FINGER CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20120206346A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: LIAO, Chien-Jung
• Granted Patent: US 9,298,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts

Abstract

A finger control device for controlling an electronic device to switch an operating mode thereof includes a main body, a sensor unit and a control unit. The main body includes a first securing part to be disposed on a palm, and a second securing part to be disposed on a finger. The sensor unit includes a first sensor element disposed at a first section of the finger, and a second sensor element disposed at a second section of the finger. Interaction between the two sensor elements is controlled through bending of the finger. The control unit controls the electronic device to operate in a first mode when the first sensor element interacts with the second sensor element, and to operate in a second mode when the first sensor element does not interact with the second sensor element.

Claims

1. A finger control device to be disposed on a user'"'"'s hand for controlling an electronic device to switch an operating mode thereof, said finger control device comprising:

a main body including a first securing part to be disposed on a palm of the hand and a second securing part, said second securing part including a first finger securing portion and a second finger securing portion, said first finger securing portion to be disposed on a first section of a finger of the hand and being connected to said first securing part, said second finger securing portion to be disposed on a second section of the finger and being movably connected to said first finger securing portion;

a sensor unit including a first sensor element disposed at said first finger securing portion, and a second sensor element disposed at said second finger securing portion, said second finger securing portion being movable through bending of the finger between a first position in which said first sensor element is able to interact with said second sensor element and a second position in which said first sensor element is unable to interact with said second sensor element; and

a control unit disposed at said main body and operable to control the electronic device to operate in a first mode when said second finger securing portion is at the first position, and to control the electronic device to operate in a second mode when said second finger securing portion is at the second position.

2. The finger control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a wheel unit rotatably disposed at said second securing part, said control unit being further operable to control the electronic device to perform a corresponding action according to rotation of said wheel unit.

3. The finger control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first sensor element is a light sensor module, and said second sensor element is a light source, said second finger securing portion being at the first position when said light sensor module is able to sense light beams emitted from said light source, said second finger securing portion being at the second position when said light sensor module is unable to sense the light beams emitted from said light source.

4. The finger control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first sensor element is a conductive element, and said second sensor element is another conductive element, said second finger securing portion being at the first position when said two conductive elements are able to contact each other, said second finger securing portion being at the second position when said two conductive elements are unable to contact each other.

5. The finger control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wheel unit includes:

a lower casing connected to said second securing part of said main body, said lower casing having a lower recess part and two first casing fasteners respectively disposed at opposite ends of said lower casing;

an upper casing able to combine with said lower casing, said upper casing having an upper recess part corresponding in position to said lower recess part, and two second casing fasteners respectively disposed at opposite ends of said upper casing and respectively corresponding in position to said first casing fasteners, one of said first and second casing fasteners being a hole, the other one of said first and second casing fasteners being a post to engage said hole, said upper casing and said lower casing cooperating to define an opening when combined together;

a wheel element including a rotatable wheel body and two protrusions respectively extending from opposite sides of said wheel body, each of said protrusions extending into a respective one of said upper recess part and said lower recess part for retaining rotatably said wheel element between said upper casing and said lower casing, said wheel body having a portion exposed from said upper casing and said lower casing through said opening; and

an encoder disposed at one of said upper casing and said lower casing for generating a corresponding wheel signal according to rotation of said wheel body.

6. The finger control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said lower casing is connected to said second finger securing portion.

7. The finger control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control unit includes a processing module disposed at said first securing part of said main body, and a transmission module disposed at said first securing part and electrically coupled to said processing module, said processing module controlling operation of the electronic device in the first mode according to rotation of said wheel unit while said second finger securing portion is at the first position, and controlling operation of the electronic device in the second mode according to rotation of said wheel unit while said second finger securing portion is at the second position, said transmission module being used for communication with the electronic device, and transmitting control signals generated by said processing module to the electronic device.

8. The finger control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said control unit further includes a signal cable disposed at said first securing part and said second securing part, said signal cable electrically coupling said encoder of said wheel unit, said processing module and said transmission module.

9. The finger control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first securing part of said main body includes a securing portion for securing to the palm, and a disposing portion connected to said securing portion and to be located at a back side of the palm, said disposing portion being provided for disposing said processing module and said transmission module thereon.