Computer input device and method of using the same

• US 9,531,404 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Seong, Sangmin, Kim, Namil, Kim, Sunghan, Lee, Seokbaek, Chun, Sungchul
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/280,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 7/40 Conversion to or from variable length codes, e.g. Shannon-Fano code, Huffman code, Morse code
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 7/4025 constant length to or from Morse code conversion

Abstract

An auxiliary input device for use in inputting a user signal to a computer is provided. The computer auxiliary input device includes an infrared ray transmitter configured to transmit an infrared ray signal to a left eyeball and a right eyeball of a user. A reflected light sensor configured to measure a change in an amount of light reflected from the left eyeball and the right eyeball. A controller configured to detect the change in the amount of light reflected from each of the eyeballs from the reflected light sensor, generate Morse code alphabets based on the detected change, and convert the Morse code alphabets into a character string to be transmitted to the computer. A computer communication unit is configured to provide the character string converted by the controller to the computer.

Claims

1. An auxiliary input device for use in inputting a user signal to a computer, the auxiliary input device comprising:

a first infrared ray transmitter;

a first reflected light sensor;

a second infrared ray transmitter;

a second reflected light sensor; and

a controller,

wherein the first infrared ray transmitter transmits infrared rays towards one eyeball of a user and the first reflected light sensor senses the infrared rays reflected from the one eyeball and generates a first input;

wherein the second infrared ray transmitter transmits infrared rays towards the other eyeball of the user and the second reflected light sensor senses the infrared rays reflected from the other eyeball and generates a second input;

wherein the controller receives the first input and the second input, detects a change in the amount of light reflected from each of the eyeballs based on the first and second inputs, generates Morse code based on the detected change, and converts the Morse code into a character string; and

wherein each of the first and second reflected light sensors initially set a reference value by obtaining a maximum average value and a minimum average value of blinking over a predetermined length of time and obtaining an intermediate value therefrom as the reference value.

2. The auxiliary input device of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary input device is attached to an eyeglass frame, and the first and second infrared ray transmitters and the first and second reflected light sensors are mounted on a first and second eyeglass temple, respectively.

3. A computer input system comprising:

a computer; and

an auxiliary input device which transmits Morse code character strings as user input to the computer, wherein the user input corresponds to keyboard and mouse input,

wherein the auxiliary input device includes;

a first infrared ray transmitter;

a first reflected light sensor;

a second infrared ray transmitter;

a second reflected light sensor; and

a controller,

wherein the first infrared ray transmitter transmits infrared rays towards one eyeball of a user and the first reflected light sensor senses the infrared rays reflected from the one eyeball and generates a first input;

wherein the second infrared ray transmitter transmits infrared rays towards the other eyeball of the user and the second reflected light sensor senses the infrared rays reflected from the other eyeball and generates a second input;

wherein the controller receives the first input and the second input, detects a change in the amount of light reflected from each of the eyeballs based on the first and second input, generates Morse code based on the detected change, and converts the Morse code into a character string; and

wherein each of the first and second reflected light sensors initially set a reference value by obtaining a maximum average value and a minimum average value of blinking over a predetermined length of time and obtaining an intermediate value therefrom as the reference value.

4. The computer input system of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary input device is attached to an eyeglass frame, and the first and second infrared ray transmitters and the first and second reflected light sensors are mounted on a first and second eyeglass temple, respectively.