Integrated touchless joystick-type controller

• US 9,582,078 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramakrishnan, Vishnudev, Veygman, Ilya K., Olsen, Richard I., Christman, Daniel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US14/073,937
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/173, 345/690, 345/168, 345/174, 345/157, 345/207, 382/291, 324/686
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Techniques are described to furnish a touchless joystick-type controller in a portable electronic device. The techniques may be implemented within an electronic device that comprises one or more sensors configured to detect a target at a distance from the sensor and provide a signal in response thereto. The signal is received in response to the sensor detecting a target within a field of view of the sensor. A position of the target relative to a point of reference is then determined based on the signal. Movement of the target may be tracked based on changes in the determined position relative to the point of reference. In embodiments, the target comprises a thumb or a finger of a hand of a user of the electronic device and the determined position to furnish a joystick-type control input.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to detect a target at a distance from the plurality of sensors and provide a signal in response thereto, each sensor of the plurality of sensors comprising an array of photosensors;

a memory operable to store one or more modules; and

a processor operable to execute the one or more modules to determine a position of the target relative to a point of reference based on the signal, the signal corresponding to light intensity incident upon each photosensor of the array of photosensors,

wherein the point of reference is defined with respect to plurality of sensors, wherein a volume of space over the plurality of sensors is divided into at least two regions based upon the point of reference, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is synchronized with respective sensors of the plurality of sensors, wherein each synchronized sensor is configured to receive data from another synchronized sensor, the data representing the light intensity incident upon the respective synchronized sensor.

2. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the target comprises a thumb or a finger of a hand of a user of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to use the determined position to furnish a joystick-type control input.

4. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to execute the one or more modules to track movement of the target based on changes in the determined position relative to the point of reference.

5. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor executes the one or more modules to determine the position of the target by determining that the target is positioned in a first region of the at least two regions based on the signal.

6. The electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein the processor is further operable to execute the one or more modules to track movement of the target by determining that the target is moved from the first region to a second region based on the signal.

7. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the volume of space over the plurality of sensors is divided into at least four regions.

8. The electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein respective ones of the at least four regions comprise quadrants located at cardinal directions with respect to the center of the plurality of sensors.

9. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the volume of space over the sensor is divided into at least 8 regions.

10. The electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein respective ones of the at least eight regions are located at cardinal or ordinal directions with respect to the center of the plurality of sensors.

11. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the position of the target is determined relative to a zero axis defined with respect to the center of the plurality of sensors.

12. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to execute the one or more modules to determine an attribute based on the determined position relative to the point of reference.

13. The electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the attribute comprises at least one of a distance associated with the target, a motion of the target, a direction of the target, acceleration of the target, or a gesture.

14. The electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the processor is further operable to provide a function that corresponds to the attribute.

15. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are positioned adjacent a display configured to output a visual image from the processor, the plurality of sensors being configured so the target does not substantially interfere with observation of the visual image upon detection of the position.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of sensors disposed within the housing, the plurality of sensors configured to detect a target at a distance from the sensor and provide a signal in response thereto, each sensor of the plurality of sensors comprising an array of photosensors; and

a circuit operable to determine a position of the target relative to a point of reference based on the signal, the signal corresponding to light intensity incident upon each photosensor of the array of photosensors,

wherein the position of the target is determined relative to a zero axis defined with respect to the center of the array of photosensors and the point of reference comprises a center of the plurality of sensors, wherein a volume of space over the plurality of sensors is divided into at least two regions based upon the point of reference, wherein a position of the target within a region of the at least two regions is measurable by each photosensor of the array of photosensors, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is synchronized with respective sensors of the plurality of sensors, wherein each synchronized sensor is configured to receive data from another synchronized sensor, the data representing the light intensity incident upon the respective synchronized sensor.

17. The electronic device as recited in claim 16, wherein the target comprises a thumb or a finger of a hand of a user of the electronic device.

18. The electronic device as recited in claim 17, wherein the circuit is operable to use the determined position to furnish a joystick-type control input.

19. The electronic device as recited in claim 16, wherein the circuit is further operable to track movement of the target based on changes in the determined position relative to the point of reference.

20. The electronic device as recited in claim 16, wherein the circuit is operable to determine the position of the target by determining that the target is positioned in a first region of the at least two regions based on the signal.

21. The electronic device as recited in claim 20, wherein the circuit is further operable to track movement of the target by determining that the target is moved from the first region to a second region based on the signal.

22. The electronic device as recited in claim 16, wherein the volume of space over the sensor is divided into at least four regions.

23. The electronic device as recited in claim 22, wherein respective ones of the at least four regions comprise quadrants located at cardinal directions with respect to the center of the sensor.

24. The electronic device as recited in claim 16, wherein the volume of space over the sensor is divided into at least 8 regions.

25. The electronic device as recited in claim 16, wherein respective ones of the at least eight regions are located at cardinal or ordinal directions with respect to the center of the plurality of sensors.

26. A method comprising:

receiving a signal from a sensor in response to the sensor detecting a target within a field of view of the sensor, the sensor configured to detect the target that is a distance over the sensor, the sensor comprising an array of photosensors; and

determining a position of the target relative to a point of reference based on the signal, the signal corresponding to light intensity incident upon each photosensor of the array of photosensors,

wherein the position of the target is determined relative to a zero axis defined with respect to the center of the array of photosensors and the point of reference comprises a center of the array of photosensors, wherein a volume of space over the array of photosensors is divided into at least two regions, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is synchronized with respective sensors of the plurality of sensors, wherein each synchronized sensor is configured to receive data from another synchronized sensor, the data representing the light intensity incident upon the respective synchronized sensor.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the target comprises a thumb or a finger of a user of the electronic device.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, further comprising using the determined position to furnish a joystick-type control input.

29. The method as recited in claim 26, further comprising tracking movement of the target based on changes in the determined position relative to the point of reference.

30. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein determining the position of the target comprises determining that the target is positioned in a first region of the at least two regions based on the signal.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, further comprising tracking movement of the target by determining that the target is moved from the first region to a second region based on the signal.

32. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the volume of space over the sensor is divided into at least four regions.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein respective ones of the at least four regions comprise quadrants located at cardinal directions with respect to the center of the plurality of sensors.

34. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the volume of space over the sensor is divided into at least eight regions.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein respective ones of the at least eight regions are located at cardinal or ordinal directions with respect to the center of the plurality of sensors.

36. The method as recited in claim 30, further comprising using the determined position to determine an attribute based on the determined position relative to the point of reference.

37. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the attribute comprises a gesture this is associated with a function to be performed by the processor responsive to determination of the attribute.