Touch Sensitive Display Apparatus using sensor input

• US 20100302137A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Saponas, Timothy Scott, Morris, Daniel, Benko, Hrvoje, Tan, Desney S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,581,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

Described herein is a system that includes a receiver component that receives gesture data from a sensor unit that is coupled to a body of a gloveless user, wherein the gesture data is indicative of a bodily gesture of the user, wherein the bodily gesture comprises movement pertaining to at least one limb of the gloveless user. The system further includes a location determiner component that determines location of the bodily gesture with respect to a touch-sensitive display apparatus. The system also includes a display component that causes the touch-sensitive display apparatus to display an image based at least in part upon the received gesture data and the determined location of the bodily gesture with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus.

Claims

1. A method comprising the following computer-executable acts:

receiving gesture data from a sensor apparatus coupled to a gloveless user, wherein the gesture data is indicative of a gesture performed by the gloveless user, wherein the gesture comprises movement of at least one limb or finger of the gloveless user;

determining location of the gesture with respect to a touch-sensitive display apparatus; and

performing a computing process at the touch-sensitive display apparatus based at least in part upon the received gesture data and the determined location of the gesture with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor apparatus comprises at least one electromyography sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor apparatus is embodied as one of a wristband, a band for placement on a forearm, a device for coupling to a human shoulder, or a necklace.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined location of the gesture is in a hoverspace of the touch-sensitive display apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture data is indicative of an identity of the gloveless user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture data is indicative of which digit or digits of the gloveless user are included in the gesture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture data is indicative of an amount of pressure applied to the touch-sensitive display apparatus by at least one finger of the gloveless user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising calibrating the touch-sensitive display apparatus based at least in part upon the received gesture data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining location of the gesture with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus comprises determining where on the touch-sensitive display apparatus that the at least one finger is in physical contact with the touch-sensitive display apparatus.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining location of the gesture with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus comprises:

emitting non-visible light through a diffuse display surface of the touch-sensitive display apparatus;

receiving reflected non-visible light, wherein the reflected light is at least a portion of emitted light that is reflected from the at least one finger of the gloveless user; and

determining that the gesture is occurring in a hoverspace above the touch-sensitive display apparatus based at least in part upon the reflected non-visible light.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture data indicates that at least a first finger and a second finger of the gloveless user are substantially simultaneously performing gestures with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus, wherein the gesture data comprises data that identifies the first finger and identifies the second finger, and wherein performing the computing process is based at least in part upon identities of the first finger and the second finger.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture data indicates that a first user and a second user are substantially simultaneously performing one or more gestures with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus, wherein the gesture data comprises data that disambiguates between the first user and the second user, and wherein performing the computing process is based at least in part upon disambiguation between the first user and the second user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining location of the gesture with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus comprises receiving image data from a camera that is external from the touch-sensitive display apparatus, wherein the image data comprises an image of at least a portion of the user with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus.

14. A system that comprises the following computer-executable components:

a receiver component that receives gesture data from a sensor unit that is coupled to a body of a gloveless user, wherein the gesture data is indicative of a bodily gesture of the user, wherein the bodily gesture comprises movement pertaining to at least one limb of the gloveless user;

a location determiner component that determines location of the bodily gesture with respect to a touch-sensitive display apparatus; and

a display component that causes the touch-sensitive display apparatus to display an image based at least in part upon the received gesture data and the determined location of the bodily gesture with respect to the touch-sensitive display apparatus.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one electromyography sensor.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the touch-sensitive display apparatus comprises the receiver component, the location determiner component, and the display component.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the location determiner component determines that a first bodily gesture occurs in a hover space of the touch-sensitive display apparatus and that a second bodily gesture occurs in contact with the touch-sensitive display apparatus, and wherein the display component causes the touch-sensitive display apparatus to display the image based at least in part upon the first bodily gesture occurring in the hover space and the second bodily gesture occurring in contact with the touch-sensitive display apparatus.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the location determiner component is configured to determine the location of the bodily gesture in a hoverspace above the touch-sensitive display apparatus.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor unit is or is included in one of a wristband, a forearm band, a bicep band, a necklace, or a shoulder strap.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the following acts:

receive gesture data from an electromyography sensor unit that is in contact with skin of a gloveless user, wherein the electromyography sensor unit is in a form of one of a wristband or a forearm band, wherein the gesture data is indicative of a gesture of the gloveless user, wherein the gesture comprises movement of at least one finger of the gloveless user, and wherein the gesture data comprises data that identifies the at least one finger;

determine location of the gesture with respect to a touch-sensitive display apparatus; and

graphically display image data to the gloveless user based at least in part upon the received gesture data and the determined location of the gesture.