Full-time wearable information managing device and method for the same

• US 6,380,923 B1
• Filed: 08/30/1994
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Hiraiwa, Akira, Sonehara, Noboru, Uchiyama, Tadasu, Fukumoto, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US08/298,552
• Time in Patent Office: 2,800 Days
• Field of Search: 846/00, 846/26, 847/19, 847/18, 847/20, 847/30, 847/44, 846/16, 345/156, 345/157, 345/168, 345/169, 341/22
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• 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 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence

Abstract

A full-time wearable input device, method for the same is provided, wherein the immediate accessibility is improved without sacrificing the operational integrity, and information can be inputted anytime, anywhere, and immediately. The full-time wearable input device comprises a detector for detecting the shock generated at the time of striking the fingertips against a physical surface, and an analyzer for analyzing the timing at which the fingertips strike the aforementioned physical surface and determining the input information based on the detection signal detected by the aforementioned detector. As the above-mentioned detector, a shock sensor, acceleration sensor, sound sensor and myoelectric sensor can be used. The input information is then determined based on the change in the shock, acceleration, sound and/or myoelectric potential as detected by the sensors which are worn on each finger, wrist, or arm.

Claims

1. A full-time wearable input device for generating input information associated with striking a physical surface with fingertips, said full-time wearable input device comprising:

a shock detecting means, positioned at the base of a finger, for detecting a shock generated and transmitted through the finger when the fingertip of the finger strikes the physical surface, and for outputting a detection signal including a predetermined frequency component generated when the fingertip of the finger mounted with said shock detecting means strikes the physical surface; and

an analyzing means for analyzing a presence or absence of the predetermined frequency component and timing information of the fingertip striking the physical surface, the analysis based on the detection signal outputted from said shock detecting means, and for determining input information.

2. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein said shock detecting means comprises:

an acceleration sensor possessing a resonance frequency conforming to a frequency component of a specific acceleration to be detected.

3. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein said shock detecting means comprises:

a first acceleration sensor possessing a resonance frequency conforming to a frequency component of a specific acceleration to be detected;

a second acceleration sensor possessing a uniform sensitivity with respect to a frequency band of all detectable accelerations; and

a processing means for processing respective signals outputted from said first acceleration sensor and said second acceleration sensor, and for detecting only said frequency component of the specific acceleration.

4. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein said shock detecting means comprises:

an acceleration sensor;

a vibration applying means for vibrating said acceleration sensor; and

a processing means for regulating said vibration applying means, processing a detection signal outputted from said acceleration sensor, and detecting only a frequency component of a specific acceleration to be detected.

5. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein said shock detecting means comprises:

a myoelectric signal sensor for detecting changes in myoelectric potential at the time of striking said physical surface with the fingertip.

6. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein said shock detecting means comprises:

a plurality of shock sensors for use in detection.

7. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein

said shock detecting means detects shocks generated at the time of striking said physical surface with the fingertips of a plurality of fingers;

and

said analyzing means determines the input information by analyzing the timing information of said plurality of fingertips striking said physical surface based on the strength or the characteristics of a frequency distribution of each detection signal outputted by said shock detecting means.

8. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein

said shock detecting means comprises a plurality of detection sensors for detecting shocks generated at the time of striking said physical surface with the fingertips of a plurality of fingers;

and

said analyzing means determines said input information by analyzing the timing information of said plurality of fingers striking said physical surface based on a time difference between each detection signal outputted by said detection sensor or positional information of said each detection sensor.

9. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein said analyzing means determines said input information based on information outputted from said shock detecting means regarding which finger struck said physical surface, which combination of fingers struck said physical surface, or from the order in which the fingers (or combinations therein) struck said physical surface over a short period of time.

10. A full-time wearable input device according claim 1, further comprising a transmitting means for transmitting a detection signal outputted from said shock detecting means to said analyzing means by electromagnetic waves or sound waves.

11. A full-time wearable communication apparatus comprising:

a full-time wearable input device according to one of claims 2-4, 5-7,8-10, 16, or 1;

a sentence constructing means for constructing sentences based on input information outputted by said full-time wearable input device;

a voice synthesizer for converting sentences constructed by means of said sentence constructing means into speech information; and

a loud speaker for vocalizing based on said speech information outputted by means of said speech synthesizer.

12. A full-time wearable musical keyboard apparatus comprising:

a full-time wearable input device according to one of claims 2-4, 5-7, 8-10, 16, or 1;

a music processor for forming a musical tone signal based on input information outputted by said full-time wearable input device; and

a music generating means for generating musical tones corresponding to said musical tone signal formed by means of said music processor.

13. A full-time wearable Braille keyboard device comprising:

a full-time wearable input device according to one of claims 2-4, 5-7,8-10, 16, or 1; and

a Braille input device fore converting input information outputted by means of said full-time wearable input device into Braille input information, and outputting said Braille input information.

14. A full-time wearable Braille input/output device comprising:

a full-time wearable Braille keyboard device according to claim 16;

a Braille conversion device for converting information such as characters and figures into a Braille format; and

a tactile feedback device for transmitting said Braille input information outputted by means of said full-time wearable Braille keyboard device or said Braille conversion device to each finger, hand or wrist.

15. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein the shock detecting means has the shape of a finger ring.

16. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein the detection signal is transmitted wirelessly from the shock detecting means to the analyzing means.

17. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein the input information is language information.

18. A full-time wearable input device according to claim 1, wherein:

said shock detecting means comprises a plurality of shock sensors, positioned at each base of a plurality of fingers, each shock sensor for detecting the shock generated when the fingertip of each finger corresponding to each shock sensor strikes the physical surface, and for outputting a detection signal including a predetermined frequency component generated when the fingertip of the finger mounted with said shock sensor strikes the physical surface; and

said analyzing means determines the input information by analyzing the presence or absence of the predetermined frequency component corresponding to each finger and timing information of each fingertip striking the physical surface, the analysis based on the detection signal outputted from the corresponding shock sensor.

19. An information input method for generating input information by striking a fingertip against a physical surface, said information input method comprising:

a first step of detecting a shock at the base of a finger, the shock generated and transmitted through the finger when the fingertip of the finger strikes the physical surface, and outputting a detection signal when the shock includes a predetermined frequency component which is generated when the fingertip of the finger strikes the physical surface; and

a second step of analyzing timing information of the fingertip striking the physical surface, the analysis based on the detection signal outputted in the first step, and determining input information.