus, if the user desires to send a text message, the user may press a functional input element (e.g., a mode key) to use the text messaging capabilities of the cellular telephone and then tap the input element one or more times to select the associated symbol to be entered. The number of taps required to input a particular symbol may vary depending on the language character set selected. For example, japanese keypads or keyboards typically require a minimum set of 46 characters for text entry, while english or american keyboards and keypads typically require a minimum set of 26 characters for text entry. These modal input techniques are popular as users perform more text functions, but these techniques can be cumbersome because the input elements on the keypad need to be tapped three or four times to obtain some letters or characters. Also, in handheld devices with keypads (e.g., cellular phones), these mode input techniques typically rely on the user's thumb, which is generally less flexible than the user's fingers.

Shortcut key

【0010】 Shortcut keys are typically used on keypads and represent individual keys or combinations of keys that, upon depression, predict the next logical behavior of the user. Some embodiments work better than others, and some programs reduce the number of keystrokes required to complete a function better than others. For example, word prediction software attempts to predict the word or character that a user would like to enter based on one or more letters that the user has entered and the likelihood of being in a given language. The likelihood of a software guess being correct increases with the length of the word or number of letters or characters entered. In a device using shortcut keys on a keypad, the user may tap keys 2, 8 in sequence to generate the word "cat" and, because it is the most common combination, the device may display the word first, whereas the word "bat" which may be generated by pressing the same key may not be displayed first because it is less common. Also, based on a guess by the word prediction software, the word "cat" may be displayed after pressing the 2 key a second time.

【0011】 A general shortcut key is also used for japanese data input in which a user inputs a letter representing the reading of a japanese character (e.g., Kanji character) in terms of pronunciation. Based on the letters entered, the prediction software guesses the japanese characters. To select a character, the user may press an accept button or use a scroll function to reach the next character of the similar set of speech inputs.

Touch screen using on-screen keyboard or handwriting recognition software

【0012】 The use of on-screen keyboard or keypad software on a touch screen provides the user with the ability to enter data with a finger or thumb on a screen-sized keyboard or button, which allows faster data entry without the use of a stylus or physical keyboard or keypad accessory; while handwriting recognition software is used on the touch screen (e.g., Graffiti on palm-top operating system)^TM) The user is provided with the ability to input text directly on the touch screen using a stylus. Touch screens generally consume more energy and are more expensive than non-touch sensitive screens. This higher power consumption is a problem for handheld electronic devices that typically have limited power resources. In addition, touch screens generally requireThe use of two hands by a user (e.g., one hand for grasping the device and the other hand for grasping the stylus) is generally undesirable for the interaction and control of handheld electronic devices, such as cellular telephones. Handwriting recognition software has improved the slowness and awkwardness inherent in stylus, finger or thumb input, but other disadvantages still exist, such as high power consumption, the need to use both hands, and the lack of tactile feedback to inform the user when the input element is already present. Moreover, recognition software needs to be trained for reasonable use, and even then, the error rate is still high.

Game control

【0013】 For game control, many of the above methods have been used, but in most handheld electronic devices, a user typically controls game play by using some form of input element, such as a miniature keyboard and/or keypad, which is typically located on the front surface of the device. Game controls on some handheld electronic devices (e.g., cellular telephones) are inherently one handed or at most two thumbed due to the size of the device, while game controls on other handheld electronic devices (e.g., PDAs and traditional game console controllers) are generally two handed. The input elements associated with game control on these devices are typically digital, particularly a D-pad, although analog input elements have been used on PC's and game controllers for console gaming systems (e.g., Microsoft Xbox and Sony's gaming station 2).

Disclosure of Invention

【0014】 The present inventors have recognized that conventional human interface and input systems for handheld electronic devices are relatively inflexible, cumbersome and inefficient to use, among other reasons, because they do not take advantage of the biomechanical advantages of the human hand, particularly those associated with the opposition of the thumb and fingers, as well as the beneficial attributes of the thumb (e.g., the large range of motion and the ability to impart a large and sustained amount of force) and fingers (e.g., their fine motor control, spatial memory and rapid movement).

【0015】 The present inventors have also recognized that input techniques, such as chordal and modal techniques, developed to improve the efficiency of data input and device control are limited by inefficiencies inherent in conventional input systems. For example, miniature keyboards and keypads used in conjunction with chordal input techniques not only require the user to remember many input combinations and develop the necessary motor skills to control a reduced number of input elements to provide more complex functionality than a typical QWERTY keyboard, but also do not effectively use or distribute the input tasks to the fingers and thumb of the human hand. In addition, miniature keyboards and keypads used in conjunction with modal input techniques tend to limit the user's ability to effectively input data, which depends on the number of taps required to enter a particular symbol and the speed with which the user can tap the input element using the thumb or stylus to select a particular symbol.

【0016】 The present inventors have also recognized that with the advent of multimedia capabilities, such as MP3, in many handheld electronic devices, there is a need to support fast and intuitive scrolling and list navigation actions. For example, many handheld electronic devices (particularly cellular telephones) typically use a D-pad as the primary method of navigating a list of items (e.g., a list of songs) up and down item-by-item. However, such item-by-item scrolling is generally inefficient in navigating from the first item in the list to the last item in the list, especially when the list contains hundreds of items. Moreover, the page up and page down functionality provided in many such devices to make it more convenient for a user to navigate a long list of items must be performed by pressing a key or pressing one or more input elements multiple times. The particular number of taps or input elements required to wake up such page up and page down functions is generally determined by the configuration of the program developer and therefore often varies between different programs in the same electronic device.

【0017】 The present inventors have also recognized that the ability of a user to control game play on such devices is greatly limited. For example, while analog game controls have been available to users of personal computers and console gaming systems, analog game controls have not been widely available on handheld electronic devices (e.g., cell phones and PDAs). As described above, most high-end games that run on a gaming platform (such as Xbox or gaming workstation 2) involve simulated or continuous input from one or more input elements (such as a small or full-sized joystick). In contrast, cellular phones and PDAs provide only buttons or keys as input elements for game play. Furthermore, to the best of the inventor's knowledge, there is no standard for input element layout for cellular phones or a method of mapping input elements to game functions. For example, in many cases, the D-pad provided on most cell phones is not available to game developers for use as an input to the game. As a result directional motion input is often provided using numeric input elements on the keypad, particularly input elements "2", "8", "4" and "6" as moving in up, down, left and right directions. The inventors have recognized that there are problems with this arrangement. First, the input is discrete and therefore does not provide continuous input, such as driving a car in a first person driving game. In such games, the vehicle can now only be driven to move left, forward or right, which severely limits the quality of the gaming experience. Second, directional movement is provided through the numeric input element while the keys on the D-pad that clearly identify the arrows are not used. This often requires habit and may lead to user confusion. Third, the number input elements are typically located at one end of the phone's face and are therefore less comfortable than a D-pad which is typically located above the number input elements. The result is that game play is limited and cannot be widely adopted as in the case of better interfaces.

【0018】 Thus, the present inventors have developed a flexible and efficient human interface and input system and technique that can be implemented on a plurality of small handheld accessory devices or "input accelerator" devices (e.g., key fobs or remote controls). The input accelerator device may connect to one or more conventional handheld electronic devices (i.e., a master electronic device), such as a mobile phone, PDA, pocket pc, smart phone, MP3 player, or other similar device, using a wired or wireless communication protocol, such as bluetooth, and remotely control all functions of the connected master electronic device. The input accelerator device may be used in conjunction with input elements of the main electronics to accelerate a user's ability to perform functions such as text entry, game play, list navigation, and scrolling. Alternatively, the input accelerator may even obviate the need to interact directly with the inefficient human interface and input system of the connected host electronic device. In addition to remote control functionality, the input accelerator device may also be implemented to include various hybrid devices including wireless headsets. The input accelerator device (whether one-handed or two-handed) may also be implemented to take advantage of the relative ergonomics of the thumb and fingers inherent in the hand and the skills that have developed in using conventional input techniques to accomplish data entry, list navigation, device control and game control in a timely, efficient, comfortable, interesting and intuitive manner. Therefore, it is not desirable to have specialized training beyond that generally desired for newly purchased handheld devices.

【0019】 Implementing the human interface and input systems and techniques for an input accelerator device described herein may include various combinations of the following features.

【0020】 The input accelerator device may include or may be configured to include: a communication channel configured to interact with a handheld host device; an input assembly containing a plurality of input elements that can be selectively mapped to functions of one or more software programs to minimize the number of times (which may be zero) that a particular input element on the handheld host device needs to be actuated; and an input controller communicatively coupled to the input assembly and the communication channel, the input controller configured to generate an input signal based on actuation of at least one of the input elements and further configured to forward the input signal to the communication channel for transmission to a handheld host device to control execution of a function of a software program mapped to the one or more actuated input elements. The input accelerator device may also include a display unit for displaying text, image, and video information. The input accelerator device may also include a storage device for storing instructions, such as firmware, mapping software, and/or software programs (such as text programs, scrolling/navigation programs, and game programs). The input accelerator device may further include a processor configured to interpret the input signal and execute the instructions, a main memory configured to load the instructions, and a bus configured to control intercommunication with the processor.

【0021】 The input assembly may include a front input assembly, a rear input assembly, and/or a side input assembly. The input elements of the input assembly may include one or more of the following input element classes: analog buttons, digital buttons, keys, rockers, sliders, rotary dials, touch pads, pressure sensors, force sensitive resistors, piezo-resistive sensors, capacitive sensors, position sensors, rotary encoders, linear potentiometers, directional or D-pad, and small analog thumb levers. The communication channel may be a universal serial bus port, an IEEE1394 firewire port, a serial port, a parallel port, a headset port, and/or a data port. The communication channel may also be a wireless data connection, such as a bluetooth connection, an infrared connection, and a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) connection.

【0022】 In another embodiment, a technique for controlling a plurality of handheld host devices may include providing an input accelerator device having a plurality of input elements, actuating one of the plurality of input elements; interpreting the generated input signal based on one or more functions mapped to the actuated input element; and performing one or more functions mapped to the activated cell. The method may also include configuring one of the plurality of input elements to map to one or more indexing functions, and actuating an input element on one of the plurality of handheld host devices in conjunction with the input element mapped to one or more indexing functions.

【0023】 The input accelerator devices and human interface and input systems and techniques described herein may provide one or more of the following advantages. The human interface and input system and related technology provide the functionality of a high performance game controller that can support most of the required game input requirements, as well as the speed and accuracy of data input that can be obtained using a conventional standard QWERTY keyboard. At the same time, the human interface, input system, and related techniques may increase the number of functions that may be associated with a given number of input elements without increasing the number of keystrokes or taps required. Furthermore, it allows the input element to be sized to conform to the ergonomics of a human hand without increasing the time to learn to use the input system over conventional input systems.

【0024】 Implementing the human interface and input system and techniques on an input accelerator device can eliminate the need to interact with the inflexible, cumbersome, and inefficient input systems provided by conventional handheld electronic devices. Because the input accelerator device can be connected to multiple handheld electronic devices via wired or wireless communication protocols, a single input accelerator device can remedy the deficiencies of multiple conventional handheld electronic devices. Thus, the input accelerator apparatus may eliminate the need for retrofitting or redesigning conventional handheld electronic devices to directly implement the disclosed human interface and input system and related techniques. In addition, the input accelerator device may be a small and aesthetically valuable fashion accessory. For example, the input accelerator device may be implemented to include a logo or cartoon character of a sports team in addition to a wide selection of colors. The input accelerator device can be easily attached to a key chain or phone cord or clipped or carried in a pocket or purse.

【0025】 The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Drawings

【0026】 FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a hand-held input accelerator device upon which a human interface and input system may be implemented.

【0027】 FIG. 2 is another block diagram of a hand-held input accelerator device upon which a human interface and input system may be implemented.

【0028】 FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a human interface and input system.

【0029】 FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of an input assembly of the human interface and input system.

【0030】 Fig. 5a-d show front, side and rear views, respectively, of a hand-held input accelerator device with a second input assembly containing an array of pressure sensors having a plurality of configurable active areas.

【0031】 FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a second input assembly on a handheld input accelerator device.

【0032】 Figures 7a-d depict one embodiment of a hand-held input accelerator device that includes a combination of a remote control and a wireless headset.

【0033】 Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

Detailed Description

Biomechanics of the human hand

【0034】 The human hand includes opposing thumbs and four fingers, i.e., the thumbs may be opposed or coincident in a combined or functional relationship with the other four fingers. The human thumb is characterized by a greater range of motion, stronger and longer lasting force actuation, and less dexterity than the human finger. The human thumb's base joint has three degrees of freedom, such as side-to-side motion, up-and-down motion, and rotation about the long axis of the thumb; while the base joint of the finger has two degrees of freedom, such as side-to-side motion and up-and-down motion. As such, the thumb is generally considered to have a better range of motion than any finger. In addition, because the human thumb has a larger muscle of stimulation than any of the fingers, it provides more resistance than the fingers. But also because of the larger muscles, the human thumb is more vulnerable to injury than the fingers in terms of the increasingly finer motor controls and rapid movements that may be applied. Thus, the human finger is more suitable for performing tasks that require fine motor coordination or the ability to pinpoint or rapidly repeat actuation.

Handheld input accelerator device hardware profile

【0035】 FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram of a handheld input accelerator device 100 upon which the human interface and input system and related input techniques described herein may be implemented to control software programs stored and executed in a handheld host device 117. The input accelerator device 100 is a secondary device paired with the handheld host device 117, whereby a user can interact with both the secondary device and the handheld host device 117, or only the secondary device, and not the handheld host device 117. The input accelerator device 100 is communicatively coupled with a hand-held host device 117 (such as a cellular telephone, PDA, pocket personal computer or smart phone or other similar device) via a communication link 111 (such as bluetooth protocol). The bluetooth protocol is a short-range, low-energy, 1 megabit per second wireless networking technology operating in the 2.4GHz band, which is suitable for use in a personal area network (piconet). A piconet may have 1 master and up to 7 slaves. The master transmits signals in even time slots and the slave transmits signals in odd time slots. Devices in a piconet share a common communication data channel with a total capacity of 1 megabyte per second. Bluetooth devices use the header and handshake information to trigger a conversation and will connect to each other.

【0036】 The communication link 111 may alternatively be a wired link using a standard data port, such as a universal serial bus interface, IEEE1394 firewire, or other serial or parallel port connection. Further, the communication link 111 may be other standard wireless connections, such as infrared, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), or any other wireless connection. Wi-Fi refers to any type of IEEE 802.11 protocol, including 802.11 a/b/g. Wi-Fi typically provides wireless connectivity to the Internet for devices or between devices. Wi-Fi operates in the unlicensed 2.4GHz band, with a data rate of 11 megabits per second (802.11b) or 54 megabits per second (802.11a) or products that contain both bands. Infrared refers to low frequency light waves outside the range perceptible to the human eye. When used in most television remote control systems, information is transmitted between devices via an infrared beam. The standard infrared system is known as the infrared data association (IrDA) and is used to connect certain computers and peripherals in digital mode.

【0037】 Communication link 111 connects communication interface 116 of the input accelerator device with communication interface 118 of hand-held host device 117. The input accelerator device 100 includes an interface and input system 114 in communication with a communication interface 116. The interface and input system 114 includes input elements (not shown) such as keys, buttons, pressure sensor keypads, touch screens, rotary dials, thumb joysticks, linear strip sensors or other actuators associated with one or more sensors and manipulable by one or a pair of thumbs or fingers of an individual user. The input elements are selectively mapped to functions of one or more software programs stored in the host device 100. Mapping and Remapping of Input Elements to one or more software programs may be accomplished using a technique disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application serial No. 11/221,412, entitled "a Method of Remapping the Input Elements of a Hand-held device," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

In this embodiment, the interface and input assembly 114 is implemented with four input elements, but may be implemented with more or fewer input elements. After the input element is actuated, an electrical signal is generated by the input assembly 114. The generated electrical signals are converted into input signals 122 which are transmitted over the communication link 111 to the hand-held host device 117, which hand-held host device 117 receives the input signals 122 over the communication interface 118. The input signal 122 is processed by the hand-held host device 117 to perform software functions mapped to the actuated input element. The hand-held host device 117 typically has a processor (not shown) such as an ARM, OMAP, or other similar processor for processing input signals and software programs stored and executed therein.

【0038】 FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an input accelerator device 200 upon which the human interface and input system and related input techniques described herein may be implemented. In this embodiment, optional hardware components are used to assemble a more powerful auxiliary device to handle more processing tasks from the hand-held host device 117 to the input accelerator device 200. The input accelerator device 200 may be used in conjunction with the hand-held host device 117 to control software programs stored and run on the input accelerator device 200 itself. For example, in this embodiment, the input accelerator device 200 may have remapping software stored and running thereon, such as the remapping software described in co-pending U.S. patent application No. 11/221,412. In another example, the input accelerator device 200 may have an internet browsing program stored and running thereon that may incorporate the use of a communication function provided by the hand-held host device for browsing the internet, such as a cellular communication protocol (e.g., CDMA or GSM/GPRS) provided by a cellular telephone.

【0039】 The input accelerator device 200 is in wireless (or alternatively wired) communication with the hand-held host device 117. The hand-held host device 117 may contain some of the same components as shown for the input accelerator device 200. In this embodiment, the handheld host device 117 is a conventional cellular telephone, but other types of handheld electronic devices may be used with the input accelerator device 200. The input accelerator device 200 may include a bus 202 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor 204, such as an ARM, OMAP, or other similar processor, coupled to the bus 202 for processing information, such as one or more sequences of one or more instructions, which may be embedded software, firmware, or a software program for controlling the hand-held host device 117, such as remapping software or text, gaming or scrolling programs, or any other software program.

【0040】 The input accelerator device 200 may also include a main memory 206, such as a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus 202 for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor 204. Main memory 206 also is used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 204. The input accelerator device 100 may further include a Read Only Memory (ROM)208 or other static storage device coupled to the bus 202 for storing static information and instructions for the processor 204. A storage device 210 may be provided and coupled to bus 202 to store static information and instructions for processor 204. The storage device 210 may include flash memory, such as EEPROM, compact flash, or other memory unit for storing device firmware. Upgrades to the firmware can be easily downloaded by the host device. The input accelerator device 200 may also contain an optional display 212, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), for displaying information to the user, and a human interface and input system 114 for communicating information and command selections from the personal user to the processor 204. Command selections from the user are communicated as input signals 112 from the interface and input system 114 to the bus 202 for distribution to other components, such as the processor 204. The input accelerator device 200 may also include a communication interface 216 coupled to the bus 202.

【0041】 Communication interface 216 provides a two-way data communication 211 to couple with a hand-held host device 117, a wireless service device, or a wireless service workstation. The two-way data communication 211 allows interactive data exchange between the hand-held host device 117 and the input accelerator device 200. The interactive data may include voice data for a conversation using a cellular telephone host device. The interactive data may also include a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for browsing the internet, which may be displayed on the optional display 212. In this embodiment, the cellular phone host device serves as a communication conduit for receiving data from the aforementioned internet. The communication interface 216 may be a wireless link, such as bluetooth or any other wireless communication interface known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In this wireless link implementation, communication interface 216 may send and receive electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

【0042】 The input accelerator device 200 may also display a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the display unit 212 to provide a list of handheld host devices 117 within communication range of the input accelerator device 200. The list of handheld host devices 117 that are within communication range can be displayed using the text name of each device, an icon representing each device, or a combination of the text name and the icon representing each device. The input elements in the input assemblies 406, 408, 409 (described in detail in FIG. 4 below) may be actuated together or individually to select a desired hand-held host device 117 from the list of devices within communication range of the input accelerator device 200.

【0043】 The above-described input accelerator device 100, 200 can eliminate the need to remove the hand-held host device 117 from the user's pocket, bag, or other storage location by performing most simple text/voice control functions. The input accelerator device 100, 200 may also contain a device driver (not shown) to effectively control the host handheld device 117 and all associated software programs on the handheld host device 117.

Human interface and input System overview

【0044】 Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a subsystem of the human interface and input system 114 of the input accelerator device 100 or the input accelerator device 200. The Human interface and input system 114, which is described in more detail in co-pending U.S. patent application No. 10/699,555 entitled "Human interface system," which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, includes an input assembly 305 in communication with an input controller 316 for interpreting and generating input signals in response to user interaction with the input assembly 305. The input assembly 305 may comprise a plurality of input assemblies (described in detail below in fig. 4), each comprising a plurality of input elements, located on one or more surfaces of the input accelerator device 100 or the input accelerator device 200. These input elements are selectively mapped to one or more functions of a software program stored in the hand-held host device 117 so that when an input element is actuated, the function mapped to the actuated element is performed.

Specifically, when the input element is actuated, one or more electrical signals 312 are generated, which are received and interpreted by the input controller 316. The input controller 316, which may comprise one or more processors, receives the one or more electrical signals 312 and converts them into input signals 122, which input signals 122 are communicated to the hand-held host device 117 via the communication link 111 connecting the communication interface 116 of the input accelerator device 100 and the communication interface 118 of the hand-held host device 117. Similarly, the input signal 122 is communicated to the hand-held host device 117 via a communication link 211 that connects the communication interface 216 of the input accelerator device 200 and the communication interface 118 of the hand-held host device 117. In one embodiment, the hand-held host device 117 dynamically interprets the input signals 122 using software (e.g., mapping software) to perform functions mapped to the actuated input elements. Alternatively, the input accelerator device 200 may interpret the input signal 122 using software stored in the storage unit 210.

【0045】 Fig. 4 illustrates one implementation of an input assembly 305 including multiple input assemblies. The input assembly 305 includes a front input assembly 406, a rear input assembly 408, and a side input assembly 409. The front input assembly 406 and the rear input assembly 408 include one or more input elements. These input elements generate one or more electrical signals 312 based on the actuation of the input elements. An input controller 316, which may include one or more processors, receives the one or more electrical signals 312 and converts them into input signals 122 in a form suitable for receipt and interpretation by the handheld host device 117. Alternatively, the input signal 122 may be interpreted by the processor 104 on the input accelerator device 200.

【0046】 The hand-held host device 117 receives the input signal 122 and interprets it using the remapping software mentioned above and set forth in more detail below, which may be loaded on the host hand-held device. In particular, the input signal 122 transmitted from the input accelerator device 100, 200 is received through the communication interface 118 on the hand-held host device 117 using a standard communication protocol, such as the bluetooth wireless protocol. The bluetooth protocol allows the input signals 122 transmitted from the input accelerator device 100, 200 to control the execution of embedded software, firmware, or software programs, such as text messaging or game programs, on the hand-held host device 117. The input signals 122 are received and used by the hand-held host device 117 to map and remap the input elements within the front input assembly 406, the rear input assembly 408, and the side input assembly 409 to one or more software functions of a software program running on the host hand-held device 117.

【0047】 For example, if there is a text program running on the handheld host device 117, an input controller (not shown) on the handheld host device 117 maps one or more input elements on the handheld host device 117 (e.g., input elements forming a keypad on a cellular telephone) to one or more symbols, such as characters, letters, numbers, icons, other types of symbols, or combinations of different symbol types, and maps one or more input elements of the front input assembly 406 on the input accelerator device 100, 200 to a shift or index function. Thus, if the user wants to insert the letter "X", the user can press the first shift key on the input accelerator device 100, 200, followed by the number key "9" on the hand-held host device 117. If the user wants to insert the letter "Y", the user can press the second shift key on the input accelerator device 100, 200, followed by the number key "9" on the hand-held host device 117. If the user wants to insert the letter "Z", the user can press the third shift key on the input accelerator device 100, 200 and then the number key "9" on the hand-held host device 117. Therefore, instead of requiring the number key "9" on the hand-held host device 117 to be pressed three times to insert the letter "Z" (which is common on most multi-head interfaces), the user can insert the same letter by pressing the number key "9" on the hand-held host device 117 one time and pressing the third shift key combination on the input accelerator device 100, 200 one time.

【0048】 Likewise, one or more input elements of the rear input assembly 408 on the input accelerator device 100, 200 may be mapped to scrolling, navigation, or cursor control functions. Further, one or more input elements of the side input assembly 409 may be mapped as shortcut keys for executing favorite programs (such as text, game or music programs) on the host handheld device 117. If the hand-held host device 117 is executing a game program, the input signal 112 may be used to control game play. That is, an input controller (not shown) on the hand-held host device 117 may map the input elements of the input assemblies 406, 408, 409 from the input accelerator devices 100, 200 to game functions. The mapping of input elements to specific input functions of a given software program, whether accomplished by an input controller or processor on the handheld host device 117 in response to input signals 122 transmitted by the input accelerator device 100, 200, may be customized by the program developer or user through download or other form of programming. Furthermore, the mapping of input elements may be done for changes in language key settings, which may reduce the cost of manufacturing handheld electronic devices for vendors serving multiple countries.

【0049】 Alternatively, the processor 204 of the input accelerator device 200 may perform the mapping functions described above and alleviate some of the processing load of the handheld host device 117. Furthermore, the human interface and input system 114 need not have an input controller 316, particularly where cost is a concern. In these examples, the processor 204 may directly receive the electrical signal 312 and interpret it as a suitable input signal 122 that is mapped using the mapping techniques mentioned above and described in detail below.

【0050】 The co-pending U.S. patent application No. 11/221,412 describes techniques for selectively mapping and remapping input elements on a handheld electronic device optimally for specific kinds of applications with general requirements (e.g., games, text entry, music, and scrolling) and/or for specific users. These techniques may also be used to map and remap the input elements of the input accelerator devices 100, 200 and/or the handheld host device 117 disclosed herein. Alternatively, the input accelerator device 100, 200 may simply transmit the input signal 122 to the hand-held host device 117 in response to user manipulation of the input element, with application software executing on the hand-held host device 117 interpreting the input signal accordingly.

【0051】 In one embodiment, a technique for remapping a handheld electronic device comprises: receiving configuration settings for a software program or class of software programs, the configuration settings including at least one physical input element associated with at least one function; modifying the mapping function based on the configuration settings; and performing a function associated with the physical input element after the physical input element is actuated (e.g., pressed or actuated) during operation of the software program. The actuation of the physical input elements may be from the three input assemblies 406, 408, 409 of the input accelerator device and/or the input assembly of the master handheld device. As described above, using a standard wireless communication protocol (such as bluetooth), signals generated by physical actuation of the input assemblies of the input accelerator devices 100, 200 are transmitted to the hand-held host device 117 to control the execution of specific software or software programs. And the mapping and remapping processes are performed in response to executing particular software or software programs on signals transmitted by the input accelerator device. The mapping function may include a keyboard device driver, a device layout or translation layer of a keyboard device driver, as well as combinations of these or other mapping functions.

【0052】 In embodiments where the mapping function comprises a device layout, the step of performing a function related to a physical input element based on activating the physical input element may comprise: writing the scan code to a buffer; retrieving the scan code from the buffer; converting the retrieved scan codes into virtual input element codes using the modified device layout; calling a keyboard event by using the scanning code and the virtual input element code; and performing a function associated with a keyboard event, which is a function associated with a physical input element.

【0053】 In embodiments where the mapping function comprises a translation layer, the step of performing a function related to a physical input element based on activating the physical input element may comprise: writing the scan code to a buffer; retrieving the scan code from the buffer; converting the scan code into an initial virtual input element code; converting the initial virtual input element code to a new input element code using a modified translation layer of the keyboard driver; calling a keyboard event by using the scanning code and the newly input element code; and performing a function associated with a keyboard event, which is a function associated with a physical input element.

【0054】 In another embodiment, a method of reconfiguring or remapping a software program or a class of software programs may comprise: associating one or more physical input elements disposed on the input accelerator device with at least a first executable function; and causing modification of the mapping function to form an association between the one or more physical input elements and the second executable function or an association between the one or more physical input elements and the first executable function, whereby the first executable function is configured to be launched upon activation of the one or more physical input elements during execution of the software program or a software program in a class of software programs. The second executable function is typically a generic default function provided by a software program to be executed in a default state when one or more physical input elements are pressed or activated.

【0055】 In another embodiment, a graphical user interface recognition function may be provided that is available for association with one or more physical input elements. The graphical user interface may also identify a software program that the user may select to implement his association of physical input elements to functions. In one example, the graphical user interface may include input element icons (which correspond to physical input elements) and function icons (which correspond to executable functions). The user may then specify that the function is associated with the physical input element.

Handheld input accelerator device implementation

【0056】 Fig. 5a-d illustrate front, side, rear, and "hand-held" views, respectively, of a hand-held input accelerator device 500 on which a human interface and input system may be implemented. In one embodiment, the input accelerator device 500 is implemented as a remote control device that contains four planes or iso-surfaces: a front surface 502, a back surface 508, a left side surface 504, and a right side surface 306. However, in other embodiments, the input accelerator device 500 may have more or fewer planar and/or iso-surface. The input accelerator device 500 may be a small, standalone, wireless accessory device that communicates with various handheld devices, such as cell phones, PDAs, pocket pcs, smart phones, laptops, or other similar devices, via wired or wireless communication protocols, such as the bluetooth wireless protocol.

【0057】 As shown in fig. 5a, on the front surface 502, a display (not shown), such as an LCD, and a front input assembly 526 are disposed adjacent to each other. Alternatively, the display may be on a separate assembly, such as the display of a PDA and a cellular telephone with a swivel-mounted screen or a flip-phone configuration. Further, the front input assembly 526 may be disposed on more than one surface. The front input assembly 526 may include four input assemblies 510, 512, 514, and 516, although any number of input elements may be provided that may be actuated by a user's thumb or finger. The input elements 510, 512, 514, and 516 may be mapped to functions such as Shift or index keys, such as Shift1(510), Shift2(512), Shift3(514), and Shift4(516) to facilitate shifting or indexing between symbols (such as characters, letters, and/or numbers) associated with input elements on a main resistive device (such as a keypad on a cell phone or PDA). For example, a keypad is typically provided on a host electronic device (e.g., a cellular telephone) having a "7 PQRS" key or input element. Using the input accelerator device 500, any of these symbols, P, Q, R and S, can be entered by tapping the appropriate input elements 510, 512, 514 and 516 and tapping the "7 PQRS" key on the main electronics. That is, for example, a "P" character, may be entered on the main electronics by pressing the input element 510 (which is mapped to Shift1) and pressing the "7 PQRS" key on the main electronics. Similarly, the Shift2 input element 512 may be pressed with the "7 PQRS" key to generate the "Q" character. The Shift3 input element 514 may be pressed along with the "7 PQRS" key to generate the "R" character. Pressing the "7" key without pressing the shift key may produce the number "7" or "P" characters, depending on user preferences that may be configured in software. The Shift4 input element 516 may be pressed along with the "7 PQRS" key to generate the "S" character. This eliminates the need to make multiple (e.g., three) taps to the same key on the host device to enter, for example, an "S" character. The embodiments of multiple shift or index input elements described above can greatly improve the comfort, accuracy and speed of text entry for a variety of primary handheld device users.

【0058】 As shown in fig. 5b, a rear input assembly 528 may be disposed on the rear surface 308. In this embodiment, the front input assembly 526 (FIG. 6a) is disposed opposite the rear input assembly 528 to take advantage of the relative relationship of a human thumb and finger. Alternatively, the user may flip the input accelerator device to use the rear input assembly with his thumb instead of his finger. The rear input assembly 528 may include two sensor arrays configured in software to represent one or more delineated active areas corresponding to different programmable functions according to a program. These sensor arrays may include a ring-shaped curved sensor array 518 and a strip-shaped linear sensor array 520. The curved sensor array 518 may be implemented to scan laterally along the natural free motion of the thumb (or finger) to map horizontal cursor movement. Further, the linear sensor array 520 may use the thumb (or finger) for vertical scanning to map vertical cursor movements or control a scroll bar in a long selection list. The curved sensor array 518 and the linear sensor array 520 in this embodiment may comprise an actuator (e.g., an elastomeric material) attached to a force sensitive resistor array, a capacitive plate or array, or other similar pressure sensitive device or grid that may provide a variety of outputs corresponding to pressure readings of a plurality of active areas on the sensor array. In another configuration of the pressure sensor arrays 518, 520, the entire surface of the sensor arrays 518, 520 may be covered by rectangular active areas interspersed between small rectangular inactive areas to achieve any desired number of active areas. Other configurations of the pressure sensor arrays 518, 520 may be implemented based on the requirements of the desired program.

【0059】 Alternatively, the rear input assembly 528 may be sensor-less and the input elements on the front input surface 502 may be programmed in software to cause the user to tap the linear sensor array 520 up and down to cause a vertical scrolling action in the list selection. This embodiment facilitates the user to navigate through the long list efficiently and effectively without the need for any additional sensors at the back. Additionally, the front input surface 502 or the rear input surface 508 may selectively provide for use of the miniature thumb joystick with analog inputs in both the left-right and up-down directions. The thumb joystick may provide analog signals to control games on the mobile phone host device 117.

【0060】 As shown in fig. 5a-c, the side input assembly 529 can be disposed on the left side surface 504 and/or the right side surface 506. The left side surface 504 and the right side surface 506 of the input accelerator 300 may be implemented to include additional input or selection elements 522, 524, 526, 528 that may be used to map to other types of cellular telephone functionality using the remapping techniques described above and in co-pending U.S. patent application No. 11/221,412. The input or selection elements of the side input assembly 529 can also be implemented to effectively switch between modes. For example, pressing one of the input or selection elements 522, 524, 526, 528 may act as a shortcut key, thereby activating a favorite program, such as Short Message Service (SMS), Instant Message (IM), or music. Pressing one of the selection elements may also act as a shortcut key to activate cellular telephone functions such as telephone number lookup and selection, dialing a telephone number, and answering a call. Two input or selection elements 522, 524 may be implemented for left-handed users while the other two selection elements 526, 528 are implemented for right-handed users.

【0061】 It is understood that the input elements 510, 512, 514, 516 of the front input assembly 526, the side input elements 522, 524, 526, 528 of the side input assembly 529, and the rear input elements 518, 510 of the rear input assembly 528 of this and any other embodiments may be analog and/or digital buttons, keys, rockers (which may be one or more position buttons or analog joystick-like buttons), scroll bars, dials, or touch pads used in conjunction with pressure sensors (such as force sensitive resistors, piezo-resistive sensors, and capacitive sensors), position sensors (such as rotary encoders, linear potentiometers, etc.), miniature analog thumb joysticks, or other sensors, or combinations thereof.

【0062】 Fig. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the rear input assembly 408. The input element 610 is implemented as a conventional rotary dial (e.g., a Blackberry (Blackberry) thumb wheel) that can be used to control horizontal or vertical cursor, scroll, and/or navigation movements. In other embodiments, other sensors as described above may be used depending on the age of the user and the type of procedure to be covered.

【0063】 Fig. 7a-d illustrate an embodiment of a handheld input accelerator device as a wireless headset. As shown in fig. 7a, the headset 700 may be implemented to include a thumb wheel as an input element 710 on the front surface 730 that allows the user to scroll left and right. The front surface 730 may also include a plurality of input elements 722, 724 that form a front input assembly with the input element 720. The front input elements 722, 724 may be actuated along with the input element 710 to perform object selection while scrolling left and right.

【0064】 As shown in fig. 7b, the rear surface 760 of the headset 700 represents one embodiment of the rear input assembly. The back surface 760 may contain a linear sensor array 720 to facilitate vertical scrolling, selection from a long list, and navigation operations. The input elements and active areas on the four surfaces may be substantially similar to those described above.

【0065】 Fig. 7b and 7c illustrate a left side surface 740 and a right side surface 750 on which the side input assembly of the headset 700 is disposed, the headset 700 may be configured to include at least four side selection units 712, 714, 716, 718 to facilitate shifting and indexing between modes and text input. These selection elements can be mapped as shortcuts to various functions such as dialing and callback. Two selection units 712, 714 may be implemented for left-handed users and the other two selection units 716, 718 for right-handed users.

【0066】 Fig. 7d depicts the headset 700 being used as a remote control. That is, by integrating the remote control input into the headset 700, a user can remotely perform all functions of one or more host handheld electronic devices using only the headset 700 that provides multiple functions. When speaking or listening to music on a host device (e.g., a cellular telephone), the headset 700 may be used as a conventional headset that receives and transmits audio signals through a speaker (not shown) and a microphone (not shown). When entering text, the headset 700 may be held in one or both hands and used to speed up text entry. The thumb wheel 710 and sensor array 720 may be used to navigate and scroll through long lists and icon arrays while executing programs on the host device. Thus, the headset 700 with integrated remote control may be implemented to operate a host device (e.g., a cellular telephone) without removing the host device from its storage location (e.g., a user's pocket, jacket, backpack, or purse).

【0067】 Further, the input accelerator devices described herein may be implemented as a "master" device communicatively connected to a plurality of "slaves" or master devices. The user can easily switch from one host device to another simply by selecting the desired host device from a screen or LC displayable list of host devices disposed on the input accelerator device. For example, a user may selectively control a host device (such as a cellular telephone) to call back the telephone using an input accelerator device. When talking to a caller using the headset 700, the user may have the caller wait to find an email address in another host device, such as a PDA, by selectively controlling the PDA. After retrieving the email address, the user may return to the telephone conversation by selectively switching back to the controlled cell phone.

【0068】 In any of the above embodiments, active and/or passive haptic feedback may be implemented. To provide passive tactile feedback, the input elements of the first and/or second input assemblies may be combined with a tactile stabilization device (e.g., a dome or dome spring) such that a user may tactilely perceive activation and/or deactivation of the input elements by his fingers or thumb. In other embodiments, the tactile stabilization device may be located between the actuator and the sensor assembly of the input element. To provide active tactile feedback, one or more vibration units or force producing units may be mounted on the handheld electronic device and activated to provide tapping or indexing levels or other information to the user. The vibratory unit may be an electric motor with an eccentric attached to the motor shaft, a solenoid, a variable reluctance device, a speaker, or any other vibrator that can provide tactile feedback. The force generating unit may be a solenoid in non-vibrating mode, a motor, a non-vibrating actuator or any other actuator capable of generating a force. A vibration unit and/or a force producing unit may be provided for each input element. In this case, the vibration unit and/or the force producing unit may be mounted below the input element, such that when the vibration unit and/or the force producing unit is activated, the vibration unit and/or the force producing unit may push the surface of the electronic device out to different levels or positions depending on the information to be communicated. Thus, in embodiments using a pressure sensor pad or touchpad as an input element, a hierarchical array may be configured to indicate higher and higher levels of index positions on the touchpad or pressure sensor pad. The vibration unit and/or force producing unit may also be used to provide tactile feedback to indicate the momentary arrival of a target, such as target lock in a game program. Haptic feedback may also be accomplished through actuators (e.g., solenoids) that electronically change the stiffness of the input element or push the user's hand or fingers to indicate events of interest in the software program.

【0069】 The computational aspects described herein may be implemented in analog or digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. Where appropriate, aspects of these systems and techniques may be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device for execution by a programmable processor; and method steps can be performed by a programmable processor executing a program of instructions to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output.

【0070】 The systems and techniques described above may utilize the biomechanics of the thumb and fingers, i.e., use of relative functions, fine motor control of the fingers, and the greater range of motion and greater motivation provided by the thumb. By using the fingers and thumb in concert, the number of taps and time required to accomplish a given function is reduced, accuracy is improved, and the natural choreography inherent in the human hand replaces the training required by other systems.

【0071】 A number of embodiments have been described. Other embodiments may include different or additional features. For example, other configurations of one or more input elements of the front, rear, side input assemblies may be implemented. Further, the input accelerator devices described herein may have more or less than six planes or iso-surfaces. Also, the number of input elements in the input assembly is not limited by the number of input elements in the above embodiments. Further, the one or more input elements of the input assembly may be any input or selection type known to those skilled in the art, such as keys, buttons, touch pads, other types of pads, rockers, scroll bars, dials, contact sensors, or other actuators associated with any sensor. Each sensor associated with an actuator may comprise a digital momentary on/off switch or an analog sensor, such as a pressure sensor (e.g., a force sensitive resistor, a piezoelectric film sensor, and a capacitive sensor) or a position sensor (such as a rotary or linear potentiometer or encoder) or other analog sensor known to one of ordinary skill, or an accelerometer or gyroscope. These input assemblies may include a combination of different types of input or selection elements that may be mounted in the illustrated configuration or embedded in the device to allow control of the movement of the overall device.

【0072】 Further, other embodiments of the hybrid auxiliary input acceleration device are possible. Existing accessory devices have been carried with them equipped with additional sensors to provide additional input signals to the master device to achieve input acceleration. Devices carried in purses, wallets, or on key chains are desirable because these devices already have another primary function, and providing input acceleration through these devices results in a convergent accelerator device that substantially enhances the user experience without the need to add items that people need to carry. As with the standalone remote control implementation, these convergent input accelerator devices may communicate with the host device wirelessly via bluetooth protocol or wirelessly via a quasi-line-of-sight infrared connection. Alternatively, the aggregate input accelerator device may be physically plugged into the host device through an existing connector on the host device (such as a headphone jack or one of the multiple data ports described above).

【0073】 In another embodiment, the auxiliary input accelerator device may be a car key with a remote keyless entry device, which is a common device most people carry in their key fob. The remote keyless entry device already has a button, a Radio Frequency (RF) link, and an on-board processor to transmit security information from the remote keyless entry device to the host vehicle to open a door, window, or trunk; changing climate control settings; or remotely control any other vehicle function. Most remote keyless entry devices are also small in size and comfortable in shape. One or more input assemblies including buttons, touch pads, or continuous sensor bars may be integrated into the remote keyless entry device to convert it into a hybrid device that may function as an input accelerator device for the host device. The hybrid remote keyless entry input accelerator device may communicate with the host device via a bluetooth protocol, a long range Radio Frequency (RF) protocol, or an infrared protocol.

【0074】 In yet another embodiment, the auxiliary input accelerator device may be a remote garage door opener. While these remote door openers are typically clipped to the sun visor of the car, they may also be smaller in size and carried on a key chain. These devices can be easily enhanced with buttons and sensors suitable for use as input accelerator devices for the host device.

【0075】 In one embodiment, the auxiliary input accelerator device may be a programmable Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) key fob. Many workers now enter their secure work areas through RFID key fobs. The circuitry in such a key fob may be packaged into an input accelerator along with buttons, sensor arrays, and wireless communication protocols to serve as an auxiliary input accelerator device for the main device.

【0076】 In another embodiment, the auxiliary input accelerator device may be a smart card. In europe and asia, contactless, wireless smart cards based on technologies similar to RFID key fobs are increasingly used in various business transactions. For example, in the columbian subway system, each terminal may use a smart card, and people can pay for their subway rides by shaking their wallet containing the prepaid smart card in front of a grounded receiver. Such a smart card may be incorporated into an input accelerator device carried on a key fob. Thus, the smart card input accelerator can be used to enhance interaction with the host device, as well as a primary mode of identification and payment in everyday life.

【0077】 In yet another embodiment, the auxiliary input accelerator device may be a universal remote control device. Pocket-sized universal remote control devices with soft keys may be configured to control all standard home entertainment devices such as televisions, DVD players, home video system (VHS) players, and sound systems, as well as host devices such as cellular telephones. The universal remote control device may communicate with either the home entertainment device and the cellular telephone using the same infrared link or with the cellular telephone using another wireless protocol, such as the bluetooth protocol.

【0078】 In yet another embodiment, the auxiliary input accelerator device may be a digital wristwatch incorporating the functionality of the input accelerator device. Digital wristwatches, in particular running or exercise watches, typically have a digital display screen and a number of buttons for tracking the round trip time, heart rate and other important biometric data. They also typically have a larger surface area than typical wristwatches. These watches can be easily programmed and retrofitted with an optional additional sensor array to serve as the input accelerator for the host device.

【0079】 In one embodiment, the auxiliary input accelerator device may be an MP3 device, such as an iPod. While it is becoming common to deliver multimedia content on mobile platforms, there are still many people carrying a separate MP3 player to listen to music. An iPod or other MP3 player has combined sensors and buttons that can be easily enhanced to serve as an input accelerator device for interacting with a host device, such as a cellular phone. The MP3 player may connect with the master device using existing or added wireless protocols (e.g., bluetooth).

【0080】 In one embodiment, the auxiliary input accelerator device may be an extreme wireless aggregation remote control device. Several or all of the above embodiments may be combined into a single aggregate input accelerator device. The device may be in the shape of a key fob hanging from a key chain, a wrist watch worn on the wrist, or other small shape that is portable. The ultimate converged remote control device may perform all of the following functions including controlling additional devices having short or long range wireless links. The limit polymerization remote control device can be used as an input accelerator of a cellular phone, which comprises keys and an optional sensor array; a remote keyless entry device with a long-range RF circuit; a remote garage door opener; an RFID key fob having a short range passive RF circuit; smart cards with short range passive RF circuits for identification and commerce; a universal remote control device for a home entertainment system; and/or any other ancillary functions that one wishes to incorporate.

【0081】 Further, the methods of providing data input, device control, or game control may be performed in a different order and still achieve the desired results. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (38)

1. An input accelerator device for controlling a handheld host device, the input accelerator device comprising:

a communication channel configured to interact with the handheld host device;

an input assembly comprising a plurality of input elements, each input element configured to be selectively mapped to one or more functions of a software program to minimize actuation required of at least one input element of the handheld host device; and

an input controller communicatively coupled with the input assembly and the communication channel, the input controller configured to generate an input signal based on actuation of at least one of the plurality of input elements, and further configured to forward the input signal to the communication channel for transmission to the handheld host device to control execution of the one or more functions of the software program mapped to the actuated input element.

2. The input accelerator device of claim 1, wherein the input assembly further comprises:

a front input assembly including at least a first one of the plurality of input elements, the first one of the plurality of input elements being located on a front surface; and

a rear input assembly having at least a second one of the plurality of input elements, the second one of the plurality of input elements being located on a rear surface.

3. The input accelerator device of claim 1, further comprising a display unit.

4. The input accelerator device of claim 1, further comprising a storage device configured to store one or more instructions.

5. The input accelerator device of claim 4, wherein the one or more instructions comprise at least one of a text program, mapping software, firmware, game program, or scrolling program.

6. The input accelerator apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a processor configured to interpret the input signal and execute the one or more instructions;

a main memory configured to load the one or more instructions for execution by the processor; and

a bus configured to control intercommunication with the processor.

7. The input accelerator device of claim 2, wherein the input assembly further comprises a side input assembly comprising at least a third one of the plurality of input elements, the third one of the plurality of input elements being located on a side surface.

8. The input accelerator device of claim 7, wherein the at least one input element comprises at least one of an analog button, a digital button, a key, a rocker, a slider, a dial, a touchpad, a pressure sensor, a force sensitive resistor, a piezo-resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a position sensor, a rotary encoder, a linear potentiometer, a D-pad, or a small analog thumb stick.

9. The input accelerator device of claim 1, wherein the communication channel comprises a wired data connection comprising at least one of a universal serial bus port, an IEEE1394 firewire port, a serial port, a parallel port, a headphone port, or a data port

10. The input accelerator device of claim 1, wherein the communication channel further comprises a wireless data connection comprising at least one of a bluetooth connection, an infrared connection, or a Wi-Fi connection.

11. The input accelerator device of claim 1, further comprising a secondary control component configured to perform functions of one or more secondary devices including at least one of a headset, a garage door opener, a car keyless entry unit, a smart card, a programmable Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) key fob, a universal remote control unit, a digital wristwatch, or an MP3 player.

12. The input accelerator device of claim 7, wherein the front input assembly, the rear input assembly, and the side input assembly are further configured to optimize a biomechanical effect of the user's opposing thumb and fingers.

13. The input accelerator device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the front input assembly, the side input assembly, and the rear input assembly is further configured to accelerate text input.

14. The input accelerator device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the front input assembly, the side input assembly, and the rear input assembly is further configured to accelerate at least one of scrolling, cursor control, or navigation control.

15. The input accelerator device of claim 7, wherein at least one of the front input assembly, the side input assembly, and the rear input assembly is further configured to accelerate game play.

16. A method of configuring an input accelerator device, the method comprising:

an input assembly is disposed on the one or more surfaces, the input assembly including a plurality of input elements configured to receive human input through manipulation of the input elements, wherein at least one of the input elements is further configured to be selectively mapped to one or more functions of a software program stored on a handheld host device to minimize actuation required of the at least one input element on the handheld host device.

Providing a communication channel configured to connect to the handheld host device; and

connecting the input assembly to the communication channel using an input controller configured to generate an input signal based on actuation of at least one of the plurality of input elements, and further configured to forward the input signal to the communication channel for transmission to the handheld master device to control execution of the one or more functions of the software program mapped to the actuated input element.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein disposing the input assembly on one or more surfaces further comprises:

disposing a first input assembly on the first surface, the first input assembly including at least a first one of the plurality of input elements; and

a second input assembly is disposed on the second surface, the second input assembly including at least a second one of the plurality of input elements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein disposing the input assembly on one or more surfaces further comprises disposing a third input assembly on a third surface, the third input assembly comprising at least a third one of the plurality of input elements.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein arranging the input assemblies on one or more surfaces further comprises arranging the first assembly, the second assembly, and the third assembly in a configuration that optimizes a biomechanical effect of the human opposing thumb and fingers.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein providing a communication channel further comprises providing a wired data connection comprising at least one of a universal serial bus port, an IEEE1394 firewire port, a serial port, a parallel port, a headphone port, or a data port.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein providing a communication channel further comprises providing a wireless data connection including at least one of a bluetooth connection, an infrared connection, or a Wi-Fi connection.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein disposing the input element on one or more surfaces further comprises disposing the first input assembly, the second input assembly, and the third input assembly in a configuration that provides control functionality to one or more secondary devices comprising at least one of a headset, a garage door opener, a car keyless entry unit, a smart card, a programmable Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) key fob, a universal remote control unit, a digital wristwatch, or an MP3 player.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein arranging the input assembly on one or more surfaces further comprises arranging the first, second, and third input assemblies including at least one of an analog button, a digital button, a key, a rocker, a slider, a dial, a touchpad, a pressure sensor, a force sensitive resistor, a piezo-resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a position sensor, a rotary encoder, a linear potentiometer, a D-pad, or a small analog thumb joystick.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein arranging the input elements on one or more surfaces further comprises configuring at least one of the first input assembly, the second input assembly, and the third input assembly to accelerate text input

25. The method of claim 18, wherein arranging the input elements on one or more surfaces further comprises configuring at least one of the first input assembly, the second input assembly, and the third input assembly to accelerate at least one of scrolling, cursor control, or navigation control.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein arranging the input elements on one or more surfaces further comprises configuring at least one of the first input assembly, the second input assembly, and the third input assembly to accelerate game play.

27. A method of controlling a plurality of handheld master devices, the method comprising:

providing an input accelerator device, the accelerator device comprising:

a communication channel configured to interact with the plurality of handheld master devices;

an input assembly comprising a plurality of input elements, each input element configured to be selectively mapped to one or more functions of a software program to minimize a number of actuations required of the input element of one of the plurality of handheld host devices; and

an input controller communicatively coupled to the input assembly and the communication channel, the input controller configured to generate an input signal based on actuation of one of the plurality of input elements, and further configured to forward the input signal to the communication channel for transmission to the handheld host device to control execution of the one or more functions of the software program mapped to the actuated input element;

actuating one of the plurality of input elements;

interpreting the generated input signal based on the one or more functions mapped to the actuated input element; and

performing the one or more functions mapped to the actuated element.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the input assembly further comprises:

a first input assembly including at least a first one of the plurality of input elements, the first one of the plurality of input elements being located on a first surface; and

a second input assembly including at least a second one of the plurality of input elements, the second one of the plurality of input elements being located on a second surface.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the input assembly further comprises a third input assembly comprising at least a third one of the plurality of input elements, the third one of the plurality of input elements being located on a third surface.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first, second, and third input assemblies are further configured to optimize a biomechanical effect of the user's opposing thumb and fingers.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the communication channel further comprises a wired data connection comprising at least one of a universal serial bus port, an IEEE1394 firewire port, a serial port, a parallel port, a headset port, or a data port.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the communication channel further comprises a wireless data connection comprising at least one of a bluetooth connection, an infrared connection, or a Wi-Fi connection.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the plurality of master devices comprise at least one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a garage door opener, an automotive keyless entry unit, a smart card, a programmable Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) key fob, a universal remote control unit, a digital wristwatch, a compact disc player, or an MP3 player.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the input elements comprises at least one of an analog button, a digital button, a key, a rocker, a slider, a dial, a touchpad, a pressure sensor, a force sensitive resistor, a piezo-resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a position sensor, a rotary encoder, a linear potentiometer, a D-pad, or a small analog thumb joystick.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the first input assembly, the second input assembly, or the third input assembly is further configured to accelerate text entry.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the first input assembly, the second input assembly, or the third input assembly is further configured to at least one of accelerate scrolling, cursor control, or navigation control.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the first input assembly, the second input assembly, or the third input assembly is further configured to accelerate game play.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

configuring the second one of the plurality of input elements to be mapped to one or more indexing functions; and

actuating an input element on one of the plurality of hand-held host devices simultaneously actuates the second one of the plurality of input elements.