Control mechanism for touchscreen interface
AssigneeRivian IP Holdings, LLC
InventorsChris Marshall JACOBS, Patrick HARRINGTON, Jaekyun KANG
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Particular embodiments may provide a device and process for using a device to control a functionality of a computing device. The device may include a control mechanism that can contact a touchscreen based on a user invocation. The control mechanism may include conductive elements that contact a surface of the control mechanism. A user may physically interact with the control mechanism to cause the control mechanism to contact the touchscreen at a location. The location may correspond to a function of a computer program executing on the computing device.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- a control mechanism configured to contact a touchscreen of a computing device based on a user invoking the control mechanism, wherein the control mechanism comprises:
- at least one conductive element on a first surface of the control mechanism, wherein:
- the conductive element is capable of activating capacitive touch sensors of the touchscreen,
- the user physically interacts with the control mechanism to cause the at least one conductive element to contact a first location on the touchscreen, and
- the first location corresponds to a respective function of a computer program executing on a computing device comprising the touchscreen.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- detecting a set of conductive elements contacting a touchscreen at a first location;
- identifying a control mechanism associated with the set of conductive elements based on the first location and the set of conductive elements;
- determining a functionality of a computing device with which to provide access via the touchscreen based on the identified control mechanism;
- and
- causing content to be rendered by the touchscreen, the content being associated with the functionality, and wherein a first region of the touchscreen with which the content is rendered is based on the first location.
A vehicle system comprising:
- a touchscreen;
- a control mechanism configured to activate the touchscreen based on a user moving the control mechanism in contact with the touchscreen, wherein the control mechanism comprises:
- at least one conductive element on a first surface of the control mechanism, wherein:
- the conductive element is capable of activating capacitive touch sensors of the touchscreen,
- the user physically interacts with the control mechanism to cause the at least one conductive element to contact a first location on the touchscreen, and
- the first location corresponds to a respective function of a computer program executing on a computing device comprising the touchscreen;
- a plurality of processors;
- and
- one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to one or more of the processors and comprising instructions operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the vehicle system to:
- detect a set of conductive elements contacting a touchscreen at a first location;
- identify a control mechanism associated with the set of conductive elements based on the first location and the set of conductive elements;
- determine a functionality of the computing device with which to provide access via the touchscreen based on the identified control mechanism;
- and
- cause content to be rendered by the touchscreen, the content being associated with the functionality, and wherein a region of the touchscreen with which the content is rendered is based on the first location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.