Contextually-based functional assignment for a user-manipulable element on an input device

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a computer-implemented method includes detecting a selectable control element on a graphical user interface (GUI), determining an editable parameter associated with the selectable control element, associating a control of the editable parameter with a user-manipulable element on an input device, and generating and sending, to the input device, control data causing the input device to assign a performance characteristic to the user manipulable element based on properties of the editable parameter. In some aspects, the user manipulable element can be a rotatable knob on the input device. The performance characteristic may include a rotation resistance of the knob, a rotational input resolution of the knob (e.g., rotation sensitivity), setting a ratchet or non-ratchet mode of operation to the knob based on the properties of the editable parameter (e.g., by controlling an electro-magnetic actuator to set the ratchet or non-ratchet modes), or a depressible knob.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 detecting, by a processor on a host computing device, a selectable control element on a graphical user interface (GUI);   determining, by the processor, an editable parameter associated with the selectable control element;   associating a control of the editable parameter with a user-manipulable element on an input device; and   generating and sending, by the processor to the input device, control data causing the input device to assign a performance characteristic to the user-manipulable element based on properties of the editable parameter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the user-manipulable element is a rotatable knob on the input device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the performance characteristic is a rotation resistance of the knob. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein assigning the performance characteristic to the knob further includes setting a ratchet or non-ratchet mode of operation to the knob based on the properties of the editable parameter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the control data controls an electro-magnetic actuator in the knob to set the ratchet mode and non-ratchet mode of operation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the performance characteristic is a rotational input resolution of the knob. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 receiving a first input data corresponding to a rotation of the knob; 
 receiving a second input data corresponding to the rotation of the knob; and 
 applying the first input data and second input data to the editable parameter as a single continuous input when the first and second input data are received within a threshold time. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the knob further includes a touch sensor on a surface of the knob, and wherein associating a control of the editable parameter with the knob further includes assigning a function with the touch sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the function includes entering a value of the editable parameter in response to receiving input data corresponding to a touch detected by the touch sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the function includes switching to a second editable parameter associated with the selectable control element in response to receiving input data corresponding to a touch detected by the touch sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the knob further includes a second touch sensor on a perimeter of the knob, and wherein the function includes switching to a second editable parameter associated with the selectable control element in response to receiving:
 input data corresponding to a touch detected by the touch sensor; and 
 input data corresponding to a touch detected by the second touch sensor. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the knob further includes one or more additional touch sensors around a perimeter of the knob to detect multiple simultaneous touches on the perimeter. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selectable control element is one of:
 a selectable icon on the GUI; 
 a selectable item in a menu on the GUI; or 
 a graphical element on the GUI. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor, input data corresponding to a movement of a cursor on the GUI, 
 wherein the detecting the selectable control element on the GUI occurs in response to detecting when the cursor is placed over the selectable control element. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the user-manipulable element includes a touch sensor, and wherein assigning the performance characteristic to the user-manipulable element is performed further in response to receiving an input corresponding to a touch on the touch sensor. 
     
     
         16 . An input device comprising:
 a housing;   a processor disposed in the housing;   a user-manipulable knob disposed on the housing and controlled by the processor; and   a ratchet system disposed in the knob to apply one of a ratcheted or non-ratcheted mode to the knob,   wherein the processor controls an operational configuration of the user-manipulable knob based on control data received from the host computing device, the operational configuration corresponding to a contextual usage of the input device on the host computing device, and   wherein the operational configuration includes an assigned ratcheted or non-ratcheted mode based on the control data.   
     
     
         17 . The input device of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a touch sensor controlled by the processor and disposed on a surface of the knob to detect a touch, 
 wherein the operational configuration further includes an assigned touch sensor mode based on the control data. 
 
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented system:
 one or more processors; and   one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:   detecting, by a processor on a host computing device, a selectable control element on a graphical user interface (GUI);   determining, by the processor, an editable parameter associated with the selectable control element;   associating a control of the editable parameter with a user-manipulable element on an input device; and   generating and sending, by the processor to the input device, control data causing the input device to assign a performance characteristic to the user-manipulable element based on properties of the editable parameter.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the user manipulable element is a rotatable knob on the input device, and wherein the performance characteristic is a rotation resistance of the knob. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein assigning the performance characteristic to the knob further includes setting a ratchet or non-ratchet mode of operation to the knob based on the properties of the editable parameter.