Abstract:
A cylindrical controller provides a user interface for an electronic device that is easier to use than conventional controls. The cylindrical body contains a number of sensors that detect when the cylindrical body is rotated between the thumb and finger of a user. The sensors determine whether the rotation is in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. The present invention allows users to remotely control a consumer electronics device by manipulating a cylindrical body with familiar prehensile gestures, i.e., pinching, squeezing, and rolling.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed generally toward a pressure sensitive controller for use with an electronic device such as a computer, set top box or portable media player. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the proliferation of portable media players, such as Apple Computer&#39;s iPod™, consumers are increasingly consuming audio-visual media content while mobile and on the go. The durability and small form-factor of portable media players make it possible for users to wear such devices discreetly on their bodies, and to do so while moving about in public spaces, commuting, and performing athletic activities. The prospect of users controlling their portable media players while traversing crowded sidewalks, riding subways or trains, jogging, exercising in gyms, etc., presents a challenge to design engineers seeking to provide user friendly human interface devices for controlling these devices. 
     Remote control devices offer a partial solution to the usability challenges endemic to the control of personal media players. Remote control devices allow users to interact with a control device that is separate from the body of the media player. These remote control devices typically can be carried in hand or attached to the user&#39;s body or clothing in a more accessible location than the controls of the portable media player. Nevertheless, currently available remote control devices, most of which rely on mechanical buttons and switches positioned on a planar surface, are still often unwieldy and hard to use. It is unnecessarily cumbersome for typical users to find the correct orientation of such remote control devices, and to do so without sending inadvertent control signals to the portable media player that may cause the device to perform undesirable functions. During athletic activity, it is especially difficult for users to manipulate buttons located on a planar surface that is frequently angled in such as way as to require the user to assume an awkward position or cease their activity to affect the desired control inputs. In addition, these remotes are easy to lose due to their being physically separate from the portable media player itself. 
     The two prevalent technologies underlying human interface devices for the control or remote control of consumer electronics devices such as portable media players are “mechanical” and “capacitive sensing” controls. Mechanical controls, which rely on traditional mechanical components, have human interface elements such as buttons, knobs, and switches. An example of such a mechanically activated control is the “click button” on Apple Computer&#39;s iPod™. Capacitive sensing controls, which rely on a planar array of electronic sensors, are used in human interface elements such as linear sliders and touch wheels. An example of such a capacitive sensing control is the “scroll wheel” on the iPod™. Unfortunately, both mechanical controls and capacitive sensing controls present usability problems, especially in conditions in which users are ambulatory and, thus, only able to pay partial attention to the device controls. This is often the case when the user is involved in urban-pedestrian or athletic activity. Therefore, what is needed is an improved device for controlling consumer electronic devices such as portable media players. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a controller for an electronic device such as an iPod™. The controller has a cylindrical body attached to the electronic device through a cable wherein rotating the cylindrical body produces a signal. The cylindrical body preferably has a series of pressure sensitive sensors positioned around a periphery of the cylindrical body. Alternatively, the cylindrical body may be constructed from at least one outer conductive layer positioned over a compressible conductive material and an inner conductive core positioned within the compressible material. In addition, the cylindrical body may have a first set of sensors positioned on a first location and a second set of sensors positioned on a second location such that a first signal for controlling a first function of the electronic device is produced by gripping and rotating the first portion of the cylindrical body and a second signal for controlling a second function of the electronic device is produced by gripping and rotating the second portion of the cylindrical body. A processor converts the signal into a control signal for the electronic device. The processor is in a coupling body adapted to couple to an output of the electronic device. The electronic device is preferably a digital media player having head phones and the cylindrical body is coupled between the head phones and the digital media player such that rotating the cylindrical body alters a volume output of the headphones. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention is directed toward an accessory for an electronic device. The accessory includes a cylindrical controller for producing an output signal in response to the cylindrical controller being rotated in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. A device interface couples the cylindrical controller to the electronic device. The device interface has a microcontroller for converting an output signal of the cylindrical controller into a format readable by the electronic device. The electronic device is preferably a digital media player having head phones and the cylindrical controller is coupled between the head phones and the digital media player such that rotating the cylindrical body alters a volume output of the headphones. The cylindrical controller may include a series of sensors positioned around a periphery of the cylindrical controller or an outer conductive layer positioned over a compressible conductive material and an inner conductive core positioned within the compressible material such that the output signal is related to a resistance between the outer conductive layer and the inner conductive core. In addition, the cylindrical controller may include a first set of sensors positioned on a first location of the cylindrical controller and a second set of sensors positioned on a second location of the cylindrical controller such that a first signal for controlling a first function of the electronic device is produced by gripping and rotating the first portion of the cylindrical controller and a second signal for controlling a second function of the electronic device is produced by gripping and rotating the second portion of the cylindrical controller. 
     Yet another embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a controller for a digital media player having an audio output. The controller includes a cylindrical body that is not physically mounted on the digital media player. The cylindrical body is coupled between the audio output of the digital media player and at least one speaker such that rotating the cylindrical body in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction alters an audio output of the speaker. A coupling body couples the cylindrical body to the digital media player. The coupling body contains a processor for converting an output of the cylindrical body into a format recognizable by the digital media player. The cylindrical body may include a first set of sensors positioned on an upper portion of the cylindrical body and a second set of sensors positioned on a lower portion of the cylindrical body wherein a first signal for controlling a first function of the digital media player is produced by gripping and rotating the upper portion of the cylindrical body and a second signal for controlling a second function of the digital media player is produced by gripping and rotating the lower portion of the cylindrical body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of an embodiment of the present invention coupled to a portable media player; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention coupled to a portable media player; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of a pressure sensitive switch constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a pressure sensitive switch constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention having multiple lengthwise sensing sections; and 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of a pressure sensitive switch constructed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is broadly directed toward a rotary device for controlling a consumer electronic device. Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an illustration of an embodiment of the present invention coupled to a portable media player  4  is shown. The embodiment uses a cylindrical body  2  that acts as a remote control device for a consumer electronic device such as a digital media player  4 . The cylindrical body  2  is operatively connected—either wired or wirelessly—to a coupling body  6  that contains a microcontroller and attaches to the consumer electronic device  4 . In the embodiment shown, the cylindrical body  2  is connected between the coupling body  6  and a pair of head phones  8  by a set of wires  10 . The cylindrical body  2 , as discussed in more detail below, preferably has a plurality of sensors located on its periphery such that it is able to accept user inputs by being squeezed and rolled between the user&#39;s thumb and at least one finger. The switches or sensors themselves can be of several known types such as conductive foam, capacitive, resistive, optical, momentary, touch screen membrane, etc. The control surface preferably spans 360 degrees around the cylindrical body  2  such that the device  2  can be grasped between the thumb and finger(s) of a user at any orientation. This allows the user to find a comfortable position for manipulating the controls without having to examine the cylindrical body  2 . When the cylindrical body  2  pressed between a user&#39;s thumb and finger(s), the coupling device  6  registers electrical signals that are encoded into a digital control signal for the portable media player by a microcontroller. The microcontroller may be located inside the coupling body  6 , the cylindrical body  4 , the speaker or headphone assembly  8 , any point in the cable assembly  10  or any other suitable location. The control signals are then transmitted from the coupling device  6  to the portable media player to affect the desired change. Alternatively, the coupling device  6  itself can alter an output signal from the media player  4  to cause the desired change. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention coupled to a portable media player is shown. The cylindrical switch  20  is interfaced with the portable music player  22  through an interface  24 . In the example shown, the interface  24  is the thirty pin connector used by the Apple iPod™. However, the interface  24  can be altered as needed to interface the switch  20  to the particular type of device  22  for which it is being designed to be used with. The switch  20  is preferably coupled to the interface  24  such that audio output of the device  22  is controlled by manipulation of the switch  20 . This can be accomplished by actually modifying the audio output received from the device  22  or creating control signals that are sent to the device  22  to instruct the device  22  itself to alter its output. The result is that the volume of the headphones  26  is controlled by manipulating the cylindrical switch  20 . The switch  20  may also be configured to control other common functions of the device  22  such as power, play, stop, pause, etc. if desired. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an illustration of a pressure sensitive, cylindrical switch  30  constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The switch  30  shown consists of an exterior metal foil or plate  32  positioned around a conductive foam  34  that surrounds an inner conductive tube  36 . The natural resistance of the conductive foam material  34  positioned inside the cylindrical body  30  provides tactile or haptic feedback to a user of the switch  30 . The exterior foil  32  is preferably divided into sections  38 ,  40  and  42  such that different locations on the exterior can be individually monitored. Exterior electrical connections are made to the sections  38 ,  40  and  42  of the exterior foil  32  and the interior conductive core  36 . Electrical signals transmitted through the electrical connections allow a remote processor to determine the resistance between the sections  38 ,  40  and  42  and the core  36 . Squeezing and rolling motions can be used to alter the resistance of the sections and, thus, encode a variety of control signals for use in controlling the device used with the switch  30 . For example, the device  30  can be used to adjust the volume of a personal media player by simultaneously squeezing and rotating the cylindrical body  30  between the thumb and fingers. The switch  30  can also be used to activate play/pause and skip-forward/skip-backward functions by pinching and releasing the cylindrical body  30 . Up/down volume control can be signaled by comparing the changes in switch&#39;s  30  section&#39;s  38 ,  40  and  42  resistance over time as the cylindrical body  30  is rotated clockwise and counterclockwise between the user&#39;s thumb and finger or fingers. 
     Additional pressure sensitive sensing sections can be placed in different regions along the length of the cylindrical body  30  such that applying pressure to an upper region of the cylindrical body  30  will produce different control signals than those produced by applying pressure to a lower region. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the exterior foil  32  of the cylindrical switch  30  can be further divided into sections  33 ,  35 ,  37  and  39  along its length to create different switch signals depending upon where the cylindrical switch  30  is gripped and rotated along its length. Switch section  33  could be used to alter the volume of a music player, switch section  35  could be used to alter the treble, switch section  37  cold be used to adjust the bass and switch section  39  could be used to control play back and pausing of the player. The actual number of switch sections and the device functions controlled by each section is matter of design choice that will be determined by the particular application for which the switch is designed. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an illustration of a pressure sensitive switch constructed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown. In the embodiment shown, a series pressure sensitive switches or sensors  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  55  and  56 , such as piezo electric or capacitive sensors, has been placed around the periphery of the cylindrical controller body  50 . While five sensors are shown in  FIG. 5 , the actual number of sensors in an embodiment need only be two or greater. As the controller body  50  is rotated between the finger and thumb of a user, the particular pressure sensitive switches  52 - 56  activated over a period of time can be monitored to determine if the cylindrical body  50  is being rotated in a clockwise or counter clock wise direction. For example, if line  57  represents a previously sensed switch activation whereby switches  52 ,  54  and  55  were activated and line  58  represents a currently sensed switch activation whereby switches  52 ,  54  and  56  were activated a short period thereafter, it can be concluded that the cylindrical controller is being rotated in a clock wise direction. Additional pressure sensitive sensors can be placed in different regions along the length of the cylindrical body such that applying pressure to the upper region of the cylindrical body will produce different control signals than those produced by applying pressure to the lower region. Thus, the top portion of the cylindrical body  50  may control volume wherein the bottom portion controls play/pause. 
     A variety of different encoding schemes can be used to convert the output signals of the sensors or switches discussed herein into control signals for electronic devices. For example, the processor monitoring the sensor output can determine the rotational speed of the rotation by measuring a time interval between activation of the switches and convert a faster ¼ turn of the cylindrical body into a larger increase in the volume of the device than a slower ¼ turn of the of the cylindrical body. In a similar manner, in embodiments using pressure sensitive sensors, pressing harder on the sensors can result in a greater increase in the volume than a lighter pressing of the sensors. In such an embodiment, the output of the pressure sensitive switches may be a continuous analog output representing the pressure applied to the sensor or a series of discrete steps represented digitally. Pressure thresholds will correspond to rates of volume increase in accordance with a predetermined schedule. 
     Although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful CYLINDRICAL CONTROLLER FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE herein, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.