Remote control via proximity data

• US 10,168,776 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Billau, Michael R., Hartenbaum, Alissa J., Johnson, Trenton J., Vennam, Saikrishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Sadio, Insa
• Application Number:
  US15/244,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20180059784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 345156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments relate to use of proximity sensors to control a digital interface. More specifically, proximity detection and analysis of the sensors, and translating the proximity into one or more commands is utilized to control the interface. In various embodiments, a system is provided with a set of sensors operatively coupled to a secondary surface. The sensors are in communication with a hub positioned proximal to the sensors. The hub is configured to be in communication with a remote interface. Similarly, the remote interface is configured operatively coupled to a remote physical device (e.g. digital interface). As changes in the sensor position data are measured, the remote interface device communicates an action based on a set of rules. The action is communicated from the interface to the remote physical device and functions to physically transform a functional aspect of the device.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a first of sensors including two or more sensors operatively coupled to a sensor hub, a first of the sensors, Si, fixed to a first location, a second of the sensors, Sj, fixed to a second location, and the hub fixed to a third location;

the hub in communication with a remote interface; and

the remote interface operatively coupled to a remote physical device,

the remote interface to utilize proximity sensor positioning to respond to a change in sensor position data, including;

receive an initial set of distance rules for associating an action, Aij, with sensor position data; and

measure a change in sensor position data and associate the action, Aij, based on the distance rules;

create an outcome set with at least partial matches to the action from a corpus;

apply a score to each entry in the outcome set; and

select an entry in the outcome set having a highest score and apply the selected entry to the action, A_ij; and

communicate the action, Aij, to the remote physical device, the action to physically transform a functional aspect of the remote physical device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote physical device is a digital interface.

3. The system of claim 2, the remote interface comprising a tool to adjust the action, Aij, based on the sensor position data and a measured time duration.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each sensor is placed on a location selected from the group consisting of:

a finger, and a palm of a user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote interface comprises a tool to forward a current position of the sensors to an evaluator, and the remote interface further comprising the evaluator to search the corpus for evidence of a detected action, the evaluator to apply the score to each entry in the outcome set.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising the evaluator to select a matching pattern from the member of the outcome set having the highest score, wherein the action physically transforms the device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the evaluator applies a score to the entries that are inexact matches for the measured change in sensor position data.

8. A computer program product for utilizing proximity sensor positioning for interfacing with a remote physical device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processing unit to:

receive an initial set of distance rules between wearable sensors representing actions, wherein a first set of distances, Dij, between wearable sensors Si and Sj at least partially determine an action, Aij, on a remote physical device;

detect Si and Sj within proximity of the Dij for a predetermined period of time and determine a proximity measurement, wherein the proximity measurement is compared with at least one prior proximity measurement and the proximity measurement is assigned a score at least partially as a function of the comparison;

select the action, Aij, as a function of the score including;

create an outcome set with at least partial matches to the action, Aij, from a corpus;

apply a score to each entry in the outcome set; and

select the entry in the outcome set having a highest score and apply the selected entry to the action, A_ij; and

communicate the action, Aij, to the remote physical device, the action to physically transform a functional aspect of the remote physical device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the remote physical device is a digital interface.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program code to adjust the action, Aij, based on the sensor distances and measured time duration.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein each Si is placed on a location selected from the group consisting of:

a finger, and a palm of a user.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program code to read a current position of the sensors and search the corpus for evidence of a detected action.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising program code to select a matching pattern from the member of the outcome set having the highest score, and physically transform the remote physical device corresponding to an associated action instruction.

14. A method for utilizing proximity sensor positioning for interfacing with a device, comprising:

receiving an initial set of distance rules between wearable sensors representing actions, wherein a first set of distances, Dij, between wearable sensors Si and Sj is determined;

responsive to detecting Si and Sj within proximity of the Dij for a predetermined period of time, associating at least one proximity measurement with the detection;

comparing the detected proximity measurement with at least one stored proximity measurement;

assigning a score to each detected proximity measurement at least partially as a function of the at least one stored proximity measurement;

selecting an action, Aij, as a function of the score including;

creating an outcome set with at least partial matches to the action, Aij, from a corpus;

applying a score to each entry in the outcome set; and

selecting the entry in the outcome set having a highest score and apply the selected entry to the action, A_ij;

communicating the action, Aij, to a remote physical device; and

physically transforming a functional aspect of the remote physical device in response to receiving the action, Aij.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the remote physical device is a digital interface.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting the action, Aij, based on the sensor distances and a measured time duration.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each Si is placed on a location selected from the group consisting of:

a finger, and a palm of a user.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising reading a current position of the sensors and searching the corpus for evidence of a detected action.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising selecting a matching pattern from a member of the outcome set having a highest score, and physically transforming the remote physical device corresponding to an associated action instruction.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining that the detected proximity measurement does not have an exact match to a stored entry in the corpus.