DATA INPUT USING KNOCKS

• US 20080136678A1
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Harrington, Nathan John
• Application Number:
  US11/609,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136678A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00746 by knocking on a surface for inputting the code, e.g. detecting a series of taps on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password

Abstract

Data is entered into an electronic device using a unique pattern of knock sequences applied to the surface of the device. One or more accelerometers within the device provide an electronic output which is sampled and digitized. Matching software compares the sequences to previously recorded sequences for user identification. The user may also use a prespecified code for entering knock data.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a user, comprising the steps of:

tapping by a known user having a user identification, a sequence of knocks having a plurality of spacings or a plurality of strengths, onto an electronic device having an accelerometer contained therein, said accelerometer having an electronic output;

sampling and digitizing said electronic output, and storing the digitized output in association with said user identification;

thereafter, receiving a second sequence of knocks on said electronic device resulting in a second electronic output;

sampling and digitizing said second electronic output;

matching the digitized second electronic output to the stored digitized output; and

if a match exists, providing said user identification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said user identification is a logon id for an application or other computer software.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said knocks are tapped at a prespecified location on said electronic device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said electronic device is a laptop, a PDA, or a cell phone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic device has a plurality of accelerometers each having an electronic output.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said plurality of accelerometers are used to identify shocks to a hard drive located in said electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said matching is performed using total allowable match difference software.

8. A method of entering data into an electronic device, comprising the steps of:

tapping a sequence of knocks having a plurality of spacings or a plurality of strengths, using a preselected code, onto an electronic device having an accelerometer contained therein, said accelerometer having an electronic output;

sampling and digitizing said electronic output; and

analyzing the digitized output using software and said preselected code to convert said digitized output to a sequence of data characters.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said knocks are tapped at a prespecified location on said electronic device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said electronic device is a laptop, a PDA, or a cell phone.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said preselected code is international morse code or american morse code.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a weak knock is used to denote a dot and a strong knock is used to denote a dash, or vice versa.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said data characters are ASCII characters.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said analyzing includes using configurable threshold parameters.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein one of said parameters is an acceleration level threshold used to minimize the effects of background noise.