PROXIMITY LOCATION SYSTEM

• US 20140181710A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Baalu, Arvin, Malhotra, Manu
• Application Number:
  US13/838,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181710A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

A proximity location system (PLS) can allow for a user to interact with a user interface without touching or speaking into the interface. The system may include or be in communication with the user interface, which may be a touchscreen, for example. The system may also include or be in communication with one or more sensors that can sense an object'"'"'s size, shape, speed, and/or location with respect to the user interface. From these sensed object characteristics, the system can determine the sensed object'"'"'s type, feature, and/or state; and from that determination, the system can direct the interface and/or a device in communication with the interface to take an action.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a processor, information associated with an object sensed within a distance of a user interface;

identifying, by the processor, the sensed object based on the received information;

determining, by the processor, a feature of the identified object based on the received information; and

executing, by the processor, an action based on the determination of the feature.

2. The method of claim 1, where the feature includes one or more of a composition, a texture, a structure, or a shape of the sensed object.

3. The method of claim 1, where the received information includes one or more dimensions of the sensed object.

4. The method of claim 3, where the one or more dimensions of the sensed object include one or more of a radius, a circumference, a length, a width, or a height.

5. The method of claim 1, where the received information includes one or more visual surface characteristics of the sensed object.

6. The method of claim 1, where the received information includes one or more of a speed, an acceleration, or a direction of movement of the sensed object.

7. The method of claim 1, where the received information includes the distance of the sensed object from the user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, where the received information includes a duration of time in which the sensed object interacts with the user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, where the received information includes one or more visual characteristics of a person or a part of a person.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing, by the processor, the user interface to change a user interface element based on the determination of the feature of the identified object.

11. The method of claim 10, where the changing of the user interface element includes one or more of changing resolution, color, contrast, hue, or brightness of the user interface element.

12. The method of claim 10, where the changing of the user interface element includes changing one or more of a size or a shape of the user interface element.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing, by the processor, the user interface to zoom in on or zoom out of a user interface element based on the determination of the feature of the identified object.

14. The method of claim 1, where the received information includes data associated with a respective region included among a plurality of regions proximate to the user interface, the respective region being associated with a respective user interface element of the user interface.

15. A system, comprising

a communication interface operable to receive information associated with an object, the object being sensed by one or more sensors, the sensed object being within a distance of a user interface;

a processor communicatively coupled to the communication interface; and

memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to;

identify the sensed object based on the received information;

determine an object type of the identified object based on the received information; and

perform an action based on the determination of the object type.

16. The system of claim 15, where the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

perform one or more of a validation or an authentication of the identified object based on the received information; and

perform an action based on the determination of the object type and the one or more of the validation or the authentication of the identified object.

17. The system of claim 15, where the identified object comprises authentication information that the one or more sensors sensed, and where authentication of the identified object is based on the authentication information.

18. The system of claim 15, where the identified object comprises validation characteristics that the one or more sensors sensed, and where validation of the identified object is based on the validation characteristics.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a processor, information associated with an object sensed within a distance of a user interface;

identifying, by the processor, the sensed object based on the received information;

determining, by the processor, an object type associated with the identified object based on the received information; and

executing, by the processor, an action based on the determination of the object type.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, an object state associated with the identified object based on the received information; and

executing, by the processor, the action based on the determination of the object type and the object state.