Search Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »
Advanced Patent Search | Web History | Sign in

Patents

Biometric sensors such as electromyographic sensors 21A and 21B sense muscle flexing. The resultant signals are sensed 11 and utilized to establish 13 a corresponding angle of movement and to establish 15 magnitude of movement for an on-screen display indicator such as an on-screen cursor 61. In one embodiment, the electromyographic sensor signals are shifted and scaled 31. Wireless transmissions can be utilized to increase portability of the sensor interface.

Inventors: Di-An Hong, Swee Mean Mok, Tom Mathew
Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
Primary Examiner: Xiao Wu
Current U.S. Classification: 345/157; 345/158; 345/159

View patent at USPTO
Search USPTO Assignment Database
Download USPTO Public PAIR data

Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US4030141Feb 9, 1976Jun 21, 1977The United States of America as represented by the Veterans AdministrationMulti-function control system for an artificial upper-extremity prosthesis for above-elbow amputees
US4209860Feb 13, 1978Jul 1, 1980The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of Veterans' AffairsSystem and method for multifunctional control of upper limb prosthesis via EMg signal identification
US5062857Jun 5, 1990Nov 5, 1991Advanced Prosthestetics Development CorporationMyoelectrically controlled knee joint locking device
US5230025Aug 31, 1990Jul 20, 1993Digital Biometrics, Inc.Method and apparatus for capturing skin print images
US5429006Feb 9, 1993Jul 4, 1995Enix CorporationSemiconductor matrix type sensor for very small surface pressure distribution
US5473144May 27, 1994Dec 5, 1995Credit card with digitized finger print and reading apparatus
US5491492Jan 12, 1994Feb 13, 1996Biocontrol Systems, Inc.Method and apparatus for eye tracking for convergence and strabismus measurement
US5599391Sep 18, 1995Feb 4, 1997Fingerprinting device
US5603179Oct 11, 1995Feb 18, 1997Safety trigger
US5613712Apr 21, 1995Mar 25, 1997Eastman Kodak CompanyMagnetic fingerprint for secure document authentication
US5625448May 8, 1995Apr 29, 1997Printrak International, Inc.Fingerprint imaging
US5668874Feb 28, 1995Sep 16, 1997Lucent Technologies Inc.Identification card verification system and method
US6040821Jan 19, 1993Mar 21, 2000InControl Solutions, Inc.Cursor tracking
US6088471May 16, 1997Jul 11, 2000Authentec, Inc.Fingerprint sensor including an anisotropic dielectric coating and associated methods
US6148094Sep 30, 1997Nov 14, 2000David J. KinsellaPointing device with biometric sensor
US6413190Jul 27, 1999Jul 2, 2002Enhanced Mobility TechnologiesRehabilitation apparatus and method
US6473070Dec 29, 1998Oct 29, 2002Intel CorporationWireless tracking system
US6504526Nov 3, 1998Jan 7, 2003Intel CorporationWireless pointing system
US20020143277May 17, 2002Enhanced Mobility TechnologiesRehabilitation apparatus and method

Claims

1. A method for manipulating an on-screen cursor comprising:

sensing first electromyogram signals;

sensing second electromyogram signals;

in response to sensing at least some of the first electromyogram signals, establishing an angle of directional movement for the on-screen cursor;

in response to sensing at least some of the second electromyogram signals, moving the on-screen cursor in a previously determined direction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein sensing first electromyogram signals includes sensing first electromyogram signals from at least a first muscle and wherein sensing the second electromyogram signals includes sensing second electromyogram signals from at least a second muscle, which second muscle is different from the first muscle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing an angle of directional movement for the on-screen cursor includes rotating an on-screen directional indicator that corresponds to the angle of directional movement.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein rotating an on-screen directional indicator that corresponds to the angle of directional movement includes rotating the on-screen cursor.

5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising wirelessly transmitting information signals that at least correspond to the first and second electromyogram signals.

6. The method of claim 1 and further comprising wirelessly transmitting information signals that at least correspond to the angle of directional movement for the on-screen cursor and movement of the on-screen cursor in a previously determined direction.

7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising processing the first and second electromyogram signals to at least level shift the first and second electromyogram signals.

8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising processing the first and second electromyogram signals to at least scale the first and second electromyogram signals.

9. The method of claim 1 and further comprising processing the first and second electromyogram signals to at least level shift and scale the first and second electromyogram signals.

10. The method of claim 1 and further comprising, in response to sensing at least one of the electromyogram signals, asserting a mouse click.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein asserting a mouse click includes asserting a mouse left click.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein asserting a mouse click includes asserting a mouse right click.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein sensing first electromyogram signals includes sensing first electromyogram signals that at least equal a predetermined threshold.

14. A method for manipulating an on-screen cursor comprising:

in response to receiving a first biometric signal, deriving corresponding angular direction of movement information for the on-screen cursor;

in response to receiving a second biometric signal, deriving corresponding magnitude of movement information for the on-screen cursor.

15. The method of claim 14 and further comprising, in response to receiving at least one of the first and second biometric signals, deriving a corresponding mouse click assertion.

Drawings