Wearable devices for detecting finger movements and related methods
First Claim
1. A ring-shaped wearable device for detecting finger movements, the wearable device comprising:
- a ring-shaped frame defining a space to receive a wearing finger;
an accelerometer coupled to the frame;
a first proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a first position and facing a first direction, the first proximity sensor to detect proximity of a first finger on a first side of the wearing finger to the first proximity sensor;
a second proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a second position and facing a second direction different than the first direction, the second proximity sensor to detect proximity of a second finger on a second side of the wearing finger opposite the first side of the wearing finger to the second proximity sensor;
a two-dimensional displacement sensor coupled to the frame at a third position and facing a third direction, the third position being between the first position and the second position;
a wireless communications transmitter coupled to the frame; and
a data processor coupled to the frame, the data processor being operable to;
receive input from the accelerometer, the first proximity sensor, the second proximity sensor, and the two-dimensional displacement sensor;
generate a first output based on a first movement of the first finger detected by the first proximity sensor, the first output indicating selection of a first key of a virtual keyboard;
generate a second output based on a second movement of the second finger detected by the second proximity sensor, the second output indicating selection of a second key of the virtual keyboard, the second key different than the first key; and
cause the wireless communications transmitter to transmit the first output and the second output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Examples relate to determining finger movements. In one example, a computing device may: receive input from at least one of: a first proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a first position and facing a first direction; or a second proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a second position and facing a second direction; determine, based on the input, that a finger action occurred, the finger action being one of: a first movement of a first finger, the first movement being detected by the first proximity sensor; a second movement of a second finger, the second movement being detected by the second proximity sensor; generate, based on the finger action, output that includes data defining an event that corresponds to the finger action; and provide the output to another computing device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A ring-shaped wearable device for detecting finger movements, the wearable device comprising:
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a ring-shaped frame defining a space to receive a wearing finger; an accelerometer coupled to the frame; a first proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a first position and facing a first direction, the first proximity sensor to detect proximity of a first finger on a first side of the wearing finger to the first proximity sensor; a second proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a second position and facing a second direction different than the first direction, the second proximity sensor to detect proximity of a second finger on a second side of the wearing finger opposite the first side of the wearing finger to the second proximity sensor; a two-dimensional displacement sensor coupled to the frame at a third position and facing a third direction, the third position being between the first position and the second position; a wireless communications transmitter coupled to the frame; and a data processor coupled to the frame, the data processor being operable to; receive input from the accelerometer, the first proximity sensor, the second proximity sensor, and the two-dimensional displacement sensor; generate a first output based on a first movement of the first finger detected by the first proximity sensor, the first output indicating selection of a first key of a virtual keyboard; generate a second output based on a second movement of the second finger detected by the second proximity sensor, the second output indicating selection of a second key of the virtual keyboard, the second key different than the first key; and cause the wireless communications transmitter to transmit the first output and the second output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A wearable device for detecting finger movements, the wearable device comprising:
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a frame defining a space for receiving a wearing finger; a hardware processor; and a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to; receive a first input from a first proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a first position and facing a first direction, the first proximity sensor to detect movement of a first finger adjacent a first side of the frame; receive a second input from a second proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a second position and facing a second direction different than the first direction, the second proximity sensor to detect movement of a second finger adjacent a second side of the frame opposite the first side of the frame; determine, based on the first input, that a first finger action occurred, the first finger action being a first movement of the first finger detected by the first proximity sensor, the first finger action corresponding to selection of a first key of a virtual keyboard; determine, based on the second input, that a second finger action occurred, the second finger action being a second movement of the second finger detected by the second proximity sensor, the second finger action corresponding to selection of a second key of the virtual keyboard different than the first key; generate, based on the first finger action, a first output specifying the selection of the first key; generate, based on the second finger action, a second output specifying the selection of the second key; and provide the first output and the second output to a computing device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for detecting finger movements, the method comprising:
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determining, by a hardware processor coupled to a ring-shaped frame to be worn on a wearing finger, a first position of the frame relative to a surface; determining, by the hardware processor, that a first finger movement occurred, based on a first distance meeting a first distance threshold, the first distance being measured by a first proximity sensor coupled to the frame, the first proximity sensor to measure distance between a first finger adjacent the wearing finger and the first proximity sensor; determining, by the hardware processor, that a second finger movement occurred based on a second distance meeting a second distance threshold, the second distance being measured by a second proximity sensor coupled to the frame, the second proximity sensor to measure distance between a second finger, different than the first finger, adjacent the wearing finger and the second proximity sensor; determining, based on the first position and the first finger movement, a first event associated with the first finger movement, the first event being selection of a first key of a virtual keyboard; determining, based on the first position and the second finger movement, a second event associated with the second finger movement, the second event being selection of a second key of the virtual keyboard; and providing a computing device with data indicating the first event associated with the first finger movement and the second event associated with the second finger movement. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to at least:
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receive a first input from a first proximity sensor coupled to a ring-shaped frame and facing a first direction away from a center of the ring-shaped frame, the first proximity sensor to detect movement of a first finger relative to the first proximity sensor; receive a second input from a second proximity sensor coupled to the ring-shaped frame and facing a second direction away from the center of the ring-shaped frame, the second proximity sensor to detect movement of a second finger relative to the second proximity sensor; determine, based on the first input, that a first movement of the first finger occurred; determine, based on the second input, that a second movement of the second finger occurred; generate a first output corresponding to the first movement of the first finger, the first output indicating selection of a first key of a virtual keyboard; generate a second output corresponding to the second movement of the second finger, the second output indicating selection of a second key of the virtual keyboard, the second key different than the first key; and provide the first output and the second output to a computing device.
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Specification