Method and System for Controlling a User Interface of a Device Using Human Breath

• US 20110004327A1
• Filed: 09/13/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pierre Bonnat
• Original Assignee: Pierre Bonnat
• Inventors: Bonnat, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 9,753,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/361 Mouth control in general, i.e. breath, mouth, teeth, tongue or lip-controlled input devices or sensors detecting, e.g. lip position, lip vibration, air pressure, air velocity, air flow or air jet angle

Abstract

Certain aspects of a method and system for controlling a user interface of a device using human breath may include a device comprising an embedded micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensing and processing module. The MEMS sensing and processing module may detect movement caused by expulsion of human breath by a user. In response to the detection of movement caused by expulsion of human breath, one or more control signals may be generated. The generated control signals may control the user interface of the device and may enable navigation and/or selection of components in the user interface.

Claims

1. A method for interaction, the method comprising:

in a device comprising an embedded micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensing and processing module;

detecting by said MEMS sensing and processing module, movement caused by expulsion of human breath; and

responsive to said detection, generating one or more control signals to control a user interface of said device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises one or more of a personal computer (PC), a laptop, a notebook computer, a television (TV), a game console, a display device, and/or a handheld device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said handheld device comprises one or more of a mobile telephone, a mobile multimedia player, navigation device and/or a remote controller.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting of said movement caused by said expulsion of said human breath occurs without use of a channel.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting of said movement caused by said expulsion of said human breath is responsive to said human breath being exhaled into open space and onto one or more detectors in said MEMS sensing and processing module that enables said detection.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating said generated one or more control signals to said device via one or more of:

an external memory interface, a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) interface, an enhanced serial peripheral interface (eSPI), a general purpose input/output (GPIO) interface, a pulse-code modulation (PCM) and/or an inter-IC sound (I²S) interface, an inter-integrated circuit (I²C) bus interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth interface, a ZigBee interface, an IrDA interface, and/or a wireless USB (W-USB) interface.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising navigating within said user interface via said generated one or more control signals.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising selecting one or more components within said user interface via said generated one or more control signals.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising enabling one or more of initiation, establishment and/or termination of communication by said device.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising enabling interaction within said user interface of said device based on one or more of said expulsion of said human breath, tactual inputs, audio inputs, and/or movements of said device.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for interaction, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

in a device comprising an embedded micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensing and processing module;

detecting by said MEMS sensing and processing module, movement caused by expulsion of human breath; and

responsive to said detection, generating one or more control signals to control a user interface of said device.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said device comprises one or more of a personal computer (PC), a laptop, a notebook computer, a television (TV), a game console, a display device, and/or a handheld device.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein said handheld device comprises one or more of a mobile telephone, a mobile multimedia player, navigation device and/or a remote controller.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said detecting of said movement caused by said expulsion of said human breath occurs without use of a channel.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said detecting of said movement caused by said expulsion of said human breath is responsive to said human breath being exhaled into open space and onto one or more detectors in said MEMS sensing and processing module that enables said detection.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for communicating said generated one or more control signals to said device via one or more of:

an external memory interface, a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) interface, an enhanced serial peripheral interface (eSPI), a general purpose input/output (GPIO) interface, a pulse-code modulation (PCM) and/or an inter-IC sound (I²S) interface, an inter-integrated circuit (I²C) bus interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth interface, a ZigBee interface, an IrDA interface, and/or a wireless USB (W-USB) interface.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for navigating within said user interface via said generated one or more control signals.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for selecting one or more components within said user interface via said generated one or more control signals.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for enabling one or more of initiation, establishment and/or termination of communication by said device.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for enabling interaction within said user interface of said device based on one or more of said expulsion of said human breath, tactual inputs, audio inputs, and/or movements of said device.

21. A system for interaction, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a device comprising an embedded micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensing and processing module, said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to;

detect by said MEMS sensing and processing module, movement caused by expulsion of human breath; and

responsive to said detection, generate one or more control signals to control a user interface of said device.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said device comprises one or more of a personal computer (PC), a laptop, a notebook computer, a television (TV), a game console, a display device, and/or a handheld device.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said handheld device comprises one or more of a mobile telephone, a mobile multimedia player, navigation device and/or a remote controller.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein said detecting of said movement caused by said expulsion of said human breath occurs without use of a channel.

25. The system according to claim 21, wherein said detecting of said movement caused by said expulsion of said human breath is responsive to said human breath being exhaled into open space and onto one or more detectors in said MEMS sensing and processing module that enables said detection.

26. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to communicate said generated one or more control signals to said device via one or more of:

an external memory interface, a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) interface, an enhanced serial peripheral interface (eSPI), a general purpose input/output (GPIO) interface, a pulse-code modulation (PCM) and/or an inter-IC sound (I²S) interface, an inter-integrated circuit (I²C) bus interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth interface, a ZigBee interface, an IrDA interface, and/or a wireless USB (W-USB) interface.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to navigate within said user interface via said generated one or more control signals.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to select one or more components within said user interface via said generated one or more control signals.

29. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to enable one or more of initiation, establishment and/or termination of communication by said device.

30. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to enable interaction within said user interface of said device based on one or more of said expulsion of said human breath, tactual inputs, audio inputs, and/or movements of said device.