System and method for selecting functions based on a finger feature such as a fingerprint

• US 6,603,462 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Multidigit Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Multidigit Incorporated
• Inventors: Matusis, Alec
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELL, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US09/847,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.83, 340/20, 340/22, 382/115, 382/116, 382/124, 256/71, 345/156, 345/173, 345/863
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods

Abstract

A system for selecting functions based on a finger feature includes a finger features database storing finger feature and corresponding functions. The system further includes a finger feature sensor, an identification engine and a response engine. The sensor measures a finger feature. The identification engine matches the finger feature with stored features. The response engine then identifies a function in the table corresponding to a matched finger feature. The response engine can then forward an instruction corresponding to the identified function to a device for execution.

Claims

1. A method for selecting functions, comprising:

(a) providing a one to one relationship between two or more fingers of a user and multiple functions, each of the two or more fingers of the user have a different intrinsic finger feature associated therewith, the intrinsic features are features that are natural to the fingers and are not brought about by any modifications to the fingers;

(b) providing a sensor, wherein a fixed and discrete location of the sensor is simultaneously associated with the multiple functions;

(c) alternating between desired functions is achieved by alternating the different fingers at the fixed and discrete location of the sensor; and

(d) receiving the selected intrinsic finger feature by the sensor to actuate the desired function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the finger feature comprises fingerprint data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an instruction corresponding to a selected function to a device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the selected function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one to one relationship between the intrinsic finger features and the multiple functions comprises motion data from the fixed and discrete location of the sensor.

6. A program storage device accessible by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for selecting functions, the methods steps comprising:

(a) providing a one to one relationship between two or more fingers of a user and multiple functions, each of the two or more fingers of the user have a different intrinsic finger feature associated therewith, the intrinsic features are features that are natural to the fingers and are not brought about by any modifications to the fingers;

(b) providing a sensor, wherein a fixed and discrete location of the sensor is simultaneously associated with the multiple functions;

(c) alternating between desired functions is achieved by alternating the different fingers at the fixed and discrete location of the sensor; and

(d) receiving the selected intrinsic finger feature by the sensor to actuate the desired function.