Touch interaction methods and systems using a human body as a signal transmission medium

• US 10,275,018 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated), Beijing Zhigu RUI TUO Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Beijing Zhigu RUI TUO Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Du, Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ritchie, Darlene M
• Application Number:
  US15/302,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20170031474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves

Abstract

Interaction methods and systems are provided relating to the field of information interaction. A method comprises: sending a first wave signal; in response to contact between a user body and an object, receiving a second wave signal that corresponds to the first wave signal after the first wave signal is transmitted by using a medium comprising at least a part of the user body; and obtaining a parameter of the contact between the user body and the object according to a signal characteristic of the received second wave signal. The interaction method and system can help a user to naturally and efficiently complete an information interaction process, simplify an interaction process, and improve the interaction efficiency.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending, by a wearable system attached to a user comprising a processor, a first wave signal that transmits through a part of a body of the user as a medium to an object in touch with the user;

receiving, by the wearable system, a second wave signal comprising;

a first received wave signal transmitting through the same part of the body, the first received wave signal being a reflected wave formed by the first wave on a touched surface of the object after the first wave signal is reflected by the object, or

a second received wave signal transmitting through a different part of the body, the second received wave signal being a transmitted wave formed after the first wave penetrates through the object;

obtaining a parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to a signal characteristic of the second wave signal, the parameter comprising at least one of;

a contact time or a contact area; and

executing a corresponding operation according to the parameter, the operation comprising at least one of switching a mode, inputting content, or matching a device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are electromagnetic wave signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the part of the body of the user comprises a hand of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to the signal characteristic of the second wave signal comprises:

obtaining the parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to another signal characteristic, corresponding to a reference contact parameter, of the second wave signal and the signal characteristic of the second wave signal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

pre-determining the other signal characteristic, corresponding to the reference contact parameter, of the second wave signal.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the reference contact parameter comprises:

a reference parameter value or a reference parameter interval.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal characteristic of the second wave signal is related to at least one of an amplitude, a phase, or a frequency spectrum of the second wave signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal characteristic of the second wave signal comprises at least one of a fingerprint, an average value, or a difference, and wherein

the fingerprint is formed by at least one of the amplitude, the phase, or the frequency spectrum of the second wave signal;

the average value is the average value of at least one of the amplitude, the phase, or the frequency spectrum of the second wave signal; and

the difference is the difference of at least one of the amplitude, the phase, or the frequency spectrum of the second wave signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are acoustic wave signals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are ultrasonic wave signals.

11. A wearable system, comprising:

a processor, coupled to a memory, that executes executable modules stored in the memory, the executable modules comprising;

a sending module that sends, by the wearable system attached to a user, a first wave signal that transmits through a part of a body of the user as a medium to an object in touch with the user;

a receiving module that receives a second wave signal comprising

a first received wave signal transmitting via the same part of the body, the first received wave signal being a reflected wave formed by the first wave on a touched surface of the object after the first wave signal is reflected by the object, or

a second received wave signal transmitting through a different part of the body, the second received wave signal being a transmitted wave formed after the first wave penetrates through the object;

a processing module that obtains a parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to a signal characteristic of the second wave signal, the parameter comprising at least one of;

a contact time or a contact area; and

an execution module that executes a corresponding operation according to the parameter, the operation comprising at least one of switching a mode, inputting content, or matching a device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises at least one of a wrist strap and a ring.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing module obtains the parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to another signal characteristic, corresponding to a reference contact parameter, of the second wave signal and the signal characteristic of the second wave signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the executable modules further comprise:

a determining module that pre-determines the other signal characteristic, corresponding to the reference contact parameter, of the second wave signal.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising at least one executable instruction, which, in response to execution, causes a wearable device, attached to a user, comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

sending a first wave signal that transmits through a part of a body of the user as a medium to an object in touch with the user;

receiving a second wave signal comprising;

a first received wave signal transmitted through the same part of the body, the first received wave signal being a reflected wave formed by the first wave on a touched surface of the object after the first wave signal is reflected by the object, or

a second received wave signal transmitting through a different part of the body, the second received wave signal being a transmitted wave formed after the first wave penetrates through the object;

obtaining a parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to a signal characteristic of the second wave signal, the parameter comprising at least one of;

a contact time or a contact area; and

executing a corresponding operation according to the parameter, the operation comprising at least one of switching a mode, inputting content, or matching a device.

16. A wearable device, comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing executable instructions, the processor being connected to the memory through a communication bus, and when the wearable device operates, the processor executes the executable instructions stored in the memory, so that the wearable device executes operations, comprising:

sending a first wave signal that transmits through a part of a body of the user as a medium to an object in touch with the user;

receiving a second wave signal comprising;

a first received wave signal transmitted through the same part of the body, the first received wave signal being a reflected wave formed by the first wave on a touched surface of the object after the first wave signal is reflected by the object, or

a second received wave signal transmitting through a different part of the body, the second received wave signal being a transmitted wave formed after the first wave penetrates through the object;

obtaining a parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to a signal characteristic of the second wave signal, the parameter comprising at least one of;

a contact time or a contact area; and

executing a corresponding operation according to the parameter, the operation comprising at least one of switching a mode, inputting content, or matching a device.

17. The wearable device of claim 16, wherein the obtaining the parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to the signal characteristic of the second wave signal comprises:

obtaining the parameter of the contact between the body of the user and the object according to another signal characteristic, corresponding to a reference contact parameter, of the second wave signal and the signal characteristic of the second wave signal.

18. The wearable device of claim 17, the operations further comprising:

pre-determining the other signal characteristic, corresponding to the reference contact parameter, of the second wave signal.

19. The wearable device of claim 17, wherein the reference contact parameter comprises:

a reference parameter value or a reference parameter interval.

20. The wearable device of claim 16, wherein the signal characteristic of the second wave signal is related to at least one of an amplitude, a phase, or a frequency spectrum of the second wave signal.

21. The wearable device of claim 20, wherein the signal characteristic of the second wave signal comprises at least one of a fingerprint, an average value, or a difference, and wherein

the fingerprint is formed by at least one of the amplitude, the phase, or the frequency spectrum of the second wave signal;

the average value is the average value of at least one of the amplitude, the phase, or the frequency spectrum of the second wave signal; and

the difference is the difference of at least one of the amplitude, the phase, or the frequency spectrum of the second wave signal.