Abstract:
A wearable electronic device which includes a base, a display mounted to the base, a user-controllable cursor, a cursor controller for allowing the user to control the position of the cursor on the display, wherein the cursor controller is responsive to a control stimulus from the user acting in a cursor control area remote from the base.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a wearable electronic device especially, but not exclusively, a wristwatch.  
           [0002]    The functionality of wristwatches has been extended and now wristwatches are available which, as well as telling the time, can, for example, record heart rate, show position globally, play music, synchronise with an organiser and store passwords.  
           [0003]    By their very nature, wristwatches impose significant size and style constraints with respect to the user interface. The availability of small-area, high-resolution LCD displays, batteries with longer life, and faster and smaller microprocessors is likely to encourage the development of more complex applications where more intensive user interaction is required.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention has an aim of facilitating more intensive user interaction with a wearable device, especially, but not exclusively a wristwatch, without violating size and style constraints.  
           [0005]    With this in mind, according to one aspect, the present invention may provide a wearable electronic device which includes a base, a display mounted to the base, a user-controllable cursor, and cursor control means for allowing the user to control the position of the cursor on the display, wherein the cursor control means is responsive to a control stimulus from the user acting in a cursor control area remote from the base.  
           [0006]    Thus, by the provision of a cursor control means being responsive to a control stimulus acting in a cursor control area remote from the base, the size of the wearable electronic device and the control area by which it&#39;s user interface is controlled are made substantially independent from one another.  
           [0007]    Preferably, the cursor control means further allows the user to signal a selection operation.  
           [0008]    The control stimulus from the user may be in the form of the user&#39;s finger or other another pointing device wielded by the user.  
           [0009]    In a first embodiment, the wearable electronic device further includes a touch panel. The touch panel provides a control signal to the cursor control means indicative of the position of a control stimulus in the form of contact from a user&#39;s finger. The control signal provides an absolute indication of the position of the control stimulus within the control area. The control area preferably amounts to substantially the whole area of the touch panel.  
           [0010]    Preferably, the touch panel is moveable from a closed position in a direction away from the base to an open position in which the user can operate the touch panel.  
           [0011]    In a second embodiment, the wearable electronic device further includes transceiver means for transmitting and receiving infrared signals. The transceiver means provides a control signal to the cursor control means indicative of the position of a control stimulus in the control area in the form of the presence of a user&#39;s finger. The transceiver means generates the control signal by analysing the characteristics of a signal which it transmits after reflection from the user&#39;s finger. The control signal provides an absolute indication of the position of the control stimulus within the control area.  
           [0012]    In a third embodiment, the wearable electronic device further includes a finger-operated optical mouse. The wearable electronic device further comprises transceiver means for transmitting and receiving optical signals. The transceiver means provides a control signal to the cursor control means indicative of the orientation of the optical mouse. The transceiver means generates the control signal by analysing the characteristics of a signal which it transmits after reflection from the back of the user&#39;s hand in the control area. The control signal provides an indication of the desired position of the cursor relative to the current position.  
           [0013]    The cursor control area may include an area on, or closely adjacent to the user&#39;s body, directly acting on the user&#39;s skin or perhaps indirectly acting on the user&#39;s skin, for example, via clothing.  
           [0014]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic device is worn as a wristwatch.  
           [0015]    In the context of the present invention, the term ‘cursor’ should be understood in its broad sense so as to not only include a characteristic mark or character which serves to indicate the current point of user interaction with the contents of the display, but also other ways of indicating the current point of user interaction with the contents of the display, such as, for example, the highlighting of a small, defined portion of the contents of the display, thereby indicating the current point of user interaction.  
           [0016]    According to another aspect, the present invention may provide a method for controlling the cursor of a wearable electronic device having a display by sensing a control stimulus from the user acting in a cursor control area remote from the display in an area on or closely adjacent to the user&#39;s body.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompany drawings, in which:  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 shows a view of a first embodiment of the invention in a closed position;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 shows a view of the first embodiment in an open position;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 shows schematically control circuitry of the first embodiment;  
         [0021]    FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ) show exploded views of FIG. 2;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 shows the first embodiment in use mounted to the wrist of a user;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 shows a more detailed view of the first embodiment in use, as in FIG. 5, with parts removed;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the invention in used mounted to the wrist of a user;  
         [0025]    FIGS.  8 ( a ) and  8 ( b ) illustrate the principle of operation of the second embodiment;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 shows a side view of FIG. 8( a );  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of the invention in use mounted to the wrist of a user;  
         [0028]    FIGS.  11 ( a ) and  11 ( b ) show a side view of the third embodiment in a docked and operational condition;  
         [0029]    FIGS.  12 ( a ) and  12 ( b ) illustrate the principle of operation of the optical mouse of the third embodiment;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 13 shows a more detailed view of the third embodiment in use, as in FIG. 10, with parts removed; and  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 14 illustrates an advantage of the first, second and third embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0032]    A wearable wristwatch in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 1 and generally designated  10 . The wristwatch comprises a base  12  to which is mounted a transparent touch panel  14  by a hinge  16 . The touch panel  14  can be moved from the closed position of FIG. 1 to an open position as in FIG. 2, in which a display  18  mounted to the base  12  is exposed. A microswitch  20  in the base  12  is depressed when touch panel  14  adopts its open, FIG. 2 position.  
         [0033]    In other embodiments (not shown), the touch panel  14  may not be transparent, but may include a secondary display which is upward facing when the panel  14  is in the closed position and which duplicates the contents of the display  18 .  
         [0034]    Control circuitry  50 , illustrated in FIG. 3, is located inside the base  12  for controlling the operation of the wristwatch  10 . The control circuitry  50  comprises a control processor  52  which coordinates the overall operation of the wristwatch  10 , drives the display  18 , and is connected to a time-keeping module  54  dedicated to keeping accurate time; an RF module  56  providing two-way radio communication, preferably with a cellular system; and a user input module  58  which processes cursor control signals from the user and sends them to the control processor  52 . In this embodiment, the user input module  58  is coupled to the touch panel  14 . FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ) show the electrical connection  22  between the touch panel  14  and the control circuitry  50 .  
         [0035]    Referring to FIG. 5, in use, the base  12  is fastened to a user&#39;s wrist in a conventional manner using a band or strap  24 . In this embodiment, when the touch panel  14  is in its open position as in FIG. 5, the back of the user&#39;s hand plays no significant role in supporting the touch panel  14  when it is in it&#39;s open position due to the structure of the hinge, although there might be contact or occasional contact between the touch panel  14  and the back of the user&#39;s hand. In other embodiments, the structure of the hinge may be such that the back of the user&#39;s hand fully supports the touch panel  14  when in it&#39;s open position. To move the cursor  60  around the display  18 , the user simply moves his finger lightly around the touch panel  14 . The pressure from the user&#39;s finger causes localised flexing of the outer casing of the touch panel  14 , whereby a region of the outer casing is depressed inwardly and this depression is registered by a small region of the array of sensors therein. The sensors within the touch panel  14  thus generate a set of signals indicative of the position of the depression/user&#39;s finger, which signals are received by the user input module  58  and analysed. The user input module  58  analyses the signals to determine whether they correspond to a small amount of applied pressure, whereby the cluster of sensors detecting the depression is small, or whether the signals correspond to higher applied pressure, whereby the cluster of sensors detecting the depression is relatively large. In the case when the applied pressure is light, the user input module  58  translates those signals into screen position data which is sent to the control processor  52 . The control processor  52  updates the position of the cursor  60  on the display  18 . In the case, when the applied pressure is higher, the user input module  58  interprets this as a ‘selection’ operation on the part of the user and conveys that information to the control processor.  
         [0036]    In FIG. 6, the wristwatch  10  has loaded down over the air a page containing an update on the current news from a WAP/I-mode site or other internet source. In the top right hand corner of the display  18 , a clock graphic  62 , driven by the time-keeping module  54  is shown. The new update contains various highlighted portions  64 , which designate the presence of links to other pages of information. The user can manoeuvre the cursor  60  around the display  18  by moving his finger around the touch panel  18 , while applying light pressure. FIG. 14 illustrates the advantage of the first embodiment of the invention over a conventional touch screen approach. Because the size of the user&#39;s finger is relatively large in relation to the overall size of the display  18 , manoeuvring of the cursor tends to obscure most of the display, thereby adversely affecting the manoeuvrability of the cursor  60  and generally inconveniencing the user. In contrast, the first embodiment of the present invention by providing a cursor control area  15 , i.e. the touch panel  14 , in which the user&#39;s finger may roam, the user&#39;s view of the display  18  and the cursor  60  is completed unimpeded. When the user wishes to access another page of information, he simply manoeuvres the cursor  60  until it sits on the highlighted portion  64  related to the desired information and applies a firm depression. The firm depression generates a signal in a relatively large amount of sensors within the touch panel  14 . In this case, the user input module  58  analyses those signals from the sensors and recognises that the user is making a selection and conveys this information to the control processor  52 . The control processor  52  thus then downloads over the air the page of information related to the selected link and then the user can continue to access content.  
         [0037]    In another embodiment, the operation of the user simply manoeuvring the cursor and making a selection operation can be distinguished not by the amount of applied pressure as described above, but by a clicking operation where the applied pressure is momentarily released and then re-applied at approximately the same location.  
         [0038]    A wearable wristwatch in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 7 and generally designated  30 . Where a part of the second embodiment is similar to a corresponding part in the first embodiment, the same reference numeral is hereinafter used. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that an infrared transceiver unit  32  is used as an input transducer for the user and thus should be understood as taking the place of the touch panel  14  in FIG. 3. The transceiver unit  32  comprises an infrared transmission source  32   a  and an array of infrared detectors  32   b.    
         [0039]    Referring to FIG. 7, in use, the base  12  is fastened to a user&#39;s wrist in a conventional manner using a band or strap  24 . To move the cursor  60  around the display  18 , the user slides his finger around the back of his other hand, bearing the wristwatch  30 , as shown. The transmission source  32   a  continuously transmits (see FIG. 8( a )) an infrared signal which is reflected by the user&#39;s finger. The reflected signal (see FIG. 8( b )) is detected by the array of detectors  32   b . The user input module  58  analyses the signals from the detectors and translates those signals into screen position data which is sent to the control processor  52 . The control processor  52  updates the position of the cursor  60  on the display  18 . It will noted that the infrared energy coming from the transmission source  32   a  is highly directional and confined largely to a narrow beam parallel to the surface of the user&#39;s hand. In order to perform a ‘selection’ operation, the user momentarily lifts his finger vertically out of the plane of the which the infrared signal occupies and then replaces it at approximately the same location as indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 9. The fluctuation in the reflected signal which this action produces is recognised by the user input module  58  as selection.  
         [0040]    Referring to FIG. 7, as with the first embodiment, the user can download to the wristwatch  30  over the air a page containing an update on the current news from a WAP/I-mode site or other internet source. The user can manoeuvre the cursor  60  around the display  18  by moving his finger around the control area  15 . FIG. 14 illustrates the advantage of the second embodiment of the invention over a conventional touch screen approach.  
         [0041]    Because the size of the user&#39;s finger is relatively large in relation to the overall size of the display  18 , manoeuvring of the cursor tends to obscure most of the display, thereby adversely affecting the manoeuvrability of the cursor  60  and generally inconveniencing the user. In contrast, the second embodiment of the present invention by providing a cursor control area  15  in which the user&#39;s finger may roam, the user&#39;s view of the display  18  and the cursor  60  is completed unimpeded. When the user wishes to access another page of information, he simply manoeuvres the cursor  60  until it sits over a link (not shown in FIG. 7) related to the desired information and momentarily vertically lifts his finger out of the path of the infrared signal from the transmission source  32   a  and then replaces it at approximately the same location. The fluctuation in the reflected signal which this action produces is recognised by the user input module  58  as selection and conveys this information to the control processor  52 . The control processor  52  thus then downloads over the air the page of information related to the selected link and then the user can continue to access content.  
         [0042]    In order to place the transceiver unit  32  into a power-saving mode, the user can lay his finger immediately adjacent all the infra detectors  32   b  and this is interpreted by the control processor  52  to put the transceiver unit  32  into a power-saving mode, whereby the time gap between transmissions of the transceiver is greatly increased. By performing a similar operation, the transceiver can be brought into normal operational mode, whereby the time gap between transmissions is greatly reduced. In alternative embodiments, a switch on the base  12  can be used to turn the transceiver unit  32  on and off.  
         [0043]    A wearable wristwatch in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 10 and generally designated  40 . Where a part of the first embodiment is similar to a corresponding part in the first or second embodiments, the same reference numeral is hereinafter used. The second embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that an optical mouse  42  is used as an input transducer for the user and thus should be understood as taking the place of the touch panel  14  in FIG. 3. The optical mouse  42  comprises a cradle  44  for receiving and retaining a finger of the user. The cradle  44  is in the form of an annulus with a portion cut away, thereby defining two arms  44   a  and  44   b , to allow the passage of the user&#39;s finger through the cut-away portion whereby the user&#39;s finger can rest therein with the major axis of the user&#39;s finger perpendicular to the plane of the annulus. The cut-away portion preferably extends less than 180 degrees around the circumference of the annulus to facilitate the retention of the user&#39;s finger within the cradle  44 . Within the cradle  44 , three sets of optical transmitter and receiver pairs are located. The transmitters  45   a,b,c  are located in one arm  44   a  of the cradle and the corresponding receivers  46   a,b,c  are located in the other arm  44   b . In the region intermediate of the transmitters  45   a,b,c  and receivers  46   a,b,c , windows  47   a,b,c  are respectively located. A connecting cable  48  physically and electrically connects the cradle to the rest of the wristwatch  40 . A switch  49  is located on the inner wall of the cradle at a position above the windows  47   a,b,c.    
         [0044]    Referring to FIG. 10, in use, the base  12  is fastened to a user&#39;s wrist in a conventional manner using a band or strap  24 . The optical mouse  42  can be pulled by the user from a storage position as shown in FIG. 11( a ) to an operational positional as shown in FIG. 11( b ). A cable supply mechanism is located inside the wristwatch  40  and is not shown in the drawings. The cable supply mechanism supplies a bias to the cable  48  which the user has to overcome in order to pull the cable to the FIG. 11( b ) position. In the absence of the user&#39;s finger, the bias applied by the cable supply mechanism pulls the optical mouse  42  back to it&#39;s FIG. 11( a ) position.  
         [0045]    Referring to FIG. 12( a ), the transmitters  45   a,b,c  continuously transmits a signal at the respective window  47   a,b,c  which is reflected by the user&#39;s hand and received by the respective receivers  46   a,b,c . If the cradle  44  is rolled about an axis perpendicular to a major plane of the cradle  44  i.e. as indicated by the arrow Y, whereby the portion of its outer surface which directly contacts the back of the user&#39;s hand changes, the area of the windows  47   a,b,c  which is immediately adjacent the user&#39;s hand also changes and hence the reflected signal received by the respective receiver  46   a,b,c  also changes correspondingly. In this way, the degree to which the cradle has been rolled (i.e. along a line parallel to the arrow Y) can be determined. If the cradle  44  is rocked to and from about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the above-mentioned rolling axis, then the relative position of the receiver/transmitter pair  45   a ,  46   a  and the receiver/transmitter pair  45   c ,  46   c  relative to the back of the user&#39;s hand varies. In this way, the degree to which the cradle  44  has been rocked can be determined. The user input module  58  analyses the signals from the receivers  46   a,b,c  and translates those signals into degrees of rock and roll and send this data to the control processor  52 . The control processor  52  moves the position of the cursor  60  on the display  18  from its current position to a new position specified by the rock and roll data. When the cradle  44  is in a neutral position, the cursor position remains the same. Referring to FIG. 10, in common with the first and second embodiments a cursor control area  15  is shown, but it will appreciated that the boundaries of this cursor control area are more a mental construct for the benefit of the user than physical boundaries, since from the foregoing description it will be apparent that the cursor position is controlled by the orientation of the cradle  44  relative to a reflecting surface, like the back of the user&#39;s hand, rather than an absolute position within the cursor control area. In order to make a selection, the user must firmly depress his finger to actuate the switch  49 , which actuation is communicated to the user input module  58 . Although for diagrammatic clarity, the switch  49  protrudes clearly from the inner surface of the cradle, in practice, the switch  49  would hardly stand proud of the inner surface  44  at all or perhaps be slightly recessed so as to ensure that only a conscious and deliberate application of pressure by the user caused its actuation.  
         [0046]    Referring to FIG. 13, as with the first and second embodiments, the user can download to the wristwatch  40  over the air a page containing an update on the current news from a WAP/I-mode site or other internet source. With the mouse  42  in its withdrawn position and occupying the cursor control area  15 , the user can manoeuvre the cursor  60  around the display  18  by rocking and rolling his finger as described above for the appropriate duration of time. FIG. 14 illustrates the advantage of the third embodiment of the invention over a conventional touch screen approach. Because the size of the user&#39;s finger is relatively large in relation to the overall size of the display  18 , manoeuvring of the cursor tends to obscure most of the display, thereby adversely affecting the manoeuvrability of the cursor  60  and generally inconveniencing the user. In contrast, the third embodiment of the present invention by providing a cursor control area  15  remote from the display  18 , the user&#39;s view of the display  18  and the cursor  60  is completed unimpeded. When the user wishes to access another page of information, he simply manoeuvres the cursor  60  until it sits over a link related to the desired information and then actuates the switch  49  which actuation is communicated, via the user input module  58 , to the control processor  52 . The control processor  52  thus then downloads over the air the page of information related to the selected link and then the user can continue to access content.  
         [0047]    In other embodiments, the functionality of the user input module  58  can be implemented in software within the control processor  52 .