METHOD FOR PROVIDING HUMAN INPUT TO A COMPUTER

• US 20130241823A1
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: PRYOR, Timothy R.
• Application Number:
  US13/866,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241823A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04109 FTIR in optical digitiser, i.e. touch detection by frustrating the total internal reflection within an optical waveguide due to changes of optical properties or deformation at the touch location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• 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

Abstract

The invention provides a method for providing human input to a computer which allows a user to interact with a display connected to the computer. The method includes the steps of placing a first target on a first portion of the user'"'"'s body, using an electro-optical sensing means, sensing data related to the location of the first target and data related to the location of a second portion of the user'"'"'s body, the first and second portions of the user'"'"'s body being movable relative to each other, providing an output of the electro-optical sensing means to the input of the computer, determining the location of the first target and the location of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body, and varying the output of the computer to the display based upon the determined locations for contemporaneous viewing by the user.

Claims

1. A system for performing operations based on detected targets, comprising:

a sensing device configured for collecting data on one or more targets; and

a computing device in communication with the sensing device, the computing device capable of

receiving the data from the sensing device,

determining a location of each of the one or more targets, and

performing an operation based on the location of the targets and their relationship to each other.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each target is configured for attachment to a user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further capable of determining a spatial relationship between the one or more targets and performing the operation based on the determined spatial relationship.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the computing device is further capable of identifying one or more user body parts to which a target has been attached.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computing device is further capable of compiling corresponding position and motion data of the one or more identified user body parts.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computing device is further capable of identifying a user activity from the identified user body parts and the corresponding position and motion data of the one or more user body parts.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more targets are configured for transmitting signals to the sensing device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is configured for detecting the one or more targets.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the computing device is further capable of identifying the user from the identified user body parts and the corresponding position and motion data of the one or more user body parts.

10. A system for performing operations based on detected targets, comprising:

means for collecting data on one or more targets; and

means for receiving the data from the sensing device, determining a location of each of the one or more targets, and performing an operation based on the location of the targets and their relationship to each other.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each target is configured for attachment to a user.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for determining a spatial relationship between the one or more targets and performing the operation based on the determined spatial relationship.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for identifying one or more user body parts to which a target has been attached.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for compiling corresponding position and motion data of the one or more identified user body parts.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for identifying a user activity from the identified user body parts and the corresponding position and motion data of the one or more user body parts.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more targets are configured for transmitting signals to the sensing device.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for collecting the data on the one or more targets comprises means for detecting the one or more targets.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for identifying the user from the identified user body parts and the corresponding position and motion data of the one or more user body parts.

19. A method for performing operations based on detected targets, comprising:

collecting data on one or more targets;

determining a location of each of the one or more targets, and

performing an operation based on the location of the targets and their relationship to each other.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising attaching each target to a user.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining a spatial relationship between the one or more targets and performing the operation based on the determined spatial relationship.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising identifying one or more user body parts to which a target has been attached.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising compiling corresponding position and motion data of the one or more identified user body parts.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising identifying a user activity from the identified user body parts and the corresponding position and motion data of the one or more user body parts.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising identifying the user from the identified user body parts and the corresponding position and motion data of the one or more user body parts.