Smart ring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9880620-B2
Application number	US-201615287500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2016
Priority date	Sep 17, 2014
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

The description relates to a smart ring. In one example, the smart ring can be configured to be worn on a first segment of a finger of a user. The example smart ring can include at least one flexion sensor secured to the smart ring in a manner that can detect a distance between the at least one flexion sensor and a second segment of the finger. The example smart ring can also include an input component configured to analyze signals from the at least one flexion sensor to detect a pose of the finger.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a smart ring configured to be worn on a finger of a user;
at least one flexion sensor secured to the smart ring in a manner that can detect flexion of the finger of the user; and,
a processor and storage storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
analyze signals from the at least one flexion sensor to detect a predetermined initialization sequence, and
in response to the predetermined initialization sequence, place the smart ring in an active state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to perform a calibration of the smart ring based at least in part on the predetermined initialization sequence.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to:
analyze further signals from the at least one flexion sensor; and
based at least in part on the calibration, identify a gesture associated with the analyzed further signals.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined initialization sequence is a unique movement of the smart ring by the user.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the unique movement is a repeated unique movement.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to place the smart ring in an inactive sleep state.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the inactive sleep state comprises a lower power state than the active state of the smart ring.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the inactive sleep state prevents accidental interpretation of user activities as control input.

9. A system, comprising:
a smart ring configured to be worn on a finger of a user;
a rotation sensor secured to the smart ring, the rotation sensor configured to sense rotation of the finger;
a flexion sensor secured to the smart ring, the flexion sensor configured to sense flexion of the finger; and,
a processor and storage storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to map signals from the rotation sensor and the flexion sensor to a coordinate system of the smart ring.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to identify further rotation signals and further proximity signals as a control input.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to interpret the control input based at least in part on the coordinate system of the smart ring.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor and storage are embodied on a companion device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the companion device comprises a display device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to:
identify a control input indicating that a cursor is moved beyond an edge of a screen of the display device; and
responsive to the control input, adjust an alignment of the coordinate system relative to the screen such that the cursor remains pinned at the edge of the screen.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
obtaining rotation signals from a smart ring worn on a finger of a user, the rotation signals reflecting rotation of the finger relative to a hand of the user;
obtaining flexion signals reflecting flexion of the finger; and,
mapping the rotation signals and the flexion signals to a coordinate system of the smart ring.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising identifying an initialization sequence, wherein the mapping is based at least in part on the initialization sequence.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein the initialization sequence includes a unique combination of rotation and flexion movements of the finger.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising identifying further rotation signals and further flexion signals as control inputs and interpreting the control inputs based at least in part on the coordinate system.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising recovering a fingertip position of the finger relative to the hand based at least in part on the coordinate system.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising interpreting multiple fingertip positions of the finger as a gesture performed by the user.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Kienzle Wolf
• Hinkley Kenneth P

Classifications

• G06F3/017

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title

• G06F3/0383

  Signal control means within the pointing device · CPC title

• G06F3/014 Primary

  Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves · CPC title

• G06F2203/0331

  Finger worn pointing device · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title