Synthesizing computer input events

• US 6,396,476 B1
• Filed: 12/01/1998
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bradski, Gary R., Boller, Ryan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US09/204,007
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156,157,158,160,161,162,163,169,173,7,8,9
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Synthesizing computer input events is disclosed. In one embodiment, a computerized system includes a sensor, a controller, a utility and an application. The sensor detects external events, such as audio events and video events. The controller generates control variables in response to the external events. The utility synthesizes input events, such as joystick, mouse, and keyboard events, from the control variables. The application then utilizes these input events.

Claims

1. A computerized system comprising:

a sensor detecting external events selected from the group essentially consisting of audio events and video events;

a controller generating control variables in response to the external events;

a utility synthesizing input events from the control variables, wherein the input events comprise events selected from the group essentially consisting of;

joystick events, mouse events, keyboard events and button events; and

,

an application utilizing the input events.

2. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the utility accesses at least one of a disk file and a registry to determine parameters regarding the application to synthesize input events relevant to the application.

3. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the utility inserts the input events in an event queue for the application to utilize the input events.

4. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the utility generates an interrupt when synthesizing an input event.

5. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the utility runs as a background application running in conjunction with an operating system and the application runs as a foreground application running in conjunction with the operating system.

6. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the controller, the utility, and the application comprises a computer program running on a computer.

7. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a video camera detecting video events.

8. The computerized system of claim 7, wherein the video events comprise movement of an object tracked by the video camera.

9. The computerized system of claim 8, wherein the object comprises a head of a user.

10. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a microphone detecting audio events.

11. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the audio events comprise spoken words detected by the microphone.

12. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the audio events comprise sounds detected by the microphone.

13. A computerized system comprising:

a sensor detecting external events selected from the group essentially consisting of audio events and video events;

a controller generating control variables in response to the external events;

a utility synthesizing from the control variables input events selected from the group essentially consisting of;

joystick events, mouse events, keyboard events and button events;

an application utilizing the input events in response to an interrupt generated by the utility when synthesizing an input event;

a storage accessed by the utility to determine parameters regarding the application to synthesize input events relevant to the application; and

,

an event queue into which the input events synthesized by the utility are inserted by the utility for the application to utilize the input events.

14. The computerized system of claim 13, wherein the storage comprises at least one of a disk file and a registry.

15. A computerized method comprising:

detecting an external event selected from the group essentially consisting of an audio event and a video event; and

,

synthesizing an input event based on the external event, the input event selected from the group essentially consisting of;

a joystick event, a mouse event, a keyboard event and a button event.

16. The computerized method of claim 15, further comprising prior to synthesizing the input event, generating a control variable in response to the external event.

17. The computerized method of claim 16, wherein synthesizing the input event comprises generating the input event from the control variable.

18. The computerized method of claim 15, further comprising utilizing the input event.

19. The computerized method of claim 15, wherein the video event comprises movement of an object.

20. The computerized method of claim 15, wherein the audio event is selected from the group essentially consisting of a spoken word and a sound.

21. A computer comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium; and

,

a utility program executed by the processor from the medium to synthesize input events from control variables generated in response to external events selected from the group essentially consisting of audio events and video events, wherein the input events comprise events selected from the group essentially consisting of;

joystick events, mouse events keyboard events and button events.

22. The computer of claim 21, wherein the utility program runs as a background application in conjunction with an operating system.

23. The computer of claim 21, further comprising an application program executed by the processor from the medium to utilize the input events synthesized by the utility program.

24. The computer of claim 23, wherein the application program runs as a foreground application in conjunction with an operating system.

25. The computer of claim 21, further comprising a controller program executed by the processor from the medium to generate the control variables in response to the external events.

26. The computer of claim 21, wherein the external events are detected by a sensor operatively coupled to the computer.

27. A computer-readable medium having a utility program stored thereon for execution on a suitably equipped computer to synthesize input events from control variables generated in response to external events selected from the group essentially consisting of audio events and video events, wherein the input events comprise events selected from the group essentially consisting of:

joystick events, mouse events, keyboard events and button events.