SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR MITIGATING FALSE POSITIVES IN HUMAN-ELECTRONICS INTERFACES

• US 20160274758A1
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thalmic Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Bailey, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US15/072,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20160274758A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• 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 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• 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 3/0487 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

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for mitigating false-positives in human-electronics interfaces are described. A human-electronics interface includes a first interface device that is responsive to inputs of a first form from a user and a second interface device that is responsive to inputs of a second form from the user. The first interface device enables the user to control the interface through inputs of the first form while the second interface device enables the user to control, through inputs of the second form, at least a locked/unlocked state of the interface with respect to the first interface device. In the locked state, the interface is unresponsive to inputs (in particular, accidental inputs or “false-positives”) of the first form whereas in the unlocked state the interface is responsive to inputs of the first form.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a human-electronics interface, wherein the human-electronics interface comprises a first interface device responsive to inputs of a first form from a user and a second interface device responsive to inputs of a second form from the user, the second form different from the first form, the method comprising:

entering the human-electronics interface into a locked state with respect to the first interface device, wherein in the locked state with respect to the first interface device the human-electronics interface is unresponsive to inputs of the first form from the user;

detecting, by the second interface device, an input of the second form from the user; and

in response to detecting, by the second interface device, the input of the second form from the user, entering the human-electronics interface into an unlocked state with respect to the first interface device, wherein in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device the human-electronics interface is responsive to inputs of the first form from the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting, by the second interface device, an input of the second form from the user includes detecting, by the second interface device, an indication from the user that the user wishes to cause the human-electronics interface to enter into the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device, the indication from the user corresponding to a particular input of the second form.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, while the human-electronics interface is in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device:

detecting, by the first interface device, an input of the first form from the user; and

in response to detecting, by the first interface device, the input of the first form from the user, effecting a control of the human-electronics interface.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

reentering the human-electronics interface into the locked state with respect to the first interface device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein reentering the human-electronics interface into the locked state with respect to the first interface device includes reentering the human-electronics interface into the locked state with respect to the first interface device in response to at least one trigger selected from a group consisting of:

a particular input of the second form detected by the second interface device, a particular input of the first form detected by the first interface device, a particular combination of at least one input of the first form detected by the first interface device and at least one input of the second form detected by the second interface device, an elapsed time without detecting any inputs of the first form by the first interface device, and an elapsed time without detecting any inputs of the second form by the second interface device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second interface device includes an eye-tracker and inputs of the second form include specific eye-positions and/or gaze directions of the user, and wherein detecting, by the second interface device, an input of the second form from the user includes detecting, by the eye-tracker, a particular eye position and/or gaze direction of the user.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the human-electronics interface includes a wearable heads-up display that includes the eye-tracker, and wherein the particular eye-position and/or gaze direction of the user corresponds to a specific display region of the wearable heads-up display.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the first interface device includes a gesture control device and inputs of the first form include gestures performed by the user, and the method further comprising, while the human-electronics interface is in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device:

detecting, by the gesture control device, a gesture performed by the user; and

in response to detecting, by the gesture control device, the gesture performed by the user, effecting a control of the human-electronics interface.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising, while the human-electronics interface is in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device:

detecting, by the eye-tracker, that the eye position and/or gaze direction of the user has changed from the particular eye position and/or gaze direction; and

in response to detecting, by the eye-tracker, that the eye position and/or gaze direction of the user has changed from the particular eye position and/or gaze direction, reentering the human-electronics interface into the locked state with respect to the first interface device.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the first interface device includes a portable interface device having at least one actuator and inputs of the first form include activations of at least one actuator of the portable interface device by the user, and the method further comprising, while the human-electronics interface is in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device:

detecting, by the portable interface device, an activation of at least one actuator by the user; and

in response to detecting, by the portable interface device, the activation of at least one actuator by the user, effecting a control of the human-electronics interface.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the second interface device includes a portable interface device having at least one actuator and inputs of the second form include activations of at least one actuator of the portable interface device by the user;

detecting, by the second interface device, an input of the second form from the user includes detecting, by the portable interface device, a particular activation of at least one actuator by the user;

the first interface device includes an eye tracker and inputs of the first form include specific eye-positions and/or gaze directions of the user; and

the method further comprises, while the human-electronics interface is in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device;

detecting, by the eye tracker, an eye-position and/or gaze direction of the user; and

in response to detecting, by the eye tracker, the eye position and/or gaze direction of the user, effecting a control of the human-electronics interface.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein entering the human-electronics interface into a locked state with respect to the first interface device includes entering the first interface device into a locked state in which the first interface device is unresponsive to inputs of the first form from the user, and wherein entering the human-electronics interface into an unlocked state with respect to the first interface device includes entering the first interface device into an unlocked state in which the first interface device is responsive to inputs of the first form from the user.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first interface device includes a processor and a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium stores processor-executable locking instructions and processor-executable unlocking instructions, and wherein entering the first interface device into a locked state in which the first interface device is unresponsive to inputs of the first form from the user includes executing, by the processor of the first interface device, the processor-executable locking instructions to cause the first interface device to enter into the locked state and entering the first interface device into an unlocked state in which the first interface device is responsive to inputs of the first form from the user includes executing, by the processor of the first interface device, the processor-executable unlocking instructions to cause the first interface device to enter into the unlocked state.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the human-electronics interface includes a controlled device that is communicatively coupled to the first interface device, and wherein:

entering the human-electronics interface into a locked state with respect to the first interface device includes entering the controlled device into a locked state in which the controlled device is unresponsive to control signals from the first interface device; and

entering the human-electronics interface into an unlocked state with respect to the first interface device includes entering the controlled device into an unlocked state in which the controlled device is responsive to control signals from the first interface device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the controlled device includes a processor and a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium stores processor-executable locking instructions and processor-executable unlocking instructions, and wherein:

entering the controlled device into a locked state in which the controlled device is unresponsive to control signals from the first interface device includes executing, by the processor of the controlled device, the processor-executable locking instructions to cause the controlled device to enter into the locked state; and

entering the controlled device into an unlocked state in which the controlled device is responsive to control signals from the first interface device includes executing, by the processor of the controlled device, the processor-executable unlocking instructions to cause the controlled device to enter into the unlocked state.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the second interface device includes a processor and a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium stores processor-executable input detection instructions, and wherein detecting, by the second interface device, an input of the second form from the user includes executing, by the processor of the second interface device, the processor-executable input detection instructions to cause the second interface device to detect an input of the second form from the user.

17. A human-electronics interface comprising:

a first interface device responsive to inputs of a first form from a user, wherein the first interface device includes a first processor and a first non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the first processor, and wherein the first non-transitory processor-readable storage medium stores;

processor-executable locking instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the human-electronics interface to enter into a locked state with respect to the first interface device, wherein in the locked state with respect to the first interface device the human-electronics interface is unresponsive to inputs of the first form from the user; and

processor-executable unlocking instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the human-electronics interface to enter into an unlocked state with respect to the first interface device, wherein in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device the human-electronics interface is responsive to inputs of the first form from the user;

and

a second interface device responsive to inputs of a second form from the user, the second form different from the first form, wherein the second interface device includes a second processor and a second non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the second processor, and wherein the second non-transitory processor-readable storage medium stores;

processor-executable input processing instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second interface device to, in response to detecting an input of the second form from the user, cause the first processor of the first interface device to execute the processor-executable unlocking instructions.

18. The human-electronics interface of claim 17, further comprising a wearable heads-up display that includes the second interface device, wherein the second interface device includes an eye-tracker and inputs of the second form include specific eye-positions and/or gaze directions of the user that correspond to specific display regions of the wearable heads-up display.

19. The human-electronics interface of claim 17 wherein the first interface device includes at least one device selected from a group consisting of:

a gesture control device for which inputs of the first form include gestures performed by the user and detected by the gesture control device, and a portable interface device including at least one actuator for which inputs of the first form include activations of at least one actuator by the user.

20. The human-electronics interface of claim 17, further comprising a wearable heads-up display that includes the first interface device, wherein the first interface device includes an eye-tracker and inputs of the first form include specific eye-positions and/or gaze directions of the user that correspond to specific display regions of the wearable heads-up display.

21. The human-electronics interface of claim 17 wherein the processor-executable locking instructions that, when executed by the first processor while the human-electronics interface is in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device, cause the human-electronics interface to enter into a locked state with respect to the first interface device, cause the human-electronics interface to enter into the locked state with respect to the first interface device in response to at least one trigger selected from a group consisting of:

a particular input of the second form detected by the second interface device, a particular input of the first form detected by the first interface device, a particular combination of at least one input of the first form detected by the first interface device and at least one input of the second form detected by the second interface device, an elapsed time without detecting any inputs of the first form by the first interface device, and an elapsed time without detecting any inputs of the second form by the second interface device.

22. A human-electronics interface comprising:

a first interface device responsive to inputs of a first form from a user;

a second interface device responsive to inputs of a second form from the user, the second form different from the first form, wherein the second interface device comprises a processor and a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor, and wherein the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium stores;

processor-executable locking instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the human-electronics interface to enter into a locked state with respect to the first interface device, wherein in the locked state with respect to the first interface device the human-electronics interface is unresponsive to inputs of the first form from the user;

processor-executable unlocking instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the human-electronics interface to enter into an unlocked state with respect to the first interface device, wherein in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device the human-electronics interface is responsive to inputs of the first form from the user; and

processor-executable input processing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the second interface device to, in response to detecting an input of the second form from the user, cause the processor to execute the processor-executable unlocking instructions.

23. The human-electronics interface of claim 22, further comprising a wearable heads-up display that includes the second interface device, wherein the second interface device includes an eye-tracker and inputs of the second form include specific eye-positions and/or gaze directions of the user that correspond to specific display regions of the wearable heads-up display.

24. The human-electronics interface of claim 23 wherein the first interface device includes at least one device selected from a group consisting of:

a gesture control device for which inputs of the first form include gestures performed by the user and detected by the gesture control device, and a portable interface device that includes at least one actuator for which inputs of the first form include activations of at least one actuator by the user.

25. The human-electronics interface of claim 22 wherein the processor-executable locking instructions that, when executed by the processor while the human-electronics interface is in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device, cause the human-electronics interface to enter into a locked state with respect to the first interface device, cause the human-electronics interface to enter into the locked state with respect to the first interface device in response to at least one trigger selected from a group consisting of:

a particular input of the second form detected by the second interface device, a particular input of the first form detected by the first interface device, a particular combination of at least one input of the first form detected by the first interface device and at least one input of the second form detected by the second interface device, an elapsed time without detecting any inputs of the first form by the first interface device, and an elapsed time without detecting any inputs of the second form by the second interface device.

26. A human-electronics interface comprising:

a first interface device responsive to inputs of a first form from a user, wherein in response to detecting an input of the first form from the user the first interface device transmits at least one control signal;

a controlled device that includes a first processor and a first non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the first processor, wherein the first non-transitory processor-readable storage medium stores;

processor-executable locking instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the controlled device to enter into a locked state in which the controlled device is unresponsive to control signals from the first interface device; and

processor-executable unlocking instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the controlled device to enter into an unlocked state in which the controlled device is responsive to control signals from the first interface device; and

a second interface device responsive to inputs of a second form from the user, the second form different from the first form, wherein the second interface device includes a second processor and a second non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the second processor, and wherein the second non-transitory processor-readable storage medium stores processor-executable input processing instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second interface device to;

in response to detecting an input of the second form from the user, cause the first processor of the controlled device to execute the processor-executable unlocking instructions.

27. The human-electronics interface of claim 26 wherein the controlled device includes a wearable heads-up display that carries the second interface device, and wherein the second interface device includes an eye tracker and inputs of the second form include specific eye-positions and/or gaze directions of the user that correspond to specific display regions of the wearable heads-up display.

28. The human-electronics interface of claim 26 wherein the first interface device includes at least one device selected from a group consisting of:

a gesture control device for which inputs of the first form include gestures performed by the user and detected by the gesture control device, and a portable interface device that includes at least one actuator for which inputs of the first form include activations of at least one actuator ice by the user.

29. The human-electronics interface of claim 26 wherein the processor-executable locking instructions that, when executed by the first processor of the controlled device while the controlled device is in the unlocked state with respect to the first interface device, cause the controlled device to enter into a locked state with respect to the first interface device, cause the controlled device to enter into the locked state with respect to the first interface device in response to at least one trigger selected from a group consisting of:

a particular input of the second form detected by the second interface device, a particular input of the first form detected by the first interface device, a particular combination of at least one input of the first form detected by the first interface device and at least one input of the second form detected by the second interface device, an elapsed time without detecting any inputs of the first form by the first interface device, and an elapsed time without detecting any inputs of the second form by the second interface device.