US 8,508,498 B2Granted

Direction and force sensing input device

AssigneeEmpire Technology Development LLC

InventorsThomas Martin Conte, Andrew Wolfe

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Abstract

Systems, methods and devices for identifying characters for a display are generally described. An example system may include a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and an input device coupled to the processor. The input device may include a plurality of input members, where one or more of the input members may have a plurality of characters associated therewith. The processor may be adapted to execute computer implemented instructions to identify an occurrence of a touch force being applied to an input member, determine a particular character from the plurality of characters that is associated with the applied touch force, and/or send the identified character to a display unit. The character may be determined based at least in part on the one or more properties of the applied touch force.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A system for displaying characters, comprising:

a processor;
a memory coupled to the processor;
and
an input device coupled to the processor and having a first plurality of input members, wherein a plurality of characters are associated with each input member of the first plurality of input members to allow input of any one of the plurality of characters by applying a touch force within a same area of the input member;
wherein the processor is adapted to execute computer-implemented instructions to:
identify an occurrence of the touch force being applied to an input member;
determine one or more properties of the applied touch force;
select a particular character from the plurality of characters associated with the input member based at least in part on the one or more properties of the applied touch force, wherein the one or more properties of the applied touch force include a direction of the applied touch force, the processor further adapted to execute computer-implemented instructions to select a first character in response to the applied touch force having a first direction as applied to one of the plurality of input members and select a second character in response to the applied touch force having a second direction as applied to the same one of the plurality of input members;
and
display the particular character to a display unit.

7 more elements

A method for identifying characters for display on a mobile device including an input device comprising a plurality of input members, wherein each of two or more of the input members have a plurality of characters associated therewith, the method comprising:

sensing an occurrence of a touch force being applied to an input member;
determining a direction of the applied touch force;
comparing the direction of the applied touch force with a plurality of reference touch force directions;
determining a particular character from the plurality of characters associated with the input member based, at least in part, on the comparison of the direction of the applied touch force with the plurality of reference touch force directions, the determining including selecting a first character in response to the applied touch force having a first direction as applied to the input member and selecting a second character in response to the applied touch force having a second direction as applied to the input member;
and
sending the particular character to a display unit for display on the mobile device.

3 more elements

Non-transitory digital storage media having computer-executable instructions provided thereon for programming one or more processors of a mobile device to implement a procedure, the mobile device including a display unit and an input device, the input device comprising a plurality of input members, to perform a procedure for displaying characters, wherein each of two or more of the input members have a plurality of characters associated therewith, the procedure comprising:

identifying an occurrence of a touch force being applied to an input member of the plurality of input members arranged in rows and columns on the input device;
determining one or more properties of the applied touch force including determining the direction of the applied touch force;
determining a particular character from the plurality of characters associated with the input member, wherein the character is determined based at least in part on the direction of the applied touch force, the determining including selecting a first character in response to the applied touch force having a first direction as applied to the input member and selecting a second character in response to the applied touch force having a second direction as applied to the input member;
and
sending the character to a display unit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.