Methods And Systems For Augmentative And Alternative Communication

• US 20160125705A1
• Filed: 01/12/2016
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
• Inventors: Hurtig, Richard, Berkowitz, Benjamin, Martinson, Blake Earl, Zhu, Zihan, Bird, Richard Rives
• Granted Patent: US 9,595,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 4/00 Methods or devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body operating or control means for prostheses A61F2/48, A61F2/68
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/038 Indexing scheme relating to G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• 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: 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/222 Personal calling arrangements or devices, i.e. paging systems selective calling systems and call receivers H04W84/00, H04W68/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96003 using acoustic waves, e.g. ultrasound

Abstract

Methods and systems for augmentative and alternative communication are disclosed. An example method can comprise receiving a candidate input, classifying the candidate input as an intentional input, and generating a signal in response to the intentional input.

Claims

1. A method for communication, comprising:

receiving a plurality of candidate inputs;

classifying the plurality of candidate inputs as one or more intentional inputs;

counting a number of the one or more intentional inputs;

selecting an target device based on the number of the one or more intentional inputs; and

providing a signal to the selected target device in response to the intentional input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a candidate input comprises receiving an input from one or more sensors.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensors comprises one or more of a touch sensor, a pressure sensor, a mechanical sensor, an optical reflectance sensor, an infrared reflectance sensor, a light sensor, a proximity detector, a capacitance sensor, an audio sensor, and a camera.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying the candidate input as an intentional input comprises:

determining a characteristic of an intentional input;

generating a filter based on the characteristic; and

applying the filter to the candidate input.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the characteristic is derived from a frequency domain.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the characteristic is derived from a time domain.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a signal to the selected target device in response to the intentional input comprises activating one or more of a nurse call switch, a computer, a television, a fan, a light, a telephone, and a medical device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a signal to the selected target device in response to the intentional input comprises controlling one or more controlled devices.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a first plurality of candidate inputs from a first sensor;

determining a type of the first sensor;

determining a first timing threshold based on the type of the first sensor;

classifying one or more of the first plurality of candidate inputs as intentional inputs based on the first timing threshold; and

providing an output signal to a device based on the one or more of the first plurality of candidate inputs classified as intentional inputs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the type of the first sensor is determined based on a voltage level of a signal received from the first sensor.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the type of the first sensor is determined based on a code received from the first sensor.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining an electrical resistance value of a connection with the first sensor, wherein the type of the first sensor is determined based on the electrical resistance value.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first timing threshold comprises a minimum duration of time between intentional inputs.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the device is selected based on a number of the first plurality of candidate inputs classified as intentional inputs.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the output signal to a device based on the one or more of the first plurality of candidate inputs classified as intentional inputs comprises counting a number of the one or more of the first plurality of candidate inputs classified as intentional inputs and selecting the device based on the number.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a second plurality of candidate inputs from a second sensor;

determining a type of the second sensor; and

determining a second timing threshold based on the type of the second sensor, wherein the device is selected for receiving the output signal based on a combination of a number of the first plurality of inputs classified as intentional inputs and a number of the second plurality of inputs classified as intentional inputs.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving a first input signal;

receiving a second input signal after the first input signal;

classifying the first input signal and the second input signal as intentional signals;

determining timing information indicative of a time difference between receiving the first input signal and receiving the second input signal;

determining whether the first input signal and the second input signal are relevant to a single command or multiple commands based on the timing information; and

providing one or more output signals based on the determining of whether the first input signal and the second input signal are relevant to a single gesture or multiple gestures.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining whether the first input signal and the second input signal are relevant to a single command or multiple commands based on the timing information comprises comparing the timing information to a gesture time window, and wherein if the time difference is less than the gesture time window then the first input signal and the second input signal are determined to be relevant to a single gesture.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the gesture time window is specified by a user providing the first input signal and the second input signal.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first input signal is received from a first sensor and the second input signal is received from a second sensor.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting a device to provide the one or more output signals to based on a count of input signals received during a gesture time window initiated in response to receiving the first input signal.

22. A method, comprising:

receiving a first plurality of candidate inputs;

classifying the first plurality of candidate inputs as one or more first intentional inputs;

counting a number of the one or more first intentional inputs;

selecting a target device based on the number of the one or more first intentional inputs;

receiving a second plurality of candidate inputs;

classifying the second plurality of candidate inputs as one or more second intentional inputs;

determining a command for controlling the target device based on the one or more second intentional inputs; and

providing a signal indicative of the command to the selected target device in response to the intentional input.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the command can comprise a command for an application on the target device.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the command is determined based on a number of the one or more second intentional inputs received during a time window.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the command is determined based on which target device is selected.