Computer interface device

• US 7,333,089 B1
• Filed: 01/06/1999
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matthew Davis Gard
• Original Assignee: Matthew Davis Gard
• Inventors: Gard, Matthew Davis
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Application Number:
  US09/227,490
• Time in Patent Office: 3,331 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/173, 345/174, 345/358, 345/158
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

A user'"'"'s movements are detected by a capacitive system having one or more conductors. The output from the conductors is amplified and compared to a table of stored output. Thus, the device can eliminate the need to touch a control surface. The control surface such as a computer mouse could be eliminated in favor of merely sensing a user'"'"'s hand movement. Likewise, the array of conductors could be placed in a panel that could be mounted on a wall. Such panels could be used in a factory to sense the movement of workers or a machinery. Indeed, the movements could be analyzed and warnings sounded if a collision is predicted.

Claims

1. A control device that translates a user'"'"'s non-tactile movement into a control action comprising:

one conductor array connected to two or more surfaces, wherein said conductor array comprises three or more conductors;

wherein said conductor array comprises a first conductor on a first axis of said first surface;

wherein said conductor array comprises a second conductor on a second axis, perpendicular to said first axis;

wherein said conductor array comprises a third conductor on a third axis, perpendicular to said first and second axis;

wherein the first, second and third conductors sense the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement;

a converter that translates the sensed movement into three-dimensional vector data; and

a controller that correlates said three-dimensional vector data into control movement;

wherein said converter comprises circuitry to measure the change in the frequency of a first oscillator electrically coupled to said first conductor and a second oscillator electrically coupled to a second conductor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said converter comprises circuitry to determine the change in capacitance in the dielectric area found between at least two conductors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said converter further comprises circuitry to heterodyne said frequency with a fixed oscillator.

4. A method of making an apparatus that translates a user'"'"'s non-tactile movement into a control action comprising:

providing two or more surfaces;

providing one conductor arrays, wherein said conductor array comprises three or more conductors;

connecting one said conductor arrays to two or more said surfaces;

wherein said conductor arrays comprises a first conductor on a first axis of said first surface;

wherein said conductor arrays comprises a second conductor on a second axis, perpendicular to said first axis;

wherein said conductor arrays comprises a third conductor on a third axis, perpendicular to said first and second axis;

wherein the first, second and third conductors sense the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement;

providing a converter that translates said sensed movement into three-dimensional vector data, wherein providing a converter further comprises providing circuitry to measure the change in the frequency of a first oscillator which is electrically coupled to said first conductor and a second oscillator which is electrically coupled to said second conductor;

coupling said converter to said conductors;

providing a controller that correlates said three-dimensional vector data into control movement; and

coupling said controller to said converter.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of providing a converter further comprises providing circuitry to determine the change in capacitance in the dielectric area found between at least two conductors.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of providing a converter further comprises providing circuitry that heterodynes said frequency with a fixed oscillator.

7. A method that translates a user'"'"'s non-tactile movement into a control action comprising:

sensing the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement with a first conductor on a first axis of a surface, with a second conductor on a second axis perpendicular to said first axis, and with a third conductor on a third axis perpendicular to said first and second axis;

translating said sensed movement into three-dimensional vector data, wherein translating further comprises measuring the change in the frequency of a first oscillator which is electrically coupled to said first conductor and a second oscillator which is electrically coupled to said second conductor; and

correlating said three-dimensional vector data into control movement.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of translating further comprises determining the change in capacitance in the dielectric area found between at least two conductors.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of translating further comprises heterodyning said frequency with a fixed oscillator.

10. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps that translate a user'"'"'s non-tactile movement into a control action, said method steps comprising the following steps:

sensing the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement with a first conductor on a first axis of a surface, with a second conductor on a second axis perpendicular to said first axis, and with a third conductor on a third axis perpendicular to said first and second axis;

translating said sensed movement into three-dimensional vector data, wherein translating further comprises measuring the change in the frequency of a first oscillator electrically coupled to said first conductor and a second oscillator electrically coupled to said second conductor; and

correlating said three-dimensional vector data into control movement.

11. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein said step of translating further comprises determining the change in capacitance in the dielectric area found between at least two conductors.

12. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein said step of translating further comprises heterodyning said frequency with a fixed oscillator.

13. A control device that translates a user'"'"'s non-tactile movement into

a control action comprising:

two conductor arrays connected to one or more surfaces, wherein each of said conductor arrays comprises two or more conductors;

wherein a first conductor array comprises a first and second conductor that senses the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement along a first axis of said surface;

wherein a second conductor array comprises a third and fourth conductor that senses the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement along a second axis, perpendicular to said first axis;

a converter that translates the sensed movement into three-dimensional vector data, wherein said converter comprises circuitry to measure the change in the frequency of a first oscillator electrically coupled to a first conductor and a second oscillator electrically coupled to a second conductor; and

a controller that correlates said three-dimensional vector data into control movement.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said converter comprises circuitry to determine the change in capacitance in the dielectric area found between at least two conductors of one of the conductor arrays.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said converter further comprises circuitry to heterodyne said frequency with a fixed oscillator.

16. A method of making an apparatus that translates a user'"'"'s non-tactile movement into a control action comprising:

providing one or more surfaces;

providing two conductor arrays, wherein each of said conductor arrays comprises two or more conductors;

connecting two or more said conductor arrays to one or more said surfaces;

wherein a first conductor array comprises a first and second conductor that senses the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement along a first axis of said surface;

wherein a second conductor array comprises a third and fourth conductor that senses the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement along a second axis, perpendicular to said first axis;

providing a converter that translates said sensed movement into three-dimensional vector data, wherein providing a converter further comprises providing circuitry to measure the change in the frequency of a first oscillator electrically coupled to a first conductor and a second oscillator electrically coupled to a second conductor;

coupling said converter to said conductors;

providing a controller that correlates said three-dimensional vector data into control movement; and

coupling said controller to said converter.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of providing a converter further comprises providing circuitry to determine the change in capacitance in the dielectric area found between at least two conductors of one of the conductor arrays.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of providing a converter further comprises providing circuitry that heterodynes said frequency with a fixed oscillator.

19. A method that translates a user'"'"'s non-tactile movement into a control action comprising:

sensing with a first and second conductor the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement along a first axis of a surface;

sensing with a third and fourth conductor the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement along a second axis, perpendicular to said first axis;

translating said sensed movement into three-dimensional vector data, wherein translating further comprises measuring the change in the frequency of a first oscillator electrically coupled to a first conductor and a second oscillator electrically coupled to a second conductor; and

correlating said three-dimensional vector data into control movement.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of translating further comprises determining the change in capacitance in the dielectric area found between at least two conductors of one of the axis.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of translating further comprises heterodyning said frequency with a fixed oscillator.

22. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps that translate a user'"'"'s non-tactile movement into a control action, said method steps comprising the following steps:

sensing with a first and second conductor the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement along a first axis of a surface;

sensing with a third and fourth conductor the user'"'"'s non-tactile movement along a second axis, perpendicular to said first axis;

translating said sensed movement into three-dimensional vector data, wherein translating further comprises measuring the change in the frequency of a first oscillator electrically coupled to a first conductor and a second oscillator electrically coupled to a second conductor; and

correlating said three-dimensional vector data into control movement.

23. The program storage device of claim 22 wherein said step of translating further comprises determining the change in capacitance in the dielectric area found between at least two conductors of one of the axis.

24. The program storage device of claim 22 wherein said step of translating further comprises heterodyning said frequency with a fixed oscillator.