INPUT THROUGH SENSING OF USER-APPLIED FORCES

摘要

Methods and devices for providing a user input to a device through sensing of user-applied forces are described. A user applies forces to a rigid body as if to deform it and these applied forces are detected by force sensors in or on the rigid body. The resultant force on the rigid body is determined from the sensor data and this resultant force is used to identify a user input. In an embodiment, the user input may be a user input to a software program running on the device. In an embodiment the rigid body is the rigid case of a computing device which includes a display and which is running the software program.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
detecting a resultant force occurring in a rigid body of a device due to a plurality of user applied forces, the forces related to pushing opposing ends of the rigid body device towards each other; mapping the resultant force to a user input to the device; and defining the resultant force in terms of a set of input force actions, wherein mapping the resultant force to the user input to the device comprises mapping the resultant force to the user input based on a definition of the resultant force in terms of the set of input force actions and based on a magnitude of the resultant force.