Touch sensitivity for robotically operated displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10845913-B1
Application number	US-201916419238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 22, 2019
Priority date	May 22, 2019
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A touch detection system is provided. The touch detection system includes a hardware processor. The touch detection system further includes a touch input surface mounted using a set of torque sensors, where a location of a touch on the touch input surface is calculated by the hardware processor based on collective results from the set of torque sensors, the touch comprising a user input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A touch detection system, comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a touch input surface mounted to a moveable assembly having multiple joints using a set of torque sensors, each of the multiple joints having a torque sensor from the set, where a location of a touch on the touch input surface is calculated by the hardware processor based on collective results from the torque sensor at each of the multiple joints, the touch comprising a user input.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of sensors produces a stream of force and torque sensor data.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a message broker for providing a streaming subscription service for the stream of force and torque sensor data, and wherein the touch detection system is subscribed to the streaming subscription service.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one hardware processor smooths the stream of force and torque sensor data using a data smoothing method.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the moveable assembly is a robotic arm.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the touch input surface is comprised in a display, and the system further comprises at least one additional moveable assembly, each having an attached display and multiple joints, each of the multiple joints of the at least one additional moveable assembly having a torque sensor, wherein the display attached to the moveable assembly and the display attached to the at least one additional moveable assembly are arranged to functionally provide a single integrated display surface.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a center portion of the touch input surface is attached to a particular one of the multiple joints to detect displacement of at least the particular one of the multiple joints responsive to the touch.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor detects complex touch interactions involving more than a single touch.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the complex touch interactions are selected from the group consisting of a double touch, a touch and a swipe, a pull, and a push.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor calculates the location of the touch on the touch input surface by dividing torques imposed on the set of torque sensors by an applied amount of force resulting from the touch.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the touch input surface is comprised in a non-touch-screen display.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the touch input surface is comprised in a keypad.

13. A computer-implemented method for touch detection for a touch input surface mounted using a set of torque sensors, the method comprising:
receiving, by a hardware processor, collective results from the set of torque sensors, wherein the touch input surface is mounted to a moveable assembly having multiple joints, each of the multiple joints having a torque sensor from the set; and
calculating, by the hardware processor, a location of a touch on the touch input surface based on the collective results from the torque sensor at each of the multiple joints, the touch comprising a user input.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the set of torque sensors produces a stream of force and torque sensor data.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising a message broker for providing a streaming subscription service for the stream of force and torque sensor data, and wherein the touch detection system is subscribed to the streaming subscription service.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising smoothing the stream of force and torque sensor data.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the moveable assembly is a robotic arm.

18. A computer program product for touch detection for a touch input surface mounted using a set of force sensors, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising:
receiving, by a hardware processor, collective results from the set of torque sensors, wherein the touch input surface is mounted to a moveable assembly having multiple joints, each of the multiple joints having a torque sensor from the set; and
calculating, by the hardware processor, a location of a touch on the touch input surface based on the collective results from the torque sensor at each of the multiple joints, the touch comprising a user input.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Aaron Andrew
• Sisbot Emrah Akin
• Podlaseck Mark E
• Seo Hyun Kyu
• Melville David O S
• Ocheltree Kenneth B

Classifications

• G06F1/182

  with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI] · CPC title

• G06F1/1607

  Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing (G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25J11/00

  Manipulators not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G06F1/1601

  Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays (constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64) · CPC title

• G06F3/0414 Primary

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title