PASSIVE INFRARED SENSING USER INTERFACE AND DEVICE USING THE SAME

• US 20110050643A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Company Limited (Inventec Corporation), Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Company Limited / Inventec Appliances Corporation
• Inventors: Zhao, Rui, Chen, Xudong, Tsai, Shih-Kuang
• Application Number:
  US12/794,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20110050643A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

A device (10) includes a passive infrared sensor (20) for user interface. When a user places his finger over the infrared sensor (20), the sensor (20) generate a digital signal indicating the time, position, or movement of the user finger over the sensor (20). A digital signal processing unit (12) processes the digital signal through preinstalled algorithms and generates a command to execute the user instruction through infrared interface. In operation, the user finger does not need to touch or press the infrared sensor (20). In addition, the passive infrared sensor (20) may be packaged under a cover to protect the sensor (20) from hazardous elements in the environment.

Claims

1. An electronic device (10), comprising:

a passive infrared sensor (20) including a passive infrared detector having a predetermined distance of detection, and configured to generate a digital signal in response to sensing an infrared radiation of a portion of a human body within the distance of detection;

a digital signal processing unit (12) coupled to said passive infrared sensor, and configured to generate a command in response to the digital signal generated by said passive infrared sensor (20); and

a component coupled to said digital signal processing unit (12), and configured to execute the command generated by said digital signal processing unit (12).

2. The electronic device (10) of claim 1, wherein said passive infrared sensor (20) has the distance of detection in a range between approximately 0.5 millimeter and approximately 5 millimeters.

3. The electronic device (10) of claim 1, wherein said passive infrared sensor (20) is sensitive to infrared radiation having a wavelength in a range between approximately one micrometer and approximately ten micrometers.

4. The electronic device (10) of claim 1, said passive infrared sensor (20) including:

an infrared sensing pad (22) configured to generate an electrical signal impulse in response to sensing an infrared radiation of a portion of a human body within the distance of detection; and

a signal encoder (24) coupled to said passive infrared sensing pad (22) and configured to encoding the electrical signal impulse into the digital signal.

5. The electronic device (10) of claim 4, wherein said infrared sensing pad (22) includes a passive infrared detector having a first transducer and a second transducer coupled together with polarities opposite to each other.

6. The electronic device (10) of claim 5, wherein said digital signal processing unit (12) is configured to generate a first command in response to said passive infrared detector detecting a portion of a human body with the distance of detection momentarily and a second command in response to said passive infrared detector detecting a portion of a human body with the distance of detection continuously.

7. The electronic device (10) of claim 4, said infrared sensing pad (22) including a second passive infrared detector disposed at a distance from said passive infrared detector, wherein said digital signal processing unit (12) is configured to generate:

a first command in response to said passive infrared detector detecting a portion of a human body within the distance of detection momentarily;

a second command in response to said passive infrared detector detecting a portion of a human body within the distance of detection continuously;

a third command in response to said second passive infrared detector detecting a portion of a human body within the distance of detection momentarily;

a fourth command in response to said second passive infrared detector detecting a portion of a human body within the distance of detection continuously;

a fifth command in response to said passive infrared detector and said second passive infrared detector detecting a portion of a human body moving from over said passive infrared detector to said second passive infrared detector; and

a sixth command in response to said passive infrared detector and said second passive infrared detector detecting a portion of a human body moving from over said second passive infrared detector to said passive infrared detector.

8. The electronic device (10) of claim 1, said passive infrared sensor (20) including an infrared sensing pad (22) comprising a plurality of passive infrared detectors coupled to said signal encoder (24), each of said plurality of passive infrared detectors being configured to generate an electrical signal impulse in response to sensing an infrared radiation of a portion of a human body within the distance of detection, wherein said digital signal processing unit (12) is configured to generate a user interface command in response to said plurality of passive infrared detectors detecting a specific pattern user finger positions and movement over said plurality of passive infrared detectors.

9. The electronic device (10) of claim 8, wherein said plurality of passive infrared detectors include four infrared detectors (42, 44, 46, 48).

10. The electronic device (10) of claim 9, wherein said four infrared detectors (42, 44, 46, 48) are arranged in a square.

11. A method for user interface, comprising:

sensing an infrared radiation source in proximity with a passive infrared detector;

generating a digital signal in response to sensing the infrared radiation source in proximity with the passive infrared detector;

generating a command by processing the digital signal; and

executing the command.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein generating a digital signal includes:

generating an electric signal pulse in response to sensing an infrared radiation source in proximity with the passive infrared detector; and

encoding the electric signal pulse into the digital signal.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein generating a command by processing the digital signal includes processing the digital signal using an embedded algorithm.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein sensing an infrared radiation source in proximity with a passive infrared detector includes sensing positions of the infrared radiation source with respect to a plurality of passive infrared detectors.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein sensing an infrared radiation source in proximity with a passive infrared detector includes sensing a movement of the infrared radiation source with respect to the plurality of passive infrared detectors.

16. A user interface process, comprising the steps of:

sensing an infrared radiation of a portion of a human body within a predetermined distance from a passive infrared detector;

generating a digital signal in response to sensing the infrared radiation of a portion of a human body within the predetermined distance from the passive infrared detector;

generating a command in response to the digital signal; and

executing the command.

17. The user interface process as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of sensing an infrared radiation of a portion of a human body includes the steps of:

forming a plurality of passive infrared detectors arranged in a spatial pattern; and

detecting the infrared radiation of a portion of a human body over one of the plurality of passive infrared detectors at a time.

18. The user interface process as claimed in claim 17, wherein the step of sensing an infrared radiation of a portion of a human body further includes the step of detecting a movement of the infrared radiation of a portion of a human body over the plurality of the passive infrared detectors.

19. The user interface process as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of generating a command includes the steps of:

processing the digital signal through an predetermined algorithm to identify a user interface operation; and

generating the command corresponding to the user interface operation.

20. The user interface process as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step sensing an infrared radiation of a portion of a human body includes the steps of:

focusing an infrared radiation of a localized radiation source in response to the radiation source being in proximity to the passive infrared detector; and

generating a nonzero differential signal in response to focused infrared radiation.