Method for configuring 3D input device, method for reconfiguring 3D input device, method for recognizing wearing of the 3D input device, and the apparatus thereof

• US 8,022,925 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Sang-goog, Kim, Sung-cheol, Soh, Byung-Seok, Park, Tae-sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang; Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow; Yuk
• Application Number:
  US10/540,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,825 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/474, 345/863, 382/106
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods

Abstract

Provided are a method for configuring a three-dimensional (3D) input device, a method for reconfiguring the 3D input device, a method for recognizing wearing of the 3D input device, and an apparatus for the same. The method of configuring a three-dimensional (3D) input device, which performs information input operations using a finger device that is worn by a user and senses the user'"'"'s finger movement, includes recognizing whether the user is wearing the finger device and recognizing the finger positions of the device, and adaptively configuring the 3D input device based on the recognition results. Thus, it is possible to implement a user-friendly 3D input device by automatically or manually configuring the 3D input device.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a three-dimensional (3D) information input device which performs information input operations using a plurality of finger devices that are worn by a user and senses the user'"'"'s finger movement, the method comprising steps of:

obtaining movement signals output from each of the finger devices and recognizing finger positions of the finger device representing positions of fingers by which the finger device are worn; and

adaptively configuring the 3D input device corresponding to signals which are provided from the plurality of the finger devices worn by a user, by using information of the recognized finger positions of the finger device;

wherein the adaptively configuring the 3D input device comprises determining the number of fingers on which the plurality of devices are worn and assigning differing configurations to the input device based on the number of fingers which are wearing a finger device; and

wherein the result of the input operation is determined by a combination of the finger positions and the assigned configuration of the input device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adaptively configuring the 3D input device comprises:

adaptively configuring a signal-processing unit, which processes movement signals sensed by the finger device, based on the recognition results; and

adaptively configuring a device driver of the 3D input device based on the recognition results and basic set-up information used for information input.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the basic set-up information includes input scenario information related to arrangement of information items that are selected by finger movement and a language used for information input.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein an application configures a soft keyboard based on the recognition results and the basic set-up information, when the application receives the recognition results and the basic set-up information from the device driver.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the application outputs the configured soft keyboard to an output device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the soft keyboard displays finger positions of the finger device on an array of information items that are selected by finger movements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the recognizing finger positions of the finger device comprises recognizing the position of each of a plurality of fingers.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving reset information, used for reconfiguration of the 3D information input device, from a user through a user interface; and

reconfiguring a device driver of the 3D input device based on the received reset information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reset information includes information about permission or cancel of use on a specific finger of the finger device, information about selection of an input scenario related to arrangement of information items that are selected by finger movement, and information about selection of the language used for information input.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interface uses a control board of a Window system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the recognizing of whether the user is wearing the finger device and the recognizing of finger positions of the finger device comprises:

(a) acquiring sensor signals, which are used to sense movement of the finger device;

(b) determining, from the acquired sensor signals, whether at least the predetermined number of edges are detected; and

(c) recognizing whether the user is wearing the 3D input device based on the results of step (b).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (a) further comprises:

(a1) storing information about sensors experiencing changes between current sensor signal values and previous sensor signal values, and timer values at the time when the changes occur.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein step (b) further comprises:

determining whether at least the predetermined number of timer values are detected.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (c) further comprises:

if at least the predetermined number of timer values are detected, recognizing that the user is wearing the finger device with corresponding sensors outputting the acquired sensor signals attached thereto; and

unless at least the predetermined number of timer values are detected, recognizing that the user is not wearing the finger device with corresponding sensors outputting the acquired sensor signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

(d) if it is recognized that the user is not wearing the finger device, outputting information indicating an error value; and

(e) if it is recognized that the user is wearing the finger device, calculating duty ratios by using the timer values, scaling the calculated duty ratios by a predetermined value and outputting the scaled values.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptively configuring the 3D input device includes deactivating algorithms on unworn finger device from among the plurality of finger devices.

17. A three-dimensional (3D) input device, which is adaptively configurable and performs information input operation using a plurality of finger devices that are worn by a user and senses the user'"'"'s finger movement, the 3D input device comprising:

a pre-processing unit which obtains movement signals output from each of the finger devices and recognizes the finger positions of the finger device; and

a signal-processing unit which is adaptively configured to process the movement signals output from the plurality of finger devices worn by the user corresponding to signals which are provided from the plurality of the finger devices worn by a user, by using information of the recognized finger positions of the finger device;

wherein the adaptively configuring the 3D input device comprises determining the number of fingers on which the plurality of devices are worn and assigning differing configurations to the input device based on the number of fingers which are wearing a finger device; and

wherein the result of the input operation is determined by a combination of the finger positions and the assigned configuration of the input device.

18. The 3D input device of claim 17 further comprising a device driver, which is adaptively configured to process the movement signals output from the signal-processing unit based on the recognition result of the pre-processing unit and basic set-up information for information input.

19. The 3D input device of claim 18, wherein the basic set-up information includes a language used for information input and input scenario information related to arrangement of information items that are selected by the finger movement.

20. The 3D information input device of claim 19 further comprising an application, which configures a soft keyboard that displays the finger positions of the finger device on the arrangement of the information items that are selected by finger movement based on the recognition result and the basic set-up information received from the device driver.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

an application which receives reset information, used for reconfiguration of the 3D information input device, from a user through a user interface; and

a device driver which is reconfigured based on the reset information received from the application.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the reset information includes information about permission or cancel of use on a specific finger of the finger device, information about selection of an input scenario related to arrangement of information items that are selected by finger movement, and information about selection of the language used for information input.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pre-processing unit comprises:

a signal acquiring unit which acquires sensor signals indicating movement of the finger device;

a port change recognizing unit which determines whether at least the predetermined number of edges are detected from the acquired sensor signals; and

a finger device recognizing unit which recognizes whether the user is wearing the finger device, based on the determination result of the port change recognizing unit.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the signal acquiring unit comprises:

a port status storing unit, which stores information about sensors with changes between current sensor signal values and previous sensor signal values; and

an event time storing unit which stores timer values set at the time of changes between the current sensor signal values and the previous sensor signal values.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the port change recognizing unit determines whether at least the predetermined number of timer values, stored in the event time storing unit, are detected.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the finger device recognizing unit recognizes that the user is wearing the finger device if at least the predetermined number of timer values are detected or recognizes that the user is not wearing the finger device if at least the predetermined number of timer values or less are detected.

27. The 3D input device of claim 17, wherein the signal-processing unit deactivates algorithms on unworn finger device from among the plurality of finger devices.