IP Library Granted Patent US 9,411,429
Granted Patent B2
US 9,411,429 · App. 14/310,883 · Granted Aug 9, 2016

Rotary controller arrangement

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,411,429
App. No.
14/310,883
Granted
Aug 9, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for a rotary controller arrangement. A method may include receiving an indication that a rotary control element is moved to a first end position. A first action may be performed based on a selection of the first action at the first end position. An indication that the rotary control element is moved to a second end position may be received. A second action may be performed based on a selection of the second action at the second end position. The disclosed rotary controller arrangement includes assigning an action to the end point of rotation of a rotary control element. By assigning an action to an end point of rotation, a user may rotate the rotary control element to a particular end point to easily find and select the desired action.

Claims (28)

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a rotary control element is moved to a first end position in a first device, the first end position being a hard stop beyond which the rotary control element cannot physically be rotated any farther;

providing the indication to a second device external to the first device;

performing a first action based on a selection of the first action at the first end position in the second device;

receiving an indication that the rotary control element is moved to a second end position in the first device, the second end position being a hard stop beyond which the rotary control element cannot physically be rotated any farther; and

performing a second action different from the first action in the second device based on a selection of the second action at the second end position,

wherein the first action and the second action are selected from the group consisting of: a delete action, a call action, a previous multimedia track action, a next multimedia track action, a return action, and a next navigation step action.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling a mode, in a multimedia system, in response to movement of the rotary control element between the first end position and the second end position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein in a first mode, the first end position is associated with the first action and the second end position is associated with the second action, and wherein, in a second mode, the first end position is associated with a third action and the second end position is associated with a fourth action.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode is a telephone mode, and wherein the rotary control element is rotated clockwise and counter clockwise between the first end position and the second end position to select digits for input of a phone number.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of positions between the first end position and the second end position, wherein each position in the plurality of positions represents a unique digit.

6. The method of claim 1 , the first end position is located at a 7 o'clock position on the rotary control element.

7. The method of claim 1 , the second end position is located at a 5 o'clock position on the rotary control element.

8. A system comprising:

a rotary control element; and

a processor configured to:

receive an indication that the rotary control element is moved to a first end position, the first end position being a hard stop beyond which the rotary control element cannot physically be rotated any farther;

provide the indication to an external device;

perform a first action based on a selection of the first action at the first end position in the external device;

receive an indication that the rotary control element is moved to a second end position, the second end position being a hard stop beyond which the rotary control element cannot physically be rotated any farther; and

perform a second action different from the first action in the external device based on a selection of the second action at the second end position,

wherein the first action and the second action are selected from the group consisting of: a delete action, a call action, a previous multimedia track action, a next multimedia track action, a return action, and a next navigation step action.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to control a mode, in a multimedia system, in response to movement of the rotary control element between the first end position and the second end position.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein in a first mode, the first end position is associated with the first action and the second end position is associated with the second action, and wherein, in a second mode, the first end position is associated with a third action and the second end position is associated with a fourth action.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the function is a telephone function, and wherein the rotary control element is rotated clockwise and counter clockwise between the first end position and the second end position to select digits for input of a phone number.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the rotary control element comprises a plurality of positions between the first end position and the second end position, wherein each position in the plurality of positions represents a unique digit.

13. The system of claim 8 , the first end position is located at a 7 o'clock position on the rotary control element.

14. The system of claim 8 , the second end position is located at a 5 o'clock position on the rotary control element.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 2, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044566/0657 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2014
From: SCHULLER, DONALD GEOFFREY
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 033151/0963 →