System and method for controlling information output devices

• US 20050006154A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Back, Maribeth Joy, Szymanksi, Margaret H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,991,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/1
• 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 3/0346 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

Abstract

System and method for controlling the presentation of information, such as dynamically displayed text, includes a computer with a display device and one or more sets of electrode plates and capacitive field sensors arranged facing each other on a substantially flat and substantially stationary surface, such as a table top. The method includes forming capacitive fields between the electrodes and sensors by electrically charging the electrode plates. The sensors monitor for gestural movements made by a user'"'"'s hands within the fields by detecting changes in voltage levels of the fields. In response to detected gestural movements, the computer adjusts the manner in which the information is presented in the display device, such as the display rate, information source, font size and contrast control.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a sensor system that monitors for gestural movement;

a presentation system that presents at least one portion of information in a display portion of an information display device; and

a processing system that adjusts the presentation based upon the monitored gestural movement.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sensor system comprises at least one capacitor with a pair of plates separated by a dielectric, the sensor system using at least one sensor to detect the gestural movement within the dielectric.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the display portion further comprises a display device that dynamically displays the at least one portion of information using a rapid serial visual presentation technique.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing system changes at least one display characteristic of the information in response to the gestural movement.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein the at least one display characteristic comprises a contrast level, a font size or a text display rate.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing system changes at least one display characteristic of the information in response to the gestural movement by obtaining the information from a different source or obtaining a different type of information.

7. A method comprising:

monitoring for gestural movement;

presenting at least one portion of information in a display portion of an information display device; and

adjusting the presentation based upon the monitored gestural movement.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein monitoring for gestural movement further comprises using at least one sensor to detect movement within a dielectric.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the presentation further comprises dynamically displaying the at least one portion of information using a rapid serial visual presentation technique.

10. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the adjusting further comprises changing at least one display characteristic of the information based upon the monitored gestural movement.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the at least one display characteristic comprises a contrast level, a font size or a text display rate.

12. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the adjusting further comprises obtaining the information from a different source or obtaining a different type of information.

13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, causes the processor to perform:

monitoring for gestural movement;

presenting at least one portion of information in a display portion of an information display device; and

adjusting the presentation based upon the monitored gestural movement.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein monitoring for gestural movement further comprises using at least one sensor to detect movement within a dielectric.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the presentation further comprises dynamically displaying the at least one portion of information using a rapid serial visual presentation technique.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the adjusting further comprises changing at least one display characteristic of the information based upon the monitored gestural movement.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the at least one display characteristic comprises a contrast level, a font size or a text display rate.

18. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the adjusting further comprises obtaining the information from a different source or obtaining a different type of information.