Electronic device system with controllers
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsPaul X. Wang, Pol Pla I Conesa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic device may have a housing configured to be worn on a user's body or held in a user's hand. The electronic device may have control circuitry that wirelessly controls external equipment such as equipment with a display. By gathering motion information and other user input and wirelessly transmitting this information to the external equipment, the electronic device may serve as a wireless controller that controls content on the display. The electronic device may have multiple structures that move relative to each other such as first and second housing portions. The second housing portion may move to an extended position where the gathering of sensor information on changes in user finger position as the user interacts with real-world objects is enhanced.
Claims19
A handheld controller operable to gather user input from a user having a finger with a finger position and configured to use the user input to control an electronic device having a display that displays content, the handheld comprising:
- a housing configured to be handheld;
- a motion sensor configured to detect housing motion as the housing is moved;
- a sensor that measures the finger position against an external real-world object;
- and
- control circuitry configured to wirelessly transmit the detected housing motion and the measured finger position to the electronic device to control the displayed content.
A wearable electronic device operable to gather user input from a user having a finger with a finger position that changes as the finger moves through the air and contacts a real-world object, wherein the wearable electronic device is configured to use the user input to control an electronic device having a display that displays content, the wearable electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
- a band coupled to the housing;
- a motion sensor in the housing that is configured to detect housing motion as the housing is moved;
- a finger sensor that is configured to measure the finger position, wherein the band has links including a hinged link that rotates away from the band and wherein the finger sensor is in the hinged link;
- and
- control circuitry configured to wirelessly transmit the detected housing motion and the measured finger position to the electronic equipment to control the displayed content.
A wearable electronic device operable to gather user input from a user having a finger with a finger position that changes as the finger moves through the air and contacts a real-world object, wherein the wearable electronic device is configured to use the user input to control an electronic device having a display that displays content, the wearable electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
- a band coupled to the housing;
- a motion sensor in the housing that is configured to detect housing motion as the housing is moved;
- a finger sensor that is configured to measure the finger position, wherein the band has a tail portion and wherein the finger sensor is in the tail portion;
- and
- control circuitry configured to wirelessly transmit the detected housing motion and the measured finger position to the electronic equipment to control the displayed content.
A wireless handheld controller device operable to gather user input from a user having a finger with a finger position that changes as the finger moves through the air and contacts a real-world object, wherein the wireless handheld controller is configured to use the user input to control an electronic device having a display that displays content, the wireless handheld controller device comprising:
- a handheld housing, wherein the handheld housing has first and second portions and wherein the second portion is movable to an extended position relative to the first portion;
- a motion sensor in the handheld housing that is configured to detect housing motion as the handheld housing is moved;
- a finger position sensor in the second portion that is configured to measure the finger position while the second portion is in the extended position;
- and
- control circuitry configured to wirelessly transmit information on the detected housing motion and the measured finger position to the electronic device to control the displayed content.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.