Mouth-operated computer input device and associated methods
First Claim
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1. A mouth-operated computer input device comprising:
- a mouthpiece to be positioned in a user'"'"'s mouth; and
an optical device carried by said mouthpiece for emitting light from a surface area thereof towards the user'"'"'s tongue, and for controlling movement of a cursor on a computer display based upon movement of the user'"'"'s tongue across the surface area, said optical device comprisingan optical window within the surface area,at least one light emitting device for emitting the light through the optical window towards the user'"'"'s tongue, anda sensor adjacent said at least one light emitting device for sensing the light reflected from the user'"'"'s tongue back into the optical window.
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Abstract
A mouth-operated computer input device includes a mouthpiece to be positioned in a user'"'"'s mouth, and an optical device carried by the mouthpiece for emitting light from a surface area thereof. The optical device controls movement of a cursor on a computer display based upon movement of the user'"'"'s tongue across the surface area. The optical device includes a light emitting device for emitting the light, and a sensor adjacent the light emitting device for sensing the light reflected from the user'"'"'s tongue. A processor calculates movement of the user'"'"'s tongue based upon the light reflected therefrom.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A mouth-operated computer input device comprising:
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a mouthpiece to be positioned in a user'"'"'s mouth; and an optical device carried by said mouthpiece for emitting light from a surface area thereof towards the user'"'"'s tongue, and for controlling movement of a cursor on a computer display based upon movement of the user'"'"'s tongue across the surface area, said optical device comprising an optical window within the surface area, at least one light emitting device for emitting the light through the optical window towards the user'"'"'s tongue, and a sensor adjacent said at least one light emitting device for sensing the light reflected from the user'"'"'s tongue back into the optical window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A mouth-operated computer input device comprising:
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a horseshoe-shaped mouthpiece to be positioned in a user'"'"'s mouth; and an optical device carried by said mouthpiece and comprising a surface area forming a bridge, across said mouthpiece, said optical device for emitting light from the surface area thereof towards the user'"'"'s tongue, and for controlling movement of a cursor on a computer display based upon movement of the user'"'"'s tongue across said surface area, said optical device comprising an optical window within the surface area, at least one light emitting device for emitting the light through the optical window towards the user'"'"'s tongue, and a sensor adjacent said at least one light emitting device for sensing the light reflected from the user'"'"'s tongue back into the optical window. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for controlling movement of a cursor on a computer display using a mouth-operated computer input device comprising a mouthpiece, and an optical device carried by the mouthpiece for emitting light from a surface area thereof, the method comprising:
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inserting the mouth-operated computer input device into the user'"'"'s mouth; and moving the user'"'"'s tongue across the surface area of the optical device, with the optical device controlling movement of the cursor based upon movement of the user'"'"'s tongue across the surface area, with the optical device comprising an optical window within the surface area, at least one light emitting device for emitting the light through the optical window towards the user'"'"'s tongue, and a sensor adjacent the at least one light emitting device for sensing the light reflected from the user'"'"'s tongue back into the optical window. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification