Electric device control apparatus and methods for making and using same

• US 20040046795A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 2020 Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Revelations In Design, L.P.
• Inventors: Josephson, Jonathan, Nalty, Kurt Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information

Abstract

An electrical switch apparatus including a movement sensitive form is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, a motion sensor and a processing unit, where motion on, near or about the motion sensor is translated into output commands adapted for list scrolling, where the list can be arranged in a hierarchy such as menus or for changing a value of an attribute of a electrical device under the control of the switch.

Claims

1. A multi-device control apparatus comprising:

a user interface including a motion sensor adapted to sense motion and produce an output corresponding to the sensed motion;

a processing unit in communication with the interface adapted to convert the sensor output into a command output, and

at least one electrical device controlled by the processing unit, each of the devices having at least one adjustable attribute,

where the command output is selected from the group consisting of a device scroll output adapted to scroll through a device list, an attribute scroll output adapted to scroll through an attribute list associated with a selected device from the device list and an attribute change output associated with the selected device attribute and adapted to change a value of the device attribute, and

where a direction of the sensed motion determines the command output invoked.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group of an optical sensors, touch sensitive surfaces, touchless surfaces, rotatable devices, or mixtures or combinations thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the devices are selected from the group consisting of lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems and other software systems, remote control systems, or mixtures or combinations thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, for device having a single adjustable attribute, motion in a first direction causes the processing unit to issue the device scroll output and motion in a second direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active device from the device list and to issue the attribute change output to change a value of the single adjustable attribute of the selected device, where each direction has a positive component and a negative component and where motion in the positive component of the first direction scrolls through the device list in a forward mode, while motion in the negative component of the first direction scrolls through the device list in a reverse mode, and where motion in the positive component of the second direction causes the value of the attribute to increase, while motion in the negative component of the second direction causes the value of the attribute to decrease, and the sensed motion continues until a desired value is attained and where the first direction and the second direction are different by an amount sufficient to allow direction discrimination.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, for device having a plurality of adjustable attributes, motion in a first direction causes the processing unit to issue the device scroll output, motion in a second direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active device from the device list and to issue the attribute scroll output, and motion in a third direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active attribute from the attribute list and to issue the attribute change output for the selected attribute of the selected device, where each direction has associated positive and negative components, where motion in the positive component of the third direction in its direction causes the value of the attribute to increase, while motion in a negative second direction causes the value of the attribute to decrease until a desired value is obtained, where the first direction and the second directions are different by an amount sufficient to allow direction discrimination and the second and third directions are different by the amount.

6. An electrical switch apparatus comprising:

a multi-device switch including

a user interface having a motion sensor, and

a processing unit, and

a plurality of electrical devices in electrical communication with and under the control of the switch, where each of the devices includes at least one adjustable attribute,

where motion on, near, and/or about the motion sensor produces output signals to the processing unit which converts the output signals into command outputs selected from the group of device scroll outputs, attribute scroll outputs and attribute change outputs and where a direction of the sensed motion controls the type of command output generated.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group of an optical sensors, touch sensitive surfaces, touchless surfaces, rotatable devices, or mixtures or combinations thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the devices are selected from the group consisting of lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems and other software systems, remote control systems, or mixtures or combinations thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, for device having a single adjustable attribute, motion in a first direction causes the processing unit to issue the device scroll output and motion in a second direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active device from the device list and to issue the attribute change output to change a value of the single adjustable attribute of the selected device, where each direction has a positive component and a negative component and where motion in the positive component of the first direction scrolls through the device list in a forward mode, while motion in the negative component of the first direction scrolls through the device list in a reverse mode, and where motion in the positive component of the second direction causes the value of the attribute to increase, while motion in the negative component of the second direction causes the value of the attribute to decrease, and the sensed motion continues until a desired value is attained and where the first direction and the second direction are different by an amount sufficient to allow direction discrimination.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, for device having a plurality of adjustable attributes, motion in a first direction causes the processing unit to issue the device scroll output, motion in a second direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active device from the device list and to issue the attribute scroll output, and motion in a third direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active attribute from the attribute list and to issue the attribute change output for the selected attribute of the selected device, where each direction has associated positive and negative components, where motion in the positive component of the third direction in its direction causes the value of the attribute to increase, while motion in a negative second direction causes the value of the attribute to decrease until a desired value is obtained, where the first direction and the second directions are different by an amount sufficient to allow direction discrimination and the second and third directions are different by the amount.

11. An electrical device control apparatus comprising:

a plurality of multi-device switches, each of the switches including

a user interface having a motion sensor,

a processing unit, and

each of the switches in electrical communication with and controlling a plurality of electrical devices, where each of the devices includes at least one adjustable attribute,

where motion on, near, and/or about the motion sensor produces output signals to the processing unit which converts the output signals into command outputs selected from the group of device scroll outputs, attribute scroll outputs and attribute change outputs and where a direction of the sensed motion controls the type of command output generated.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising

a remote control unit in communication with each of the switches and designed to provide remote control of the switches and the devices.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising

a control unit in communication with each of the switches and designed to provide centralized control of the switches and the devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising

a remote control unit in communication with the control unit to provide remote control of the control unit, all of the switches and all of the devices.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group of an optical sensors, touch sensitive surfaces, touchless surfaces, rotatable devices, or mixtures or combinations thereof.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the devices are selected from the group consisting of lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems and other software systems, remote control systems, or mixtures or combinations thereof.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, for device having a single adjustable attribute, motion in a first direction causes the processing unit to issue the device scroll output and motion in a second direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active device from the device list and to issue the attribute change output to change a value of the single adjustable attribute of the selected device, where each direction has a positive component and a negative component and where motion in the positive component of the first direction scrolls through the device list in a forward mode, while motion in the negative component of the first direction scrolls through the device list in a reverse mode, and where motion in the positive component of the second direction causes the value of the attribute to increase, while motion in the negative component of the second direction causes the value of the attribute to decrease, and the sensed motion continues until a desired value is attained and where the first direction and the second direction are different by an amount sufficient to allow direction discrimination.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, for device having a plurality of adjustable attributes, motion in a first direction causes the processing unit to issue the device scroll output, motion in a second direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active device from the device list and to issue the attribute scroll output, and motion in a third direction causes the processing unit simultaneously to select an active attribute from the attribute list and to issue the attribute change output for the selected attribute of the selected device, where each direction has associated positive and negative components, where motion in the positive component of the third direction in its direction causes the value of the attribute to increase, while motion in a negative second direction causes the value of the attribute to decrease until a desired value is obtained, where the first direction and the second directions are different by an amount sufficient to allow direction discrimination and the second and third directions are different by the amount.

19. An user interface apparatus comprising

a housing,

a motion sensor, and

a processing unit,

where motion on, near, and/or about the motion sensor produces output signals to the processing unit which converts the output signals into command outputs and where the command outputs are used to control an electrical device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, where in the electrical device is selected from the group consisting of sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems and other software systems, or mixtures or combinations thereof.