Patent ID: 12188514

Referring now toFIGS.1to3, a smart air mouse has been shown in the form of a hand held device10, which has a specific shape as shown that has an elongated, substantially flat rounded body11that fits in the hand of a user and has smoothly adjoining three parts, a curved rear body part12, a first extended front part13and a second extended front part14that both have slightly rounded flat surfaces. The front parts13and14extend out in forward direction from the rear body part12and their respective upper/lower surfaces fit smoothly to the outer surface of the rear body part12. A gap15is defined between the first and second extended parts13,14closed by a rounded front side of the rear body part12. InFIG.1the first front part13constitutes the upper part of the device, but if it is turned upside down the role of upper/lower parts13,14will get interchanged, therefore both of the first and second parts13,14can equally be the upper or lower part. The term “rear” indicates that the rear body part12fits well in the palm of the user, and at least one finger of the user can conveniently manipulate on the slightly rounded upper surface of the first or second body parts13or14whichever faces upwards. The term “finger” designates also the thumb of the user. In the embodiment shown inFIGS.1to3the first and second body parts13,14have different lengths, and the second body part14is slightly longer than the first body part13. It can be seen in the drawing that the width of the first and second body parts13,14slightly increases along a curved line away from the rear body part12then after reaching a maximum it gets narrower.

FIG.1shows the central longitudinal axis16of the upper part13and a curved transverse border line17. The transverse border line17designates the rear limit of a manipulation area18within which the forefinger or the thumb of the user can comfortably rest or move and reach any portion. In a preferred embodiment along a part of the central axis16a recess19is provided, and in the enlarged sketch ofFIG.2it can be seen that the recess19has a field20continuously widening in front direction. The field20can be used to perform a scroll function. It can be preferred if not only the width but also the depth of the recess19increases towards the front end of the field20. Such a design of the recess19provides a kind of haptic feedback for the user when he touches the recess and moves his finger along the recess19, whereby he can sense roughly the position of his finger. It is also preferred if the bottom of the recess19has a coarse, roughened surface, so that the finger touching the recess can feel when it is moved along the recess19.

The side view ofFIG.3shows the curved design of the device10how the first and second front parts13,14fit to the rear body part12. In the interior space of the rear body part12of the device10batteries21are provided to ensure the required energy for the electronic circuits arranged in the rear body part12but these circuits are small in size and have not been illustrated separately.

In the inner part of the first front part13close to the gap16a small sensor22is arranged that can be a micro switch or any other displacement sensor, which has the task of sensing when the two front parts13and14are compressed. The material of the body11and especially of the parts13and14has a certain kind of flexibility, and when the manipulation area18is pressed at any position relative to the other part supported by the palm of the user, this is followed by a slight inclination of the two compressed parts, and this displacement is sensed by the sensor22. The turning on of the sensor22corresponds to a clicking with a mouse, but this clicking is not position- or field-dependent as in case of most mouse designs, where clicking should be made when the finger presses a special button. The differentiation whether a clicking takes the role of a left, central or right button is controlled electronically as it will be described at a later part of the specification.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS.1to3the first front part13is associated with the air mouse function of the device, and respective touch sensors23,24are placed under the manipulation area18and the recess19to sense the position of the finger when it is placed or moved anywhere thereon. A larger single touch sensor can take the role of both sensors23,24and the differentiation serves only the ease of understanding. The touch sensors23,24are placed and visually hidden under the thin plastic cover sheet of the device10therefore they have been illustrated by dashed lines.

FIG.4shows a schematic functional block diagram of the hand held device10when performing the function of an air mouse. The device10is in a wireless communication connection with a remote host device30that has a wireless receiver31and a main unit with a display screen32that the user watches when uses the device10as an air mouse. The host device30can be any smart unit that can receive cursor control through the receiver31. As examples the host device30can be a set top box or a smart television set or a computer with internet access or a projector, etc.

The device10has an air mouse functional unit of conventional design that includes a motion sensor33, in which a gyroscope25and acceleration sensor26are arranged. The motion sensor33has a virtual deflection control unit27. The task of the motion sensor33is to generate cursor control signals that follow the yaw and pitch components of the movement of the device10. A driver34receives cursor control signals either from the motion sensor33or from a processor43through a control unit45and the driver34is connected to wireless transmitter38that is communicating with the receiver31of the host device30.

The essence of this embodiment of the invention lies in how the user controls the movement of the cursor on the display screen32by his hand that holds the device and places and/or moves his free finger on the manipulation area18under which the touch sensors23,24are located. InFIG.4the manipulating area has been shown with hatched lines, and this includes main control field35and scroll field36(which correspond to the recessed field20shown inFIG.2). The main control field35is virtually divided into a left field37and a right field38divided preferably by the central longitudinal axis of the first front part13. This separation can be a virtual separation only, wherein distinction between the fields37,38is made only by software that evaluates the position signals received from the touch sensor23and the user will not physically sense where the separation line extends. It is preferred if a small rib or recess39is formed along the central longitudinal axis16of the main control field35, whereby when the finger moves along the main control field35the user can feel where the rib39extends and he will know whether his finger is on the left or right field37, or38.

The touch sensor23under the manipulation field18can sense and differentiate between the following events:a. Whether a finger is in contact with the main control field35;b. Whether the finger contacts the left or the right field37or38;c. Whether the finger moves substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis along arrow40;d. Whether the finger moves so that the movement has a transverse component parallel to the transverse axis shown by arrow41;e. Whether the finger is at the scroll field36and where it contacts the field36;f. It can also sense the direction, position and speed of the finger movements.

The signals sensed by the touch sensor under the main control field35are led through line42to the processor43which is preferably a programmable microprocessor, and the signals under the scroll field36are also coupled to the processor43through line44.

The processor is programmed so that it senses all of the listed events. Concerning these events the term “contact” includes both the slightest touch that can be sensed by the touch sensors and also a contact made with a predetermined threshold pressure force that can be distinguished from an accidental touch. The threshold contact pressure might have a significance in providing safety of operation, or might express an intention that certain events will be triggered only if a predetermined amount of pressure is exercised by the finger. When event a. is sensed, the processor43activates the mouse control unit45. This control means that when a finger contacts anywhere the main control field35, the mouse control unit45is activated and as a consequence the driver34is turned on and the cursor control is activated. This also means when there is no finger on the main control field35, there is no cursor control and the cursor stays at the previously set position. In this function the use of a minimum threshold contact pressure can be preferred so hat the operation of the air mouse function can be turned on in response to a well distinguishable pressure.

If the finger is not moved but only touches anywhere the main control field35, the cursor control signals of the motion sensor33are allowed to pass through the mouse control unit45and reach the control input of the driver34, and these signals will control the cursor of the screen32of the host device30, and the device10functions as a conventional air mouse, i.e. the cursor follows the hand movements.

When the event c. is sensed, i.e. when the finger is moved in parallel to the longitudinal axis16, this is sensed by the processor43and it also determines the sense of the movement i.e. whether it is directed upward or downward. The processor43evaluates the direction and the speed of this longitudinal finger movement and also the distance of the momentary finger position from the initial positions, and generates a deflection control signal and this signal controls the deflection control unit27in such a way e.g. that a downward finger movement decreases the speed of the cursor deflection and an upward movement increases the same. The term “speed” of cursor movement is an expression that means that in response to a unity hand movement in any direction what distance the cursor will take. If the speed is high, then even slight hand movements result in speedy cursor movements, i.e. the cursor can be easily controlled to take greater distances on the screen. When the speed is low, then the same hand movement will result in only a much decreased cursor movement, and the user can easily manipulate around a smaller region on the screen to find a selected target. The cursor speed control provided in this way renders the handling of the air mouse much more comfortable, since the user can decide whether he wishes to move the cursor fast to a remote region on the screen or he wishes to target a smaller position in a small region.

Assuming that the user wishes to manipulate in a fairly small screen area or he can place his hand on a stable support and would prefer controlling the cursor by moving his finger along the main control field35as if it was a touch pad, i.e. he wishes to give up the air mouse function, then he has a possibility to do so. This can be done by selecting the event e. i.e. the user moves his finger also in transverse direction so that his movement has a component along the transverse arrow41. This event will be sensed by the processor43and in response thereto the mouse control unit45gets a command to disconnect the motion sensor33from the driver34. At the same time the processor43generates from the finger movement on the main control field35a touch pad control signal and transmits this signal through line46to the mouse control unit45and this passes these control signals to the driver34. From this moment onwards the cursor will move as the finger moves on the main control field35, and the hand movements (i.e. movement of the device10) will not move the cursor. This “touch pad mode” will last as long as the user raises his finger from the main control field35, and when he contacts this field again, the air mouse mode will be activated again. In between the cursor is frozen at the last position.

In case at any given position the user wishes to carry out a scroll function, he has to place his finger on the scroll field36which is sensed by the processor43and will control the cursor as the finger moves up or down along the scroll field36.

In addition to these cursor control modes the conventional clicking function is also available. When the user compresses the device10slightly i.e. clicks, the displacement sensor22connected to the processor43is activated. This activation is interpreted as a left mouse button click if the finger is anywhere on the left field37and as a right mouse button click if the finger is anywhere on the right field38. A central mouse button click is interpreted if the “clicking” occurs when the finger is on the scroll field36. The distinction between these three possibilities is controlled by the control unit45upon control from the processor43so that a click selector47is set in one of the three positions, which positions control respective mouse inputs of the driver34that generates standard left-, right- and central mouse button click signals towards the transmitter38. In order to provide a haptic feedback concerning the operation of the sensor22when the device10has been compressed, a small vibrator76(seeFIG.7) can be arranged in the body11of the device, and this vibrator76can be operated for a moment when the sensor22has sensed a compression. In this way the slight vibration indicates for the user that the clicking was successful.

In the described way the user has a freedom to control the movement of the cursor fast or in a slower way and to give up the air mouse mode and use his finger to make fine adjustments. Important to note that in neither one of the described modes is the placement of the device10on a stationary support required as in most of prior art designs, and the user is not bound to watch the screen of the air mouse, which need not exist at all. The device can be equipped with a screen if required for other functions that need a separate screen.

At the same time the device10fits comfortably in the hand of the user, and its handling by a finger is very comfortable and not at all tiring.

It should be understood that the blocks described illustrate only the main functional units of the device, and almost all blocks can be realized in a software route by an appropriately programmed micro controller. The invention is not limited to any of the embodiments or parts thereof.

Up to the present only the utilization of the first front part13of the device10has been described. The other second front part14has about the same useful surface area that can be utilized for a further function, namely for direct data entry. To this end the device10should be turned upside down to make the second front part become the upper surface and the first part contact the palm of the user. Since the device includes the motion sensor33, this can sense which of the two parts13or14faces upwards, thus the change between the previously described mouse mode and the data entry mode can take place automatically, as the mode defined by the upper part will become active. While the automatic selection between the two possible functional modes is the easiest and most convenient when the function selection is automatically carried out when device10is turned upside down, the provision of a second functional mode with a second touch sensor surface can be realized even if the device10is turned by 180° so that the same face remains the upper face, but then the previously not used rear part will become the front part. In such a situation the design of the device should be slightly different, and the rear part need not become narrower in rearward direction as shown inFIG.1.

Reference is made now toFIGS.5to7in which an embodiment illustrating the second, direct data entry mode, in which there is no movable separate data entry element but the finger movements are sensed on a designated touch-sensitive region on the surface of this second front part14. InFIG.5the other side of the hand held device10is shown. On the top of the upper front part14, where the body has about the maximum width a special data entry region65is provided.FIG.6shows the enlarged perspective view of the upper front part14with the data entry region65thereon. The data entry region65has a central sunken area66encircled by a closed, preferably curved boundary67. The depth of the sunken area66is small, but sufficient to enable feeling the boundary67by the finger placed on the area66. A plurality of regularly arranged isles68are made in predetermined different positions of the recessed area66that stand out from the plane of the sunken area66and their height is somewhat below the level of the outer surface of the upper front part14, but their projection is sufficient for the user to feel both their presence and orientation of channels formed between them when touching the area66by a finger that controls the data entry. In the illustrated embodiment four of such isles68are used, and each of them has a radially extending central symmetry axis. The central axes of opposite pairs of the isles lie on the same diagonal of the substantially circular boundary67which are mutually normal to each other, and they are inclined by 45° relative to the two main diagonals69,70of the recessed area66. The diagonal69extends in longitudinal direction of the device10, and the diagonal70extends in transverse direction. At the same time the diagonals6970define respective channels, and the finger placed on the data entry region65can sense these channels. The isles68are positioned in or close to the middle of the associated radius, and have arced inner and outer contours and straight sides as shown inFIG.21. In a preferred embodiment the curved line of the boundary67of the sunken area is slightly broken at the ends of the diagonals69,70(shown by the arrows onFIG.7) forming four arced recesses71,72,73and74.

FIG.7shows the top view of the upper front part14of the device10with the sunken data entry region65. Under this region65in the interior of the body11of the device10a touch senor75is arranged, which is shown by dashed lines onFIG.7and it has a task similar to its task in touch screens to sense the location of the touch by the finger of the user. The area of the touch sensor75is preferably larger than the region65above it, so that there remains a sufficient surface area on the surface of the upper front part14which can be assigned to different functions when such areas or regions are touched.

When the user places one of his fingers (forefinger or thumb) on the region65, he will feel the position and location of the four isles68and the channels formed between the isles and the rounded channel formed between the isles68and the boundary line67, and he can thereafter move his finger in accordance with predetermined and previously learned association rules between the respective combinations of elementary movements and the data to be entered. The user can move his finger in any of the four directions along the diagonals69,70in the channels formed between the isles68. He can sense when his finger has reached the end of a channel, and for providing a more definite haptic feedback respective rounded recesses71to74can be arranged at these ends. The user can therefore sense when his finger has reached one of these special end regions or the recesses71to74, and then he can choose in which direction he wishes to move on and feels not only the boundary67as a guiding path, but the finger senses the channel formed between the outer edges of the isles68and the boundary67. This feeling is more definite as if he would feel only the edge of the boundary line67, and the presence of the guiding channels assist the user in more definitely sensing where his finger moves. The movement continues along a channel portion until it arrives to the next one of the recesses. The haptic feedback (caused either by the meeting of two channels and/or the presence of a recess) provides a perfect orientation on the actual position of the finger. For further supporting the haptic feedback, in a further preferred embodiment, the small vibrator76can be activated when the finger arrives at one of these special channel end points where the recesses71to74are arranged. The vibration generated thereby can be very weak, it should be sufficient only for providing a further haptic signal to the user that the finger has arrived at a special position.

In this embodiment a predetermined associations can be assigned between the elementary movement combinations and the characters/functions to be entered which can be learned after an appropriate training period. The entry of a character/function is finished when the user raises his finger from the data entry region65. The central linear channels between the isles68can be used additionally for triggering different functions. When the finger is inserted in the channels formed along the respective diagonals69,70in the sunken area66, it can be moved along the channels in both directions. As the touch sensor is sensitive to directions, by moving the finger along any one of the diagonals69,70in any direction, four different functions can be assigned to such simple linear movements. Such functions can be e.g. the change between characters and numbers or letters in upper or lower case or any other usually used entry function.

InFIGS.5to7the data entry device10has been shown without having a screen or touch screen. The embodiment shown is intended primarily for use as a remote controller or to take the function of a remote keyboard for a palm top or a smart entertainment device, or the host device30with which it is connected via a wireless communication. Then text or data entered will be displayed on the screen of the remote device.

The previously described clicking function triggered by compressing the two separated parts13,14of the device10works also in this data entry mode. This clicking can also control the vibrator76to generate a haptic feedback that the click has taken place. Such a design has great advantage, namely there is no special position on the device where the mouse function can be used, since the two parts13,14can be compressed anywhere.

Reference is made now toFIGS.8to10in which a further embodiment of the present invention has been shown. Up to the present two different main functions of the hand held device10has been shown, according to which it was used as an improved air mouse and as a data entry device. If one wishes to reduce the number of accessories that are normally required to the handling of modern computers or smart devices, then one cannot forget about the conventional mouse function. In this embodiment an example is shown how the previously described two main functions (or any of the two) can be combined with a conventional mouse, preferably an optical mouse.

This device10′ has substantially the same curved shape as shown in the previous embodiments, i.e. it has a slightly rounded shape that fits well in the palm of the user, and has the curved rear body part12and the first and second front parts13,14defining the gap15between them. In this embodiment a slightly curved support plate2is provided at the lower region of the rear body part which has two stable positions, namely a closed position when its presence cannot be felt, i.e. its outer surface follows the outer surface of the rear body part12as shown e.g. inFIG.3, and an open position as shown inFIGS.8to10. The support plate2has a hidden hinge (not shown) that enables its opening and closing, but provides a sufficient resistance against closing. It can be preferred if a sunken lock6is provided that prevents closure of the support plate2until it is moved to an unlocked position when the plate can be returned to its original position i.e. in a recess4.

At an appropriate region of the lower face of the second front part14a mouse window5is provided, through which the light of a conventional optical mouse circuit7can pass to “see” a stable surface of a mouse pad8placed on a table.

The hinged support plate2with its slightly convex outer surface is required, as the streamlined, curved basic shape of the device10′ cannot be supported or moved in a stable way of a plane surface of the mouse pad8. InFIG.10it can be seen that the second front part14has a slightly inclined fringe9around the edge of the mouse window5, and this fringe9and the spaced lower surface of the open support plate2provide a definite support for the device10′.

The processor43can sense when the support plate2is put into open position and then disables the air mouse function and enables the conventional mouse function through the wireless connection between the device10′ and the remote host device.

In case the device10′ is also provided with the data entry function, then according to the intention of the user, this function can also be used.

In the embodiment using the conventional mouse function the previously described air mouse control function and the data entry function can both be provided so that the touch sensor23and optionally the recess19providing the scroll function can be at the front region of the first front part13as illustrated inFIG.9and the touch sensor75with the data entry region65can be arranged at the rear part of the same surface of the device10′. In conventional mouse function mode the previously described clicking and scroll functions can be equally used, as then the touch sensor23is located at the area which can be conveniently handled by the finger of the user. If the data entry mode is chosen, the device10′ can be turned by 180° around a virtual vertical axis, and then the data entry touch sensor75will take the comfortable front position, and the rear body part12will be the front end.

The data entry device according to the invention can be realized in several forms, sizes other than shown in the exemplary embodiments and can be equipped with different electronic circuitry.