Virtual input system

• US 10,564,776 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2017
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: American Patents LLC
• Inventors: Wells, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US15/468,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20170329457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 463 36, 345156
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

For a user having a user input actuator, a virtual interface device, such as for a gaming machine, for determining actuation of a virtual input by the input actuator is disclosed. The device comprises a position sensing device for determining a location of the user input actuator and a controller coupled to the position sensing device, the controller determining whether a portion of the user input actuator is within a virtual input location in space defining the virtual input.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

at least one location sensor that detects a location of an object;

at least one motion sensor that detects motion at a virtual input location; and

a controller that determines a user input at the virtual input location based at least in part on whether at least a portion of the motion at the virtual input location detected by the motion sensor is at the location of the object detected by the location sensor.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one location sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the virtual input location is defined by a three-dimensional space.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one location sensor comprises a Doppler radar sensor.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the Doppler radar sensor comprises at least two micro-patch arrays.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the Doppler radar sensor operates using a frequency modulated/continuous wave operation.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one motion sensor comprises an infrared emitter and an infrared camera.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one motion sensor comprises a visible light camera.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a surface, wherein the virtual input location is defined substantially on the surface.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the surface comprises an indication of the virtual input location.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a projector that projects the indication on the surface.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the projector projects the image as moving on the surface.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the surface is non-planar.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising an object sensor that detects a human form.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the controller further determines the user input based on whether the object is a human.

16. A method comprising:

detecting, by at least one location sensor, a location of an object;

detecting, by at least one motion sensor, motion at a virtual input location; and

determining, by a controller, a user input at the virtual input location based at least in part on whether at least a portion of the motion at the virtual input location detected by the motion sensor is at the location of the object detected by the location sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one location sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the virtual input location is defined by a three-dimensional space.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one motion sensor comprises a camera.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the virtual input location is defined substantially on a surface.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting, by an object sensor, a human form.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said determining the user input is further based on whether the object is a human.

23. A method comprising:

determining a location of a user input at a virtual input location by at least one location sensor;

detecting motion at the virtual input location by at least one camera; and

determining whether a portion of the user input is within the virtual input location in a space that defines a virtual input by a controller coupled to the at least one location sensor and the at least one camera.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one location sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the space that defines the virtual input is a three-dimensional space.

26. A system comprising:

at least one location sensor that detects a location of a user input at a virtual input location;

at least one camera that detects motion at the virtual input location; and

a controller that determines whether a portion of the user input is within the virtual input location in a space that defines a virtual input, wherein the controller is coupled to the at least one location sensor and the at least one camera.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the at least one location sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the space that defines the virtual input is a three-dimensional space.

29. A system comprising:

at least one location sensor that detects a location of a user input at a virtual input location;

a first controller in communication with the at least one location sensor;

at least one camera that detects motion at the virtual input location;

a second controller in communication with the at least one camera;

wherein the controllers determine whether a portion of the user input is within the virtual input location in a space that defines a virtual input.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one location sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the space that defines the virtual input is a three-dimensional space.