Human-activated displacement control appliance for use with computerized device/mechanism

• US 20060125806A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Inventors: Voyles, Richard M., Estrine, Eliot C., Bae, Jaewook
• Application Number:
  US11/237,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20060125806A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• 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 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves

Abstract

A human-activated displacement control appliance for use with a computerized device to move an object—whether massless, such as a cursor/point/icon/etc. on a computerized display, or having mass, such as a vehicle/craft/robot/cart, manned or not. The appliance includes: (a) an electromagnetic (EM) positional detection component comprising a mechanism for generating a static field incorporated within/on a wearable-support, and sensing points incorporated within/on a donable-item; (b) the sensing points adapted for detecting positional changes, when/if any, within the field; (c) a processing unit for producing signals comprising information about the positional changes, for transmission to a receiving unit. The computerized device adapted to, upon receiving the information, direct the object to so move. The wearable-support may be a glove-support, hat-support, headband-support, wrist-support, shoulder-support, chest-support, shoe-support, belt-support, etc. The donable-item may be a sleeve-cuff, wristband, pant-cuff, vest, chest-sling, leg band, shirt-collar, pant-pocket, etc., a gunstock, grip-end of golf club, and other such tools. The mechanism for generating the static field may be a magetostatic field source, a visible light-emitting source, as well as other types. The sensing points may comprise elements of a magnetoresistive nature, visible light detecting element(s), etc.

Claims

1. A human-activated displacement control appliance for use with a computerized device to move an object, the appliance comprising:

(a) an electromagnetic (EM) positional detection component comprising a mechanism for generating a static field incorporated within a wearable-support, and a plurality of sensing points incorporated within a donable-item, the sensing points remote from the field-generating mechanism;

(b) the sensing points adapted for detecting positional changes within the field;

(c) a processing unit for producing signals comprising information about the positional changes, for transmission to a receiving unit; and

(d) the computerized device adapted to, upon receiving the information, direct the object to so move.

2. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the wearable-support is selected from the group consisting of a glove-support, a hat-support, a headband-support, a wrist-support, a shoulder-support, a chest-support, a shoe-support, and a belt-support;

(b) the mechanism for generating the static field is selected from the group consisting of a magetostatic field source and a visible light-emitting source; and

(c) the object is selected from the group consisting of a cursor of a display, a vehicle, and a robot.

3. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the donable-item is selected from the group consisting of a sleeve-cuff, a wristband, a pant-cuff, a vest, a chest-sling, a leg band, a shirt-collar, a pant-pocket, a gunstock, a grip-end of a golf club, and a tool end-portion;

(b) the mechanism for generating the static field is selected from the group consisting of a magetostatic field source and a visible light-emitting source; and

(c) the object is selected from the group consisting of a cursor of a display, a vehicle, and a robot.

4. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the mechanism for generating the static field comprises a magetostatic field source;

(b) each sensing point comprises a magnetoresistive element; and

(c) the computerized device comprises a personal computer and the object is a cursor of a display.

5. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the mechanism for generating the static field comprises a magetostatic field source;

(b) each sensing point comprises a magnetoresistive element; and

(c) the computerized device comprises a controller unit located in proximity with a housing for the object having been selected from the group consisting of a vehicle and a robot.

6. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the processing unit is incorporated with the donable-item;

(b) the computerized device, located in proximity with a housing for the object, comprises a controller unit and controller circuitry adapted for further processing of the signals transmitted from the processing unit;

(c) the receiving unit comprises a wireless transmitter for communication with the processing unit; and

(d) the object having been selected from the group consisting of a vehicle and a robot.

7. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the processing unit is in proximity to the donable-item;

(b) the receiving unit is in electrical communication with the processing unit;

(c) the computerized device comprises a controller unit located remotely from a housing for the object having been selected from the group consisting of a vehicle and a robot.

8. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the mechanism for generating the static field comprises a visible light-emitting source;

(b) each sensing point comprises a visible light detecting element; and

(c) the computerized device comprises a personal computer and the object is a cursor of a display.

9. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the mechanism for generating the static field comprises a visible light-emitting source;

(b) each sensing point comprises a visible light detecting element; and

(c) the computerized device comprises a controller unit located in proximity with a housing for the object having been selected from the group consisting of a vehicle and a robot.

10. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the processing unit is in proximity to the donable-item;

(b) the receiving unit comprises controller circuitry for further processing the signals transmitted from the processing unit; and

(c) the controller circuitry is in electrical communication with the object having been selected from the group consisting of a vehicle and a robot.

11. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the donable-item is selected from the group consisting of a sleeve-cuff, a wristband, a pant-cuff, a vest, a chest-sling, a leg band, a shirt-collar, a pant-pocket, a gunstock, a grip-end of a golf club, and a tool end-portion;

(b) the processing unit is incorporated with the donable-item;

(c) the computerized device comprises controller circuitry for further processing the signals transmitted from the processing unit; and

(d) the receiving unit comprises a wireless transmitter for communication with the object selected from the group consisting of a vehicle and a robot.

12. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the processing unit is in proximity to the donable-item;

(b) the receiving unit comprises a wireless EM receiver in communication with controller circuitry for further processing the signals transmitted from the processing unit;

(c) the controller circuitry is within the computerized device comprising a personal computer; and

(d) the object is a cursor of a display for the personal computer.

13. The appliance of claim 12 wherein:

(a) the donable-item is selected from the group consisting of a sleeve-cuff, a wristband, a pant-cuff, a vest, a chest-sling, a leg band, a shirt-collar, a pant-pocket, a gunstock, a grip-end of a golf club, and a tool end-portion;

(b) the processing unit is incorporated with the donable-item;

(c) the personal computer comprises a wireless transmitter for communication with a second object selected from the group consisting of a vehicle and a robot; and

(d) a second receiving unit in communication with the second object adapted to, upon receiving information from the wireless transmitter, direct the second object to move.

14. The appliance of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the wearable-support is selected from the group consisting of a glove-support, a hat-support, a headband-support, a wrist-support, a shoulder-support, a chest-support, a shoe-support, and a belt-support;

(b) the receiving unit comprises a wireless EM receiver in communication with controller circuitry for further processing the signals transmitted from the processing unit;

(c) the controller circuitry is adapted for directing wireless electrical communication with the object; and

(d) the object is selected from the group consisting of a cursor of a display, a vehicle, and a robot.

15. A human-activated displacement control appliance for use with a computerized device to move an object, the appliance comprising:

(a) a magnetostatic positional detection component comprising a mechanism for generating a static magnetic field incorporated within a wearable-support, and a plurality of magetoresistive sensing elements incorporated within a donable-item, the sensing elements remote from the static field-generating mechanism;

(b) the donable-item is selected from the group consisting of a sleeve-cuff, a wristband, a pant-cuff, a vest, a chest-sling, a leg band, a shirt-collar, a pant-pocket, a gunstock, a grip-end of a golf club, and a tool end-portion;

(c) the sensing elements adapted for detecting positional changes within the magnetic field; and

(d) the computerized device adapted to, upon receiving information about a positional change within the magnetic field, direct the object to so move.

16. The appliance of claim 15 wherein the magetoresistive sensing elements are selected from the group consisting of GMR type elements and Hall effect type elements.

17. The appliance of claim 15 wherein:

(a) the wearable-support is selected from the group consisting of a glove-support, a hat-support, a headband-support, a wrist-support, a shoulder-support, a chest-support, a shoe-support, and a belt-support;

(b) the receiving unit comprises a wireless EM receiver in communication with controller circuitry for further processing the signals transmitted from the processing unit; and

(c) the object is selected from the group consisting of a cursor of a display, a vehicle, and a robot.

18. The appliance of claim 15 wherein:

(a) the receiving unit comprises a wireless EM receiver in communication with controller circuitry for further processing the signals transmitted from the processing unit;

(b) the controller circuitry is within the computerized device comprising a personal computer;

(c) the object is a cursor of a display for the personal computer;

(d) the personal computer comprises a wireless transmitter for communication with a second object; and

(e) a second receiving unit in communication with the second object adapted to, upon receiving information from the wireless transmitter, direct the second object to move.

19. A human-activated displacement control appliance for use with a computerized device to move an object, the appliance comprising:

(a) an electromagnetic (EM) positional detection component comprising a visible light-emitting mechanism for generating a field incorporated within a wearable-support, and a plurality of visible light detecting elements incorporated within a donable-item, the sensing elements remote from the visible light field generating mechanism;

(b) the donable-item is selected from the group consisting of a sleeve-cuff, a wristband, a pant-cuff, a vest, a chest-sling, a leg band, a shirt-collar, a pant-pocket, a gunstock, a grip-end of a golf club, and a tool end-portion;

(c) the sensing elements adapted for detecting positional changes within the magnetic field; and

(d) the computerized device adapted to, upon receiving information about a positional change within the magnetic field, direct the object to so move.

20. The appliance of claim 19 wherein:

(a) the wearable-support is selected from the group consisting of a glove-support, a hat-support, a headband-support, a wrist-support, a shoulder-support, a chest-support, a shoe-support, and a belt-support; and

(b) the object is selected from the group consisting of a cursor of a display, a vehicle, and a robot.