Modular, attachable objects with tags as intuitive physical interface facilitating user interaction with a computer

A computer device, comprising:

• an interface mechanism for interfacing to a computer peripheral device, the computer peripheral device being a separable device with respect to the computer device, the computer peripheral device including actuatable inputs;
• a computer-readable storage device storing a default mapping in which:
• each of the actuatable inputs of the computer peripheral device is mapped to a corresponding default function of the computer device, and in which
• a particular function of the computer device is mapped to a sequence or combination of user-invoked operations of the computer;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• map each of the actuatable inputs to the corresponding default function of the computer device according to the default mapping stored in the computer-readable storage device before the computer peripheral device is communicatively linked to a modular tag, thereby configuring the computer device to respond to actuation of each of the actuatable inputs by performing the respective default function;
• map the particular function to the sequence or combination of user-invoked operations before the computer peripheral device is communicatively linked to the modular tag, thereby configuring the device to perform the particular function in response to the sequence or combination of user-invoked operations being invoked;
• receive information from the modular tag via the interfaced computer peripheral device while the modular tag is communicatively linked to the computer peripheral device, the received information including instructions for the computer device to change the mapping between the actuatable inputs of the computer peripheral device and the functions of the computer device,
• change the mapping between the actuatable inputs of the computer peripheral device and the functions of the computer device such that a particular one of the actuatable inputs is mapped to the particular function of the computer device instead of the corresponding default function when the modular tag is communicatively linked to the computer peripheral device, thereby changing the function to be performed by the computer device in response to actuation of the particular one of the actuatable inputs, and allowing the particular function to be performed without invoking the sequence or combination of user-invoked operations, and
• when the modular tag is no longer communicatively linked to the computer peripheral device, change the mapping back to the default mapping such that the actuatable inputs are mapped, respectively, to the corresponding default functions of the computer device, thereby reconfiguring the computer to perform the corresponding default function in response to actuation of the particular one of the actuatable inputs instead of the particular function, and
• execute an application program which is configured to receive user input based on actuation of the particular one of the actuatable inputs,
• wherein the modular tag is couplable to and decouplable from the computer peripheral device, the modular tag being communicatively linked to the computer peripheral device when coupled to the computer peripheral device, the modular tag no longer being communicatively linked to the computer peripheral device when decoupled from the computer peripheral device,
• wherein the application program processes the user input to provide different outputs based on whether the modular tag is coupled to or decoupled from the computer peripheral device, respectively, and
• wherein the modular tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, and the computer peripheral device includes a RFID reader for establishing the communicative link with the modular tag.

A portable device for configuring a computer system, the computer system including a computer and a computer peripheral device, the computer peripheral device including actuatable inputs that are mapped to respective functions of the computer thereby instructing the computer to perform the respective function in response to actuation of each of the actuatable inputs, the computer being provided with a default mapping before a communicative link is established between the portable device and the computer peripheral device, the default mapping causing each of the actuatable inputs to be mapped to a corresponding default function and causing a particular function of the computer to be mapped to a sequence or combination of user invoked operations of the computer thereby instructing the computer to perform the particular function in response to the sequence or combination of user-invoked operations being invoked, the computer peripheral device being a separable device with respect to the computer, the portable device comprising:

• a memory configured to store configuration data including instructions for the computer to change the mapping between the actuatable inputs of the computer peripheral device and the respective functions of the computer;
• an interface configured to establish a communicative link with the computer peripheral device;
• and
• a sensor configured to sense data related to a user manipulation of the computer peripheral device while the communicative link is active,
• wherein, in response to the communicative link being established, the portable device is configured to transmit the configuration data via the communicative link to the computer in order to configure the computer to change the mapping between the actuatable inputs of the computer peripheral device and the functions of the computer such that a particular one of the actuatable inputs is mapped to the particular function of the computer instead of the corresponding default function, thereby changing the function to be performed by the computer in response to actuation of the particular one of the actuatable inputs, and allowing the particular function to be performed without invoking the sequence or combination of user-invoked operations,
• wherein the particular function takes into account the sensed data,
• wherein the mapping is automatically changed back to the default mapping such that the actuatable inputs are mapped, respectively, to the corresponding default functions of the computer after the communicative link is terminated, such that the computer is reconfigured to perform the corresponding default function in response to actuation of each of the actuatable inputs, and
• wherein the portable device is couplable to and decouplable from the computer peripheral device, the portable device being coupled to the computer peripheral device to establish the communicative link, the portable device being decoupled from the computer peripheral device to terminate the communicative link,
• wherein an application program operating on the computer is configured to receive user input based on actuation of the particular one of the actuatable inputs,
• wherein the application program processes the user input to provide different outputs based on whether the portable device is coupled to or decoupled from the computer peripheral device, respectively, and
• wherein the portable device is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, and the computer peripheral device includes a RFID reader for establishing the communicative link with the modular tag.