SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRIC DEVICE USING A CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20130135195A1
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 2020 Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Quantum Interface LLC
• Inventors: Josephson, Jonathan, Nalty, Kurt Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information

Abstract

An electrical switch apparatus including a movement sensitive form is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, a motion sensor and a processing unit, where motion on, near or about the motion sensor is translated into output commands adapted for list scrolling, where the list can be arranged in a hierarchy such as menus or for changing a value of an attribute of an electrical device under the control of the switch.

Claims

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47. A system comprising:

a motion sensor including an active zone, where the sensor senses motion and/or changes in a direction of motion within the active zone and produces an output signal based on the sensed motion and/or changes in the direction of motion,

a processing unit including communication software and hardware, where the unit converts the output into command and control functions, and

one or a plurality of electrical devices and/or software programs in communication with the processing unit, where the command and control functions comprise;

a scroll function, or

a simultaneous control function including;

a select function and a scroll function,

a select function and an activate function, and

a select function and an attribute control function, and

where the processing unit (1) processing a scroll function, (2) selecting and processing a scroll function, (3) selecting and activating an object or a plurality of objects in communication with the processing unit, or (4) selecting and activating an attribute or a plurality of attributes associated with an object or a plurality of objects in communication with the processing unit,

where the objects comprise electrical devices, software programs, or combinations thereof,

where the attributes comprise adjustable attributes associated with the devices and/or programs, and

where the changes in the direction of motion are discernible by the motion sensor or the processing unit.

2. The system of claim 47, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, optical scanners, optical roller ball devices, touch pads, inductive pads, capacitve pads, holographic devices, laser tracking devices, thermal devices, any other device capable of sensing motion, arrays of such devices, and mixtures and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 47, wherein the objects include lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems and other software systems, remote control systems, or mixtures and combinations thereof.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the sensor is capable of discerning a change in direction of motion of ±

15°

.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the sensor is capable of discerning a change in direction of motion of ±

10°

.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the sensor is capable of discerning a change in direction of motion of ±

5°

51. The system of claim 47, further comprising

a remote control unit in communication with the processing unit to provide remote control of the processing unit and all electrical devices and/or software programs under the control of the processing unit.