Automatic object detection and state estimation via electronic emissions sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9881273-B2
Application number	US-201514925697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Oct 28, 2015
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

An object recognition device that senses electrical signals conducted by the body of a human user (e.g., as a result of direct contact with or close proximity to a device emitting or conducting electromagnetic noise), compares the sensed electrical signals to a plurality of signatures of electrical signals produced by a corresponding plurality of types of electrical and electromechanical devices to determine the type of electrical or electromechanical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor, and communicates information to the human user related to or triggered by the electrical or electromechanical device.

First claim

We claim:

1. A recognition device carried or worn by a human user, the recognition device comprising:
a sensor that senses electrical signals conducted by the body of the human user, wherein the electrical signals are a result of electromagnetic energy emitted by an electrical device in proximity to the human user; and
a controller receptive of the electrical signals sensed by the sensor, the controller including a plurality of signatures for electrical signals produced by a corresponding plurality of types of electrical devices, the controller comparing the electrical signals sensed by the controller to the plurality of signatures to determine the type of electrical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor.

2. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the sensor and controller are each attached to a wristband worn by the human user.

3. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is in contact with skin of the human user.

4. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is sufficiently close to the skin of the human user to be capacitively coupled thereto.

5. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the sensor and controller are each contained within a mobile electronic communication device carried or worn by the human user.

6. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the geographic location of the recognition device and, based on the location, the controller uses the context of the location to assist in determining the type of electrical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor.

7. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , further including a user feedback device that provides information to the human user.

8. A recognition device as defined in claim 7 , wherein the information is at least one of audio, visual, or haptic feedback to the user.

9. A recognition device as defined in claim 7 , wherein the user feedback device provides information to the human user based on the type of electrical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor.

10. A recognition device as defined in claim 9 , wherein the information provided to the human user relates to operation of the type of electrical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor.

11. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a direct digital conversion receiver to receive RF electrical signals conducted by the body of the human user.

12. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a software-defined radio to receive RF electrical signals conducted by the body of the human user.

13. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrical signals are a result of electromagnetic noise emitted by an electrical device in direct contact with the human user.

14. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrical signals are purposeful electromagnetic signals emitted by an electrical device.

15. A recognition device as defined in claim 13 , wherein the device provides on-touch object detection.

16. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the components of the device are a portion of a smart watch.

17. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the types of electrical devices include consumer electronic devices, home appliances, automobiles, power tools, devices with motors, solenoids and other electromechanical actuators, and large conductive objects that effectively serve as antennas.

18. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the types of electrical devices are free of a tag or sensor to communicate with the recognition device.

19. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller measures background noise present in the environment and adjusts the sensed electrical signals to remove the background environmental noise therefrom.

20. A recognition device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the controller compares the electrical signals to the plurality of signatures only in a range below 1 MHz.

21. A method of recognizing objects touched or in proximity with a human user, the method comprising:
periodically measuring electromagnetic signals being conducted in the human user;
comparing the measured electromagnetic signals to a library of electromagnetic signal signatures, wherein each signature corresponds to a different type of electrical device, further including determining background electromagnetic signals and subtracting a value related to the background electromagnetic signals from the measured electromagnetic signals to provide background-adjusted measured electromagnetic signals to be used in the comparison;
based on the comparison, determining what type of electrical device the human user is in contact with; and
providing information to the human user based at least in part on the type of electrical device that the human user is in contact with.

22. A recognition device, comprising:
a sensor that senses electrical signals conducted by the body of the human user, wherein the electrical signals are a result of electromagnetic energy emitted by an electrical device in proximity to the human user;
a controller receptive of the electrical signals sensed by the sensor, the controller including a plurality of signatures for electrical signals produced by a corresponding plurality of types of electrical devices, the controller comparing the electrical signals sensed by the controller to the plurality of signatures to determine the type of electrical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor; and
a user feedback device that provides information to a human user based on the determined type of electrical device.

23. A recognition device carried or worn by a human user, the recognition device comprising:
a sensor that senses electrical signals conducted by the body of the human user; and
a controller receptive of the electrical signals sensed by the sensor, the controller including a plurality of signatures for electrical signals produced by a corresponding plurality of types of electrical devices, the controller comparing the electrical signals sensed by the controller to the plurality of signatures to determine the type of electrical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor, wherein the controller includes a receiver to receive RF electrical signals conducted by the body of the human user, wherein the receiver is selected from a group consisting of a direct digital conversion receiver and a software-defined radio.

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc
• Disney Interprises Inc
• Univ Carnegie Mellon

Inventors

• Yang Chouchang
• Laput Gierad
• Xiao Robert
• Harrison Christopher
• Sample Alanson

Classifications

• G06Q10/0833 Primary

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06K7/00

  Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, {e.g. for reading patterns} (methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion G06K1/00; pattern recognition G06F18/00; arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding G06V10/00; character recognition, recognising digital ink or document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00) · CPC title

• H04M1/725

  Cordless telephones (user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724) · CPC title

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04M1/72454

  according to context-related or environment-related conditions · CPC title