Stationary interface control and method for using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9766705-B2
Application number	US-201514739073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2015
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A stationary interface control knob includes a body having a fixed substantially-cylindrical surface with a first axis, and a flexible touch panel sensor having a sensor surface at least partially in cylindrical form with a spaced relationship from the fixed substantially-cylindrical surface. The sensor surface has a second axis coinciding with the first axis. The flexible touch panel sensor senses a user interaction with the fixed substantially-cylindrical surface and generates an interface signal in response thereto. Also discloses are method of controlling the stationary interface control knob.

First claim

We claim:

1. A stationary interface control comprising:
a knob-like structure including a body having a fixed, substantially-cylindrical surface, a first axis, and a first planar surface perpendicular to the first axis;
a first capacitive touch panel sensor with a second planar surface being parallel with the first planar surface, the first capacitive touch panel sensor generating a first interface signal in response to a touch;
a second capacitive touch panel sensor having a sensor surface substantially forming a cylinder paralleling the fixed, substantially-cylindrical surface and having a second axis coinciding with the first axis, the second capacitive touch panel sensor generating a second interface signal in response to a virtual rotation;
a haptic vibrator; and
a controller connected to the first capacitive touch panel sensor, the second capacitive touch panel sensor, and the haptic vibrator, and configured to
receive the first interface signal and output a first control signal based on the first interface signal; and
receive the second interface signal and output a second control signal based on the second interface signal;

wherein the haptic vibrator produces a first vibration indicative of a mode of operation in response to the first control signal;
and the haptic vibrator produces a second vibration different from the first vibration and indicative of a change in a mode value in response to the second control signal.

2. The stationary interface control of claim 1 , wherein the sensor surface provides 360 degree cylindrical touch control.

3. The stationary interface control of claim 1 , and further comprising a plurality of capacitive touch panel sensors having a plurality of sensor surfaces, respectively, substantially forming a cylinder paralleling the fixed, substantially-cylindrical surface.

4. The stationary interface control of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a multiple piece body.

5. The stationary interface control of claim 1 , and further comprising a visual indicator connected to the controller and wherein the first control signal controls an output of the visual indicator.

6. The stationary interface control of claim 1 , and further comprising a first visual indicator connected to the controller and a second visual indicator connected to the controller, wherein the first control signal controls a first visual output and the second control signal controls a second visual output.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the touch is one selected from a group consisting of a touch and a swipe.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode of operation is one selected from a group consisting of a volume control mode, a channel control mode, and an inactive mode.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode of operation is one selected from a group consisting of a volume control mode, a channel control mode, and an inactive mode.

10. A method of controlling a stationary interface control, the method comprising:
providing a knob-like structure including a body having a fixed, substantially-cylindrical surface;
providing a first capacitive touch panel sensor having a second planar surface parallel with the first planar surface,
providing a second capacitive touch panel sensor having a sensor surface substantially forming a cylinder paralleling the fixed, substantially-cylindrical surface;
generating a first interface signal in response to a touch of the first planar surface;
generating a second interface signal in response to a virtual rotation of the fixed surface;
controlling a haptic vibrator to produce a first vibration indicative of a mode of operation based on the first interface signal; and
controlling the haptic vibrator to produce a second vibration different from the first vibration and indicative of a change in a mode value based on the second interface signal.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating a second interface signal in response to a virtual rotation of the fixed surface includes sensing a first stimulus indicating a virtual rotation of the fixed surface in a first virtual rotational direction and sensing a second stimulus indicating a virtual rotation of the fixed surface in a second virtual rotational direction different from the first virtual rotational direction.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling a visual indicator with a first output in response to sensing a first stimulus; and
controlling the visual indicator with a second output in response to sensing a second stimulus.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the visual indicator includes a plurality of light emitting diodes and controlling the visual indicator includes increasing a number of lit light emitting diodes with the first output and decreasing the number of lit light emitting diodes with the second output.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the visual indicator includes a numerical display and controlling the visual indicator includes increasing a number of the numerical display with the first output and decreasing the number of the numerical display with the second output.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating a first interface signal in response to a touch of the first planar surface includes sensing a first stimulus indicating a tapping of the first planar surface.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating a first interface signal in response to a touch of the first planar surface includes sensing a first stimulus indicating a swiping of the first planar surface.

Assignees

• Motorola Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Chan Eng Wiang
• Aihsan Mohd Wardi Iswali
• Chan Chee Kit
• Kaner Shirish
• Kerr Steven John

Classifications

• B60K35/26

  using acoustic output · CPC title

• B60K35/25

  using haptic output · CPC title

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/21

  using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays · CPC title

• B60K35/212

  displaying on manual operation elements, e.g. on a knob · CPC title