User input device and method

• US 9,582,143 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Darren Lim, Lai Xue
• Original Assignee: Darren Lim, Lai Xue
• Inventors: Xue, Lai, Lim, Darren
• Primary Examiner(s): Yodichkas, Aneeta
• Application Number:
  US14/495,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20150199107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/160, 345/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

In accordance with one implementation, a method is illustrated that allows a computing device to determine a user input. The method includes detecting one or more user input objects in a 3-dimensional field relative to a 2-dimensional surface. The method also includes determining coordinates for the one or more user input objects relative to the 2-dimensional surface. And, the method further includes determining a user input based on the coordinates.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a device comprising one or more physical keys;

wherein each of said one or more physical keys comprise a keycap;

wherein each of said one or more physical keys are disposed in a keyboard one or more capacitive sensors disposed in the one or more physical keys;

an object detector configured to detect one or more user input objects in a 3-dimensional detection field above the one or more keys

wherein said 3-dimensional detection field is defined by an upper perimeter, a lower perimeter, an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, a first side perimeter, and a second side perimeter

wherein said inner perimeter intersects said lower perimeter, said upper perimeter, said first side perimeter, and said second side perimeter;

wherein said outer perimeter intersects said lower perimeter, said upper perimeter, said first side perimeter, and said second side perimeter;

wherein said upper perimeter intersects said inner perimeter, said outer perimeter, said first side perimeter, and said second side perimeter;

wherein said lower perimeter intersects said inner perimeter, said outer perimeter, said first side perimeter, and said second side perimeter;

wherein said first side perimeter intersects said inner perimeter, said outer perimeter, said upper perimeter, and said lower perimeter;

wherein said second side perimeter intersects said inner perimeter, said outer perimeter, said upper perimeter, and said lower perimeter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the object detector is further configured to determine coordinates of one or more input objects relative to the one or more keys.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 and further comprising:

a user input detector configured to determine a user input based on the coordinates.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 and further comprising:

a processor.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the device comprising one or more physical keys, the one or more capacitive sensors, the object detector, and the processor are integrated as a single device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the object detector is configured to track the positions of one or more user input objects in the 3-dimensional detection field.