Systems for controlling objects using a motion-based control apparatus

• US 9,703,388 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 2020 Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Quantum Interface LLC
• Inventors: Josephson, Jonathan, Nalty, Kurt Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Rayeez
• Application Number:
  US13/677,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 : Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information

Abstract

An electrical switch apparatus including a movement sensitive form is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, a motion sensor and a processing unit, where motion on, near or about the motion sensor is translated into output commands adapted for list scrolling, where the list can be arranged in a hierarchy such as menus or for changing a value of an attribute of an electrical device under the control of the switch.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a motion sensor including an active zone, where the sensor senses an initial motion within the active zone and produces an output signal based on the sensed initial motion,

a processing unit including communication software and hardware in communication with the motion sensor, where the processing unit converts the output signal into command and control functions, and

one object or a plurality of objects in communication with the processing unit,

where the command and control functions are selected from the group consisting of;

a scroll function,

a select function,

a simultaneous select and scroll function,

a simultaneous select and activate function,

a simultaneous select and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function, and

a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function,

where the processing unit;

(1) processes a scroll function comprising scrolling through a list or menu based on the initial motion,

(2) processes a select function comprising selecting an object from a plurality of objects based on the initial motion,

(3) processes a simultaneous select and scroll function comprising selecting a list or menu and scrolling through the list or menu based on the initial motion,

(4) processes a simultaneous select and activate function comprising selecting an object and activating the object based on the initial motion,

(5) processes a simultaneous select and attribute control function comprising selecting an attribute and controlling the attribute based on the initial motion,

(6) processes a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function comprising selecting an object, activating the object and controlling an attribute of the object based on the initial motion,

(7) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and activating an object based on the initial motion, or

(8) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and controlling an attribute based on the initial motion,

where the object or the plurality of objects comprise electrical devices, software systems, software products, lists, menus, or combinations thereof, and

where the attributes comprise adjustable attributes associated with the object or the plurality of objects.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor senses a change in motion or a timed hold within the active sensing zone of the motion sensor producing a subsequent output signal corresponding to the sensed change in sensed motion or the timed hold and the processing unit converts the subsequent output signal into a command and control function selected from the group consisting of:

a scroll function,

a select function,

a simultaneous select and scroll function,

a simultaneous select and activate function,

a simultaneous select and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function, and

a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function, and

where the processing unit;

(1) processes a scroll function comprising scrolling through a list or menu based on the initial motion,

(2) processes a select function comprising selecting an object from a plurality of objects based on the initial motion,

(3) processes a simultaneous select and scroll function comprising selecting a list or menu and scrolling through the list or menu based on the initial motion,

(4) processes a simultaneous select and activate function comprising selecting an object and activating the object based on the initial motion,

(5) processes a simultaneous select and attribute control function comprising selecting an attribute and controlling the attribute based on the initial motion,

(6) processes a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function comprising selecting an object, activating the object and controlling an attribute of the object based on the initial motion,

(7) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and activating an object based on the initial motion, or

(8) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and controlling an attribute based on the initial motion,

where the change in motion and the timed hold are discernible by the motion sensor and/or the processing unit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

15°

, the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

15°

, or the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

5°

.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a remote control unit in communication with the processing unit to provide remote control of the processing unit and the objects in communication with the processing unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, optical scanners, optical roller ball devices, touch pads, inductive pads, capacitive pads, holographic devices, laser tracking devices, thermal devices, any other device capable of sensing motion, arrays of motion sensors, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical devices comprises lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, remote control systems, or mixtures and combinations thereof; and

the software products include computer operating systems, graphics systems, business software systems, word processor systems, internet browsers, accounting systems, military systems, control systems, or mixtures and combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein if the timed hold is brief, then the processing unit causes an attribute to be adjusted to a preset level.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein if the timed hold is continued, then the processing unit causes an attribute to undergo a high value/low value cycle that ends when the hold is removed.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the timed hold causes an attribute value to change so that (1) if the attribute is at its maximum value, the timed hold causes the attribute value to decrease at a predetermined rate, until the timed hold is removed, (2) if the attribute value is at its minimum value, then the timed hold causes the attribute value to increase at a predetermined rate, until the timed hold is removed, (3) if the attribute value is not the maximum or minimum value, then the timed hold causes the processing unit to randomly select the rate and direction of attribute value change or changes the attribute to allow maximum control, or (4) the timed hold causes a continuous change in the attribute value in a direction of the initial motion until the timed hold is removed.

10. A system comprising:

a motion sensor including an active zone, where the sensor senses an initial motion within the active zone and produces an output signal based on the sensed initial motion,

a processing unit including communication software and hardware in communication with the motion sensor, where the processing unit converts the output signal into command and control functions, and

one object or a plurality of objects in communication with the processing unit,

where the command and control functions are selected from the group consisting of;

a scroll function,

a select function,

a simultaneous select and scroll function,

a simultaneous select and activate function,

a simultaneous select and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function, and

a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function,

where the processing unit;

(8) processes a scroll function comprising scrolling through a list or menu based on the initial motion,

(9) processes a select function comprising selecting an object from a plurality of objects based on the initial motion,

(10) processes a simultaneous select and scroll function comprising selecting a list or menu and scrolling through the list or menu based on the initial motion,

(11) processes a simultaneous select and activate function comprising selecting an object and activating the object based on the initial motion,

(12) processes a simultaneous select and attribute control function comprising selecting an attribute and controlling the attribute based on the initial motion,

(13) processes a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function comprising selecting an object, activating the object and controlling an attribute of the object based on the initial motion,

(14) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and activating an object based on the initial motion, or

(15) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and controlling an attribute based on the initial motion,

where the object or the plurality of objects comprise electrical devices, lists, menus, or combinations thereof, and

where the attributes comprise adjustable attributes associated with the object or the plurality of objects.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the motion sensor senses a change in motion or a timed hold within the active sensing zone of the motion sensor producing a subsequent output signal corresponding to the sensed change in sensed motion or the timed hold and the processing unit converts the subsequent output signal into a command and control function selected from the group consisting of:

a scroll function,

a select function,

a simultaneous select and scroll function,

a simultaneous select and activate function,

a simultaneous select and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function, and

a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function, and

where the processing unit;

(1) processes a scroll function comprising scrolling through a list or menu based on the initial motion,

(2) processes a select function comprising selecting an object from a plurality of objects based on the initial motion,

(3) processes a simultaneous select and scroll function comprising selecting a list or menu and scrolling through the list or menu based on the initial motion,

(4) processes a simultaneous select and activate function comprising selecting an object and activating the object based on the initial motion,

(5) processes a simultaneous select and attribute control function comprising selecting an attribute and controlling the attribute based on the initial motion,

(6) processes a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function comprising selecting an object, activating the object and controlling an attribute of the object based on the initial motion,

(7) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and activating an object based on the initial motion, or

(8) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and controlling an attribute based on the initial motion,

where the change in motion and the timed hold are discernible by the motion sensor and/or the processing unit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

15°

, the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

10°

, or the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

5°

.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising

a remote control unit in communication with the processing unit to provide remote control of the processing unit and the objects in communication with the processing unit.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, optical scanners, optical roller ball devices, touch pads, inductive pads, capacitive pads, holographic devices, laser tracking devices, thermal devices, any other device capable of sensing motion, arrays of motion sensors, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the electrical devices comprises lighting devices, cameras, ovens, dishwashers, stoves, sound systems, display systems, alarm systems, control systems, medical devices, robots, robotic control systems, hot and cold water supply devices, air conditioning systems, heating systems, ventilation systems, air handling systems, computers and computer systems, chemical plant control systems, remote control systems, or mixtures and combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein if the timed hold is brief, then the processing unit causes an attribute to be adjusted to a preset level.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein if the timed hold is continued, then the processing unit causes an attribute to undergo a high value/low value cycle that ends when the hold is removed.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the timed hold causes an attribute value to change so that (1) if the attribute is at its maximum value, the timed hold causes the attribute value to decrease at a predetermined rate, until the timed hold is removed, (2) if the attribute value is at its minimum value, then the timed hold causes the attribute value to increase at a predetermined rate, until the timed hold is removed, (3) if the attribute value is not the maximum or minimum value, then the timed hold causes the processing unit to randomly select the rate and direction of attribute value change or changes the attribute to allow maximum control, or (4) the timed hold causes a continuous change in the attribute value in a direction of the initial motion until the timed hold is removed.

19. A system comprising:

a motion sensor including an active zone, where the sensor senses an initial motion within the active zone and produces an output signal based on the sensed initial motion,

a processing unit including communication software and hardware in communication with the motion sensor, where the processing unit converts the output signal into command and control functions, and

one object or a plurality of objects in communication with the processing unit,

where the command and control functions are selected from the group consisting of;

a scroll function,

a select function,

a simultaneous select and scroll function,

a simultaneous select and activate function,

a simultaneous select and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function, and

a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function,

where the processing unit;

(1) processes a scroll function comprising scrolling through a list or menu based on the initial motion,

(2) processes a select function comprising selecting an object from a plurality of objects based on the initial motion,

(3) processes a simultaneous select and scroll function comprising selecting a list or menu and scrolling through the list or menu based on the initial motion,

(4) processes a simultaneous select and activate function comprising selecting an object and activating the object based on the initial motion,

(5) processes a simultaneous select and attribute control function comprising selecting an attribute and controlling the attribute based on the initial motion,

(6) processes a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function comprising selecting an object, activating the object and controlling an attribute of the object based on the initial motion,

(7) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and activating an object based on the initial motion, or

(8) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and controlling an attribute based on the initial motion,

where the object or the plurality of objects comprise software systems, software products, lists, menus, or combinations thereof,

where the attributes comprise adjustable attributes associated with the object or the plurality of objects.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the motion sensor senses a change in motion or a timed hold within the active sensing zone of the motion sensor producing a subsequent output signal corresponding to the sensed change in sensed motion or the timed hold and the processing unit converts the subsequent output signal into a command and control function selected from the group consisting of:

a scroll function,

a select function,

a simultaneous select and scroll function,

a simultaneous select and activate function,

a simultaneous select and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function,

a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function, and

a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function, and

where the processing unit;

(1) processes a scroll function comprising scrolling through a list or menu based on the initial motion,

(2) processes a select function comprising selecting an object from a plurality of objects based on the initial motion,

(3) processes a simultaneous select and scroll function comprising selecting a list or menu and scrolling through the list or menu based on the initial motion,

(4) processes a simultaneous select and activate function comprising selecting an object and activating the object based on the initial motion,

(5) processes a simultaneous select and attribute control function comprising selecting an attribute and controlling the attribute based on the initial motion,

(6) processes a simultaneous select, activate, and attribute control function comprising selecting an object, activating the object and controlling an attribute of the object based on the initial motion,

(7) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and activate function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and activating an object based on the initial motion, or

(8) processes a simultaneous select, scroll, and attribute control function comprising selecting a list or menu, scrolling through the list or menu, and controlling an attribute based on the initial motion,

where the change in motion and the timed hold are discernible by the motion sensor and/or the processing unit.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

15°

, the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

10°

, or the sensor and/or the processing unit are capable of discerning a change in the direction of motion of ±

5°

.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising

a remote control unit in communication with the processing unit to provide remote control of the processing unit and the objects in communication with the processing unit.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the motion sensor is selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, optical scanners, optical roller ball devices, touch pads, inductive pads, capacitive pads, holographic devices, laser tracking devices, thermal devices, any other device capable of sensing motion, arrays of motion sensors, and mixtures or combinations thereof.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the software products include computer operating systems, graphics systems, business software systems, word processor systems, internet browsers, accounting systems, military systems, control systems, or mixtures and combinations thereof.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein if the timed hold is brief, then the processing unit causes an attribute to be adjusted to a preset level.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein if the timed hold is continued, then the processing unit causes an attribute to undergo a high value/low value cycle that ends when the hold is removed.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the timed hold causes an attribute value to change so that (1) if the attribute is at its maximum value, the timed hold causes the attribute value to decrease at a predetermined rate, until the timed hold is removed, (2) if the attribute value is at its minimum value, then the timed hold causes the attribute value to increase at a predetermined rate, until the timed hold is removed, (3) if the attribute value is not the maximum or minimum value, then the timed hold causes the processing unit to randomly select the rate and direction of attribute value change or changes the attribute to allow maximum control, or (4) the timed hold causes a continuous change in the attribute value in a direction of the initial motion until the timed hold is removed.