Patent Application
20160274685
Creative professionals have learned to rely heavily on a combination of physical inputs in order to create works with speed, efficiency, control, and precision. On a desktop or laptop computer, keyboard keys, commands, and shortcuts serve this need. However, this level of control is noticeably lacking on touchscreen devices. While it is very intuitive for a user to draw on a touchscreen using a finger, there is a lack of precision. Additionally, the user's finger often occludes what is being displayed on the screen. Some pen-link or stylus devices, such as the ADOBE INK device, have been developed for producing writings or drawings on a touchscreen with much more precision than just using a finger. Additionally, such pen-like devices often include a number of secondary functionalities (e.g., wireless communication, storage, additional, user inputs, enabling/disabling features, visual or haptic feedback, etc.) that may facilitate creative work. Despite improvements in touchscreen technologies and the availability of pen-like devices useable with touchscreens, creative professionals remain reluctant to do a significant amount of professional work on touchscreen devices.
One reason for this reluctance is that touchscreen devices typically do not include any hardware keyboard. As a result, shortcut keys, such as the “shift,” “ctrl,” “cmd,” “alt,” and “fn” keys that are frequently used by creative professionals to increase the speed and efficiency of their work are not available. While a soft keyboard may be presented on a touchscreen, the keyboard takes up a significant amount of the screen space, reducing the viewable area of the workspace. Additionally, while hardware keyboards are available that may be paired with touchscreen devices, creative professionals typically don't need full-fledge keyboards to perform their work and are reluctant to carry around a bulky keyboard with touchscreen devices. Moreover, such hardware keyboards are not ideal for use in mobile situations such as sitting on a couch or on a bus.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an input device that may be paired with a computing device, such as a touchscreen, to allow a user to quickly and efficiently provide inputs to applications running on the paired computing device. The input device includes a top having a polygonal shape with a trackpad substantially centered on the top surrounded by buttons at the corners. In particular, a single button is provided at each corner on the top of the input device. The trackpad provides touch inputs to applications running on a paired computing device while the buttons may be mapped to shortcut keys, which may be keyboard keys such as the “shift,” “ctrl,” “cmd,” “alt,” and “fn” keys. As such, the input device provides inputs frequently used by creative professionals but often not available when using touchscreen devices. The input device is intentionally minimalist in design to allow a user to quickly and blindly interact with the input device, thereby enhancing speed, efficiency, control, and precision in their work.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated by reference herein and wherein:
The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different elements or combinations of elements similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.
Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an input device that solves the problem of bringing speed, efficiency, control, and precision to touchscreen devices. The input device has a polygon-shaped top surface that includes a trackpad surrounded by a button at each corner. For instance, in one configuration, the input device has a triangular-shaped top surface having three corners with a trackpad substantially centered on the top surface and three buttons located at the three corners. The trackpad provides for multi-touch and gesture input that may be mapped to a variety of input features of applications. The buttons may be mapped to shortcut keys, which may be keyboard keys, such as the “shift,” “ctrl,” “cmd,” “alt,” and “fn” keys. In some embodiments, buttons are only provided on the corners of the top surface to simplify the design. In particular, by limiting the inputs included on the input device to the trackpad and buttons at each corner, the design of the input device is simplified and users may access frequently used inputs very quickly without taking their eyes from their work displayed on the screen. Additionally, the minimalist design helps reduce the size of the input device and thereby increases portability for mobile use. The location of the buttons at each of the corners on the top surface of the input device further increases speed and efficiency as users may blindly find each corner by feel without having to look at the input device. Further, the device may be sized
As such, the input device allows variety of input scenarios. For instance, the input device may be used to constrain the angle of movement of a selected object. Duplicate and array, and create iteration may be achieved with a circular scroll motion in the trackpad. Accordingly, with increased speed, interactions on a touch screen that were previously impossible are enabled using the input device.
While this description primarily discusses the use of the input device with a touchscreen device, it should be understood that the input device may be paired with any computing device. Although devices such as desktop and laptop computers have dedicated keyboards, the simplistic design of the input device may allow for improved speed and efficiency by providing quick access to frequently used inputs.
With reference to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the different views, an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention is designated generally with the reference numeral 10. The input device 10 includes an enclosure 12 that generally includes a top 14, a bottom 16, and three sides 18, 20, 22. The enclosure 12 may generally be an integrated unit constructed from metal, molded plastic, or any other suitable material. The enclosure 12 is configured to define a container, which houses internal electronic components (not shown), such as, for instance a power source, processor, computer storage media, and a wireless communication module (e.g., a Bluetooth transceiver).
The top 14 of the input device 10 includes a trackpad 24 surrounded by three buttons 26, 28, 30. The trackpad 24 comprises a tactile sensor, such as a capacitive sensor, for receiving touch input from a user. The trackpad 24 may support multi-touch input. The trackpad 24 shown in the configuration of
The input device 10 has a triangular design, and as such, the top 14 includes three corners. While the corners are rounded in the configuration of
Any of a variety of technologies may be employed to provide the buttons 26, 28, 30. In some configurations, the buttons 26, 28, 30 may each be provided using a tactile sensor, such as a capacitive sensor. In other configurations, each of the buttons 26, 28, 30 may be provided using a switch, such as a tact switch. In one embodiment, the top 14 comprises a unibody plate suspended above the enclosure 12 using a mechanism that provides some travel of the plate relative to the enclosure 12. For instance, the unibody plate may be provided with a 360-degree pivot. A tact switch or other switch is provided on the enclosure 12 under each corner of the suspended plate. As such, an input is provided via one of the buttons 26, 28, 30 when a user presses a corner of the plate down to engage the underlying switch. Additionally, the travel provided to the plate allows for multiple combinations of the buttons 26, 28, 30 to be selected. For instance, a user may simultaneously press any two or all three of the buttons 26, 28, 30.
A bump 34 is provided on a button 30. The bump 34 may comprise any size or shape and allows a user to blindly identify the button 30 as corresponding with a particular input. The other buttons 26, 28 do not include any similar bump in the configuration shown in
As can be seen in
The input device 10 also includes an indicator light 36, which provides an indication of the status of the input device (e.g., on, off, standby, charging, paired, unpaired, etc.). The indicator light 36 may be an LED light or any other suitable light. In the configuration shown in
The bottom 16 of the input device 10 is a generally planar surface that allows the input device 10 to sit on top of a surface, such as a desktop. Feet 38, 40, 42 are provided at the corners of the bottom 16. The feet 38, 40, 42 protrude from the bottom 16 and may be made of non-slip silicone rubber or other material that resists movement of the input device 10 relative to a surface on which it is placed. By providing the feet 38, 40, 42 at the corners of the bottom 16, the feet 38, 40, 42 are positioned underneath the buttons 26, 28, 30 and, as such, help stabilize the input device 10 when a user presses the buttons 26, 28, 30.
One or more magnets (not shown) may also be provided at the bottom 16 of the input device 10 (e.g., exposed externally or located within the enclosure 12). Such magnets allow the input device 10 to be maintained on a magnetic surface. For instance, the input device 10 may be placed on the back of a touchscreen device having a magnetic backside or cover. As such, the user may interact with the trackpad 24 and buttons 26, 28, 30 by simply reaching around the backside of the touchscreen device. This may be particular useful in mobile situations, such as while sitting on a couch or a bus.
The input device 10 is powered using a rechargeable power source, such as rechargeable batteries. As such, the bottom 16 of the input device 10 includes a pair of charging contacts 44, 46 for charging the input device 10. It should be understood that other techniques for charging the input device 10 may be provided in alternative configurations (e.g., a micro USB charging port). As shown in
In some embodiments, a charging case 50 such as that shown in
The outer surface 66 of the bottom 52 of the charging case 50 includes a recharging arm 68 that is hingeably attached to the bottom 52 at one end such that the recharging arm 68 may be retracted from the bottom 52 (as shown in
As shown in
While the input device 10 shown in
Software on the touchscreen device 90 may be configured with application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow the software to receive input signals from the input device 10 and convert those signals to specific inputs to an application running on the touchscreen device 90. For instance, the APIs may map inputs from the internal device to inputs for the target application on the touchscreen device 90. In some instances, the trackpad and button inputs may be mapped to default application inputs. For instance, each button may be mapped to a particular keyboard key (e.g., a first button may be mapped to the “ctrl” key, a second button may be mapped to the “alt” key, and a third button may be mapped to the “shift” key). The default mappings may be system-wide defaults (i.e., apply to all applications on the touchscreen device 90) or may be application-specific defaults. In some instances, the mappings may be user-configurable to allow the user to set the inputs provided to applications based on inputs received via the input device 10. The user-configurable mappings may be system-wide or application-specific. Further, the inputs from the input device 10 may be paired with inputs from the digital pen 92 provided to the touchscreen device 90. For instance, a trackpad 24 may be used to adjust the width of a brush stroke from the digital pen 92 within a drawing application on the touchscreen device 90 by the user moving a finger clockwise or counterclockwise within the trackpad 24.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
While specific elements and/or steps are discussed in connection to one another, it is understood that any element and/or steps provided herein is contemplated as being combinable with any other elements and/or steps regardless of explicit provision of the same while still being within the scope provided herein. Since many possible embodiments may be made of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
