Gesture-based input device for a user interface of a computer

• US 7,312,788 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2004
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Fleischmann, Monika, Strauss, Wolfgang, Li, YinLin, Groenegress, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N
• Application Number:
  US10/797,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/161, 345/163, 345/167, 345/168, 345/173, 715/822, 715856-866, 178 1801- 1807, 178/20.01, 341/5.33, 341/5, 341 20- 23, 341/33, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.6
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

The gesture-based input device for a user interface of a computer comprises two pairs of electrodes scalable for any screen size wherein the electrodes are arranged to capture the quasi-electrostatic field surrounding the user in order for the graphic user interface to provide different options or tasks to be selected by a user, a platform for supporting a user, a quasi-electrostatic field generator source connected to the platform and a circuitry connected to the electrodes for determining, relative to each of the electrodes, the position of that part of a user supported by the platform, e.g. a user'"'"'s hand, being closest to the electrodes. The position of the part of the user in each dimension of the electrodes array is determined based on the relation of two voltage signals of the circuitry, respectively, each voltage signal indicating the distance between the part of the user and the respective electrode, whereby the position within the sensor detection range closest to the part of the user is determined without any calibration of the system for the user.

Claims

1. A gesture-based input device for a user interface of a computer comprising:

two pairs of electrodes scalable for any screen size, wherein the electrodes are arranged to capture a quasi-electrostatic field surrounding a user in order for the user interface to provide different options or tasks to be selected by the user,

a platform for supporting the user,

a quasi-electrostatic field generator source connected to the platform; and

a circuitry connected to the electrodes for determining, relative to each of the electrodes, a position of a part of the user being closest to electrodes,

wherein the position of the part of the user in each dimension of the electrodes is determined based on a relation of four voltage signals of the circuitry, respectively, each voltage signal indicating a distance between the part of the user and the respective electrode,

whereby the position within the electrode closest to the part of the user is determined without any calibration of a sensor system, and

$V_H=\frac{{<br><br>U_O<br><br>}_L}{{<br><br>U_O<br><br>}_R}$ $V_V=\frac{{<br><br>U_O<br><br>}_B}{{<br><br>U_O<br><br>}_T}$

is utilized to cancel an environment effect and remove a calibration process before use of the input device by the user, and U_o is the output signal from the correspondent electrode.

2. The gesture-based input device according to claim 1, wherein a sensor field comprises a screen and a cursor moved and positioned according to the movement and position of the part of the user.

3. The gesture-based input device according to claim 1 or 2, usable to provide flexibility for the user to define a hand movement range, wherein

$\begin{array}{c}X=\frac{V_H}{V_{H\; <li></li><br><br>\max }-V_{H<br><br><br><br>\min }}·<br><br>L_X\\ Y=\frac{V_V}{V_{V<br><br><br><br>\max }-V_{V<br><br><br><br>\min }}·<br><br>L_Y\end{array}$

also allow the user to move forward and backward freely before a screen in a range of around 1 meter.

4. The gesture-based input device according to claim 1, wherein, when the determined position of the part of the user is left substantially unchanged for a predetermined period of time, this is interpreted as selecting an option or task offered to the user through the user interface represented by the quasi-electrostatic field.