User interface system for display-less input devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12197802-B2
Application number	US-201916455610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A system and method for providing an on-demand user interface for an input device. The system includes a first device and a second device. The first device is configured to receive a first user input and select a first notification from a plurality of notifications stored on the first device based at least in part on the first user input. The first device then outputs the first notification using one or more hardware resources. The second device detects the first notification output by the first device and matches the first notification to a first content item stored on the second device. The first content item includes instructions for providing a second user input on the first device. The second device then renders the first content item on a display. The first device further receives the second user input subsequent to the first user input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a display-less first device including at least one or more notification hardware resources and one or more input sources, the display-less first device configured to:
receive a first user input directly on the first device via the one or more input sources of the first device;
select a first notification from a plurality of notifications stored on the first device based at least in part on receiving the first user input directly on the first device;
output the selected first notification as a unique pattern of lights using the one or more notification hardware resources of the first device; and
receive a second user input subsequent to the first user input, the second user input received directly on the first device via the one or more input sources; and

a second device including at least a camera, a user interface, and an electronic display, the second device configured to:
capture, via the camera of the second device, the unique pattern of lights output by the first device;
match the unique pattern of lights to a first content item of a plurality of content items stored on the second device for display on the user interface of the second device based on a mapping of the unique pattern of lights to the first content item, wherein each content item of the plurality of content items is configured to be displayed on the second device responsive to a respective notification of the plurality of notifications stored on the first device, wherein the first content item and the mapping are stored on the second device, and wherein the first content item includes instructions for inputting the second user input directly on the first device; and
render the user interface, including the first content item matching the unique pattern of lights, on the electronic display of the second device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second device is further configured to:
select the first content item from the plurality of content items stored on the second device, wherein each content item of the content items stored on the second device corresponds to a respective one of the notifications stored on the first device, wherein the second device matches the unique pattern of lights to one of the plurality of content items using a light notification lookup table (LUT).

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first device is further configured to:
select a second notification from the plurality of notifications based at least in part on the second user input, wherein the second device includes a light notification store for storing each of the plurality of notifications; and
output the second notification using the one or more notification hardware resources.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more input sources of the first device include one or more actuators to receive the first user input, the first device being further configured to:
enter an enrollment mode in response to the first user input, wherein the first notification is selected based on the first device switching from an authentication mode to the enrollment mode, wherein the first content item includes instructions for enrolling a biometric profile on the first device, wherein the enrollment mode includes a plurality of steps, and wherein a different unique pattern of lights is retrieved from a light notification store of the first device at each step of the plurality of steps.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more input sources of the first device further include a biometric sensor to receive the second user input, the first device being further configured to:
generate or update the biometric profile based at least in part on the second user input; and
revert to the authentication mode upon completing the enrollment of the biometric profile.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first device is further configured to:
receive a third user input via the biometric sensor; and
authenticate a user of the first device based at least in part on a comparison of the third user input and the biometric profile.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first device is further configured to:
enable access to one or more functions of the first device in response to authenticating the user.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more notification hardware resources of the first device includes one or more light sources to output the first notification as the unique pattern of lights, and wherein the second device includes the camera to capture the unique pattern of lights output by the first device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more notification hardware resources of the first device includes one or more audio output components to output a notification as a pattern of sounds, and wherein the second device includes a microphone to capture the pattern of sounds output by the first device.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more notification hardware resources of the first device includes one or more radio-frequency (RF) transmitters to output a notification as an RF signal, and wherein the second device includes an RF receiver to receive the RF signal output by the first device.

11. A method of processing user inputs, comprising:
receiving a first user input directly on a display-less first device via one or more input sources of the first device;
selecting a first notification from a plurality of notifications stored on the first device based at least in part on receiving the first user input directly on the first device;
outputting the selected first notification as a unique pattern of lights using one or more notification hardware resources of the first device;
capture, at a second device via a camera of the second device, the unique pattern of lights output by the first device;
matching the unique pattern of lights to a first content item of a plurality of content items stored on the second device for display on the user interface of the second device based on a mapping of the unique pattern of lights to the first content item, wherein each content item of the plurality of content items is configured to be displayed on the second device responsive to a respective notification of the plurality of notifications stored on the first device, wherein the first content item and the mapping are stored on the second device, and wherein the first content item includes instructions for inputting a second user input directly on the first device;
rendering the user interface, including the first content item matching the unique pattern of lights, on an electronic display of the second device; and
receiving the second user input at the first device subsequent to the first user input, the second user input received directly on the first device via the one or more input sources.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the matching comprises:
selecting the first content item from the plurality of content items stored on the second device, wherein each content item of the content items stored on the second device corresponds to a respective one of the notifications stored on the first device, wherein the second device matches the unique pattern of lights to a corresponding one of the plurality of content items using a light notification lookup table (LUT).

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
Selecting a second notification from the plurality of notifications stored on the first device based at least in part on the second user input, wherein the second device includes a light notification store for storing each of the plurality of notifications; and
outputting the second notification using the one

Assignees

• Synaptics Inc

Inventors

• Huie Mark A
• Hovden Torbjorn
• Hsu Andrew Chen Chou
• Inscore Kipling B
• Shao Jerry

Classifications

• G06V40/67

  by interactive indications to the user · CPC title

• G06V40/50

  Maintenance of biometric data or enrolment thereof · CPC title

• G06F21/32

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title

• G08B7/06

  using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources} · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title