Apparatus

• US 20090326833A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Radivojevic, Zoran, Uusitalo, Mikko Aleksi, Ryhanen, Tapani
• Granted Patent: US 9,519,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/0675 using electro-optical, acousto-optical or opto-electronic means

Abstract

An apparatus includes a deformable structure in which a neural network comprising a plurality of deformation sensors, e.g. nanowire sensors, and distributed in-situ processing circuits. The circuits generate a signal characterising features of the local deformation of the structure and/or a command signal corresponding to the detected deformation. The structure may be a wearable sleeve that conforms to deformations of a user'"'"'s skin, part of an electronic device, such as a touch sensitive screen, or an object in itself. The apparatus can provide a user interface, wherein a command corresponding to a current shape of the structure is generated and acted upon by a integrated or remote device, or a device for monitoring a user'"'"'s position or movement e.g. for replication by a robotic device. The apparatus may have machine learning capability to improve the matching of commands with determined shapes of the deformable structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a deformable structure; and

a network including a plurality of sensors arranged to monitor deformation of the deformable structure and a plurality of processing circuits configured to generate a signal characterising features of said deformation, based on the output of two or more of said sensors;

wherein said processing circuits are distributed amongst said plurality of sensors.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said network is a neural network.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deformable structure is arranged to be formed into two or more predetermined shapes, comprising an electronic device, configured to provide access to a first function of the electronic device when the deformable structure has a first one of said predetermined shapes and to provide access to a second function of the electronic device when the deformable structure is in a second one of said predetermined shapes.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deformable structure is configured to be worn over a body part.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, configured to output a command signal corresponding to a shape of at least part of the deformable structure.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, arranged to transmit the command signal to a remote device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, configured to output a command signal corresponding to a change in a shape of at least part of the deformable structure.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, arranged to transmit the command signal to a remote device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensors comprise piezoelectric material.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said piezoelectric material is provided in the form of a plurality of nanowires.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensors comprise a material that changes its resistivity when stretched.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensors comprise a plurality of sensing elements, wherein each sensing element is configured to monitor stretching and flexure of at least part of the deformable structure.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein first and second ones of said plurality of sensing elements are arranged to monitor said stretching along first and second directions respectively, wherein the first direction is different from the second direction.

14. A mobile telecommunications device comprising an apparatus according to claim 1.

15. A foldable electronic device comprising an apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a hinge, wherein said deformable structure is located in a hinge.

16. A foldable electronic device comprising an apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said deformable structure is provided in the form a hinge.

17. A portable computing device comprising an apparatus according to claim 1.

18. A system comprising:

a first apparatus according to claim 1, arranged to transmit a signal corresponding to said identified features to a remote apparatus; and

a second apparatus configured to receive said signal from said first apparatus.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said second apparatus is arranged to be controlled according to the signal received from said first apparatus.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein said second apparatus is arranged to replicate a shape corresponding to the deformation of said at least part of the deformable structure.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein said second apparatus is arranged to replicate a movement corresponding to successive deformations of said at least part of the deformable structure.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a deformable structure;

a plurality of sensing means for monitoring deformation of the deformable structure and

a plurality of processing means for generating a signal characterising features of said deformation, based on the output of two or more of said sensors;

wherein said processing means are distributed amongst said plurality of sensing means.

23. A method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of measurements of deformations from a plurality of respective sensors distributed within a deformable structure; and

generating a signal identifying one or more features of said deformation based on two or more of said measurements;

wherein said generation of the signal comprises processing said two or more measurements using a plurality of processing circuits distributed amongst said sensors.

24. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

comparing said generated signal with previous signals to determine time-based changes in a shape of said deformable structure.

25. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

said generating comprises comparing said generated signal with reference data in order to identify said one or more features.

26. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

mapping a command onto said generated signal.

27. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

comparing said time-based changes with reference data to identify a movement corresponding to said time-based changes.

28. The method according to claim 27, comprising mapping a command onto said time-based changes.

29. The method according to claim 25, comprising:

updating at least one of the reference signals in accordance with said generated signal.

30. The method according to claim 27, comprising:

updating said reference data in accordance with the comparison of the generated signal with previously generated signals.

31. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

adjusting the availability of one or more functions available to a user of a device according to said generated signal.

32. The method according to claim 23, comprising:

transmitting a signal corresponding to said features to a remote device.

33. The method according to claim 27, comprising:

transmitting a signal corresponding to the identified movement to a remote device.

34. The method according to claim 32, comprising causing said remote device to replicate a shape in accordance with said features.

35. The method according to claim 33, comprising causing said remote device to replicate said movement.