Gesturing Architecture Using Proximity Sensing

• US 20130162517A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smsc Holdings Sarl
• Original Assignee: Smsc Holdings Sarl
• Inventors: Gay, Kenneth W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,298,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

Proximity based system and method for detecting user gestures. Each of a plurality of proximity sensing circuits may collect digital data. Each proximity sensing circuit may include an antenna configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals and a shield driver configured to shield signals transmitted by the antenna in one or more directions. The digital data may be collected based on electromagnetic signals received from another proximity sensing circuit via the antenna. The received electromagnetic signals may be modified by one or more user proximity gestures. The digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits may be received by a coordinating circuit. The coordinating circuit may produce coordinated digital data from the digital data received from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits. The coordinated digital data may be configured for use in determining that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.

Claims

1. A proximity sensing system, the system comprising:

a plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein each proximity sensing circuit comprises;

an antenna configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals;

a shield driver configured to shield signals transmitted by the antenna in one or more directions; and

logic configured to collect digital data based on electromagnetic signals received from another proximity sensing circuit via the antenna, wherein the received electromagnetic signals are modified by one or more user proximity gestures;

a coordinating circuit, wherein the coordinating circuit is coupled to each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein the coordinating circuit comprises logic configured to;

receive the digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits; and

produce coordinated digital data from the digital data received from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein the coordinated digital data comprises the digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein the coordinated digital data is configured for use in determining that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.

2. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the digital data collected by the logic comprises a digital representation of signal strength of the electromagnetic signals received from another proximity sensing circuit, wherein the signal strength of the electromagnetic signals is modified by the one or more user proximity gestures.

3. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the shield driver is configured to be driven in phase with the signals transmitted by the antenna in order to shield the signals transmitted by the antenna in the one or more directions.

4. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of proximity sensing circuits are configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals in a coordinated manner such that:

a first proximity sensing circuit is configured to transmit first electromagnetic signals while a second proximity sensing circuit is configured to receive the first electromagnetic signals at a first time;

the second proximity sensing circuit is configured to transmit second electromagnetic signals while the first proximity sensing circuit is configured to receive the second electromagnetic signals at a second time.

5. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the coordinating circuit logic is configured to receive the digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits according to a schedule, wherein the coordinating circuit logic is configured to receive digital data from one proximity sensing circuit at a time.

6. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the coordinating circuit and each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits are coupled via unidirectional data couplings.

7. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensing system comprises at least three proximity sensing circuits, wherein the one or more user proximity gestures comprise at least one proximity gesture in at least two dimensions.

8. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensing system comprises at least three proximity sensing circuits, wherein the one or more user proximity gestures comprise at least one proximity gesture in three dimensions.

9. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an interpretation circuit, wherein the interpretation circuit comprises logic configured to:

receive the coordinated digital data;

interpret the coordinated digital data, wherein said interpreting determines that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.

10. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, the system further comprising a single flexible substrate, wherein the plurality of proximity sensing circuits and the coordinating circuit are comprised on the single flexible substrate.

11. A method for collecting proximity sensing data, the method comprising:

collecting, by each of a plurality of proximity sensing circuits, digital data;

wherein each proximity sensing circuit comprises an antenna configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals and a shield driver configured to shield signals transmitted by the antenna in one or more directions, wherein the digital data is collected based on electromagnetic signals received from another proximity sensing circuit via the antenna, wherein the received electromagnetic signals are modified by one or more user proximity gestures;

receiving, by a coordinating circuit, the digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits; and

producing, by the coordinating circuit, coordinated digital data from the digital data received from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein the coordinated digital data comprises the digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein the coordinated digital data is configured for use in determining that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital data collected by each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits comprises a digital representation of signal strength of electromagnetic signals received from another proximity sensing circuit, wherein the signal strength of the electromagnetic signals is modified by the one or more user proximity gestures.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the shield driver is configured to be driven in phase with the signals transmitted by the antenna in order to shield the signals transmitted by the antenna in the one or more directions.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

at a first time;

a first proximity sensing circuit transmitting first electromagnetic signals;

a second proximity sensing circuit receiving the first electromagnetic signals;

at a second time;

the second proximity sensing circuit transmitting second electromagnetic signals;

the first proximity sensing circuit receiving the second electromagnetic signals.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the coordinating circuit receives the digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits according to a schedule, wherein the coordinating circuit receives digital data from one proximity sensing circuit at a time.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the coordinating circuit and each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits are coupled via unidirectional data couplings.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of proximity sensing circuits comprise at least three proximity sensing circuits, wherein the one or more user proximity gestures comprise at least one proximity gesture in at least two dimensions.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of proximity sensing circuits comprise at least three proximity sensing circuits, wherein the one or more user proximity gestures comprise at least one proximity gesture in three dimensions.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by an interpretation circuit, the coordinated digital data;

interpreting, by the interpretation circuit, the coordinated digital data, wherein said interpreting determines that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.

20. A proximity sensing system, the system comprising:

a plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein each proximity sensing circuit comprises;

an antenna configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals;

a shield driver configured to shield signals transmitted by the antenna in one or more directions; and

logic configured to collect digital data based on electromagnetic signals received from another proximity sensing circuit via the antenna, wherein the received electromagnetic signals are modified by one or more user proximity gestures;

a coordinating circuit coupled to each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein the coordinating circuit is configured to receive the digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits and provide information for use in determining that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.