Electronic apparatus, input device, and input method

• US 7,156,773 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Makino, Kenichi, Takai, Motoyuki, Inoue, Makoto, Sako, Yoichiro, Terauchi, Toshiro, Miyajima, Yasushi, Shirai, Katsuya, Asukai, Masamichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman; Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US11/077,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20050233859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482900-902, 473/409, 702/127, 702/160
• US Class Current: 482/7
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• 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: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

A walking sensor is attached to a shoe of the user and cooperates with an input device including a detection section detecting a movement of a user'"'"'s leg, a signal conversion section converting a detection result of the detection section into a control signal, and an output section outputting the control signal to an external device.

Claims

1. An input device for enabling a user to provide a command to a device external to the user, said input device comprising:

a number of sensors operable to detect movement of the user;

detection means for detecting a movement pattern of the user based on the detected movement obtained from the number of sensors;

a database operable to store therein a plurality of predetermined movement patterns and a control signal corresponding to each of the predetermined movement patterns;

signal conversion means for comparing a detected movement pattern obtained from the detection means with the predetermined movement patterns stored in the database and, when a match is obtained, for obtaining a respective control signal corresponding thereto; and

output means for outputting the respective control signal as a desired command to an external device.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the control signal is a command for controlling the external device.

3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is attached to at least one portion of shoes, instep, toe, ankle, calf, knee, or thigh of the user.

4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is attached to at least one portion of body trunk, lumbar part, or head of the user.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is one of a bending sensor, a pressure sensor, a ranging sensor, and acceleration sensor, a skew sensor, a magnetic sensor, a current sensor, an electrical potential sensor, or an electromagnetic induction sensor.

6. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising rhythm generation means for generating a rhythm pattern from the detection result of the detection means.

7. An input method for enabling a user to provide a command to a device external to the user, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a number of sensors operable to detect movement of the user;

detecting a movement pattern of the user based on the detected movement obtained from the number of sensors;

storing in a database a plurality of predetermined movement patterns and a control signal corresponding to each of the predetermined movement patterns;

comparing a detected movement pattern obtained from the detecting step with the predetermined movement patterns stored in the database and, when a match is obtained, obtaining a respective control signal corresponding thereto; and

outputting the respective control signal as a desired command to an external device.

8. An input device for enabling a user to provide a command to a device external to the user, said input device comprising:

a number of sensors operable to detect movement of the user;

a detection section operable to detect a movement pattern of the user based on the detected movement obtained from the number of sensors;

a database operable to store therein a plurality of predetermined movement patterns and a control signal corresponding to each of the predetermined movement patterns;

a signal conversion section operable to compare a detected movement pattern obtained from the detection section with the predetermined movement patterns stored in the database and, when a match is obtained, to obtain a respective control signal corresponding thereto; and

an output section operable to output the respective control signal as a desired command to an external device.