APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOGNIZING PROXIMITY MOTION USING SENSORS

• US 20140240248A1
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: HAN, Seung Ju, PARK, Joon Ah, RYU, Hyun Surk, PARK, Du Sik, LEE, Ki Myung
• Granted Patent: US 10,261,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

An apparatus for recognizing a proximity motion using sensors may include a first sensor to sense a first input region, a second sensor to sense a second input region distinct from the first input region, and an information transfer controller to transfer information related to a transition, between the first sensor and the second sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recognizing a proximity motion using sensors, the apparatus comprising:

a first sensor to sense a first input region at a distance closer than a predetermined distance from a reference surface for recognizing a proximate motion;

a second sensor to sense a second input region at a distance farther than the predetermined distance from the reference surface; and

an information transfer controller to transfer information related to a transition of an input object, between the first sensor and the second sensor, when the transition occurs between the first input region and the second input region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity measurer to measure a proximity between the input object and the reference surface; and

a sensor controller to selectively activate the first sensor and the second sensor, based on the measured proximity.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensor controller comprises:

a proximity comparator to compare the proximity to the predetermined distance; and

an operation mode controller to control an operation mode of the first sensor and an operation mode of the second sensor, based on the comparison,

wherein the operation mode comprises at least one of an active mode, an inactive mode, and a stand-by mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information related to the transition comprises an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate of the input object being sensed in at least one of the first input region and the second input region.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first sensor outputs an x-coordinate, a y-coordinate, and a z-coordinate of the input object being sensed in the first input region, and

the second sensor outputs an x-coordinate, and a y-coordinate of the input object being sensed in the second input region.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first sensor comprises a touch sensor, and

the second sensor comprises a vision sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display to display a proximity motion interface; and

an interface controller to control the proximity motion interface for a size of an area being indicated by a first input object to be changed based on a proximity between the first input object and the reference surface, when the first input object is input in the first input region.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the proximity motion interface comprises at least one icon, and

the interface controller controls the proximity motion interface for a size of an icon being indicated by the first input object to increase as the proximity between the first input object and the reference surface increases, and controls the proximity motion interface for the icon being indicated by the first input object to be selected when the first input object is in contact with the reference surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display to display a proximity motion interface; and

an interface controller to control the proximity motion interface for at least one predetermined icon to be disposed along a perimeter of a point being indicated by a second input object, when the second input object is input in the second input region.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a signal processor to extract an axis and an endpoint of the first input object based on an output signal of the first sensor, when the first input object is input in the first input region,

wherein the interface controller controls, using the axis and the endpoint of the first input object, the proximity motion interface for the at least one predetermined icon to be disposed along a perimeter of an area in which the display is obscured by the first input object, when the first input object is input in the first input region.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the interface controller controls the proximity motion interface for a size of the at least one predetermined icon to be changed based on the proximity between the first input object and the reference surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of input sensing units to determine whether a plurality of input objects is sensed, based on at least one of an output signal of the first sensor and an output signal of the second sensor; and

an input selector to select at least one of a plurality of input objects based on a predetermined mode, when the plurality of input sensing units determines that the plurality of input objects is sensed.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predetermined mode comprises a mode in which a plurality of inputs is received, a mode in which an input object most proximate to the reference surface is selected, and a mode in which an input object is selected when a position being indicated by the input object is most proximate to a predetermined position above the reference surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a display to display a proximity motion interface;

a signal processor to extract an axis and an endpoint of at least one input object based on an output signal of the first sensor, when the at least one input object is sensed in the first input region; and

an interface controller to control the proximity motion interface for at least one predetermined icon to be disposed along a perimeter of a point being indicated by at least one input object, when the at least one input object is sensed in the second input region, and to control, using the axis and the endpoint of the at least one input object, the proximity motion interface for the at least one predetermined icon to be disposed along a perimeter of an area in which the display is obscured by the at least one input object, when the at least one input object is sensed in the first input region.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the interface controller controls the proximity motion interface for a size of at least one predetermined icon to be changed based on a proximity between at least one input object and the reference surface

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input pattern recognizer to recognize an input pattern based on at least one of an output signal of the first sensor and an output signal of the second sensor; and

a function performer to perform a function corresponding to the input pattern.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the input pattern recognizer comprises;

a calculator to calculate at least one of a velocity and an angular velocity of the input object, based on at least one of the output signal of the first sensor and the output signal of the second sensor, and

the function performer comprises;

a detector to detect a function corresponding to the input pattern, based on a result of the calculating.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display to provide a two-dimensional (2D) interface and a three-dimensional (3D) interface;

a calculator to calculate at least one of a position, a velocity, and an angular velocity of the input object, based on at least one of an output signal of the first sensor and an output signal of the second sensor; and

a display controller to control an operation mode of the display based on a result of the calculating.

19. A method of recognizing a proximity motion using sensors, the method comprising:

sensing, using a first sensor, a first input region when an input object is present in the first input region at a distance closer than a predetermined distance from a reference surface for recognizing a proximity motion;

sensing, using a second sensor, a second input region when the input object is present in the second input region at a distance farther than the predetermined distance from the reference surface; and

transferring information related to a transition of the input object, between the first sensor and the second sensor when the transition occurs between the first input region and the second input region.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

measuring a proximity between the input object and the reference surface; and

selectively activating the first sensor and the second sensor, based on the measured proximity.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the information related to the transition comprises an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate of the input object being sensed in at least one of the first input region and the second input region.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the first sensor outputs an x-coordinate, a y-coordinate, and a z-coordinate of the input object being sensed in the first input region, and

the second sensor outputs an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate of the input object being sensed in the second input region.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the first sensor comprises a touch sensor, and

the second sensor comprises a vision sensor.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

controlling a proximity motion interface for a size of an area being indicated by a first input object to be changed based on a proximity between the first input object and the reference surface, when the first input object is input in the first input region; and

displaying the proximity motion interface.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the proximity motion interface comprises at least one icon, and

the controlling comprises;

controlling the proximity motion interface for a size of an icon being indicated by the first input object to increase as the proximity between the first input object and the reference surface increases; and

controlling the proximity motion interface for the icon being indicated by the first input object to be selected when the first input object is in contact with the reference surface.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

controlling a proximity motion interface for at least one predetermined icon to be disposed along a perimeter of a point being indicated by a second input object, when the second input object is input in the second input region; and

displaying the proximity motion interface.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

extracting an axis and an endpoint of the first input object based on an output signal of the first sensor, when the first input object is input in the first input region,

wherein the controlling comprises controlling, using the axis and the endpoint of the first input object, the proximity motion interface for the at least one predetermined icon to be disposed along a perimeter of an area in which the display is obscured by the first input object, when the first input object is input in the first input region.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining whether a plurality of input objects is sensed, based on at least one of an output signal of the first sensor and an output signal of the second sensor; and

selecting at least one of a plurality of input objects based on a predetermined mode, when the plurality of input sensing units determines that the plurality of input objects is sensed.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the predetermined mode comprises a mode in which a plurality of inputs is received, a mode in which an input object most proximate to the reference surface is selected, and a mode in which an input object is selected when a position being indicated by the input object is most proximate to a predetermined position above the reference surface.

30. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

calculating at least one of a velocity and an angular velocity of the input object, based on at least one of the output signal of the first sensor and the output signal of the second sensor; and

performing a function corresponding to the input pattern, based on the calculation.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

calculating at least one of a position, a velocity, and an angular velocity of the input object, based on at least one of an output signal of the first sensor and an output signal of the second sensor; and

switching an operation mode of a display between a two-dimensional (2D) interface and a three-dimensional (3D) interface, based on the calculation.

33. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a program for instructing a computer to perform the method of claim 19.

32. A method of controlling a user interface, the method comprising:

sensing an input in a first region near the user interface;

sensing the input in a second region outside the first region; and

selectively controlling the user interface in a first manner and a second manner based on at least one of a position and movement of the sensed input within the first region and the second region.