Motor-kinetic identification apparatus and method

• US 20040001393A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hoffberg, Mark B., Pisarsky, Valdimir R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,987,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/13.14
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/066 having means for recognizing biometric parameters, e.g. voice control, finger print or palm print control
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/20 Grip or stock safeties, i.e. safeties disengaged by clasping the grip or stock thumb-operated sliding safeties F41A17/52, F41A17/62, F41A17/70, F41A17/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A motor-kinetic identification apparatus includes a pliant material, a source of a magnetic field embedded in the pliant material and a magneto metric element embedded in the material. The pliant is adapted to be gripped by a user. The pliant material has a normally biased rest shape and the shape becomes deformed upon the material being gripped. The magnetic field has a field contour dependent on said shape of said material. The magneto metric element is disposed within the field and has a detectable state commensurate with the magnetic field contour.

Claims

1. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus comprising:

a pliant material adapted to be gripped by a user, said material having a normally biased rest shape, said shape being deformed upon said material being gripped;

a source of a magnetic field embedded in said material, said field having a field contour dependent on said shape of said material; and

a magneto metric element embedded in said material, said element being disposed within said field and having a detectable state commensurate with said contour.

2. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said contour is time variant as said material is being gripped such that said detectable state is time variant.

3. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein a said time variant detectable state defines a unique stereotype for each user.

4. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further comprising:

a database in which said unique stereotype for each user is stored;

a comparator to which said time variant detectable state is applied and to which each stored stereotype is sequentially applied.

5. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said material is non-magnetic foam.

6. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said source includes strips of magnetic material.

7. A motor-kinetic identification method comprising steps of:

developing a magnetic field contour within a pliant material;

continuously detecting said field contour as said material is being gripped to develop a user stereotype; and

comparing said user stereotype to stored user stereotypes.

8. A motor-kinetic identification method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said developing step includes the step of embedding magnetic material in said material.

9. A motor-kinetic identification method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said embedding step includes the step of embedding strips of said magnetic material into said material.

10. A motor-kinetic identification method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said detecting step includes steps of:

embedding a magneto metric element in said material and disposed within said field contour; and

continuously detecting an output state of said magneto metric element.

11. A motor-kinetic identification method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said output state detecting step includes the step of time sampling said output state.

12. A motor-kinetic identification method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising steps of:

developing for each of a plurality of users a respective one of said user stereotypes from said time sampled output state; and

storing said user stereotypes in a database.

13. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus comprising:

a pliant material adapted to be gripped by a user, said material having a normally biased rest shape, said shape being deformed upon said material being gripped;

a source of a magnetic field embedded in said material, said field having a field contour dependent on said shape of said material;

a magneto metric element embedded in said material and further disposed within said field contour and operable to develop a user stereotype as said material is gripped;

a database of stored user stereotypes; and

a processor to which said user stereotype is applied and operable to compare said user stereotype to said stored user stereotypes.

14. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said magneto metric element has a time variant output state developed as a function of said field, said user stereotype being a time sampling of said output state.

15. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said processor is operable to time sample said output state.

16. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said material is non-magnetic foam.

17. A motor-kinetic identification apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said source includes strips of magnetic material.