Detection of a rolling motion or sliding motion of a body part on a surface

• US 8,581,842 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Grover, Douglas Max, Michaelis, Paul Roller, Mohler, David S., Robinson, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US12/689,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20110175807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/163, 345/173, 345/174, 382/100
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0338 Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An optical scanner scans a first portion of a print of a body part such as a finger in a first area of an optical surface. The optical scanner detects a motion of the body part to a second area of the optical surface. This can be done in various ways. One way is for the optical scanner to detect a sliding motion of the body part to determine if most of the first portion of the print is in the second area. Another way is for the optical scanner to determine a rolling motion of the print based on a continuity of the print from the first area to the second area. A similar system and method is disclosed which detects a rolling motion of a body part by using a sleeve with multiple properties.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

scanning a first portion of a print of a body part in a first area of an optical surface;

detecting whether a motion of the body part to a second area of the optical surface is a continuous rolling motion or a continuous sliding motion;

wherein detecting a continuous sliding motion of the body part on the optical surface comprises determining if the first portion of the print of the body part in the first area of the optical surface is consistent with a scanned portion of the print of the body part in the second area of the optical surface;

wherein detecting a continuous rolling motion of the body part on the optical surface comprises determining if there is a continuity of the print between the first area and the second area; and

generating one or more of;

(i) a continuous rolling motion event when the detected motion is a continuous rolling motion and (ii) a continuous sliding motion event when the detected motion is a continuous sliding motion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion is a continuous rolling motion of the body part on the optical surface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the body part is a finger and the continuous rolling motion is one of the following:

rolling from a bottom of the finger to a tip of the finger, rolling from the tip of the finger to the bottom of the finger, rolling from the bottom of the finger to a side of the finger, and rolling from the side of the finger to the bottom of the finger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion is a continuous sliding motion of the body part on the optical surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the body part is one of the following:

an individual finger, a plurality of fingers, a thumb, a palm, and a toe.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is at least one of the following:

scrolling in a direction of the motion, generating a tooltip, providing a menu, switching from upper case to lower case, switching from lower case to upper case, and providing a help text.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical surface is at least one of the following:

a touch screen, a computer screen, a mouse pad, a surface on a mouse, a surface on a joystick, a surface on a gaming controller, and a surface on a button.

8. A system comprising:

an optical scanner configured to scan a first portion of a print of a body part in a first area of an optical surface, and detect whether a motion of the body part to a second area of the optical surface is a continuous rolling motion or a continuous sliding motion, wherein detecting a continuous rolling motion of the body part on the optical surface comprises determining if there is a continuity of the print between the first area and the second area, wherein detecting a continuous sliding motion of the body part on the optical surface comprises determining if the first portion of the print of the body part in the first area of the optical surface is consistent with a scanned portion of the print of the body part in the second area of the optical surface; and

a property detector that detects continuity of the print from the first area of the optical surface to the second area of the optical surface, wherein one or more of the optical scanner and the property detector generate one or more of;

(i) a continuous rolling motion event when the detected motion is a continuous rolling motion and (ii) a continuous sliding motion event when the detected motion is a continuous sliding motion.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the motion is a continuous rolling motion of the body part on the optical surface.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the body part is a finger and the continuous rolling motion is one of the following:

rolling from a bottom of the finger to a tip of the finger, rolling from the tip of the finger to the bottom of the finger, rolling from the bottom of the finger to a side of the finger, and rolling from the side of the finger to the bottom of the finger.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the motion is a continuous sliding motion of the body part on the optical surface.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the body part is one of the following:

an individual finger, a plurality of fingers, a thumb, a palm, and a toe.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the event is at least one of the following:

scrolling in a direction of the motion, generating a tooltip, selecting a text, providing a menu, moving a cursor, switching from upper case to lower case, switching from lower case to upper case, and providing a help text.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the optical surface is at least one of the following:

a touch screen, a computer screen, a mouse pad, a surface on a mouse, a surface on a joystick, a surface on a gaming controller, and a surface on a button.