Method of communication using pointing vector gestures and mnemonic devices to assist in learning point vector gestures

• US 5,203,704 A
• Filed: 12/21/1990
• Issued: 04/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DSI Datotech Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seth R. Mccloud
• Inventors: McCloud, Seth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US07/632,325
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 434/185, 434/156, 434/222, 434/223, 434/160, 434/159, 434/112, 283/46
• US Class Current: 434/156
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00

Abstract

A pointing gesture, a method of communication using a set of pointing gestures, and mnemonic devices are described used between a sender and a receiver. The pointing gestures are performed by the sender using a gesturing device which comprises a primary indicator and a plurality of ancillary indicators. The pointing gestures are performed by the sender in a field located between the sender and the receiver. The field has a plurality of possible vector patterns created therein. Each vector pattern has a plurality of relocating line and point vectors. In the preferred embodiment, the gesturing device comprises the sender'"'"'s hand with the index finger serving as the primary indicator and the thumb and middle finger serving as ancillary indicators. Also disclosed herein is a method of communication using a set of thirty-six pointing gestures with each pointing gesture programmed or associated with one communication code. In the preferred embodiment, each code represents one of thirty-six phonemes in a modified set of IPA phonemes. Mnemonic devices are also disclosed herein to help the sender and receiver remember and perform the positions of the pointing gestures and their respective code associations.

Claims

1. A method of communication in a language by sender and a receiver, comprising:

a. selecting a set of pointing gestures by said sender and said receiver, said set of pointing gestures including a plurality of unique pointing gestures, each said pointing gesture including one primary indicator capable of selecting one vector pattern in a field having a plurality of said vector patterns and capable of delineating one vector within said selected vector pattern, said vector capable of being detected by said receiver, and a plurality of ancillary indicators, each said ancillary indicator capable of being disposed together with said primary indicator into one of a plurality of configurations, each said configuration capable of being detected by said receiver;

b. associating one communication code used in said language with each said pointing gesture from said set of pointing gestures by said sender;

c. performing a plurality of said pointing gestures by said sender to communicate a message to said receiver, each said pointing gesture being performed by delineating one said vector in said field with said primary indicator and then disposing said ancillary indicators together with said primary indicator into one said configuration;

d. identifying by said receiver said pointing gestures performed by said sender, and;

e. associating by said receiver each said pointing gesture identified with said associated communication codes so that said message is communicated from said sender to said receiver.

2. A method of communication, as recited in claim 1, wherein said gesturing device is the sender'"'"'s hand and said primary indicator is the index finger and the ancillary indicators are the thumb and middle finger of said hand.

3. A method of communication, as recited in claim 2, wherein said primary indication and said ancillary indicators may be disposed into four configurations comprising a first "index only" configuration, a second "index-middle" configuration, a third "index-thumb" configuration, and a fourth "index-thumb-middle" finger configuration.

4. A method of communication, as recited in claim 3, wherein there are thirty-six said communication codes taken from a modified set of IPA phonemes including the following:

/b/, /d/, /f/, /g/, /h/, /k/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /p/, /r/, /s/, /t/, /v/, /w/, /z/, /j/, / /, / /, / /, /t /, /d /, / /, /θ

/, / /, /i/, /I/, /e/, /ε

/, / /, /a/, /o/, /U/, /u/, / /, and /aI/.

5. A method of communication, as recited in claim 4, further comprising disposing said thumb to form a special configuration to signify the association of an alternative set of communication codes with each said pointing gesture.

6. A method of communication, as recited in claim 5, wherein said alternative set of communication codes comprise the set of alpha-numeric codes including all the letters in the English alphabet and the integers 0 to 9.

7. A method of performing a pointing gesture by a sender to a receiver using the index and middle fingers and thumb of one hand, comprising:

a. placing said hand in a field between said sender and said receiver, said field being capable of having a plurality of vector patterns established therein by placing said index finger into said field at different locations, each said vector pattern established in said field having a plurality of vectors;

b. establishing one said vector pattern in said field by placing said index finger in said field;

c. delineating one said vector in said vector pattern by moving said index finger in said field, said vector being detectable by said receiver;

d. disposing said index finger, said middle finger, and said thumb into one of a plurality of configurations, said delineated vector and said configuration together creating one unique pointing gesture, and;

e. holding said index and said middle fingers and said thumb in said configuration for a sufficient period so that said pointing gesture can be detected by said receiver.

8. A method of performing a pointing gesture, as recited in claim 7, wherein said field contains nine vector patterns.

9. A method of performing a pointing gesture, as recited in claim 8, wherein each said vector pattern comprises nine vectors.

10. A method of performing a pointing gesture, as recited in claim 7, wherein four said configurations may be created including a first configuration, a second configuration, a third configuration and a fourth configuration.

11. A method of performing a pointing gesture, as recited in claim 10, wherein said first configuration comprises said index finger placed into said field with said middle finger and said thumb being removed from said field.

12. A method of performing a pointing gesture, as recited in claim 10, wherein said second configuration comprises said index finger and said middle finger placed into said field and said thumb being removed from said field.

13. A method of performing a pointing gesture, as recited in claim 10, wherein said third configuration comprises said index finger and said thumb placed into said field and said middle finger being removed from said field.

14. A method of performing a pointing gesture, as recited in claim 10, wherein said fourth configuration comprises said index finger, said thumb, and said middle finger are placed into said field.

15. A vector pattern mnemonic device for learning the vector patterns in a field for use in communicating with pointing gestures, comprising:

a substantially flat sheet having one viewable surface, four corners, one central point, and two horizontal and two vertical edges, said sheet being made of lightweight material having substantially the same dimensions of the shape created when said vector patterns are overlapped, said sheet having nine points of origin located at said four corners, at said central point, and at the mid-points of each said horizontal and said vertical edges, each said points of origin being interconnected by a straight line representing all of the possible vectors in said vector patterns, said viewable surface having two vertical lines and two horizontal lines printed thereon which cross to form nine cells arranged in a tic-tac-toe manner on said viewable surface.

16. An alpha-numeric code mnemonic device used with a set of pointing gestures used to communicate, comprising:

a. four arrays, each array having nine cells arranged in a tic-tac-toe manner on one surface thereby forming thirty-six cells total, each array being associated with one of four possible configurations used to perform said pointing gestures, and;

b. a set of alpha-numeric codes, each said code being associated with one said cell, each said code being taken from a set of alpha-numeric codes, said set of alpha-numeric codes including all of the letters in the English alphabet and the integers 0 to 9.

17. A phonetic code mnemonic device used with a set of pointing gestures used to communicate, comprising:

a. four arrays, each array having nine cells arranged in a tic-tac-toe manner on one surface thereby forming thirty-six cells total, each array being associated with one of four configurations used to perform said pointing gestures, and;

b. thirty-six phonemes, one said phoneme being associated with one said cell, each said phoneme being taken from a modified set of IPA phonemes including the following;

/b/, /d/, /f/, /g/, /h/, /k/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /p/, /r/, /s/, /t/, /v/, /w/, /z/, /j/, / /, / /, / /, /t /, /d /, / /, /Θ

/, / /, /i/, /I/, /e/, /ε

/, / /, /a/, /o/, /U/, /u/, / /, and /aI/.