U.S. patent application number 13/888116 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-31 for control system and method using an ultrasonic area array.
The applicant listed for this patent is Qualcomm Incorporated. Invention is credited to Jack Conway Kitchens, II, John K. Schneider.
Application Number | 20130289935 13/888116 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44912514 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130289935 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schneider; John K. ; et
al. |
October 31, 2013 |
Control System and Method Using an Ultrasonic Area Array
Abstract
A computer control system and method is disclosed. Such a system
may include a processor and an ultrasonic area-array sensor
configured to receive a ridged surface, such as one or more digits
of a hand. The processor may be configured to: (a) acquire a first
information set from the sensor, the first information set
representing at least a portion of the ridged surface, (b) acquire
a second information set from the sensor, the second information
set representing at least a portion of the ridged surface, (c)
compare the first information set with the second information set
to identify a common feature of the ridged surface that is present
in both the first information set and the second information set,
(d) determine a first position of the common feature using the
first information set, (e) determine a second position of the
common feature using the second information set, and (f) calculate
a control measurement by comparing the first position and the
second position.
Inventors: |
Schneider; John K.; (Snyder,
NY) ; Kitchens, II; Jack Conway; (Tonawanda,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Qualcomm Incorporated |
San Diego |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
44912514 |
Appl. No.: |
13/888116 |
Filed: |
May 6, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13109764 |
May 17, 2011 |
8457924 |
|
|
13888116 |
|
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|
61345504 |
May 17, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
702/150 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 21/32 20130101;
G06F 19/00 20130101; G16Z 99/00 20190201; G01N 29/34 20130101; G06F
2203/0338 20130101; G06F 3/03547 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
702/150 |
International
Class: |
G01N 29/34 20060101
G01N029/34; G06F 19/00 20060101 G06F019/00 |
Claims
1. A computer control system, comprising: an ultrasonic area-array
sensor configured to receive a ridged surface; a processor
configured to: (a) acquire a first information set from the sensor,
the first information set representing at least a portion of the
ridged surface, (b) acquire a second information set from the
sensor, the second information set representing at least a portion
of the ridged surface, (c) compare the first information set with
the second information set to identify a common feature of the
ridged surface that is present in both the first information set
and the second information set, (d) determine a first position of
the common feature using the first information set, (e) determine a
second position of the common feature using the second information
set, and (f) calculate a control measurement by comparing the first
position and the second position.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control measurement is used
to control a cursor displayed on a monitor.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control measurement is a
distance between the first position and the second position.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control measurement is a
direction from the first position to the second position.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control measurement is a
velocity, the velocity being the distance between the first
position and the second position divided by the time between
acquiring the first information set and the second information
set.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control measurement is a
change in rotational orientation of the common feature between the
first position and the second position.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the change in rotational
orientation is correlated to a change in a computer control
variable.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the control variable is an audio
volume level.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the control variable is a
brightness level.
10. The system of claim 7, wherein when the change in rotational
orientation is counterclockwise, the control variable is
decreased.
11. The system of claim 7, wherein when the change in rotational
orientation is clockwise, the control variable is increased.
12. The system of claim 6, wherein the change in rotational
orientation is correlated to a change in a graphical user
interface.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the change in the graphical
user interface is to navigate forward when the change in rotational
orientation is clockwise.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the change in the graphical
user interface is to navigate backward when the change in
rotational orientation is counterclockwise.
15. The system of claim 6, wherein the change in rotational
orientation is correlated to selecting an application provided by a
computer.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the change in rotational
orientation is correlated to closing an application provided by a
computer.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the change in rotational
orientation causes an interrupt for a remote device.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote device is a general
purpose computer.
19. A method of effecting a change in a state of a computer system,
comprising: providing an ultrasonic area-array sensor configured to
receive a ridged surface; providing a processor configured to: (a)
acquire a first information set from the sensor, the first
information set representing at least a portion of the ridged
surface, (b) acquire a second information set from the sensor, the
second information set representing at least a portion of the
ridged surface, (c) compare the first information set with the
second information set to identify a common feature of the ridged
surface that is present in both the first information set and the
second information set, (d) determine a first position of the
common feature using the first information set, (e) determine a
second position of the common feature using the second information
set, and (f) calculate a control measurement by comparing the first
position and the second position; and using the control measurement
to effect a change in a state of a computer system.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the change in state is a change
to a cursor displayed on a monitor of the computer system.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the change in state is a
position change to an object displayed on a monitor of the computer
system, and the control measurement is a distance between the first
position and the second position, and the distance is correlated to
the position change.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein the change in state is a
direction change to an object displayed on a monitor of the
computer system, and the control measurement is a direction from
the first position to the second position, and the direction is
correlated to the direction change.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein the change in state is a
velocity of an object displayed on a monitor of the computer
system, and the control measurement is a velocity of the ridged
surface, the ridged surface velocity being the distance between the
first position and the second position divided by the time between
acquiring the first information set and the second information set,
and the ridged surface velocity is correlated to the displayed
object velocity.
24. The method of claim 19, wherein the control measurement is a
change in rotational orientation of the common feature between the
first position and the second position.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the change in state is a change
in a computer control variable.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the control variable is an
audio volume level.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein the control variable is a
brightness level.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein when the change in rotational
orientation is counterclockwise, the control variable is
decreased.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein when the change in rotational
orientation is clockwise, the control variable is increased.
30. The method of claim 24, wherein the change in state is a change
in a graphical user interface.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the change in the graphical
user interface is to navigate forward when the change in rotational
orientation is clockwise.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein the change in the graphical
user interface is to navigate backward when the change in
rotational orientation is counterclockwise.
33. The method of claim 24, wherein the change in state is
selection of an application provided by a computer.
34. The method of claim 24, wherein the change in state is closing
an application provided by a computer.
35. The method of claim 24, wherein the change in state is to
interrupt a routine being executed by the computer.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
13/109,764, filed May 17, 2011, which claims the benefit of
priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No.
61/345,504, filed May 17, 2010.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the use of ultrasound to
detect variations of a surface, such as the surface of a finger.
The invention also relates to systems for controlling a
computer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Many fingerprint readers have a line of sensors which are
used to produce a series of information sets about a friction
ridge. As long as the finger continues to move across the sensor
line, each information set includes a line of information about a
different portion of the friction ridge. If the velocity of the
finger is known, the series of information sets may be assembled
and used to create an image of the fingerprint.
[0004] Other fingerprint readers include an array of sensors that
are arranged to collect information from an area (as distinguished
from a line), which may be defined by a width and a length. Such
area-array sensors may have multiple lines of sensors which obtain
information about an area of the friction ridge (often at
substantially the same time) so that an image of the friction ridge
can be created without moving the finger across the sensor array.
These biometric scanners have been used to collect information
about friction ridge surfaces for the purpose of identifying the
user of a computer. Once a user is identified as an authorized user
of the computer, the user is then permitted to use the computer,
for example by operating a mouse, keyboard, touchpad and other
devices in order to interface with and control the computer.
However, by requiring a scanner for purposes of biometric
authorization, as well as a mouse or touchpad for controlling the
computer, the size and cost of a computer system is increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention may be embodied as a computer control system.
Such a system may include a processor and an ultrasonic area-array
sensor configured to analyze a surface, such as a digit of a hand.
The surface is ridged, that is to say that the surface is not
perfectly flat. The processor may be configured to: [0006] (a)
acquire a first information set from the ultrasonic sensor, the
first information set representing at least a portion of the ridged
surface, [0007] (b) acquire a second information set from the
ultrasonic sensor, the second information set representing at least
a portion of the ridged surface, [0008] (c) compare the first
information set with the second information set to identify a
common feature of the ridged surface that is present in both the
first information set and the second information set, [0009] (d)
determine a first position of the common feature using the first
information set, [0010] (e) determine a second position of the
common feature using the second information set, and [0011] (f)
calculate a control measurement by comparing the first position and
the second position.
[0012] The control measurement may be used for a number of tasks.
For example, the control measurement may be used to control a
cursor displayed on a monitor. To illustrate, the cursor may be
moved a distance on a computer monitor that is correlated to the
distance between the first position and the second position. Also,
the pointer may be moved in a direction that is correlated to the
direction from the first position to the second position. In this
manner, the movement of a finger on a platen of the sensor array
may be reflected in the movement of the cursor on the computer
monitor.
[0013] In addition, the control measurement may be a velocity. The
velocity may be the distance between the first position and the
second position divided by the time between acquiring the first
information set and the second information set. Using the velocity,
a cursor on a monitor may be moved at a velocity that correlates to
the control measurement.
[0014] The control measurement may be a change in rotational
orientation of the common feature between the first position and
the second position. The change in rotational orientation may be
correlated to a change in a computer control variable. For example,
the control variable may be an audio volume of a speaker, or a
brightness level of a display monitor. To illustrate how such a
change might be implemented, when the change in rotational
orientation is counterclockwise, the control variable may be
decreased, and when the change in rotational orientation is
clockwise, the control variable may be increased.
[0015] A change in rotational orientation of the common feature may
be correlated to a change in a graphical user interface. For
example, the change in the graphical user interface may be to
navigate forward or backward, depending on the change in rotational
orientation. To illustrate, when the change in rotational
orientation is clockwise, the graphical user interface may advance
one or more pages, and when the change in rotational orientation is
counterclockwise, the graphical user interface may go back one or
more pages.
[0016] The change in rotational orientation may be correlated to
selecting an application, or closing an application that is
provided by a computer. For example, a clockwise change in the
rotational orientation of the common feature may be interpreted as
indicating a desire to select an application, while a
counterclockwise change in the rotational orientation of the common
feature may be interpreted as indicating a desire to close an
application provided by the computer.
[0017] The change in rotational orientation may cause an interrupt
in a software routine being performed. For example, the software
routine may be running on a general purpose computer, and the
interrupt may cause the routine to be interrupted, so that a
different routine can then be executed.
[0018] The invention may be implemented as a method of effecting a
change in a state of a computer system, and as such the method may
be used to make use of the system described above. In one such
method, the area-array ultrasonic sensor and the processor are
provided, the first and second information sets are acquired from
the ultrasonic sensor, and the information sets are compared to
identify a common feature of the ridged surface that is present in
both the first information set and the second information set. A
first position of the common feature and a second position of the
common feature are determined using the first and second
information sets, respectively. A control measurement is calculated
by comparing the first position and the second position, and the
control measurement may be used to effect a change in a state of a
computer system. For example, the change in state may be to change
the position of an object, such as a cursor, that is displayed on a
monitor of the computer system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings
and the subsequent description. Briefly, the drawings are:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a system according to the
invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is flow chart depicting a method that is in keeping
with the invention; and
[0022] FIG. 3 is flow chart depicting a method that is in keeping
with the invention.
FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIG. 1 depicts a control system 100 according to the
invention. To make optimum use of the physical space available on
some small consumer appliances, especially those that require a
fingerprint scanner, it may be useful to provide an ultrasonic
area-array biometric sensor 103, such as a fingerprint scanner, and
use the information produced by the sensor 103 not only for
authorizing use of the computer, but also to control the computer.
It should be noted that the invention is described sometimes with
regard to the friction ridge of a human digit, but the invention
may be implemented using other ridged surfaces. For example, a
person's finger nail or a stylus may provide the ridged
surface.
[0024] In one embodiment of the invention, the ultrasonic
area-array biometric sensor 103 captures information about a ridged
surface, such as a friction ridge of a finger 106, and then
provides information about the ridged surface. For example, the
friction ridge information may be used to provide mouse-type
functionality such as the ability to identify and select icons
displayed on a monitor. In this manner, biometric information
gathered by the sensor 103 can be used to control a cursor, which
may take the form of a pointer, displayed on a monitor, and control
the computer.
[0025] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a system that is in keeping with
the invention. A flowchart of a method according to the invention
appears in FIG. 2. In a system 100 according to the invention, the
ultrasonic area-array sensor 103, under the control of a processor
109, may be used to collect 200, 203 a series of information sets,
each of which describe the position of a ridged surface, such as a
friction ridge. The information sets may be stored on a data
storage device 112. Although the information sets may be used to
create a sequence of images of the ridged surface, creation of the
image is not necessarily required. As the finger is moved, the
sensor periodically obtains information sets, and these sets may be
analyzed 206 to identify features of the ridged surface that are
common to the sets, and then one or more control measurements, such
as distance, velocity or direction information, may be calculated
209. The control measurements may be used in lieu of a mouse to
effect a change in the state of a graphical user interface that is
displayed on a monitor.
[0026] In operation, a system according to the invention may
capture information about a ridged surface while the ridged surface
is moving across a platen that covers an ultrasonic area-array of
sensors. The captured information can be used to create a first
information set corresponding to (for example) a friction ridge at
a first time, and the captured information can be used to create a
second information set corresponding to the friction ridge at a
second time. One or more features that are common to each
information set may be identified. The position of a common feature
in the first information set may be compared to the position of
that common feature in the second information set, and these two
positions may be used to determine information about the movement
of the friction ridge surface, such as the direction in which the
friction ridge (and hence the finger) was moving. The direction in
which the finger was moving may be thought of as a vector having
its tail at the location of the common feature in the first
information set, and its head at the location of the common feature
in the second information set.
[0027] Information about the movement of the friction ridge surface
may include the velocity of the finger, which may be determined by
(i) calculating the distance between the location of the common
feature in the first information set and the location of the common
feature in the second information set, (ii) calculating the time
difference between obtaining the first information set and the
second information set, and (iii) dividing the distance by the time
difference.
[0028] The direction and velocity information may be interpreted as
indicating a person's desire to move a cursor displayed on a
monitor in a certain manner. In this manner, the ultrasonic
area-array sensor may be used in lieu of a mouse to move a cursor
on a graphical user interface, and ultimately to select icons that
are displayed via the graphical user interface. The ultrasonic
area-array sensor and monitor may be associated with a computer
that is part of a cell phone or personal digital assistant in order
to move a cursor that is used for identifying objects displayed on
the monitor.
[0029] It is possible to determine not only the location of a
common feature, but also the orientation of a common feature. In
addition, by identifying more than one common feature, the relative
orientation of the features with respect to the ultrasonic
area-array sensor may be determined The orientation of one common
feature, and the relative orientation of more than one common
features, is referred to collectively as the common feature
orientation, even though there may be more than one common feature
involved. By knowing the common feature orientation, it is possible
to determine how the ridged surface was rotated between the time
the first information set was obtained and the time the second
information set was obtained.
[0030] To illustrate the concept, consider that if two information
sets are each used to create an image of a friction ridge surface,
a line extending between two features in the image of the first
information set may not have the same angular orientation as a line
drawn between the same two features in the image of the second
information set. The rotational shift between the two lines may be
considered as an indicator as to how the friction ridge rotated
between the two times.
[0031] Rotation of the ridged surface may be used to indicate
various desires of the user. For example, a clockwise rotation of
the friction ridge may indicate that the user desires to select an
icon, and a counter-clockwise rotation of the friction ridge may
indicate a desire to return to a prior "level" or display of the
graphical user interface that is provided via the monitor. As such,
if the user desires to use the telephone feature of her personal
digital assistant, then by starting at the main menu of the
graphical user interface, the user may move her finger over the
ultrasonic area-array until a pointer on the monitor is coincident
with a telephone icon that is displayed as part of the main menu.
Then, by rotating her finger more than a threshold amount (e.g. 15
degrees), the telephone icon may be selected. In response to
selecting the telephone icon, the user may be provided with a
display that prompts the user to enter a phone number. If the user
then changes her mind and decides that the telephone feature is not
desired, she may rotate her finger counter-clockwise, and the
system will interpret that rotation as a desire to return to the
main menu.
[0032] Having described embodiments of the invention above, we now
proceed to provide additional detail about a particular method that
is in keeping with the invention, and in doing so, we also describe
a system that is in keeping with the invention. FIG. 3 is a
flowchart depicting steps that are in keeping with the method. The
method may be implemented to effect a change in a state of a
computer system. In that method, an ultrasonic area-array sensor
may be provided 300, and a processor may be provided 303. The
sensor may be configured to receive a ridged surface, such as one
or more digits of a hand. The processor may be configured, for
example via software, to: [0033] (a) acquire 306 a first
information set from the sensor, the first information set
representing at least a portion of the ridged surface, [0034] (b)
acquire 309 a second information set from the sensor, the second
information set representing at least a portion of the ridged
surface, [0035] (c) compare 312 the first information set with the
second information set to identify a common feature of the ridged
surface that is present in both the first information set and the
second information set, [0036] (d) determine 315 a first position
of the common feature using the first information set, [0037] (e)
determine 318 a second position of the common feature using the
second information set, and [0038] (f) calculate 321 a control
measurement by comparing the first position and the second
position. The control measurement may be used 324 to effect a
change in a state of a computer system. In the paragraphs that
follow, we describe some of the changes in state that may be
effected.
[0039] Position change: The change in state may be a change to a
cursor displayed on a monitor of the computer system. For example,
the change in state may be a change in the position of an object
displayed on a monitor of the computer system, and the control
measurement may be a distance between the first position and the
second position. The distance between the first position and the
second position may be correlated to the position change.
[0040] Direction change: The change in state may be a change to a
cursor displayed on a monitor of the computer system. For example,
the change in state may be a change in the direction in which the
cursor displayed on a monitor is moving, and the control
measurement may be a change in direction between the first position
and the second position. In this situation, the control measurement
is a direction from the first position to the second position. The
direction from the first position to the second position may be
correlated to the direction change.
[0041] Velocity: The change in state may be a change to a cursor
displayed on a monitor of the computer system. For example, the
change in state may be a change in the velocity of a cursor
displayed on a monitor of the computer system, and the control
measurement may be a velocity of a friction ridge between the first
position and the second position. In this situation, the control
measurement is a velocity of the friction ridge, the velocity being
the distance between the first position and the second position
divided by the time between acquiring the first information set and
the second information set. The friction ridge velocity may be
correlated to the velocity of the object that is displayed on the
monitor.
[0042] Control Variable: The control measurement may be a change in
rotational orientation of the common feature of the ridged surface
between the first position and the second position. In such a
situation, the change in state may be a change in a computer
control variable. For example, the control variable may be a volume
level of an audio speaker, or a brightness level of a display
monitor. It may be possible to configure the processor so that when
the change in rotational orientation is counterclockwise, the
control variable is decreased. Also, it may be possible to
configure the processor so that when the change in rotational
orientation is clockwise, the control variable is increased.
[0043] GUI: The change in state may be a change in a graphical user
interface. In such a situation, the change in the graphical user
interface may be to navigate forward when the change in rotational
orientation of the ridged surface is clockwise. Also, the change in
the graphical user interface may be to navigate backward when the
change in rotational orientation of the ridged surface is
counterclockwise.
[0044] Selection/Closing: The change in state may be selection of
an application provided by a computer. Also, the change in state
may be closing an application provided by a computer. For example,
when the control measurement is a clockwise rotation of the ridged
surface, the application identified by the location of the cursor
may be opened. When the control measurement is a counterclockwise
rotation of the ridged surface, the application that is currently
opened or identified by the cursor may be closed.
[0045] Interrupt Routine: The change in state may be to interrupt a
routine being executed by the computer. For example, when the
control measurement is a clockwise rotation of the ridged surface,
the routine currently being run on the computer may be interrupted
so that a different routine may be started. In this manner, the
operation of the computer may be controlled.
[0046] By using a single area-array sensor to provide information
sets that can be used both for biometric identification and for
conveying control instructions to a computer, the size and cost of
implementing these capabilities into an electronic device can be
reduced. In this manner, devices such as cell phones, laptop
computers and personal digital assistants may be provided with the
ability to authorize use of such a device using biometric
identification, and to control the device according to the user's
desires.
[0047] Although the present invention has been described with
respect to one or more particular embodiments, it will be
understood that other embodiments of the present invention may be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. Hence, the present invention is deemed limited only by
the appended claims and the reasonable interpretation thereof.
* * * * *