Techniques for notebook hinge sensors

• US 10,459,527 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Okuley, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US15/865,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20190004612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects

Abstract

Techniques are described for notebook hinge users. For example, a computing device may comprise a housing having a processor circuit and an input device, the input device arranged on a side of the housing, a lid having a digital display arranged on a side of the lid, a hinge arranged to couple the housing and the lid, and a sensor module coupled to the processor circuit, the sensor module arranged inside the hinge and operative to capture motion input outside of the computing device.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a housing including a base carrying a keyboard and a lid connected to the base by a hinge;

a display screen carried by the lid of the housing, the display screen to display a pointer;

a sensor in the hinge of the housing, the sensor to monitor an eye of a user and output data;

at least one processor; and

at least one storage device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause movement of the pointer on the display screen based on the data output by the sensor.

2. The computing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the hinge defines an opening therein to expose the sensor.

3. The computing device as defined in claim 2, wherein the sensor is at least partially exposed through the hinge via the opening.

4. The computing device as defined in claim 1, further including a second sensor supported by the housing to generate motion data indicative of movement of a body part of the user relative to the computing device, the at least one processor to cause movement of the pointer on the display screen based on the motion data.

5. The computing device as defined in claim 4, wherein the motion data is indicative of a finger gesture by the user.

6. The computing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an infrared sensor.

7. The computing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a camera.

8. The computing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is to detect movement of the eye of the user based on the data output by the sensor.

9. A computing device comprising:

a housing including a base and a lid;

a display screen carried by the lid, the display screen to display a graphical user interface element;

a chamber defined in a region adjacent the base and the lid;

a sensor in the chamber, the sensor to output data based on a gaze of the user;

at least one processor; and

at least one storage device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause movement of the graphical user interface element on the display screen based on the data output by the sensor.

10. The computing device as defined in claim 9, wherein the sensor is at least partially visible to the user.

11. The computing device as defined in claim 10, further including a cover to selectively move over or expose at least a portion of the sensor.

12. The computing device as defined in claim 9, wherein the region is between respective ends of the base and the lid.

13. The computing device as defined in claim 9, wherein the chamber exposes a field of view for the sensor to monitor the gaze of the user.

14. The computing device as defined in claim 9, further including a second sensor supported by the housing, the second sensor to generate motion data indicative of movement of a body part of the user relative to the computing device, the at least one processor to cause adjustment of the display of the graphical user interface element on the display screen based on the motion data.

15. The computing device as defined in claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is to cause the adjustment by causing a change in a size of the graphical user interface element.

16. A computing device comprising:

a base;

a lid;

a display screen carried by the lid;

means for monitoring an eye of a user;

means for hingedly connecting the base to the lid, the hingedly connecting means to support the means for monitoring in a region between the base and the lid; and

display control means for causing movement of a pointer on the display screen based on data output by the means for monitoring.

17. The computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the means for monitoring includes one or more of a camera or an infrared sensor.

18. The computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the means for monitoring is at least partially exposed to the user through the means for supporting.

19. The computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the display control means is to determine a position of the eye relative to the display screen based on the data output by the means for monitoring.

20. The computing device as defined in claim 16, wherein the means for supporting defines a chamber to receive the means for monitoring.