Apparatus and method for detecting hovering commands

• US 9,830,009 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SecuGen Corporation (Pivotec Corp.)
• Original Assignee: SecuGen Corporation (Pivotec Corp.)
• Inventors: Lee, Dong Won, Lee, Ye Seon, Kim, Jae Ho, Kim, Jae Hyeong
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, David
• Application Number:
  US15/272,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20170010753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• 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 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2139 Recurrent verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1312 direct reading, e.g. contactless acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/70 Multimodal biometrics, e.g. combining information from different biometric modalities

Abstract

Method and apparatus are provided for detecting hovering commands by a device with a display. In one embodiment, a method for detecting hovering commands by a device with a display comprises detecting a sequence of shadows from a hovering object by one or more light sensors of the device, where the sequence of shadows causes changes in light conditions on the display of the device, determining a leakage current corresponding to changes of light conditions by a controller of the device, determining an action performed by a user based on the changes of light conditions on the display by the controller of the device, determining a hovering command based on the action performed by the controller of the device, and executing the hovering command by the controller of the device.

Claims

1. A method of detecting hovering commands by a device with an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display, comprising:

detecting a sequence of shadows from a hovering object by one or more light sensors of the AMOLED display, wherein the sequence of shadows causes changes in light conditions on the AMOLED display, wherein the changes in light condition are caused by shadows of the object formed, by ambient light in the background and by emitted light of the AMOLED display;

determining a leakage current corresponding to changes of light conditions by a controller of the device, wherein the leakage current decreases as the object approaches the AMOLED display, wherein the AMOLED display includes a plurality of pixel circuits, each pixel circuit includes a blue subpixel circuit, a green subpixel circuit, and a red subpixel circuit; and

wherein the green subpixel circuit and the red subpixel circuit are configured to sense the changes of light conditions, the blue subpixel circuit is configured to generate the emitted light of the AMOLED display in response to an ambient light in an environment of the device being less than a predetermined amount;

detecting, by the green subpixel circuit and the red subpixel circuit in each pixel circuit in the plurality of pixel circuits, the ambient light in an environment of the device being less than the predetermined amount;

emitting, by the blue subpixel circuit in each pixel circuit in the plurality of pixel circuits, a light to the hovering object from the AMOLED display of the device; and

receiving, by the green subpixel circuit and the red subpixel circuit in each pixel circuit in the plurality of pixel circuits, a reflected light from the hovering object, wherein the reflected light causes the changes in light conditions on the AMOLED display;

determining an action performed by a user based on the changes of light conditions on the AMOLED display by the controller of the device;

determining a hovering command based on the action performed by the controller of the device; and

executing the hovering command by the controller of the device.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein the action performed by the user comprises a sequence of hovering motions without touching the AMOLED display, and wherein the hovering object has a distance of 1 mm to 30 mm from the AMOLED display.

3. The method of claim 1:

wherein the action comprises a parallel movement of the hovering object relative to a surface of the AMOLED display.

4. The method of claim 1:

wherein the action comprises a perpendicular movement of the hovering object relative to a surface of the AMOLED display.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein the action comprises an angled movement of the hovering object relative to a surface of the AMOLED display.

6. The method of claim 1:

wherein the action comprises a circular movement of the hovering object relative to a surface of the AMOLED display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the action performed by the user comprises:

comparing the changes of light conditions on the AMOLED display to a set of predefined changes of light conditions stored in a database of the device; and

identifying the action performed by the user corresponding to the changes of light conditions on the AMOLED display in response to a match being found in the set of predefined changes of light conditions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein comparing the changes of light conditions on the AMOLED display comprises:

converting the leakage current to a leakage voltage;

comparing the leakage voltage to a set of reference voltages; and

storing comparison information in one or more registers of the controller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the command comprises:

comparing the action performed by the user to a set of predefined actions stored in a database of the device; and

identifying the command corresponding to the action performed by the user in response to a match being found in the set of predefined actions.

10. A device for detecting hovering commands, comprising:

an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display;

one or more light sensors configured to detect a sequence of shadows from a hovering object by one or more light sensors of the AMOLED display, wherein the sequence of shadows causes changes in light conditions on the AMOLED display, wherein the chances in light condition are caused by shadows of the object formed, by ambient light in the background and by emitted light of the AMOLED display;

a controller comprising one or more processors, the controller is configured to;

determine a leakage current corresponding to changes of light conditions, wherein the leakage current decreases as the object approaches the AMOLED display, wherein the AMOLED display includes a plurality of pixel circuits, each pixel circuit includes a blue subpixel circuit, a green subpixel circuit, and a red subpixel circuit; and

wherein the green subpixel circuit and the red subpixel circuit are configured to sense the changes of light conditions, the blue subpixel circuit is configured to generate the emitted light of the AMOLED display in response to ambient light in an environment of the device being less than a predetermined amount;

determine an action performed by a user based on the changes of light conditions on the AMOLED display;

determine a hovering command based on the action performed; and

execute the hovering command;

wherein the controller is further configured to;

detect, by the green subpixel circuit and the red subpixel circuit in each pixel circuit in the plurality of pixel circuits, the ambient light in an environment of the device being less than the predetermined amount;

emit, by the blue subpixel circuit in each pixel circuit in the plurality of pixel circuits, a light to the hovering object from the AMOLED display of the device; and

receive, by the green subpixel circuit and the red subpixel circuit in each pixel circuit in the plurality of pixel circuits, a reflected light from the hovering object,

wherein the reflected light causes the changes in light conditions on the AMOLED display.

11. The device of claim 10:

wherein the action performed by the user comprises a sequence of hovering motions without touching the AMOLED display, and wherein the hovering object has a distance of 1 mm to 30 mm from the AMOLED display.

12. The device of claim 10:

wherein the action comprises a parallel movement of the hovering object relative to a surface of the AMOLED display.

13. The device of claim 10:

wherein the action comprises a perpendicular movement of the hovering object relative to a surface of the AMOLED display.

14. The device of claim 10:

wherein the action comprises an angled movement of the hovering object relative to a surface of the AMOLED display.

15. The device of claim 10:

wherein the action comprises a circular movement of the hovering object relative to a surface of the AMOLED display.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare the changes of light conditions on the AMOLED display to a set of predefined changes of light conditions stored in a database of the device; and

identify the action performed by the user corresponding to the changes of light conditions on the AMOLED display in response to a match being found in the set of predefined changes of light conditions.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to:

convert the leakage current to a leakage voltage;

compare the leakage voltage to a set of reference voltages; and

store comparison information in one or more registers of the controller.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare the action performed by the user to a set of predefined actions stored in a database of the device; and

identify the command corresponding to the action performed by the user in response to a match being found in the set of predefined actions.