Gesturing architecture using proximity sensing

• US 9,298,333 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smsc Holdings Sarl
• Original Assignee: Smsc Holdings Sarl
• Inventors: Gay, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hagemeier, Herbert L
• Application Number:
  US13/334,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20130162517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/762, 715/763, 715/764
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

Proximity based system and method for detecting user gestures. Each of a plurality of proximity sensing circuits may collect digital data. Each proximity sensing circuit may include an antenna configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals and a shield driver configured to shield signals transmitted by the antenna in one or more directions. The digital data may be collected based on electromagnetic signals received from another proximity sensing circuit via the antenna. The received electromagnetic signals may be modified by one or more user proximity gestures. The digital data from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits may be received by a coordinating circuit. The coordinating circuit may produce coordinated digital data from the digital data received from each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits. The coordinated digital data may be configured for use in determining that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.

Claims

1. A proximity sensing system, the system comprising:

a plurality of antenna arrangements, each comprising an electrode and a shield electrode;

a plurality of spaced apart integrated circuit devices comprising proximity sensing circuits associated with the plurality of antenna arrangements,

wherein each integrated circuit device comprises;

a first external connection which in a first mode is configured as an output to transmit an alternating signal to the electrode of an associated antenna arrangement and in a second mode is configured as an input to receive electromagnetic signals from said electrode of the associated antenna arrangement;

a shield driver configured in the first mode to generate a shield signal fed to said shield electrode; and

logic configured to collect digital data based on electromagnetic signals received from another proximity sensing circuit via an associated antenna arrangement;

a coordinating circuit, wherein the coordinating circuit is coupled to each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits, wherein the coordinating circuit comprises logic configured to;

set one of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits into the first mode and remaining ones of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits into the second mode;

wherein the one of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits which is set into the first mode operates only as a transmitter while in the first mode, and

the remaining ones of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits operate only as receivers while in the second mode and receive through capacitive coupling an electric field emitted by the one of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits which is set into the first mode.

2. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the digital data collected by the logic comprises a digital representation of signal strength of the electromagnetic signals received from the proximity sensing circuit which has been set into the first mode, wherein the signal strength of the electromagnetic signals may be modified by one or more user proximity gestures.

3. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the shield driver of the proximity sensing circuit configured to operate in the first mode is configured to generate the shield signal in phase with the alternating signal.

4. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a first and a second proximity sensing circuit which are configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals in a coordinated manner such that:

the first proximity sensing circuit is configured to operate in the first mode to transmit first electromagnetic signals while a second proximity sensing circuit is configured to operate in the second mode to receive the first electromagnetic signals at a first time;

or

the second proximity sensing circuit is configured to operate in the first mode to transmit second electromagnetic signals while the first proximity sensing circuit is configured to operate in the second mode to receive the second electromagnetic signals at a second time.

5. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the coordinating circuit logic is configured to receive the digital data from the remaining ones of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits according to a schedule, wherein the coordinating circuit logic is configured to receive digital data from one proximity sensing circuit at a time.

6. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the coordinating circuit and each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits are coupled via unidirectional data couplings.

7. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensing system comprises at least three proximity sensing circuits, wherein the one or more user proximity gestures comprise at least one proximity gesture in at least two dimensions.

8. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensing system comprises at least four proximity sensing circuits, wherein the one or more user proximity gestures comprise at least one proximity gesture in three dimensions.

9. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, the system further comprising a single flexible substrate, wherein the plurality of proximity sensing circuits and the coordinating circuit are comprised on the single flexible substrate.

10. The proximity sensing system of claim 1, wherein the coordinating circuit logic is further configured to produce coordinated digital data from the digital data received from the remaining ones of the plurality of integrated circuit devices, wherein the coordinated digital data comprises the digital data from each of the remaining ones of the plurality of integrated circuit devices, wherein the coordinated digital data is configured for use in determining that a user performed one or more user proximity gestures.

11. The proximity sensing system of claim 10, wherein the system further comprises an interpretation circuit, wherein the interpretation circuit comprises logic configured to:

receive the coordinated digital data;

interpret the coordinated digital data, wherein said interpreting determines that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.

12. A method for collecting proximity sensing data using a plurality of spaced apart integrated circuit devices each comprising a proximity sensing circuit and associated antenna arrangements, wherein each antenna arrangement comprises an electrode and a shield electrode, the method comprising:

configuring one of the plurality of integrated circuit devices as a transmitter, wherein an alternating transmission signal is fed to the electrode and a shield signal is fed to the shield electrode of an associated antenna arrangement;

configuring remaining ones of the plurality of integrated circuit devices as receivers, wherein electromagnetic signals generated by the transmitter are received through capacitive coupling between the electrode of the transmitter and an electrode of an associated antenna arrangement of a receiver;

collecting, by the remaining ones of the plurality of integrated circuit devices, digital data;

receiving, by a coordinating circuit, the digital data from each of the remaining ones of the plurality of integrated circuit devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital data collected by the receivers comprises a digital representation of signal strength of electromagnetic signals received from the transmitter, wherein the signal strength of the electromagnetic signals can be modified by one or more user proximity gestures.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the shield signal is in phase with the alternating transmission signal transmitted by the transmitter.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

at a first time;

a first proximity sensing circuit is configured as transmitter for transmitting first electromagnetic signals;

a second proximity sensing circuit is configured as receiver for receiving the first electromagnetic signals;

at a second time;

the second proximity sensing circuit is configured as transmitter for transmitting second electromagnetic signals;

the first proximity sensing circuit is configured as receiver for receiving the second electromagnetic signals.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the coordinating circuit receives the digital data from the remaining ones of the plurality of integrated circuit devices according to a schedule, wherein the coordinating circuit receives digital data from one proximity sensing circuit at a time.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the coordinating circuit and each of the plurality of proximity sensing circuits are coupled via unidirectional data couplings.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of integrated circuit devices comprise at least three integrated circuit devices, wherein the one or more user proximity gestures comprise at least one proximity gesture in at least two dimensions.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of integrated circuit devices comprise at least four integrated circuit devices, wherein the one or more user proximity gestures comprise at least one proximity gesture in three dimensions.

20. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

producing, by the coordinating circuit, coordinated digital data from the digital data received from each of the plurality of integrated circuit devices, wherein the coordinated digital data comprises the digital data from each of the plurality of integrated circuit devices, wherein the coordinated digital data is configured for use in determining that a user performed one or more user proximity gestures.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving, by an interpretation circuit, the coordinated digital data;

interpreting, by the interpretation circuit, the coordinated digital data, wherein said interpreting determines that a user performed the one or more user proximity gestures.

22. An integrated proximity sensing circuit device, comprising:

a first external pin configured to be connected with a first electrode, wherein in a first mode the first external pin is configured as an output to only transmit an alternating signal and in a second mode the first external pin is configured as an input to only receive electromagnetic signals from said electrode;

a shield driver connected to a second external pin configured to be connected with a shield electrode, wherein in the first mode the shield driver is configured to generate a shield signal;

logic configured to collect digital data based on electromagnetic signals received through said first external pin; and

a control interface, wherein the integrated proximity sensing circuit is configured as a slave device operable to receive configuration data to operate either in said first or said second mode, wherein the integrated proximity sensing device is configured to only connect with a single electrode and a single shield electrode.