Wearable motion sensing computing interface

• US 10,168,775 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Devices, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Devices, LLC
• Inventors: Mastandrea, Nicholas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheng, Tom
• Application Number:
  US14/828,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20160209920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 345157-167, 345173, 463 37, 463 38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a sensor configured to detect movement and generate movement data related to at least part of a detected movement; a messaging unit configured to create a message that is configured to include movement information based at least in part upon the movement data; a transmitter in data communication with the messaging unit and configured to transmit the message; a touch sensor area configured to send, based at least in part on detection of a touch, an activation signal to the messaging unit; and a housing configured to at least partially enclose at least one of the sensor, the messaging unit, and the transmitter, and including a finger grip configured to secure the housing to a human finger.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensor configured to detect movement and generate first movement data related to at least part of a detected movement in at least one spatial plane and second movement data related to at least part of a detected movement that is indicative of a tapping motion;

a messaging unit configured to create a message that is configured to include movement information based at least in part upon one of the first movement data and the second movement data;

a transmitter in data communication with the messaging unit and configured to transmit the message;

a touch sensor area configured to send, based at least in part on detection of a touch, an activation signal to the messaging unit; and

a housing configured to at least partially enclose at least one of the sensor, the messaging unit, and the transmitter, and including a finger grip configured to secure the housing to a human finger.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the finger grip is removably connected to the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the finger grip includes a band.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sensor includes an accelerometer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the movement information includes acceleration data of the accelerometer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor includes a gyroscope.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the movement information further includes rotational data of the gyroscope.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gyroscope is a three-axis gyroscope.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a power source configured to supply electrical energy to at least one of the transmitter and the sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the power source is a source selected from the group consisting of a battery, a capacitor, and an external power source coupled with the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a slide sensor including a touch surface in data communication with the messaging unit and configured to detect a sliding touch upon the touch surface of the slide sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the message is configured to include touch data.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the messaging unit is configured to request establishment of a communication channel with a computing device based at least in part upon the activation signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the movement information is sent to the computing device, using the communication channel, to direct movement of a cursor of the computing device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the messaging unit is configured to halt message creation based at least in part upon a condition selected from the group consisting of loss of a communication link, reduction in detected movement, loss of detection of the activation signal, expiration of a timer, detection of a low power condition, detection of an error condition, and receipt of a halt message.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a visual indicator configured to be activated based at least in part upon a condition selected from the group consisting if a power-on condition, a self-test condition, movement, transmission of a message, receipt of a message, and establishment of a communication channel.

18. A method, comprising:

detecting a movement with a sensor;

generating first movement data related to at least part of the movement in at least one spatial plane and second movement data related to at least part of a detected movement that is indicative of a tapping motion;

detecting a touch with a touch sensor;

activating a messaging unit based at least in part upon detection of the touch by the touch sensor;

creating, with the messaging unit, a message that is configured to include movement information based at least in part upon one of the first movement data and the second movement data; and

transmitting the created message to a computing device;

wherein at least one of the sensor, the messaging unit, and the transmitter is at least partially enclosed in a housing that includes a finger grip configured to secure the housing to a human finger.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensor includes an accelerometer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the movement information is based at least in part on acceleration data of the accelerometer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sensor includes a gyroscope.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the movement information further includes rotational data of the gyroscope.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the gyroscope is a three-axis gyroscope.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

powering at least one of the transmitter and the sensor by supplying electrical energy from a power source.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

generating sliding touch data associated with a sliding touch on a touch surface of a slide sensor that is in data communication with the messaging unit.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the message is configured to include the sliding touch data.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising requesting establishment of a communication channel with a computing device based at least in part upon detection of the touch by the touch sensor.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

activating a visual indicator based at least in part upon detection of a condition selected from the group consisting of a power-on condition, a self-test condition, detection of a touch, movement, transmission of a message, receipt of a message, and establishment of a communication channel.