NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING AWARENESS OF AN INTERACTIVE SURFACE

• US 20140091937A1
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pratt, James H., Belz, Steven M., Sullivan, Marc A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,292,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/670
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/21 Collision detection, intersection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A system for providing awareness of an interactive surface is disclosed. The system may include a processor that is communicatively linked to an interactive surface. The processor may determine a position and a velocity of an object that is within range of the interactive surface based on one or more of media content, vibrations, air movement, sounds and, global positioning data associated with the object. Additionally, the processor may determine if the object has a trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface based on the information associated with the object. If the processor determines that the object has a trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface, the processor can generate a notification.

Claims

1. A system for providing awareness of an interactive surface, comprising:

a memory for storing instructions; and

a processor coupled to the interactive surface, the processor for executing the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving media content associated with an object that is within a range of the interactive surface;

detecting a position and a velocity of the object that is in the range of the interactive surface based at least in part on the media content;

determining if the object has a trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface, wherein the trajectory is determined based on the position and the velocity of the object; and

generating a notification if the object is determined to have the trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise removing the notification if the object is determined to no longer have the trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise increasing an intensity of the notification as the object gets closer to the interactive surface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise decreasing an intensity of the notification as the object get farther away from the interactive surface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting a change in air movement associated with the object and generating the notification if the change is higher than a threshold value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting vibrations associated with the object, and generating the notification if the vibrations are greater than a threshold value.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting a sound associated with the object, and wherein the operations further comprise generating the notification if the sound is greater than a threshold value.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises changing opacity of the interactive surface.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises generating an auditory signal from the interactive surface.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises generating a visual signal that is viewable from the interactive surface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting the position and the velocity of the object by utilizing one of the group consisting of a global positioning system, a cellular network, and a wireless network.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting the position and velocity of the object by utilizing a motion sensor.

13. A method for providing awareness of an interactive surface, comprising:

receiving media content associated with an object that is within a range of the interactive surface;

determining a position and a velocity of the object that is in the range of the interactive surface based at least in part on the media content by utilizing instructions stored in memory and executed by a processor;

determining if the object has a trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface, wherein determining the trajectory is based on the position and the velocity of the object; and

generating a notification if the object is determined to have the trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising increasing an intensity of the notification as the object as gets closer to the interactive surface.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising emitting an ultrasonic sound in the range of the interactive surface and receiving an echo from the object based on the ultrasonic sound, and further comprising generating the notification based on the echo from the object.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising removing the notification if the object is determined to no longer have the trajectory to collide with the interactive surface.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the notification comprises generating a haptic signal from the interactive surface.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the notification comprises identifying a function of the interactive surface.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising overriding a program running on the interactive surface when generating the notification.

20. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving media content associated with an object that is within a range of an interactive surface;

determining a position and a velocity of the object that is in the range of the interactive surface based at least in part on the media content;

determining if the object has a trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface, wherein the trajectory is determined based on the position and the velocity of the object; and

generating a notification if the object is determined to have the trajectory that would cause the object to collide with the interactive surface.