Click and slide button for tactile input

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9848258-B1
Application number	US-201615014633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 3, 2016
Priority date	Feb 3, 2016
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

An audio accessory may include an earphone, a wire extending from the earphone; an input device in communication with an electronic device; and one or more processors. The input device may include an outer housing a button, and a position sensor. The outer housing may have an outer surface and a channel. The button may be disposed within the channel and configured to move within the channel between a first end of the channel and a second end of the channel. A position sensor may be configured to send a signal when the button moves from the first end of the channel to the second end of the channel. The one or more processors may be configured to receive the signal from the position sensor; and terminate an action being performed by the electronic device when the button moves to the second end of the channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An audio accessory comprising:
at least one earphone;
at least one wire extending from the earphone; and
an input device disposed along the wire and in communication with an electronic device, the input device including:
an outer housing having an outer surface and a channel extending along at least a portion of the outer surface;
a button disposed within the channel and configured to move within the channel between a first end of the channel and a second end of the channel, the button having a surface facing the outer surface of the outer housing and being spaced away from the outer surface of the outer housing;
a biasing element biasing the button toward the first end of the channel in a stationary position;
a position sensor configured to send a signal when the button moves from the first end of the channel to the second end of the channel; and
one or more processors configured to:
initiate a first action of the electronic device when the button is depressed at the stationary position;
receive the signal from the position sensor; and
terminate a second action being performed by the electronic device when the signal from the position sensor is received.

2. The audio accessory of claim 1 , wherein the outer housing is attached to at least a portion of the at least one wire.

3. The audio accessory of claim 1 , wherein the position sensor is a hall sensor that detects a location of a magnet coupled to the input device.

4. The audio accessory of claim 3 , wherein the magnet is positioned on the button and the hall sensor is positioned on the outer housing proximate to the second end of the channel.

5. The audio accessory of claim 1 , wherein the button further includes:
an exterior button surface overlying the outer surface of the outer housing; and
an interior arm positioned within an interior of the outer housing substantially parallel to the exterior button surface.

6. The audio accessory of claim 5 , wherein the biasing element is a spring attached at the second end of the channel and contacting the interior arm of the button.

7. The audio accessory of claim 1 , wherein the input device further comprises a circuit board, the circuit board including at least one circuit board contact disposed thereon and the button further including a first button contact, wherein when the button is displaced in a vertical direction relative to the outer surface of the outer housing, the first button contact is in contact with the at least one circuit board contact.

8. The audio accessory claim 7 , further comprising:
one or more processors configured to receive a contact signal when the first button contact makes contact with the at least one circuit board contact; and
one or more processors configured to instruct the electronic device to initiate another action based upon receipt of the contact signal.

9. The audio accessory of claim 8 , wherein the another action is selected from a group comprising initiating a voice command on the electronic device and controlling a media player function of the electronic device.

10. An input device comprising:
an outer housing having an outer surface and a channel extending along at least a portion of the outer surface;
a button disposed within the channel and configured to move within the channel between a first end of the channel and a second end of the channel, the button including:
an exterior button surface overlying the outer surface of the outer housing and spaced away from the outer surface of the outer housing;
an interior arm positioned within an interior of the outer housing substantially parallel to the exterior button surface; and
a biasing element biasing the interior arm toward the first end of the channel in a stationary position;

a position sensor configured to send a signal when the button moves between the first end of the channel and the second end of the channel; and
one or more processors configured to:
initiate a first action of an electronic device when the button is depressed at the stationary position;
receive the signal from the position sensor; and
terminate a second action being performed by the electronic device in communication with the input device when the signal from the position sensor is received.

11. The audio accessory of claim 1 , wherein the button is further configured to be depressed into the channel at an actuated position proximate to the second end of the channel, and the one or more processors are further configured to:
perform a third action of the electronic device when the button is depressed at the actuated position.

12. The input device of claim 10 , wherein the position sensor is a hall sensor that detects a presence of a magnet coupled to the input device.

13. The input device of claim 12 , wherein the magnet is positioned on the button and the hall sensor is positioned on the outer housing proximate to the second end of the channel.

14. A system comprising:
at least one earbud;
a wire extending from the earbud; and
an input device disposed along the wire and in communication with an electronic device, the input device comprising:
an outer housing having an outer surface and a channel extending along at least a portion of the outer surface;
a button disposed within the channel and configured to move within the channel between a first stationary position and a second actuated position;
a biasing element providing a force on the button to bias the button to the first stationary position;
a position sensor positioned within the channel proximate to the second end of the channel and configured to emit a signal when the button moves between the first stationary position and the second actuated position; and
one or more processors configured to:
initiate a first function of the electronic device when the button is depressed at the first stationary position;
receive the signal from the position sensor; and
emit a signal instructing the electronic device to perform a second function based on the received signal.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein movement of the button from the first stationary position to the second actuated position is against the force biasing the button.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the button further includes an outer button surface overlying the outer surface of the outer housing and an interior arm portion positioned within an interior of the outer housing, the interior arm portion connected to the biasing element.

17. A method for providing instructions to an electronic device connected to an audio accessory, the method comprising:
initiating, by one or more processors, a voice mode of the electronic device based upon depression of a button disposed within a channel on an input device attached to the audio accessory, the depression of the button being at a first stationary position at a first end of the channel, the button being biased towards the first stationary position by a biasing element;
receiving, by the one or more processors, a command in the voice mode instructing the electronic device to perform a function;
detecting, by one or more sensors positioned within the channel proximate to a second end of the channel, a magnet positioned within the button;
sending, by the one or more sensors, a signal based on a position of the detected magnet;
receiving, by the one or more processors, the signal;
determining, by the one or more processors, that the button has moved from the first stationary position towards a second actuated position at the second end of the channel based on th

Assignees

• Google Inc
• Google Llc

Inventors

• Roadley-Battin Philip Dam
• Toelle Haley
• Sumter Cody
• Chandel Alok

Classifications

• H04R1/1041 Primary

  Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H) · CPC title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R1/1033

  Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels (cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06) · CPC title