Abstract:
A device is disclosed that provides a multifunctional clip mounted on a portable, programmable, interactive apparatus. One embodiment of the device comprises a housing configured to be carried by a user, a display for displaying information to the user, an interface operable by the user, and fixed-arm clip. The user may hold the device with one hand with the fixed arm clip while operating the interface with the same hand.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application No. 10/758,712, filed on Jan. 15, 2004, entitled, “COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND PROTOCOL FOR INTERACTIVE PORTABLE DEVICE,” by Lucas et al. and U.S. patent application No. 10/801,497, filed on Mar. 15, 2004, entitled, “INTERACTIVE MOBILE DEVICE,” by Bartels, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to portable interactive computing devices, personal digital assistants, handheld computers, and the like. In particular, the present invention teaches a housing for an interactive device having a multi-purpose carrying clip and an easy to use interface. The clip and interface enable a user to carry and operate the portable interactive device with one hand. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The portable computing device is ubiquitous. Specific examples include cellular telephones and personal digital assistants, as well as inventory, delivery services, and other mobile applications. One primary limitation is the failure of the interface to provide easy operation by a user. For example, the typical interface of the prior art portable computing device requires the use of both hands. The failings of the prior art portable computing device are perhaps no where more evident than in applications where the user is mobile, such as sporting activities, inventory taking, and delivery applications. 
     The past decade has invoked a dramatic increase in consumer spending in the field of health and fitness products and sporting equipment. In the United States alone, an estimated 50 million people work out at least 3 times a week, over 27 million people play golf, and approximately 1 million people receive some kind of physical therapy every day. This has resulted in a strong demand for devices and methods that assist individuals in setting and reaching fitness goals. The currently available devices and methods however, fail to meet the needs of average consumers in many ways. This is especially true in the field of portable devices that may accompany an individual during their workout. 
     For example, prior art devices capable of being carried with a user on their physical fitness workout are severely limited in function and portability. Many of these devices are incorporated into a wristwatch and are only capable of calculating a runner&#39;s speed, time and distance. Other functions may include a heart rate monitor that connects to the wristwatch device. There is little or no feedback from these current devices and methods. Further these devices can only function in one specific mode of operation. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,982 that describes a device used to aid a user in their fitness workout. 
     More sophisticated prior art devices that do allow for operator interactions are not portable and are usually mounted to the exercise equipment. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,075 to Poulton. Poulton&#39;s patent details a computer apparatus that provides feedback to an individual while the individual is on a treadmill. The structures and sensors necessary in this type of device are not intended to be portable. 
     In addition to the failures of the above devices, conventional portable devices do not provide an adequate means by which the portable device may function or be transported in a variety of manners. For example, a conventional PDA (personal digital assistant) must be held in the hand of the user and cannot operate in a “stand alone” manner. There is also no convenient way to carry or interact with a conventional PDA during some type of physical activity. 
     Therefore there is a need for a multi-functional mechanism that would allow for a portable device to be easily transported, provide one hand operation, and function in a variety of modes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention improves on the prior art methods and devices by providing a clip that is mounted on a portable, programmable, interactive device that accompanies an individual. One embodiment of the present invention is a device that comprises a housing configured to be carried by a user, a display for displaying information to the user, an interface operable by the user to select and input data, and a fixed-arm clip mounted on the housing of the device. In preferred embodiments, the user can hold the portable device in one hand while operating the interface with that same hand. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a portable interactive device having a fixed-arm clip in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the portable interactive device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a portable interactive device having an adjustable clip in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a portable interactive device being held and operated by one hand according to one aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a first embodiment of the present invention in a docking station. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a clip acting as a stand for a portable interactive device according to another aspect of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 8A ,  8 B,  8 C, and  8 D show different positions of an adjustable clip of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-2 , an interactive device  10  having a fixed-arm clip in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The interactive device  10  includes a housing  12 , a fixed-arm clip  14 , a display  16 , and a push-button interface  19 . The electronics of the device  10  are internal to the housing  12 , one suitable embodiment of the electronics is described below with reference to  FIG. 6 . The display  16  may be any suitable electronic display, and may even provide touchscreen capabilities. 
     The fixed-arm clip  14  enables the user to simultaneously hold or hang the interactive device  10  and operate the push-button interface  19  with one hand. In certain embodiments the clip  14  has a rubber cover for a secure grip and feel. As shown below in  FIG. 7 , the clip  14  may also function as a stand for the device  10 . The display  16  of the device  10  may be easily viewed when the device is placed on a flat surface supported by the clip  14 . This allows the user to operate the device in a “hands free” manner. For example, the individual may practice or perform an exercise while watching a video clip of the exercise being performed. 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , the operation of the push-button interface  19  will now be described. As will be appreciated, the push-button interface  19  is one possible configuration, the guiding principle being that the present invention contemplates an interface allowing a user single hand interaction with the device  10 . Of course, other button arrangements may well serve this purpose, and additional controls can be provided on the device  10  as desired. 
     The push-button interface  19  includes control buttons and switches  251 ,  252 ,  253  and  254 , all disposed on top of the device  10 . Button  251  provides inputs for the “on,” “enter,” and “off” functions of the device. Switch  252  performs the “up” and “down” functions of moving a highlight bar throughout the various displays. The appropriate choice, once highlighted, may be selected using button  251 . Button  253  is a “back” button as is conventional for switching to a previous display screen. Button  254  is a “menu” button for allowing the user to jump to a “menu” function as described below. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , button  251  sits above the surface of the housing  12 . Switch  252  is a toggle switch that is mounted below the surface of the device, where the top of the switch sticks up above the surface of the device. The “Back” button  253  is a small bar in-between buttons and also sticks above the surface of the device some. The “Menu” button  254  is level with the surface of the device. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of an adjustable clip mounted on a portable programmable interactive device  10 . The device  10  includes a case or housing  12  that contains and houses the necessary electrical components for operation of the device. An adjustable clip  15  is attached to the back of the device  10  which allows the portable device to be easily grasped for carrying or easily fastened to a belt of a user for example. A display  16  is arranged on the front of the case  12  so that the user can view information. 
     With further reference to  FIG. 3 , control buttons  18 ,  20  and  22  are provided for controlling the functions of the device  10 . The device  10  is worn or carried by the user during mobile activity. This portability and ease of use make the device  10  particularly well suited for situations where the user has no access to a desktop PC or the Internet, e.g. Some recreational examples include a gym, a golf course or golf driving range, on a bicycle ride, on a sports ground, etc. Some commercial examples include product inventory, delivery services, doctor&#39;s office, etc. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the compact size and portability of the device  10  of either embodiment found in  FIGS. 1  or  3 . A user&#39;s hand  25  easily grasps the device  10  with the aid of the fixed or adjustable clip  14  or  15 . The clip provides a means to clip onto a user&#39;s belt for example. The clip may also be used as a stand in which the user may place the device  10  on a table and view the screen  16 . As will be described below, the clip may be locked into place to allow for a variety of uses, dependent on the mode of operation of the device or the individual&#39;s preference. 
     According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the device  10  may be plugged into an external computer docking station  26  as shown in  FIG. 5 . When in the docking station  26 , the device  10  may communicate with an external computer (not shown) by interconnecting a wire  28  between the external computer and the device  10 . Other embodiments of the present invention include communications with local and remote computers using any of a variety of wired and wireless approaches such as Bluetooth or USB connections. While in docking station  26 , the device  10  is capable of both sending and receiving data to an external computer. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that the docking station  26  allows the user access to a host of tools and information made available on the Internet. Instructional and motivational information, update information, contact information, inventory data, delivery data, etc. may be downloaded or uploaded while the device  10  is in the docking station. Once the necessary information is stored locally on the device  10 , the device may be unplugged from the station  26  and again used as a portable device. 
     For purposes of this disclosure, the external computer described above is simply any suitable computing device, whether portable or stationary. This definition includes, but is not limited to, electronic books, laptop and handheld computers, and desktop computers. Using wireless types of communications for example, the monitoring device  10  may communicate with a web page running on a remote server via the Internet. 
     The device  10  may include cellular or other wireless or wired communication capability so as to interconnect with the Internet either continuously or periodically. For communication with a remote server, the device  10  may also include some type of memory chip or memory module that may be removed from the device  10  and inserted into the external computer for transfer of data. It is also a feature of the present invention that the user with the aid of an external computer may program the device  10 . For example, the user&#39;s preferred workout and exercises may be entered via a keyboard connected to the external computer. The information is then transferred from the external computer into the local memory of the device  10 . For more details pertaining to the communications protocols and connections with all types of external computer systems, see copending application Ser. No. 10/758,712 filed Jan. 15, 2004 entitled “Communication System and Protocol For An Interactive Portable Device”, by Lucas et al., attorney docket number 41963-8002. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the circuitry contained in the device  10  for one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically. As will be appreciated, the embodiment of  FIG. 6  is particularly well suited to a portable device designed specifically for physical fitness and recreational applications. The device  10  includes a processor CPU  30  for processing and controlling the various components and functions. A body activity monitor  32  provides a signal indicative of the body activity of the subject to the CPU. In the one embodiment of the invention, the body activity monitor is a heart rate monitor. The operator interface  34  sends signals to the CPU  30  to perform the intended functions as selected by the user. In one preferred embodiment, the operator interface  34  consists mainly of controlling buttons located on the device itself and operable with one hand. However, in other embodiments a touch sensitive overlay may provide a touch screen interface allowing the user to enter data through touch. 
     A memory  36  is provided to store all types of data to perform the desired functions of the device. In the physical fitness or recreational application, this information may include the internal programs necessary for device operations, workout information, instructional information, motivational information and the user&#39;s personal statistics. However, the memory  36  will include whatever information is necessary for a given application. The memory  36  typically includes both persistent and transient memory. A battery  38  is also provided to power the device in remote locations. The CPU  30  provides the data to display  40  for viewing by the subject. The memory  36  is interconnected with the CPU  30  and allows storage of data that may be entered by the user through the operator interface  34  or downloaded from an external computer through the external computer interface  44 . 
     Communications with external devices is provided through communications interface  44 . This interface may be located in the device itself or may be provided in the docking station  26  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The communications interface  44  may also be a wired or wireless interface. An audio output connection  42  is provided for connection of external speakers or headphone for playing audio instructions and music. The circuitry of the device  10  may also include other input devices such as a barcode reader, an infrared port, a scanning device, etc. 
       FIG. 7  shows another disposition of the device  10 , wherein the clip acts as a stand for the device. The fixed-arm clip  14  can be designed to act as a stand in its fixed form. Alternatively, the adjustable clip  15  may be adjustable into one or more positions for providing stand support for the device  10 . This is ideal for setting the device  10  on a table for example, and viewing instructional data. This position of the device  10  is also desirable for playing music while working out, for viewing motivational information while performing an exercise, for viewing inventory or delivery data while working, etc. 
       FIGS. 8A ,  8 B,  8 C and  8 D show a first, second, third and fourth positions of the adjustable clip  15 . The first position of the clip  15  shown in  FIG. 6A , would be used to attach the device to a belt for example. The second position of the clip  15  shown in  FIG. 8B  is ideal for aiding the user to grasp the device in his hand. The third position of the clip  15  shown in  FIG. 8C  would be used to fit the device  10  into the docking station as shown in  FIG. 5 . In  FIG. 8D  the clip operates as a stand for the device  10 . Although these four positions are shown, the adjustable clip  15  may be positioned in any number of positions with varying angles relative to the device  10  in accordance with the individual&#39;s needs. As described below the device  10  may function in a variety of modes and these modes may be enacted with the adjustable clip in any position. 
     The adjustable clip of the present invention may be in any of the four positions as shown in  FIGS. 8A through 8D . Depending on the preference of the user, the user may desire to interact with the main menu function while holding the device in his hand (with the clip in a first position), or the user may interact with the device standing upright, with the clip position adjusted accordingly. 
     The described embodiments relating to the clip features of the portable device are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive. The invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.