Interface controlling apparatus and method using force

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9501098-B2
Application number	US-201213447671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2012
Priority date	Sep 19, 2011
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

An interface controlling apparatus and method using a force may generate content control information by analyzing force input information received from at least one force sensor, and may control content based on the content control information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An interface controlling apparatus using a force, the apparatus comprising:
an information receiver configured to receive, from at least one force sensor, force input information associated with an input force;
an information analyzer configured to generate content control information by analyzing the force input information, including generating the content control information based on a direction of input force and a determining of which of a continuous input and a non-continuous input is represented by the input force; and
a content controller configured to control content based on the content control information,
wherein the force input information is based on a signal of a force sensor compressed by the input force among force sensors laterally disposed between a contact pad and a base,
wherein an elastic substance is laterally disposed between the lateral force sensors and at least one of the contact pad or the base,
wherein the information analyzer is configured to generate different content control information according to whether the force input information corresponds to the continuous input or the non-continuous input, whether the input force is continuously applied to different directions or same direction, and the direction of the input force,
wherein content which is displayed on a screen is transformed differently according to whether the force input information corresponds to the continuous input or the non-continuous input, whether the input force is continuously applied to different directions or the same direction, and the direction of the input force, and
wherein the direction of the input force and the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force are based on arrangement of the at least one force sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the information analyzer generates the content control information used to determine a scroll direction of a visible area of the content based on the force input information and a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the force and the direction of the input force, and
the content controller scrolls the visible area of the content based on the content control information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the information analyzer generates the content control information used to control a visible area of the content to be one of enlarged and reduced based on a combination of multiple force input information and a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force and the direction of the input force, and
the content controller enlarges or reduces the visible area of the content based on the content control information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the information analyzer generates the content control information used to determine between one of an enlargement rate or a reduction rate of the visible area based on a magnitude of force included in the force input information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the information analyzer generates the content control information used to perform an automated change of a selection area with respect to a menu, a folder, or a file of the content based on one or more of the force input information and a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force and the direction of the input force, and
the content controller determines the changed selection area with respect to the menu, the folder, or the file of the content based on the content control information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the information analyzer generates the content control information used to determine a selection between an upper level, a lower area, and within a current level with respect to a menu, a folder, or a file of the content based on one or more of the force input information and a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force and the direction of the input force, and
the content controller determines the upper area or the lower area with respect to the menu, the folder, or the file of the content based on the content control information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the information analyzer generates the content control information used to determine one of a search direction and a search section with respect to multimedia of the content based on one or more of the force input information and a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force and the direction of the input force, and
the content controller determines the search direction or the search section with respect to the multimedia of the content based on the content control information.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the information analyzer generates the content control information used to determine between one of a previous file and a subsequent file with respect to multimedia of the content based on one or more of the force input information and a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force and the direction of the input force, and
the content controller determines the previous file or the subsequent file with respect to the multimedia of the content based on the content control information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the information analyzer generates the content control information used to determine a page turning direction with respect to multimedia of the content based on the force input information and a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force and the direction of the input force, and
the content controller determines the page turning direction with respect to the multimedia of the content based on the content control information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: the information analyzer generates the content control information used to control selection between one of a front page and a last page of the content to be displayed based on one or more of the force input information and a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force and the direction of the input force, and
the content controller controls the front page or the last page of the content to be displayed based on the content control information.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the information analyzer generates the content control information by combining the force input information and at least one other received item of input information, where the at least one other received item of input information comprises at least one of contact input information or acceleration information, angular velocity information, and geomagnetic information, wherein the acceleration information, angular velocity information, and geomagnetic information are of the interface controlling apparatus distinguished from the input force.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the information analyzer generates the content control information by combining the force input information and the contact input information based on a result of the determining of which of the continuous input and the non-continuous input is represented by the input force, and
the content controller determines a target of the content based on the contact inp

Assignees

• Lee Bho Ram
• Park Joon Ah
• Lee Hyun Jeong
• Lim Soo Chul
• Lee Hyung Kew
• Han Seung Ju
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Bho Ram
• Park Joon Ah
• Lee Hyun Jeong
• Lim Soo Chul
• Lee Hyung Kew
• Han Seung Ju

Classifications

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/0483

  Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor · CPC title

• G06F3/04847 Primary

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• G06F1/1626 Primary

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• G06F1/1694

  the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer · CPC title