APPARATUS FOR USER INPUT TO A COMPUTER USING HAND AND FINGER MOVEMENTS

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for user input to a computer. The apparatus consists of movable left and right paddles connected to the ends of a tie bar by 3-axis gimbles. The paddles are shaped to facilitate holding the device and rotating the paddles while keeping a user's fingers and thumbs free to activate tactile key-switches positioned under them. The position of the gimbles relative to the tie bar cause the paddles to rest in a neutral position when the apparatus is pressed between a user's hands. The gimbles rotate off the neutral position based on a user's wrist position. Both the rotations of the paddles and the status of the key-switches are used to determine the input codes sent to a paired computer. A display on the paired computer shows left and right arrays of icons representing available inputs and highlights the inputs currently accessible by the user's fingers and thumbs based on the paddle positions.

Claims

1. An apparatus in communication with a paired computing device comprising: a left paddle and a right paddle wherein the left and right paddles are shaped to fit in a hand, wherein the back side of the paddle is in constant contact with the palm of the hand, the front side of the paddle is in constant contact with the side of the thumb, the outside edge of the paddle is in constant contact with the inside of the metacarpal-phalangeal joints of the hand; a tie bar having a first 3-axis pivot and a second 3-axis pivot, wherein the left paddle is connected to the tie bar via the first 3-axis pivot and the right paddle is connected to the tie bar via the second 3-axis pivot, and wherein each of the 3-axis pivots are configured to press into the wells in a center of a user's palm.

2. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein: a recess on the front side of each paddle with an elongated key switch on the bottom horizontal surface of the recess separated from the thumb but within range to be activated by the thumb pressing down; a step-down on the back side of each paddle wherein the portion of the back near the outer edge remains in contact with the palm but provides separation of four elongated keys from fingers positioned over them but within range to be activated by the fingers pressing down; an overlap region for the elongated thumb key on the front and the elongated finger keys on the back to accommodate a range of hand sizes.

3. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the 3-axis pivot is a gimble with a vertical yaw axis perpendicular to the horizontal tie bar for rotation of a paddle when a user flexes and extends their wrist, a roll axis perpendicular to the yaw axis and at an acute angle relative to the tie bar for rotation of a paddle when a user pronates and supinates their wrist, and a pitch axis perpendicular to the yaw axis and perpendicular to the roll axis for rotation of a paddle when a user adducts and abducts their wrist.

4. The apparatus in claim 3 wherein all three axes detect and report to the paired computing device a first neutral position when no rotational torque is applied, a second position of rotation to a stop when a clockwise torque is applied, and a third position of a rotation to a stop when a counterclockwise torque is applied.

5. The apparatus in claim 3 wherein the yaw, roll, and pitch axes intersect at a common point.

6. The apparatus in claim 5 wherein the outside edge of the left paddle in contact with the user's left hand, the common intersect point of the left gimble, the common intersect point of the right gimble, and the outside edge of the right paddle in contact with the user's right hand are aligned so no torque is applied and the gimbles remain in the neutral position when the apparatus is squeezed between the user's hands.

7. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the apparatus can be configured to an open mode for use and a more compact folded mode for storage and transport.

8. The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the paired computing device is attached to the tie bar by a mount that allows the computing device to slide a rotate.

9. The apparatus in claim 4 wherein the apparatus operates in a key input mode or a pointer input mode.

10. The apparatus in claim 9 wherein a pressure switch in the tie bar activated by the user squeezing the apparatus between their hands toggles the apparatus between the key input mode and the pointer input mode.

11. The apparatus in claim 9 operating in key input mode wherein up to ten currently accessible icons on the display of the paired computing device are highlighted out of the up to 270 available icons based on the yaw, roll, and pitch state of the paddles.

12. The apparatus in claim 9 operating in pointer input mode wherein up to ten currently accessible icons are presented on the display of the paired computing device; and wherein pointer movement reports are sent to the paired computing device responsive to the paddle rotational states.

13. The apparatus in claim 12 wherein: pointer up reports at a first rate are sent upon a pitch up of one paddle and pointer up reports at a faster rate are sent upon a pitch up of both paddles; pointer down reports at a first rate are sent upon a pitch down of one paddle and pointer down reports at a faster rate are sent upon a pitch down of both paddles;

14. The apparatus in claim 12 wherein: pointer left reports at a first rate are sent upon a yaw in of the right paddle or a yaw out of the left paddle, and pointer left reports at a faster rate are sent upon yaw in of the right paddle and yaw out of the left paddle; pointer right reports at a first rate are sent upon a yaw in of the left paddle or yaw out of the right paddle and pointer right reports at a faster rate are sent upon yaw in of the left paddle and yaw out of the right paddle;

15. The apparatus in claim 12 wherein: zoom in reports at a first rate are sent upon a roll in of one paddle and zoom in reports at a faster rate are sent upon a roll in of both paddles; zoom out reports at a first rate are sent upon a roll out of one paddle and zoom out reports at a faster rate are sent upon a roll out of both paddles.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The above and other advantages and features of the invention may be better understood from a reading of the detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings. The same reference number represents the same element on all drawings.

[0040] FIGS. 1A and 1B are front and back isometric views of the invention in the use configuration.

[0041] FIG. 2 is an isometric exploded view of a gimble.

[0042] FIG. 3A through 3C show isometric views of a gimble in a paddle mount.

[0043] FIG. 4A through 4D show the invention transitioning from use mode to folded mode.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows and isometric exploded view of how a smartphone and case attach to the invention.

[0045] FIG. 6A shows the invention with a smartphone attached while in the use mode and FIG. 6B shows the invention with a smartphone attached while in the folded mode.

[0046] FIG. 7A through 7E show a display to a paired computer with a map of icons when the invention is in the various input modes with the paddles in various positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] FIGS. 1-7 and the following description depict specific exemplary embodiments of the invention to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use the best mode of the invention. For the purpose of teaching inventive principles, some conventional aspects of the invention have been simplified or omitted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these embodiments that fall within the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features described below can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the invention. As a result, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described below, but only by the claims and their equivalents.

[0048] FIGS. 1A and 1B show back and front isometric views of the invention, respectively. Left key paddle 140 is connected to tie bar 110 via gimble 120 and fits in the user's left hand. Right key paddle 150 is connected to tie bar 110 via gimble 130 and fits in the user's right hand. Key paddle 150 contains key 151 for a user's thumb, key 152 for a user's index finger, key 153 for a user's middle finger, key 154 for a user's ring finger, and key 155 for a user's pinky finger. Key paddle 140 has the same configuration of five keys for the thumb and fingers of a user's left hand.

[0049] Tie bar 110 is comprised of a back tube, a center tube, and a front tube. The back tube is comprised of two pieces 111 and 112, the center tube is comprised of three pieces 113, 114, and 115, and the front tube is comprised of two pieces 116 and 117.

[0050] Right gimble 130 affords three axes of rotation. Axis reference 130 shows how paddle 150 yaws in and out relative to tie bar 110. Axis reference 132 shows how paddle 150 rolls in and out relative to tie bar 110. Axis reference 133 shows how paddle 150 pitches up and down relative to tie bar 110. Tie bar 110 remains stationary during all rotational movements of paddle 150 because it is not aligned with any of the axes.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows an exploded isometric view of gimble 120. Gimble 120 is comprised of four layers. The three outer layers are comprised of top and bottom halves which are mirror images of one another. The inner most layer connects the yaw axis 240-241 to the tie bar via bar 242. Bar 242 contains dome switch 246 on one side and an identical dome switch on the other side to report the yaw state. The next layer, comprised of halves 230 and 231, connects the roll axis 234-235 to the yaw axis captured in hole 232 and 233. The next layer, comprised of halves 220 and 221, connects the pitch axis 222-223 to the roll axis captured in holes 224 and 225 and contains dome switch 226 on one side and an identical dome switch on the other side to report the roll state. The outer layer, comprised of halves 210 and 211, connects a paddle to the pitch axis captured in holes 212 and 213 and contains dome switch 216 on one side and an identical dome switch on the other side to report the pitch state.

[0052] FIG. 3A through 3C show paddle mounts 310 and 311. Paddle mounts 310 and 311 are affixed to paddle 140 and hold gimble 120. FIG. 3A shows the orientation of the gimble 120 in mounts 310 and 311 when the paddles of the invention are in a use mode. FIG. 3B shows gimble 120 in paddle mounts 310 and 311 when the paddles of the invention are pulled apart to unlock the gimble, so it is free to rotate. FIG. 3C shows gimble 120 in paddle mounts 310 and 311 when the paddles are rotated into a folded mode.

[0053] FIG. 4A shows a top view of the invention in use mode. Tie bar tube 111 is inserted into tie bar tube 112 up to a stop. Tie bar tube 117 is inserted into tie bar tube 116 up to a stop. The stops keep paddles 140 and 150 from coming closer as they are pressed together by the user.

[0054] FIG. 4B shows a top view of the invention in a first step towards folding the invention. Paddles 140 and 150 are pulled apart to unlock gimble 120 from paddle 140 and gimble 130 from paddle 150 thereby allowing the paddles to rotate in and align with tie bar 110. Pulling the paddles apart also disengages tie bar tube 111 from tie bar tube 112, and tie bar tube 117 from tie bar tube 116. Telescoping tie bar tubes 113, 114, and 115 keep the paddles from pulling apart further.

[0055] FIG. 4C shows a top view of the invention in a second step towards folding the invention. Paddle 150 is rotated 180 degrees relative to paddle 140 by pivoting around telescoping tie bar tubes 113, 114, and 115.

[0056] FIG. 4D shows a top view of the invention in folded mode. Tie bar tube 112 slides into tie bar tube 116, tie bar tube 111 slides into tie bar tube 117, and telescoping tie bar tubes 113, 114, and 115 slide into one another. Paddles 140 and 150 nest together.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows an exploded isometric view of how smartphone 520 is attached to the invention by way of smartphone case 510. Smartphone mount 500 is comprised of post 502 connecting sleeve 501 to flange 503. Sleeve 501 is free to slide along and rotate about tie bar tube 117. Flange 503 passes through hole 511 in the back of case 510. Case 510 is free to rotate around post 502 because flange 503 is free to rotate within relief area 512.

[0058] FIG. 6A shows the invention in use mode with smartphone 520 is attached, slid, tilted, and rotated to a user's preference. FIG. 6B shows the invention in folded mode with smartphone 520 attached and slid to be centered on paddles 140 and 150.

[0059] FIG. 7A shows a map of icons on the display of a paired computer when all the axes of rotation on both paddles are in the neutral position. The shaded icons highlight the activation events currently available by flexion of a digit.

[0060] FIG. 7B shows a map of icons on the display of a paired computer when left paddle is pitched up and rolled out and the right paddle is pitched down and rolled out. The shaded icons highlight the activation events currently available by flexion of a digit. The icons on each key are rotated responsive to the paddle roll state.

[0061] FIG. 7C shows a map of icons on the display of a paired computer when left paddle is yawed in and rolled in and the right paddle is yawed out and rolled in. The shaded icons highlight the activation events currently available by flexion of a digit. The icons on each key are rotated responsive to the paddle roll state.

[0062] FIG. 7D shows the display when the pressure switch is activated by the user applying increased pressure pushing the paddles together. The display is blank while pressure is applied to indicate the invention is toggling between the key input and pointer input modes.

[0063] FIG. 7E shows a map of icons on the display of a paired computer when the invention is in pointer input mode. In the pointer input mode, the paddle movements manipulate a focus pointer on the display and the icons present five activation events available to the left hand and five activation events available to the right hand.

[0064] Many of the icons in FIG. 7 are blank. These blank icons can be assigned to other common computer input events such as “copy”, “cut”, “paste”, etc. Furthermore, the programmable nature of the icons, as opposed to the legends printed on the keycaps on traditional keyboards, are easily changed to accommodate alternative languages. The icons can also be assigned alternative functions responsive to the context of the state the computer. For example, when the computer focus is on a region that does not require keyboard input, the icons can be changed for launching other applications.