IP Library Granted Patent US 12,416,980
Granted Patent B2
US 12,416,980 · App. 18/129,343 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Hand customizable human input device

Inventors: Lindsay Nelson (Morrisville, NC); Inna Zolin (Morrisville, NC); Faisal Mohamed (Morrisville, NC); Allen Richey (Morrisville, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
G06F3/03543G06F3/04144G06F3/167G06F2203/04105
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,416,980
App. No.
18/129,343
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A human input device can include a processor; memory accessible to the processor; communication circuitry operatively coupled to the processor; pressure sensors operatively coupled to the processor and assignable to different navigation commands communicable via the communication circuitry; and a deformable material disposed over the pressure sensors that, upon deformation, provides for assignment of one or more of the pressure sensors to one or more of the different navigation commands.

Claims (27)

1. A human input device comprising:

opposing parallel, planar surfaces that extend to a perimeter, wherein the opposing parallel, planar surfaces comprise a palm side surface that faces a human palm of a human hand and that contacts the human palm and one or more proximal phalanxes of one or more fingers and a first portion of a thumb extending from the human palm of the human hand and bent over the perimeter in a contracted, claw state of the human hand, and a finger side surface that contact one or more distal phalanxes of the one or more fingers and a second portion of the thumb, as bent over the perimeter, in the contracted, claw state of the human hand;

a processor;

memory accessible to the processor;

communication circuitry operatively coupled to the processor;

a planar board;

pressure sensors mounted to one side of the planar board and operatively coupled to the processor and assignable to different navigation commands communicable via the communication circuitry; and

a deformable material disposed over the pressure sensors of the planar board that, upon deformation, forms one or more finger impressions on the finger side surface, responsive to contact by the one or more of the one or more distal phalanxes and the second portion of the thumb, that provide for assignment of one or more of the pressure sensors to one or more of the different navigation commands.

2. The human input device of claim 1 , comprising a driver application executable in an operating system environment of a computing device.

3. The human input device of claim 2 , wherein the driver application comprises a learning mode that, responsive pressure sensor actuation, performs the assignment of the one or more of the pressure sensors to one or more of the different navigation commands.

4. The human input device of claim 3 , wherein the pressure sensor actuation comprises a pressure sensor actuation sequence.

5. The human input device of claim 4 , wherein the pressure sensor actuation sequence actuates a single pressure sensor region of the pressure sensors.

6. The human input device of claim 4 , wherein the pressure sensor actuation sequence actuates more than one pressure sensor region of the pressure sensors.

7. The human input device of claim 2 , wherein the driver application receives audio input as feedback.

8. The human input device of claim 7 , wherein the audio input confirms or denies an assignment of the one or more of the pressure sensors to the one or more of the different navigation commands.

9. The human input device of claim 2 , wherein the driver application implements a machine-learning model that provides for the assignment of the one or more of the pressure sensors to the one or more of the different navigation commands.

10. The human input device of claim 1 , wherein the deformable material surrounds the planar board.

11. The human input device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensors are mounted to a single side of the planar board.

12. The human input device of claim 1 , comprising a battery and wireless charging circuitry operatively coupled to the battery.

13. The human input device of claim 1 , wherein the deformable material is permanently deformable.

14. The human input device of claim 1 , wherein the deformable material is resiliently deformable.

15. The human input device of claim 1 , wherein the deformable material comprises a foam.

16. The human input device of claim 1 , wherein the deformable material comprises a deformable state transitionable to a hardened state.

17. The human input device of claim 16 , wherein the deformable state is a heated state that is transitionable to the hardened state via cooling.

18. The human input device of claim 16 , wherein the deformable state is transitionable to the hardened state via polymerization.

19. The human input device of claim 1 , comprising planar dimensions less than 15 cm by 15 cm.

20. The human input device of claim 1 , wherein the perimeter comprises a rounded portion and a tab portion, wherein the rounded portion of the perimeter contacts one or more proximal interphalangeal creases of the one or more fingers and a crease between the first portion and the second portion of the thumb, as bent over the perimeter in the contracted, claw state of the human hand such that the one or more proximal phalanxes and the first portion of the thumb contact the palm side surface and the one or more distal phalanxes and the second portion of the thumb contact the finger side surface, and wherein the tab portion of the perimeter extends in a direction away from the rounded portion and from a proximal crease of the human hand towards a wrist crease of the human hand in the contracted, claw state of the human hand.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2024
From: NELSON, LINDSAY; ZOLIN, INNA; MOHAMED, FAISAL; RICHEY, ALLEN
To: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
Reel/Frame 066394/0454 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2024
From: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 066104/0104 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240329756A1 · Oct 3, 2024
References Cited (21)
US 5757360A · Nitta · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 6115030A · Berstis et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6229527B1 · Shearn · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6616108B1 · Brophy · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 6664947B1 · Vinogradov · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 10599233B1 · Amalou · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20010024192A1 · Lewis · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 20030074766A1 · Tillim · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20050110773A1 · Chapman · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20100295787A1 · Tang · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20140214430A1 · Wang · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140267040A1 · Theytaz · 2014 [cited by examiner]
Rendl et al., PyzoFlex: Printed Piezoelectric Pressure Sensing Foil, Oct. 2012, DOI:10.1145/2380116.2380180 Conference: 25th annual ACM symposium on User interface software and technology—UIST'12 at: Boston (11 pages). [cited by applicant]
Skalsky AJ, McDonald CM. Prevention and management of limb contractures in neuromuscular diseases. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. Aug. 2012;23(3):675-87. doi: 10.1016/j.pmr.2012.06.009. PMID: 22938881; PMCID: PMC3482407. (… [cited by applicant]
Taiwan Alpha Electronics, Pressure Sensor Array, MMT1011, 2022 (1 page). [cited by applicant]
Taiwan Alpha Electronics, Pressure Sensor Array, MMS1011, 2022 (1 page). [cited by applicant]
Nuriye Kübra Bayraktar, Esin Özşahin, Anthropometric measurement of the hand, East J Med 23(4): 298-301, 2018, DOI: 10.5505/ejm.2018.03164 (4 pages). [cited by applicant]
Hand-moldable plastic, Product ID: 2504, https://www.adafruit.com/product/2504 (2015) (1 page). [cited by applicant]
Taiwan Alpha Electronics, Pressure Sensor Array, MF02, 2022 (2 pages). [cited by applicant]
Lane R, Nallamothu SV. Claw Hand. [Updated Aug. 8, 2023]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; Jan. 2024-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507781/ (7 pages). [cited by applicant]
Tap Strap 2, Amazon.com, https://www.amazon.com/TAPWITHUS-Tap-Strap-Wearable-Controller/, 2021 (1 page). [cited by applicant]