CONTROL TERMINAL

• US 20120326833A1
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: AKAHORI, Ichiro, AICHI, Isao, NODA, Saori
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A wearable control terminal for allowing a user to control a target object includes a contact detector, an impact detector, a motion detector, and a transmitter. The contact detector is mounted on a surface of a first portion of a user'"'"'s body to detect whether the first portion is in contact with or separated from a second portion of the body based on whether a closed loop conducting path is formed with the first portion and the second portion. The impact detector detects an impact on the control terminal. The motion detector detects a motion of the user based on the results of detection by the contact detector and the impact detector. The transmitter transmits a control signal to the target object according to the detected motion.

Claims

1. A control terminal wearable on a body of a user to allow the user to control a target object, the control terminal comprising:

a contact detector configured to be mounted on a surface of a first portion of the body to detect whether the first portion is in contact with or separated from a second portion of the body based on whether a closed loop conducting path is formed with the first portion and the second portion;

an impact detector configured to detect an impact on the control terminal;

a motion detector configured to detect a motion of the user based on a result of detection by the contact detector and a result of detection by the impact detector; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a control signal to the target object according to the detected motion.

2. The control terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the contact detector includes a signal source and a signal detector,

the signal source applies an electrical signal to the surface of the first portion of the body along the conducting path, and

the signal detector detects the electrical signal.

3. The control terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the motion detector detects the motion of the user based on a combination of the result of detection by the contact detector and the result of detection by the impact detector at a predetermined time interval.

4. The control terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the first portion is a first finger of one of a right hand and a left hand of the user,

the second portion is a second finger of the one of the right hand and the left hand of the user, and

the control terminal is ring-shaped and wearable on the first finger.

5. The control terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the transmitter transmits the control signal to the target terminal by wireless.