DEVICE AND USER INTERFACE FOR VISUALIZING, NAVIGATING, AND MANIPULATING HIERARCHICALLY STRUCTURED INFORMATION ON HOST ELECTRONIC DEVICES

摘要

A defined class of input devices is disclosed, consisting of a graspable body in two forms. Both forms include a scroll wheel-style mechanism that functions as a button from multiple directions, both include an apparatus providing six degrees of gestural freedom in three dimensions, and both provide for the wireless transmission capacity of these inputs, user data, audio, and other communications for the purpose of carrying credentials among various host electronic devices, and for manipulating and navigating an associated user interface for hierarchy visualization of structured information to be displayed on those host devices.

主权项

1. A user interface input device for operative interaction with an information appliance or computational electronic device, said input device comprising:
a body, said body including an input mechanism, an inertial sensor, and a feedback mechanism; said inertial sensor operative to detect movement of said body, with said input device wirelessly communicating with a host device to transfer data to the host device, and with said feedback mechanism operable to provide a response to a user of said input device.