IP Library Granted Patent US 9,804,682
Granted Patent B2
US 9,804,682 · App. 15/012,426 · Granted Oct 31, 2017

Systems and methods for performing multi-touch operations on a head-mountable device

Inventors: Chun Yat Frank Li (Mountain View, CA); Hayes Solos Raffle (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Google Inc.
G06F3/017G02B27/017G02B27/0176G06F1/163G06F3/012G06F3/013G06F3/03547G06F3/041G06F3/165G02B2027/014G02B2027/0138G02B2027/0161G02B2027/0178G02B2027/0187G06F2203/04104
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,804,682
App. No.
15/012,426
Granted
Oct 31, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments described herein may provide a configuration of input interfaces used to perform multi-touch operations. An example device may involve: (a) a housing arranged on a head-mountable device, (b) a first input interface arranged on either a superior or an inferior surface of the housing, (c) a second input interface arranged on a surface of the housing that is opposite to the first input interface, and (d) a control system configured to: (1) receive first input data from the first input interface, where the first input data corresponds to a first input action, and in response, cause a camera to perform a first operation in accordance with the first input action, and (2) receive second input data from the second input interface, where the second input data corresponds to a second input action(s) on the second input interface, and in response, cause the camera to perform a second operation.

Claims (35)

1. A head-wearable device comprising:

a glasses-style frame of the head-wearable device comprising a side-arm configured to be positioned adjacent to a head when the head-wearable device is worn;

a first input interface arranged on a first surface of the side-arm;

a second input interface arranged on a second surface of the side-arm opposite the first input interface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are arranged as an inferior surface and a superior surface of the side-arm, respectively, when the glasses-style head-wearable device is worn, such that the first surface and the second surface are positioned to receive input data from a thumb and another finger on a same hand as the thumb, respectively, when the glasses-style head-wearable device is worn; and

a control system configured to:

receive first input data from the first input interface, and responsive to the receipt of the first input data, cause a camera associated with the head-wearable device to perform a first camera operation in accordance with the first input action;

receive second input data from the second input interface, and responsive to the receipt of the second input data, cause the camera to perform a second camera operation that is different from the first camera operation; and

receive third input data comprising a combination of input data from the first and second input interface, and responsive to the receipt of the third input data, cause the camera to perform a third camera operation that is different from the first and second camera operations, wherein the third input data corresponds to an interaction with the inferiorly-arranged first surface by the thumb and a contemporaneous interaction with the superiorly-arranged second surface by a single other finger on the same hand as the thumb.

2. The head-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the first input interface is one of a button, a touch sensor, a rocker, a dial, a slider, and a multi-state sensor.

3. The head-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the second input interface is one of a button, a touch sensor, a rocker, a dial, a slider, and a multi-state sensor.

4. The head-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the first camera operation comprises adjusting a volume level of a speaker of the head-wearable device.

5. The head-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:

operate in a first mode; and

receive preliminary data that corresponds to a preliminary input action, and responsive to the receipt of the preliminary data, cause the control system to operate in a second mode.

6. The head-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of gestures is one of a finger roll, a finger rub, a finger swipe, a finger pinch, and a prolonged touch.

7. The head-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the input devices comprise one or more fingers of the hand.

8. A method comprising:

receiving first input data from a first input interface that corresponds to a first input action that is one or more of a first plurality of gestures, wherein the first input interface is arranged on first surface of a side-arm of a glasses-style head-wearable device;

receiving second input data from a second input interface that corresponds to a second input action, wherein the second input interface is arranged on a second surface of the side-arm that is opposite the first input interface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are arranged as an inferior surface and a superior surface of the side-arm, respectively, when the glasses-style head-wearable device is worn, such that the first surface and the second surface are positioned to receive input from a thumb and another finger on a same hand as the thumb, respectively, when the head-wearable device is worn;

responsive to the receipt of the first input data, causing a camera associated with the head-wearable device to perform a first camera operation in accordance with the first input action;

responsive to the receipt of the second input data, causing the camera to perform a second camera operation that is different from the first camera operation;

receiving third input data comprising a combination of input data from the first and second input interface, wherein the third input data corresponds to an interaction with the inferiorly-arranged first surface by the thumb and a contemporaneous interaction with the superiorly-arranged second surface by a single other finger on the same hand as the thumb; and

responsive to the receipt of the third input data, causing the camera to perform a third camera operation that is different from the first and second camera operations.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first camera operation comprises adjusting a volume level of a speaker of the head-wearable device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of gestures is one of a finger roll, a finger rub, a finger swipe, a finger pinch, and a prolonged touch.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second plurality of gestures is one of a finger roll, a finger rub, a finger swipe, and a prolonged touch.

12. A non-transitory computer readable memory having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving first input data from a first input interface that corresponds to a first input action that is one or more of a first plurality of gestures, wherein the first input interface is arranged on first surface of a side-arm of a glasses-style head-wearable device;

receiving second input data from a second input interface that corresponds to a second input action, wherein the second input interface is arranged on a second surface of the side-arm that is opposite the first input interface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are arranged as an inferior surface and a superior surface of the side-arm, respectively, when the glasses-style head-wearable device is worn, such that the first surface and the second surface are positioned to receive input from a thumb and another finger on a same hand as the thumb, respectively, when the head-wearable device is worn;

responsive to the receipt of the first input data, causing a camera associated with the head-wearable device to perform a first camera operation in accordance with the first input action;

responsive to the receipt of the second input data, causing the camera to perform a second camera operation that is different from the first camera operation;

receiving third input data comprising a combination of input data from the first and second input interface, wherein the third input data corresponds to an interaction with the inferiorly-arranged first surface by the thumb and a contemporaneous interaction with the superiorly-arranged second surface by a single other finger on the same hand as the thumb; and

responsive to the receipt of the third input data, causing the camera to perform a third camera operation that is different from the first and second camera operations.

13. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of gestures is one of a finger roll, a finger rub, a finger swipe, a finger pinch, and a prolonged touch.

14. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 12 , wherein the input devices comprise one or more fingers of the hand.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 5, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044129/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 4, 2016
From: LI, CHUN YAT FRANK; RAFFLE, HAYES SOLOS
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 037663/0374 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14084674 · Nov 20, 2013
Continuation PCTUS2014063123 · Oct 30, 2014
Related Publication 20160147309A1 · May 26, 2016