Optical detection of user interaction based on external light source

• US 7,551,814 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smits, Gerard Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): HEALY, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US11/358,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 385/88, 385/89, 385/92, 385/93, 385/94, 385/14, 385/147, 385/31, 385/27, 385/39, 385/38, 385/115, 385/116, 385/134, 385/901, 385/900, 385/24, 323/221, 323/236, 323/902, 323/904, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176
• US Class Current: 385/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 385/901 Illuminating or display apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for employing ambient light collected from an external light source to detect a user'"'"'s fingers that are gripping at least a relatively transparent portion of a case. The ends of a plurality of waveguides are coupled at relatively unequal or equidistant positions to the interior surface of the transparent portion, where they are arranged to collect light from the exterior light source if the user'"'"'s finger(s) are not gripping the mobile device at that position. If the light collected by the wave guides is blocked by one or more of the user'"'"'s fingers, a profile can be determined for the placement, orientation (left handed or right handed), and size of the user'"'"'s fingers and hand gripping the mobile device. Also, interactions of the fingers with the mobile device can be detected, such as lifting away, pressing, or sliding one or more fingers at the transparent portion for a short or relatively lengthy period of time. Additionally, the collected light can be provided by one or more external light sources, such as ambient light from remotely located sources, one or more illuminators within a mobile device such as a back light for a display, control or other element.

Claims

1. An optical interface for optically determining interaction by a user with a mobile device, comprising:

a relatively transparent portion that enables the communication of light between an external environment and an interior surface of the transparent portion;

a wave guide having an end positioned at an interior surface of the transparent portion, wherein the waveguide is arranged to collect ambient light from the external environment at the end positioned at the interior surface; and

a processor that is adapted to receive at least the collected ambient light through another end of the wave guide, wherein the processor is arranged to employ an absence of received ambient light from the wave guide to detect a location of at least one finger of a user that is physically interacting with the transparent portion of the optical interface.

2. The optical interface of claim 1, wherein the processor enables actions, including:

determining a left hand or a right hand orientation of the fingers employed to grip the transparent portion; and

employing the determined left hand or right hand orientation to configure the operation of an application in accordance with the determined orientation.

3. The optical interface of claim 1, wherein the processor enables actions, including:

determining a relative size of at least one finger of the user that is gripping the transparent portion; and

employing the determined relative size of the at least one finger of the user to configure the operation of an application in accordance with the determined finger size.

4. The optical interface of claim 1, wherein the processor enables actions, including disabling at least a portion of the operation of the application until at least the user is determined to be gripping the transparent portion.

5. The optical interface of claim 1, further comprising a component for enabling a remote display to display an animated representation of a virtual hand of the user that is gripping a virtual mobile device, wherein the virtual mobile device includes at least one visual indicia for at least one operation of an application at a position that corresponds to at least one finger of the virtual hand, and wherein the arrangement of the virtual hand and the virtual mobile device in the remote display is based at least in part on at least one finger of the user that is determined to be physically interacting with the transparent portion of the optical interface.

6. The optical interface of claim 1, wherein the collected light is provided by at least one light source that is separate and external to the transparent portion, or a light source that is relatively proximate to the transparent portion.

7. The optical interface of claim 1, further comprising a component for detecting a location of at least one finger of the user that is physically interacting with at least one element, wherein the at least one element includes any combination of capacitive switches, resistive switches, or electro-mechanical switches.

8. The optical interface of claim 1, further comprising a component for enabling a display to display a visual indicia regarding at least one operation of an application at a position that is based on at least one position of a hand of the user that is determined to be gripping the transparent portion.

9. The optical interface of claim 1, wherein the processor enables actions, including enabling at least one operation of the application based at least in part on at least one of a frequency and the position of at least one finger that is determined to be gripping the transparent portion.

10. The optical interface of claim 1, wherein a plurality of wave guides are arranged to collect light at separate and relatively equidistant positions along and adjacent to the interior surface of the transparent portion.

11. The optical interface of claim 1, wherein the transparent portion is formed to prevent an ingress of moisture to the interior surface.

12. The optical interface of claim 1, further comprising automatic gain control that is arranged with the processor to enable its operation over a range of external light conditions.

13. The optical interface of claim 1, further comprising a control that is formed in a material that is at least one of a transparent or translucent material, wherein the control is coupled by another wave guide to the processor that employs an absence of collected ambient light at the control to indicate interaction by the user.

14. The optical interface of claim 1, further comprising a mobile device that is controlled at least in part by determined physical interaction with the exterior surface of the transparent portion.

15. The optical interface of claim 1, further comprising an automatic gain control that is arranged with the processor to enable its operation over a range of light conditions.

16. A method for optically determining interaction by a user, comprising:

positioning a transparent portion in a case to enable communication of external light through an exterior surface of the transparent portion to its interior surface within the case;

collecting ambient light at one end of a wave guide, wherein light communicated through the transparent portion is collected through at least one end of the wave guide positioned adjacent to the interior surface of the transparent portion; and

receiving the collected ambient light through another end of the wave guide, wherein the received ambient light is employed to determine an interaction by the user to initiate an operation with an application.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a left hand or a right hand orientation of one or more fingers employed to grip the transparent portion; and

employing the determined left hand or right hand orientation to configure the operation of at least one application in accordance with the determined orientation.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a relative size of at least one finger of the user that is gripping the mobile device; and

employing the determined relative size of the at least one finger of the user to configure the operation of at least one application in accordance with the determined finger size.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising disabling at least a portion of the operation of at least one application until at least the user is determined to be gripping the transparent portion.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying a visual indicia regarding at least one operation of the application at a position that is based on at least a hand of the user that is determined to be gripping the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically applying gain control for collected light to enable operation over a range of external light conditions.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising remotely displaying an animated representation of a virtual hand of the user that is gripping a virtual mobile device, wherein the virtual mobile device includes at least one visual indicia for at least one operation of an application at a position associated with at least one finger of the virtual hand, and wherein the arrangement of the virtual hand and the virtual mobile device in the remote display is based at least in part on at least one finger of the user that is determined to be physically interacting with the transparent portion of the optical interface.

23. A mobile device, comprising:

a memory for storing data;

a processor for enabling actions; and

an optical interface adapted to detect a physical interaction, including;

a relatively transparent portion that enables the communication of light between an external environment and an interior surface of the transparent portion; and

a wave guide having an end positioned at an interior surface of the transparent portion, wherein the waveguide is arranged to collect ambient light from the external environment at the end positioned at the interior surface; and

a processor that is adapted to receive at least the collected ambient light through another end of the wave guide, wherein the processor is arranged to employ an absence of received ambient light from the wave guide to detect a location of at least one finger of a user that is physically interacting with the transparent portion of the optical interface.