Apparatuses for controlling electrical devices and software programs and methods for making and using same

• US 10,289,204 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Interface LLC
• Original Assignee: Quantum Interface LLC
• Inventors: Josephson, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Rayeez
• Application Number:
  US14/504,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20160320860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/194 involving foreground-background segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 : Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 : Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information

Abstract

An apparatus including a movement sensor and processing unit, where sensed movement, especially velocity and/or acceleration and changes thereof, is used to control real and/or virtual objects, where no hard selection protocol is used and output signals and/or commands occur with a change in velocity or acceleration.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sensing a first motion via at least one motion sensor, wherein at least one property of the first motion exceeds at least one threshold motion criterion,

producing a first output signal from the at least one motion sensor corresponding to the first motion,

converting the first output signal via a processing unit in communication with the at least one motion sensor into a display command,

processing via the processing unit the display command to display a plurality of objects on a display device in communication with the processing unit,

in response to the first output signal, causing a predetermined selection of all of the objects or a selection of one or more objects aligned or substantially aligned with a direction of the first motion,

sensing, via the at least one motion sensor, a motion comprising a velocity, a velocity profile, an acceleration, and/or an acceleration profile,

producing an output signal from the at least one motion sensor corresponding to the sensed motion,

converting the output signal via the processing unit into a command capable of simultaneously controlling one, some, or all of the selected objects and/or one, some, or all attributes associated with the selected objects, and

processing the command to simultaneously control one, some, or all of the selected objects and/or one, some, or all of the attributes associated with the selected objects in conformity with the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile via the processing unit until the output signal from the at least one motion sensor stops or a body, body part, or object under the control of the body part moves outside of an active sensing zone of the at least one motion sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling comprises adjusting one, some or all of the attributes associated with the object or the objects in proportion to the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the objects are lights and the attribute is intensity and/or color or the objects are pixels associated with a virtual canvas and the attributes are pixel properties or the objects are military or law enforcement assets and the attributes are deployment, reployment, rearrangement, and/or manipulation of assets to address rapid changing situations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the motion includes a brief timed hold, the controlling comprises adjusting one, some or all of the attributes associated with the object or the objects in proportion to the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile to preset levels.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the objects are lights and the attribute is intensity and/or color or the objects are pixels associated with a virtual canvas and the attributes are pixel properties or the objects are military or law enforcement assets and the attributes are deployment, redeployment, rearrangement, and/or manipulation of assets to address rapid changing situations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, optical scanners, optical roller ball devices, joy sticks, touch pads, inductive pads, capacitive pads, holographic devices, laser tracking devices, thermal devices, acoustic devices, devices for tracking body or body part movement, EMF sensors, wave form sensors, arrays of motion sensors, and combinations thereof, and

the objects are selected from the group consisting of lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, fuel delivery systems, energy management systems, product delivery systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems, graphics systems, business software systems, word processor systems, internet browsers, accounting systems, military systems, control systems, remote control systems, any program, routine, object, and/or element associated with any of the systems, virtual constructs capable of being controlled by a processing unit, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

7. A method comprising:

receiving via a processing unit in communication with a motion sensor a first input corresponding to a first motion having at least one property exceeding at least one threshold motion criterion,

displaying a plurality of objects on a display device in communication with the processing unit, where one, some, or all of the object having at least one attribute,

in response to the first output signal, causing a predetermined selection of all of the objects or a selection of one or more objects aligned or substantially aligned with a direction of the first motion,

receiving via the processing unit an input from the motion sensor corresponding to a motion having properties including a velocity, a velocity profile, an acceleration, and/or an acceleration profile, and

simultaneously controlling via the processing unit one, some, or all of the selected objects and/or one, some, or all attributes associated with the selected objects in conformity with the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile until the input from the motion sensor stops or a body, body part, or object under the control of the body part moves outside of an active sensing zone of the motion sensor,

wherein the objects are in communication with the processing unit, and

wherein the objects comprise real world objects, virtual objects or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the controlling comprises adjusting one, some or all of the attributes associated with the object or the objects in proportion to the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the objects are lights and the attribute is intensity and/or color or the objects are pixels associated with a virtual canvas and the attributes are pixel properties or the objects are military or law enforcement assets and the attributes are deployment, reployment, rearrangement, and/or manipulation of assets to address rapid changing situations.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein if the motion includes a brief timed hold, the controlling comprises adjusting one, some or all of the attributes associated with the object or the objects in proportion to the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile to preset levels.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the objects are lights and the attribute is intensity and/or color or the objects are pixels associated with a virtual canvas and the attributes are pixel properties or the objects are military or law enforcement assets and the attributes are deployment, reployment, rearrangement, and/or manipulation of assets to address rapid changing situations.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the at least one motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, optical scanners, optical roller ball devices, joy sticks, touch pads, inductive pads, capacitive pads, holographic devices, laser tracking devices, thermal devices, acoustic devices, devices for tracking body or body part movement, EMF sensors, wave form sensors, arrays of motion sensors, and combinations thereof, and

the objects are selected from the group consisting of lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, fuel delivery systems, energy management systems, product delivery systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems, graphics systems, business software systems, word processor systems, internet browsers, accounting systems, military systems, control systems, remote control systems, any program, routine, object, and/or element associated with any of the systems, virtual constructs capable of being controlled by a processing unit, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

13. A system comprising:

at least one motion sensor, wherein the at least one motion sensor;

senses a first motion having at least one property of the first motion exceeds at least one threshold motion criterion,

 

produces a first output signal corresponding to the first motion,

senses a motion comprising a velocity, a velocity profile, an acceleration, and/or an acceleration profile, and

produces an output signal corresponding to the sensed motion,

a processing unit in communication with the at least one motion sensor,

a plurality of objects in communication with or under control of the processing unit, wherein one, some or all of the objects include at least one attribute,

wherein the processing unit;

in response to the first motion, displays on a plurality of objects, wherein one, some, or all of the objects have at least one attribute,

in response to the first motion, causes a predetermined selection of all of the objects or a selection of one or more objects aligned or substantially aligned with a direction of the first motion,

 

converts the output signal into a command capable of simultaneously controlling one, some, or all of the selected objects and/or one, some, or all the attributes associated with the selected objects, and

processes the command to simultaneously control one, some, or all of the selected objects and/or one, some, or all the attributes in conformity with the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile via the processing unit,

until the output signal from the at least one motion sensor stops or a body, body part, or object under the control of the body part moves outside of an active sensing zone of the at least one motion sensor,

wherein the object or objects comprise real world objects, virtual objects, or combinations thereof.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a display device in communication with the processing unit and comprising a touch screen, and

optionally a remote control unit in communication with the processing unit to provide remote control of the processing unit,

wherein;

the display device, the at least one motion sensor, and the processing unit are integrated into a tablet, a computer, or a mobile device,

the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, optical scanners, optical roller ball devices, joy sticks, touch pads, inductive pads, capacitive pads, holographic devices, laser tracking devices, thermal devices, acoustic devices, devices for tracking body or body part movement, EMF sensors, wave form sensors, arrays of motion sensors, and combinations thereof, and

the objects are selected from the group consisting of lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, fuel delivery systems, energy management systems, product delivery systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems, graphics systems, business software systems, word processor systems, internet browsers, accounting systems, military systems, control systems, remote control systems, any program, routine, object, and/or element associated with any of the systems, virtual constructs capable of being controlled by a processing unit, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the controlling comprises adjusting one, some or all of the attributes associated with the object or the objects in proportion to the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the objects are lights and the attribute is intensity and/or color or the objects are pixels associated with a virtual canvas and the attributes are pixel properties or the objects are military or law enforcement assets and the attributes are deployment, reployment, rearrangement, and/or manipulation of assets to address rapid changing situations.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein if the motion includes a brief timed hold, the controlling comprises adjusting one, some or all of the attributes associated with the object or the objects in proportion to the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile to preset levels.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the objects are lights and the attribute is intensity and/or color or the objects are pixels associated with a virtual canvas and the attributes are pixel properties or the objects are military or law enforcement assets and the attributes are deployment, reployment, rearrangement, and/or manipulation of assets to address rapid changing situations.

19. A system comprising:

a motion sensor,

a processing unit, and

a plurality of objects, wherein one, some or all of the objects include at least one attribute,

wherein the processing unit;

receives a first input from the motion sensor corresponding to a first motion having at least one property exceeding at least one threshold motion criterion,

in response to the first input, displaying the objects on a display device in communication with the processing unit,

in response to the first input, causes a predetermined selection of all of the objects or a selection of one or more objects aligned or substantially aligned with a direction of the first motion,

 

receives an input from the motion sensor corresponding to a motion having properties including a velocity, a velocity profile, an acceleration, and/or an acceleration profile; and

simultaneously controls one, some, or all of the selected objects, and/or one, some, or all the attributes in conformity with the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile,

until the input from the motion sensor stops or a body, body part, or object under the control of the body part moves outside of an active sensing zone of the motion sensor,

wherein the objects are in communication with the processing unit, and wherein the objects comprise real world objects, virtual objects or combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a display device in communication with the processing unit and comprising a touch screen, and

optionally a remote control unit in communication with the processing unit to provide remote control of the processing unit,

wherein;

the display device, the at least one motion sensor, and the processing unit integrated into a tablet, a computer, or a mobile device,

the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, optical scanners, optical roller ball devices, joy sticks, touch pads, inductive pads, capacitive pads, holographic devices, laser tracking devices, thermal devices, acoustic devices, devices for tracking body or body part movement, EMF sensors, wave form sensors, arrays of motion sensors, and combinations thereof, and

the objects are selected from the group consisting of lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, fuel delivery systems, energy management systems, product delivery systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, computer operating systems, graphics systems, business software systems, word processor systems, internet browsers, accounting systems, military systems, control systems, remote control systems, any program, routine, object, and/or element associated with any of the systems, virtual constructs capable of being controlled by a processing unit, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the controlling comprises adjusting one, some or all of the attributes associated with the object or the objects in proportion to the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the objects are lights and the attribute is intensity and/or color or the objects are pixels associated with a virtual canvas and the attributes are pixel properties or the objects are military or law enforcement assets and the attributes are deployment, reployment, rearrangement, and/or manipulation of assets to address rapid changing situations.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein if the motion includes a brief timed hold, the controlling comprises adjusting one, some or all of the attributes associated with the object or the objects in proportion to the velocity, the velocity profile, the acceleration, and/or the acceleration profile to preset levels.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the objects are lights and the attribute is intensity and/or color or the objects are pixels associated with a virtual canvas and the attributes are pixel properties or the objects are military or law enforcement assets and the attributes are deployment, reployment, rearrangement, and/or manipulation of assets to address rapid changing situations.