Input device with adaptive grip orientation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025093976-A1
Application number	US-202418969607-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 5, 2024
Priority date	Sep 22, 2022
Publication date	Mar 20, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer input system includes a mouse including a housing having an interior surface defining an internal volume and a sensor assembly disposed in the internal volume. A processor is electrically coupled to the sensor assembly and a memory component having electronic instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine an orientation of the mouse relative to a hand based on a touch input from the hand detected by the sensor assembly. The mouse can also have a circular array of touch sensors or lights that detect hand position and provide orientation information to the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer input system, comprising:
a mouse, comprising:
a housing having a central axis oriented normal to a lower housing surface;
a sensor assembly disposed within the housing; and
a haptic feedback actuator disposed within the housing;
a processor electrically coupled to the sensor assembly and the haptic feedback actuator; and
a memory component electrically coupled to the processor, the memory component storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
detect, using the sensor assembly, a rotational input to rotate the housing about the central axis; and
transmit a signal to the haptic feedback actuator to cause the haptic feedback actuator to generate haptic feedback based on the rotational input.

2 . The computer input system of claim 1 , wherein the haptic feedback actuator comprises a linear resonant actuator or an eccentric rotating mass motor.

3 . The computer input system of claim 1 , wherein the haptic feedback actuator is configured to generate an audible sound as the rotational input is performed.

4 . The computer input system of claim 1 , wherein the haptic feedback actuator is configured to generate a vibrational output as the rotational input is performed.

5 . The computer input system of claim 1 , wherein based on the rotational input, the haptic feedback actuator is configured to generate at least one of an audible sound or a vibrational output at predetermined increments of angular displacement for the housing relative to the central axis.

6 . The computer input system of claim 1 , wherein based on the rotational input, the haptic feedback actuator is configured to generate at least one of an audible sound or a vibrational output based on a speed of angular displacement for the housing relative to the central axis.

7 . The computer input system of claim 1 , further comprising a light array coupled to the housing and positioned about the central axis, each light of the light array being separably illuminable.

8 . The computer input system of claim 7 , wherein an illuminated light of the light array is configured to shift based on the rotational input.

9 . The computer input system of claim 8 , wherein in response to the rotational input, the illuminated light appears to remain positionally fixed with respect to a user.

10 . A computer input system, comprising:
a mouse comprising: a touch-sensitive housing; and a haptic component coupled to the touch-sensitive housing; a processor electrically coupled to the sensor and the haptic component; and a memory component electrically coupled to the processor, the memory component storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
identify a user grip on the touch-sensitive housing;
infer a user intent to use the mouse as a twist-dial based on the user grip;
detect angular displacement of the touch-sensitive housing; and
transmit, to the haptic component, a haptic signal responsive to the angular displacement.

11 . The computer input system of claim 10 , wherein inferring the user intent comprises identifying a hand orientation from the user grip and associating an intended action with the hand orientation.

12 . The computer input system of claim 10 , wherein the mouse comprises a component configured to generate a signal output, the component comprising at least one of an electrical element, a magnetic element, or an ultrasonic element.

13 . The computer input system of claim 12 , further comprising an external computing device electrically coupled to the mouse, wherein the external computing device comprises a sensor configured to sense the signal output from the dumb component.

14 . The computer input system of claim 13 , wherein:
application of the user grip to the housing causes a modification to the signal output; and the sensor is configured to identify the modification to the signal output as indicative of the user grip.

15 . The computer input system of claim 10 , wherein the user grip is associated with a grip profile for a particular user.

16 . The computer input system of claim 10 , wherein the grip profile is learned over time and repeat usage via an artificial intelligence algorithm based on at least one of unique hand positions, contact region sizes, degrees of force applied to the touch-sensitive housing, or a weight upon the touch-sensitive housing.

17 . The computer input system of claim 10 , wherein the touch-sensitive housing comprises a touch sensor array to identify the user grip.

18 . A computer input system, comprising:
a mouse comprising:
a housing;
a component disposed within the housing and configured to generate a signal output, the component comprising at least one of an electrical element, a magnetic element, or an ultrasonic element; and
a haptic component coupled to the housing;
an external computing device electrically coupled to the mouse, the external computing device comprising:
a processor electrically coupled to the haptic component; and
a memory component electrically coupled to the processor, the memory component storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
detect a modification to the signal output;
identify a user grip applied to the housing is a knob grip based on the modification to the signal output;
detect angular displacement of the housing about a central axis of the housing; and
transmit, to the haptic component, a haptic signal responsive to the angular displacement.

19 . The computer input system of claim 18 , wherein the haptic component is configured to generate a haptic click effect as the angular displacement occurs.

20 . The computer input system of claim 19 , wherein the haptic click effect can have a user-configurable resolution.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Andre Bart K
• Gleeson Brian T
• Bauerly Kristi E
• Lindmeier William D
• Sundstrom Matthew J
• Luo Geng
• Kim Seung Wook
• Christodoulou Evangelos
• Sapp Megan M
• Kwon-Perez Kainoa
• Bloom David H
• Taylor Steven J
• Morrell John B
• He Miao
• Kashif Hamza

Classifications

• G06V40/28

  Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language (static hand signs G06V40/113) · CPC title

• G06F3/03545

  Pens or stylus · CPC title

• G06F2203/0337

  Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user · CPC title

• G06F3/0362

  with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts · CPC title

• G06F3/03547

  Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface · CPC title