Apparatus and method for controlling a cursor on a viewing screen

• US 7,259,748 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xytech AB
• Original Assignee: Ulf Parke
• Inventors: Brusell, Tomas, Ullman, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro; Leonid
• Application Number:
  US10/471,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20040148174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/163, 345/167, 345/177
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a cursor (10) on an electronic viewing screen (102) connected to a computer (104) without using hands. The apparatus comprises a detecting unit (108), intended to be carried by a user (106). The detecting unit (108) is provided with at least one ultrasonic device (110), which emits ultrasonic signals mainly in a direction towards the user'"'"'s (106) mouth cavity and registers reflected ultrasonic signals. The apparatus further comprises a processing unit (116) for transforming the reflected ultrasonic signals into control signals intended to control the cursor (100). Thereby, the control signals create movement or activation of the cursor on the viewing screen such that different conditions in the mouth cavity are associated with specific cursor commands.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a cursor on an electronic viewing screen connected to a computer the apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit carried by a user and having at least one ultrasonic device for emitting ultrasonic signals mainly in a direction towards a mouth cavity of said user and for registering reflected ultrasonic signals, and

a processing unit for transforming the reflected ultrasonic signals into control signals for controlling the cursor.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detecting unit is adapted to be carried on a head of said user and comprises at least one arm to which the ultrasonic device is attached.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detecting unit comprises at least one arm arranged on either side of a face of said user and each arm is provided with at least one ultrasonic device.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a plurality of ultrasonic devices are attached along the arm.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic device is positioned proximal to a cheek of said user.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detecting unit is provided with a transmitter for wireless transmission of the reflected ultrasonic signals to the processing unit.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the processing unit is integrated with the detecting unit.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the detecting unit is provided with a transmitter for wireless transmission of the control signals to the computer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflected signals correspond to conditions within the mouth cavity.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reflected signals are related to a shape of the tongue.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reflected signals are related to a position of the tongue.

9. A method of transforming reflected signals from an ultrasonic device into control signals for controlling a cursor on an electronic viewing screen connected to a computer said method comprising the steps of:

receiving signals from the ultrasonic device reflected in a mouth cavity of a user,

transforming the received signals into data representing different conditions in the mouth cavity, and

analyzing and translating transformed data into control signals to create movement or activation of the cursor on the viewing screen wherein different conditions in the mouth cavity are associated with specific cursor commands.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein associations between different conditions in the mouth and specific cursor commands are created by means of a training process.