Control apparatus and method

• US 20090245572A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Compal Communications Incorporated (Compal Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Compal Communications Incorporated (Compal Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tsao, Shu-Jung
• Application Number:
  US12/318,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20090245572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• 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 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention discloses a control apparatus for a user to control an electronic apparatus. The control apparatus of the invention includes a monitoring module, a sensing module, a first processing module, and a first transmitting module. The monitoring module is used to monitor the user'"'"'s eyeball(s), and generates related eyeball-movement information. The sensing module is used to monitor a body portion of the user, and generates related body portion-movement information. The first processing module is connected to the monitoring module and the sensing module respectively, for calculating the control information in accordance with the eyeball-movement information and the body portion-movement information. Additionally, the first transmitting module is connected to the first processing module, for transmitting the control information to the electronic device, which can act according to the control information.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a user to control an electronic apparatus, the control apparatus comprising:

a monitoring module for monitoring the user'"'"'s eyeballs and generating a corresponding eyeball-movement information;

a sensing module for sensing a body portion of the user, and generating a corresponding body portion-movement information;

a first processing module connected with the monitoring module and the sensing module, respectively, for calculating a control movement information in accordance with the eyeball-movement information and the body portion-movement information; and

a first transmitting module connected with the first processing module, for transmitting the control movement information to the electronic apparatus;

wherein the electronic apparatus carries on an action according to the control information.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display module connected with the electronic apparatus, for receiving and displaying an image related to the action.

3. The control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display module is a binocular display module (BDM).

4. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus further comprising:

a second transmitting module for receiving the control movement information from the first transmitting module; and

a second processing module connected with the second transmitting module, for generating a control signal according to the control movement information, controlling the electronic apparatus to carry on the action according to the control signal, and feeding back an image that relates the action to the control apparatus.

5. The control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second transmitting module is a wireless transmitting module selected from a group consisting of a wireless network transmitting module, a bluetooth transmitting module, a radio frequency transmitting module and an infrared transmitting module.

6. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring module comprises an infrared device, a charge-couple device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device.

7. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing module comprises a g-sensor.

8. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises the head, neck, shoulder, a hand or a foot of the user.

9. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first transmitting module is a wireless transmitting module selected from a group consisting of a wireless network transmitting module, a bluetooth transmitting module, a radio frequency transmitting module and an infrared transmitting module.

10. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring apparatus, the sensing module, the first processing module and the first transmitting module are integrated on a wearable structure.

11. The control apparatus of claim 10, wherein the wearable structure is capable of being worn on the user'"'"'s head.

12. A control method for a user to control an electronic apparatus, the control method comprising:

(A) monitoring the user'"'"'s eyeballs and generating a corresponding eyeball-movement information;

(B) sensing a body portion of the user and generating a corresponding body portion-movement information;

(C) calculating a control movement information in accordance with the eyeball-movement information and the body portion-movement information; and

(D) transmitting the control movement information to the electronic apparatus and driving the electronic apparatus to carry on an action according to the control information.

13. The control method of claim 12, further comprising:

(E) receiving and displaying an image that relates the action to the electronic apparatus.

14. The control method of claim 12, wherein step (D) further comprising:

(D1) receiving the control movement information;

(D2) generating a control signal according to the control movement information;

(D3) controlling the electronic apparatus to carry on the action according to the control signal; and

(D4) feeding back an image related to the action.

15. The control method of claim 12, wherein the control movement information is transmitted via wireless transmission to the electronic apparatus.

16. The control method of claim 12, wherein the body portion comprises head, neck, shoulder, a hand or a foot of the user.