Computer data entry and manipulation apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus for interacting with a computer program comprising:
- display means connected to the computer for displaying objects on a screen;
glove means adapted to be worn on a hand of a user, the glove means including gesture sensing means coupled to the glove means for detecting flexure of fingers of the user'"'"'s hand, and position sensing means coupled to the glove means for detecting a position of the hand with respect to the display means;
interface means for coupling the glove means to the computer; and
control means for controlling a cursor indicated on the display means in response to and emulating the flexure of fingers and the position of the hand, the cursor being capable of interactivity acting upon a virtual object represented within the computer to allow communication and interaction between the user and the program.
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0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus is disclosed for generating control signals for the manipulation of virtual objects in a computer system according to the gestures and positions of an operator'"'"'s hand or other body part. The apparatus includes a glove worn on the hand which includes sensors for detecting the gestures of the hand, as well as hand position sensing means coupled to the glove and to the computer system for detecting the position of the hand with respect to the system. The computer system includes circuitry connected to receive the gesture signals and the hand position signals for generating control signals in response thereto. Typically, the control signals are used to manipulate a graphical representation of the operator'"'"'s hand which is displayed on a monitor coupled to the computer system, and the graphical representations of the operator'"'"'s hand manipulates virtual objects or tools also displayed by the computer.
890 Citations
66 Claims
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1. Apparatus for interacting with a computer program comprising:
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display means connected to the computer for displaying objects on a screen; glove means adapted to be worn on a hand of a user, the glove means including gesture sensing means coupled to the glove means for detecting flexure of fingers of the user'"'"'s hand, and position sensing means coupled to the glove means for detecting a position of the hand with respect to the display means; interface means for coupling the glove means to the computer; and control means for controlling a cursor indicated on the display means in response to and emulating the flexure of fingers and the position of the hand, the cursor being capable of interactivity acting upon a virtual object represented within the computer to allow communication and interaction between the user and the program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for controlling a computer display of the type having a virtual object depicted thereon that is used for communicating and interacting with a computer program comprising:
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flex sensing means disposed in close proximity to a part of the body of the user, for sensing flexure of the associated part of the body of the user; and cursor display means, coupled to the flex sensing means and to the computer display, for displaying a cursor emulating the flexure of the part of the body, the cursor being capable of interactivity acting upon the virtual object to allow communication and interaction between the user and the computer program. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus of interacting with a virtual object represented within a computer, the virtual object being used for communicating and interacting with a computer program, comprising:
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position sensing means, disposed in close proximity to a part of a body of a user for movement therewith, for sensing the position of the associated part of the body of the user with respect to the computer; flex sensing means, disposed in close proximity to a part of the user'"'"'s body for movement therewith, for sensing flexure of the associated part of the user'"'"'s body; interface means for coupling the position sensing means and the flex sensing means to the computer and for controlling movement of a cursor represented within the computer in response to the position sensing means and the flex sensing means, the cursor emulating the position and flexure of the part of the user'"'"'s body for interactivity acting upon the virtual object to allow communication and interaction between the user and the program; and wherein the computer includes contact detecting means for detecting contact between the cursor and the virtual object. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An apparatus for controlling a computer display of the type having a virtual object depicted thereon that is used for communicating and interacting with a computer program comprising:
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orientation sensing means, disposed in close proximity to a part of a body of a user, for sensing the orientation of the associated part of the body of the user with respect to the display; and cursor display means, coupled to the orientation sensing means and to the computer display, for displaying a cursor emulating the orientation of the part of the user'"'"'s body, the cursor being capable of interactivity acting upon the virtual object to allow communication and interaction between the user and the computer program. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification