User input using proximity sensing
US9063577B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 28, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jun 23, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 28, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2203/04106
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A device is described which enables users to interact with software running on the device through gestures made in an area adjacent to the device. In an embodiment, a portable computing device has proximity sensors arranged on an area of its surface which is not a display, such as on the sides of the device. These proximity sensors define an area of interaction adjacent to the device. User gestures in this area of interaction are detected by creating sensing images from data received from each of the sensors and then analyzing sequences of these images to detect gestures. The detected gestures may be mapped to particular inputs to a software program running on the device and therefore a user can control the operation of the program through gestures.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.