TOUCHLESS CONTROL OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100289740A1
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Koo, Ja Hyoung, KIM, Bong Soo
• Application Number:
  US12/781,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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 3/0346 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method of controlling an electronic device includes detecting an object at a distance from the electronic device, displaying a symbol at a fixed location on a screen of the electronic device in response to detection of the object, and performing an operation corresponding to the symbol based on a state of the object detected after display of the symbol on the screen.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electronic device comprising:

detecting an object at a distance from the electronic device;

displaying a symbol at a fixed location on a screen of the electronic device in response to detection of the object by an ultrasonic sensor of the electronic device; and

performing an operation corresponding to the symbol based on a state of the object detected after display of the symbol on the screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said operation includes moving the symbol on the screen when movement of the object is detected after display of the symbol on the screen.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the symbol is moved on the screen in a direction of movement of the object.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the symbol is moved based on detection of two-dimensional movement of the object after display of the symbol on the screen.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the two-dimensional movement occurs when the object slides across a surface adjacent the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said operation corresponding to the symbol is performed when movement of the object generates a vibration detected by a sensor on the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said operation is performed when the object moves from a first position to a second position along a surface adjacent the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said operation is performed based on an orientation of the object as the object moves along said surface adjacent the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the symbol is moved based on detection of three-dimensional movement of the object after display of the symbol on the screen.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the symbol is moved on the screen when the object moves from a first position to a second position in the air without making contact with any other object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said operation corresponds to a function of the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the function of the electronic device is performed when the object is detected substantially at a same position for at least a predetermined period of time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the function of the electronic device is performed when the object moves from a first detected distance to a second detected distance relative to the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second detected distance is closer to the electronic device than the second detected distance.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of the object is detected based on a change in ultrasonic waves detected by one or more sensors on the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of the object is detected based on a vibration generated by the object and detected by one or more sensors on the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the object includes a finger of a user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said operation corresponding to the symbol is performed based on movement of the finger of the user along an opposing hand.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the symbol includes a pointer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said operation includes changing a shape of the symbol on the screen of the electronic device.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if an amount of ultrasonic waves reflected from the object is greater than a reference level, performing a drag operation in accordance with a detected motion of the object.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a distance between the object and the electronic device is less than a reference level, executing an operation pointed at by the symbol.

23. An electronic device comprising:

a display screen;

at least one sensor including an ultrasonic sensor to detect an object located a distance from the display screen; and

a controller to display a symbol on the screen in response to detection of the object and to perform an operation corresponding to the symbol based on detection of a change in a state of the object by the ultrasonic sensor that occurs after display of the symbol on the screen.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said operation includes moving the symbol on the screen when movement of the object is detected after display of the symbol on the screen.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the symbol is moved on the screen in a direction of movement of the object.

26. The device of claim 23, further comprising:

a coupler to couple the device to a body part of a user.

27. The device of claim 26, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver, wherein;

the object is a finger of the user, and

the wireless transceiver is coupled to the wrist of the user by the coupler.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the controller generates a digital image on the screen and wherein the object is a finger.

29. The device of claim 23, wherein said one or more sensors detect a change in the state of the object based on a change in detected ultrasonic waves.

30. The device of claim 23, wherein said at least one sensor detects a change in the state of the object based on a detected vibration caused by the object.