Technologies for remotely controlling a computing device via a wearable computing device

• US 10,289,198 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Raffa, Giuseppe, Anderson, Glen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kohlman, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US15/195,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20170052589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/26 characterised by optical transfer means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/342 the sensed object being the obturating part
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

Technologies for remotely controlling a separate computing device includes a wearable computing device to receive sensor data from an optical sensor of the wearable computing device. The sensor data comprises data is indicative of a skin surface of a forearm of a user of the wearable computing device. The wearable computing device generates control data based on the received sensor data. The generated control data is transmitted to the separate computing device. In some embodiments, an x-coordinate is generated based on detection of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user and a y-coordinate is generated based on detection of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user.

Claims

1. A wearable computing device to control a separate computing device, the wearable computing device comprising:

a first sensor to produce first sensor data indicative of a skin surface of a forearm of a user of the wearable computing device, wherein the first sensor data is indicative of (i) an amount of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user and (ii) an amount of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user;

a second sensor, different from the first sensor, to produce second sensor data indicative of an amount of linear movement of the wearable computing device toward or away from the skin surface of the forearm of the user; and

a control determination module to (i) generate control data based on the first and second sensor data, wherein the control data includes first coordinate data based on the amount of longitudinal movement, second coordinate data based on amount of rotational movement, and third coordinate data based on amount of linear movement and (ii) transmit the generated control data to the separate computing device.

2. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor data comprises a plurality of images of the skin surface of the forearm of the user captured by the first sensor.

3. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the interaction detection module further to detect interaction with the wearable computing device by the user.

4. The wearable computing device of claim 3, wherein to detect interaction with the wearable computing device comprises to detect movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user.

5. The wearable computing device of claim 4, wherein to generate the control data comprises to (i) generate an x-coordinate based on detection of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user and (ii) generate a y-coordinate based on detection of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user;

and

wherein to transmit the generated control data comprises to transmit the generated x-coordinate and y-coordinate to the separate computing device.

6. The wearable computing device of claim 4,

wherein to generate the control data comprises to (i) generate an x-coordinate from the first sensor data based on detection of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user, (ii) generate a y-coordinate from the first sensor data based on detection of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user, and (iii) generate a z-coordinate from the second sensor data based on detection of linear movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user;

and

wherein to transmit the generated control data comprises to transmit the generated x-coordinate, y-coordinate, and z-coordinate to the separate computing device.

7. The wearable computing device of claim 6, wherein the interaction detection module further to receive selection data from a selection device of the wearable computing device;

and

wherein the control determination module further to;

(i) generate at least one of (a) a zoom-in command based on a first z-coordinate indicative of linear movement of the wearable computing device closer to the skin surface of the forearm of the user or (b) a zoom-out command based on a second z-coordinate indicative of linear movement of the wearable computing device away from the skin surface of the forearm of the user and selection data received from a selection device of the wearable computing device, and (ii) transmit the generated zoom-in or zoom-out command to the separate computing device.

8. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the interaction detection module further to receive selection data from a selection device of the wearable computing device;

and

wherein the control determination module further to (i) generate a command based on the received selection data and (ii) transmit the generated command to the separate computing device.

9. The wearable computing device of claim 8, wherein to generate the command comprises to generate at least one of (i) an object selection command for selection of an object displayed by the separate computing device, (ii) an object grab command for selection and transfer of an object displayed by the separate computing device, or (iii) an authentication command for authentication of the user to the separate computing device.

10. The wearable computing device of claim 8, wherein the selection device comprises a piezoelectric sensor or a push-button.

11. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the wearable computing device comprises a wrist-based wearable computing device.

12. One or more non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that in response to being executed by a wearable computing device, cause the wearable computing device to:

receive first sensor data from a first sensor of the wearable computing device, wherein the first sensor data is indicative of (i) an amount of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user and (ii) an amount of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user;

receive second sensor data from a second sensor of the wearable computing device different from the first sensor, wherein the second sensor data is indicative of an amount of linear movement of the wearable computing device toward or away from the skin surface of the forearm of the user; and

generate control data based on the first and second sensor data, wherein the control data includes first coordinate data based on the amount of longitudinal movement, second coordinate data based on amount of rotational movement, and third coordinate data based on amount of linear movement; and

transmit the generated control data to a separate computing device.

13. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein the first sensor data comprises a plurality of images of the skin surface of the forearm of the user captured by the first sensor.

14. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the wearable computing device to detect interaction with the wearable computing device by the user.

15. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 14, wherein to detect interaction with the wearable computing device comprises to detect movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user.

16. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 15, wherein to generate the control data comprises to (i) generate an x-coordinate based on detection of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user and (ii) generate a y-coordinate based on detection of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user;

and

wherein to transmit the generated control data comprises to transmit the generated x-coordinate and y-coordinate to the separate computing device.

17. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 15, wherein to generate the control data comprises to (i) generate an x-coordinate from the first sensor data based on detection of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user, (ii) generate a y-coordinate from the first sensor data based on detection of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user, and (iii) generate a z-coordinate from the second sensor data based on detection of linear movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user;

and

wherein to transmit the generated control data comprises to transmit the generated x-coordinate, y-coordinate, and z-coordinate to the separate computing device.

18. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the wearable computing device to:

receive selection data from a selection device of the wearable computing device;

generate at least one of (a) a zoom-in command based on a first z-coordinate indicative of linear movement of the wearable computing device closer to the skin surface of the forearm of the user or (b) a zoom-out command based on a second z-coordinate indicative of linear movement of the wearable computing device away from the skin surface of the forearm of the user and selection data received from a selection device of the wearable computing device; and

transmit the generated zoom-in or zoom-out command to the separate computing device.

19. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the wearable computing device to:

receive selection data from a selection device of the wearable computing device;

generate a command based on the received selection data; and

transmit the generated command to the separate computing device.

20. The one or more non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 19, wherein to generate the command comprises to generate at least one of (i) an object selection command for selection of an object displayed by the separate computing device, (ii) an object grab command for selection and transfer of an object displayed by the separate computing device, or (iii) an authentication command for authentication of the user to the separate computing device.

21. A method for controlling a separate computing device, the method comprising:

producing, by a first sensor of a wearable computing device, first sensor data indicative of (i) an amount of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user and (ii) an amount of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user;

producing, by a second sensor different from the first sensor, second sensor data indicative of an amount of linear movement of the wearable computing device toward or away from the skin surface of the forearm of the user; and

generating, by the wearable computing device, control data based on the first and second sensor data, wherein the control data includes first coordinate data based on the amount of longitudinal movement, second coordinate data based on amount of rotational movement, and third coordinate data based on amount of linear movement; and

transmitting, by the wearable computing device, the generated control data to the separate computing device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting, by the wearable computing device, movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user;

wherein generating the control data comprises (i) generating an x-coordinate based on detection of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user and (ii) generating a y-coordinate based on detection of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user; and

wherein transmitting the generated control data comprises transmitting the generated x-coordinate and y-coordinate to the separate computing device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving, by the wearable computing device, selection data from a selection device of the wearable computing device;

generating, by the wearable computing device, a command based on the received selection data; and

transmitting, by the wearable computing device, the generated command to the separate computing device.