Method and Apparatus for Communication Between Humans and Devices

• US 20130188032A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Queen's University At Kingston
• Original Assignee: Queen's University At Kingston
• Inventors: Vertegaal, Roel
• Application Number:
  US13/618,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188032A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/78
• 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 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for improving communications between humans and devices. The invention provides a method of modulating operation of a device, comprising providing an attentive user interface for obtaining information about an attentive state of a user; and modulating operation of a device on the basis of the obtained information, wherein the operation that is modulated is initiated by the device. Preferably, the information about the user'"'"'s attentive state is eye contact of the user with the device that is sensed by the attentive user interface.

Claims

1-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A method for determining a subject'"'"'s response and/or interest toward an object, surface, or visual material, comprising:

using a hardware sensor coupled to the object, surface, or visual material, the hardware sensor outputting a sensor signal; and

processing the sensor signal to produce a measure that is indicative of the subject'"'"'s attention toward the hardware sensor together with the object, surface, or visual material;

wherein the measure is not communicated to the subject; and

wherein the hardware sensor senses eye contact, head orientation, and/or face orientation of the subject toward the object, surface, or visual material.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising using the measure for marketing information about the object, surface, or visual material.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the object, surface, or visual material comprises an advertisement, and the method further comprises using the measure for assessing the effectiveness of the advertisement.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the object, surface, or visual material is selected from a sign, a computer screen, a television screen, a whiteboard, a chalkboard, art, a window, an interactive surface, a billboard, an advertisement, and a static surface.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the hardware sensor senses eye contact.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein the hardware sensor is electronically coupled to the object, surface, or visual material.

54. The method of claim 47, wherein the hardware sensor is wirelessly coupled to the object, surface, or visual material.

55. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

using a plurality of hardware sensors, each hardware sensor being coupled to a different region of the object, surface, or visual material and outputting a sensor signal; and

processing the sensor signals to produce a measure that is indicative of the subject'"'"'s attention toward a hardware sensor together with a corresponding region of the object, surface, or visual material.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

interpolating at least two sensor signals from at least two hardware sensors corresponding to at least two regions of the object, surface, or visual material;

wherein interpolating indicates that a region of the object, surface, or visual material that is of interest to the subject is between the regions of the at least two hardware sensors.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein at least some of the hardware sensors sense eye contact.

58. An apparatus for determining a subject'"'"'s response and/or interest toward an object, surface, or visual material, comprising:

a hardware sensor coupled to the object, surface, or visual material, the hardware sensor outputting a sensor signal; and

a processor that processes the sensor signal to produce a measure that is indicative of the subject'"'"'s attention toward the hardware sensor together with the object, surface, or visual material;

wherein the measure is not communicated to the subject; and

wherein the hardware sensor senses eye contact, head orientation, and/or face orientation of the subject toward the object, surface, or visual material.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the object, surface, or visual material is selected from a sign, a computer screen, a television screen, a whiteboard, a chalkboard, art, a window, an interactive surface, a billboard, an advertisement, and a static surface.

60. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the object, surface, or visual material comprises an advertisement.

61. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the hardware sensor senses eye contact.

62. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the hardware sensor is electronically coupled to the object, surface, or visual material.

63. The method of claim 58, wherein the hardware sensor is wirelessly coupled to the object, surface, or visual material.

64. The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising:

a plurality of hardware sensors, each hardware sensor being coupled to a different region of the object, surface, or visual material and outputting a sensor signal.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the processor interpolates at least two sensor signals of at least two hardware sensors corresponding to at least two regions of the object, surface, or visual material;

and

wherein the processor produces a measure that is indicative of the subject'"'"'s interest being between the regions of the at least two hardware sensors.

66. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein at least some of the hardware sensors sense eye contact.