Sensing chair as an input device for human-computer interaction

• US 20020167486A1
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation (The Trustees of Purdue University (d/b/a Purdue University))
• Original Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation (The Trustees of Purdue University (d/b/a Purdue University))
• Inventors: Tan, Hong Z., Ebert, David S.
• Application Number:
  US10/118,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20020167486A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 Force or pressure sensors
• 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

Abstract

A body support structure such as a chair provides an input device for a computer or computer-controlled apparatus via sensors associated with the chair. The sensing chair sensor or sensors covering the seat and/or seat back. The sensing chair determines an occupant'"'"'s position, movement, weight shifting, and/or other parameters regarding the occupant. In one form, the sensor is adapted to obtain pressure and pressure distribution of the occupant in the sensing chair, both static and real-time. The pressure and/or pressure distribution data/signals for the occupant is processed to provide control/control signals to a processing system, computer, and/or computer-controlled apparatus. The sensing chair provides novel opportunities for human-computer interaction, such as input for the automobile industry, the office industry, for interactive graphical user interfaces/displays, and for computer games and gaming systems.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a body support structure;

a sensor associated with said body support structure and operative to obtain data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to said body support structure; and

an interface in communication with said sensor and operative to transform said data into control signals.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is operative to obtain pressure data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to said body support structure.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is operative to obtain pressure and pressure distribution data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to said body support structure.

4. The input device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is further operative to obtain discrete and real-time data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to said body support structure.

5. The input device of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a g rid sensor.

6. The input device of claim 5, wherein said grid sensor is formed into a flexible sheet.

7. An input system comprising:

a chair;

a sensor associated with said chair and operative to obtain data regarding body dynamics of an occupant of said chair;

an interface in communication with said sensor and operative to transform the data into control signals; and

a computer-controlled device in communication with interface and operative to utilize said control signals.

8. The input system of claim 7, wherein said sensor is operative to obtain pressure data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to said chair.

9. The input system of claim 7, wherein said sensor is operative to obtain pressure and pressure distribution data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to said chair.

10. The input system of claim 7, wherein said interface includes a driver.

11. The input system of claim 7, wherein said computer-controlled device is one of a game console, a computer, and a processing application.

12. The input system of claim 7, wherein said sensor is further operative to obtain discrete and real-time data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to said chair.

13. The input system of claim 7, wherein said sensor comprises a grid sensor.

14. The input system of claim 13, wherein said grid sensor comprises a grid sensor formed into a flexible sheet.

16. The input system of claim 15, wherein said sensor is further operative to obtain discrete and dynamic pressure and pressure distribution data regarding the body of the occupant of said chair.

17. The input system of claim 15, wherein said computer-controlled device is one of a game console, a computer, and a processing application.

18. The input system of claim 15, wherein said sensor comprises a grid sensor.

19. The input system of claim 18, wherein said grid sensors comprises a grid sensor formed into a flexible sheet.

15. An input system comprising:

a chair;

a sensor associated with said chair and operative to obtain static and dynamic data regarding a body of an occupant of said chair;

a multiplexer in communication with said sensor and operative to assemble the static and dynamic data into a data stream;

an interface buffer in communication with said multiplexer and operative to receive said data stream and output said data stream as a buffered data stream;

a driver operative to transform said buffered data stream into control signals; and

a computer-controlled device in communication with the driver and operative to utilize said control signals to control an application of the computer-controlled device.

20. A method of providing input signals to a processing application comprising:

obtaining data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to a body support structure;

transforming the obtained data into control signals; and

providing the control signals to a processing application for controlling at least an aspect of the processing application.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of obtaining data regarding body dynamics of a person with respect to a body support structure includes obtaining pressure data.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of obtaining data regarding body dynamics of a chair includes obtaining pressure data and pressure distribution data.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of transforming the data into control signals includes processing the data via an application driver.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of obtaining data includes utilizing a grid sensor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of obtaining data utilizing a grid sensor, includes utilizing a grid sensor in the form of a sheet situated on the body support structure.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of transforming the data into control signals includes:

converting raw data received from the sensor into a pressure measure; and

mapping the pressure measure.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of transforming the data into control signals further includes:

continuously remapping the pressure measure; and

comparing a previous map to a current map to obtain real-time data.