Proximity-sensitive keyboard

Abstract

The present invention relates to a keyboard control system and a method for operation. The system includes at least two ultrasonic transducers located within a keyboard at a certain distance from each other, at least one of which is adapted to transmit an ultrasonic signal and at least one adapted to receive an ultrasonic signal, and the system provides an index of the distance to a reflective object in relation to the transducers. Based on the measurements from the two transducers, the system is configured to calculate whether an object is within a predetermined distance from the keyboard and, if so, to activate a predetermined function of the keyboard.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a keyboard capable of detecting the proximity of a user's hand and controlling the functions of the keyboard and the connected keyboard.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, computers and similar devices are evolving, and processes for providing an optimal and easy experience for users, including lighting the keyboard to make better use of a number of various units and limited lighting, are becoming complex. However, these processes and units require power, adding to the complexity, cost, and chance of failure of the device. One well-known solution for reducing power consumption is the sleep mode, which is configured to be activated when the computer has been inactive for a predetermined amount of time. These modes often require an action from the user, such as moving the mouse or touching the keyboard, and sometimes require entering a password or touching a fingerprint sensor.

[0003] An example of the use of a proximity sensor related to a keyboard is described in Patent Document 1, where an ultrasonic sensor is used to detect whether a user's hand is placed on the keyboard. A more evolved solution for proximity detection is proposed in Patent Document 2, where an acoustic sensor such as a microphone detects the direction of a sound source, particularly voice, and is configured to activate the device when the user is in front of the device. However, this represents a complex and thus power-consuming algorithm, and since not all devices necessarily have two or more microphones and the required microphone quality, a dedicated unit such as a microphone may be required. Another example of the known art is shown in Patent Document 3, where an acoustic sensor in the device is used to measure movement and gestures, and the arrangement of sensors in a laptop keyboard that supports gesture measurement is described. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 5758173 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013275872(A1) [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2011 / 004135 [Patent Document 4] NO20211334 [Patent Document 5] NO20211332 [Patent Document 6] NO20220394 [Patent Document 7] WO2011 / 004135 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a simple and cost-effective solution for operating a power consumption function using a computer and / or associated keyboard. This is obtained as discussed in the appended claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This invention brings control to the keyboard backlight by detecting whether or not hands are present on the keyboard. The keyboard may be associated with a laptop or it may be a separate wired or wireless keyboard. If one or two hands are detected above the keyboard, the backlight is turned on; if no hands are detected above the keyboard, the backlight is turned off, presumably after a predetermined time. With a separate wireless keyboard, communication with the associated computer turns the backlight on or off depending on the proximity of hands.

[0007] As discussed in Patent Document 4, the indicated presence may also be transmitted to a computer or external device to activate related functions in other devices within the communication network. Similarly, if the user's presence is no longer detected, a signal indicating the user's absence may be transmitted within the communication network, and related functions may be stopped or reduced to conserve power.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, as disclosed in Patent Document 5, the presence detection system may be adapted to adjust predetermined characteristics of an acoustic signal based on the detected distance to a nearby object and / or its movement. This may include increasing the percentage of the measured signal based on distance, for example, by increasing the percentage when the object is closer or moving in the direction of the keyboard. If the keyboard is being used, presence detection is stopped or reduced.

[0009] In a preferred solution, the system first has a low-power proximity detection system using a well-known acoustic low-power transmitter and receiver system that transmits, for example, at a low speed to indicate whether a person is present. When a user is detected, a second step is initiated, where the proximity detection system increases its activity and / or activates other sensors that can detect whether the user's hands are above the keyboard. If two separate sets of transducers are used, the first set may cease activity as long as hands are detected above the keyboard. If other activity is detected, for example, when a device is in use, the presence detection system may be reduced again, while maintaining it at a level where it can possibly detect and measure hand gestures above the keyboard, or confirm the user's presence at a low level.

[0010] According to another embodiment, as discussed in Patent Document 6, the keyboard may include analytical means configured to analyze background signals and select frequencies and sampling rates based on signals from the environment.

[0011] The benefit is that users can start typing while in a dark room without having to find and press a random key to light up the keyboard. It eliminates a predetermined timeout for turning off the backlight, creating a simple and quiet experience that reflects the user's preferences.

[0012] The same functionality can be used to toggle full-screen modes for specific purposes, where all or part of the UI is shown / hidden. Examples include video playback and read modes in word processors or presentation software.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention may provide more accurate measurement of hand movements, such that hands-on keyboard gestures could be used to turn on a facial recognition camera for login when the computer is locked.

[0014] In its simplest embodiment, only hand gestures approaching the keyboard are recognized, without detecting whether the hands are stationary or withdrawn from the keyboard.

[0015] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention as an example. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a diagram of a computer equipped with a sensor according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the measurement of the area above the keyboard. [Figure 3] This is a diagram of the process carried out by the system according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a laptop computer 1 having a main body portion 2 including a keyboard 3. The laptop also includes a transducer unit 4 composed of two transmitters such as speakers 5 in the figure, and one receiver such as a microphone 6 disposed between the transmitters. The laptop also has an additional sensor 8 that can be used as a proximity sensor.

[0018] The speaker or microphone may be composed of a standard unit of a type that enables use in the ultrasonic band outside the audible range, preferably within the range of 20 to 25 kHz. It is also possible to use a transducer suitable for both transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals, in which case the microphone 6 may be omitted.

[0019] In the drawing, the microphone 6 is disposed within or behind the keyboard, but any other position related to the keyboard is possible as long as the keyboard can receive reflections from an object directly above and in proximity to the keyboard. If possible, an existing microphone suitable for receiving signals within the ultrasonic band may be used.

[0020] Furthermore, when the keyboard is separated from the rest of the computer, an activation signal is transmitted to the computer or screen equipped with the additional sensor 8 via wired or wireless communication to the keyboard, and when a hand is within a predetermined distance from the keyboard, a near proximity detection sequence may be initiated.

[0021] Figure 2 illustrates a measurement based on two speakers 5 transmitting a signal 10, which is reflected by the user's hand 9 and directed toward a receiver 6 positioned within or near the keyboard. In this case, proximity may be defined as the propagation time of the signal from the transmitter to the receiver, which is longer than the direct propagation from the transmitter to the receiver and shorter than a predetermined limit that determines how close the hand should be to the keyboard. This predetermined height can be set by the user. Furthermore, to ensure the hand is above the keyboard, the difference between the propagation times from each speaker 5 to the receiver 6 must be shorter than a predetermined limit. This can be achieved using several transducers configured to measure the distance to the hand or person by analyzing the distance between the reflective object and each transducer. Alternatively, the signals may be marked or encoded, for example, having different frequency and / or amplitude profiles, so that the receiver can distinguish them and measure separate distances. Thus, it is also possible to transmit and receive signals simultaneously. The distance measurement speed can be selected depending on the device and situation. If the transducer is configured to measure movements such as gestures on the keyboard, the measurement speed may be set higher than what the system is set to simply ensure that the hands remain above the keyboard. The measurement sequence may be turned off completely as long as the keyboard and / or computer are in use.

[0022] Other sensor configurations may be considered, such as omitting microphone 6 and using the first transducer 5 as both transmitter and receiver, thereby measuring the distance from the transducer to the hand, and if a similar distance is measured, a difference smaller than the size of the keyboard would indicate that the hand is above the keyboard. Another option is to use a single transducer located where microphone 6 is, as both transmitter and receiver, and if the measured distance is smaller than the size of the keyboard, the center position may provide a good indication of whether the hand is above the keyboard. Yet another possibility is to use one transmitter and one receiver on each side of the keyboard, which has a longer propagation time than direct propagation across the keyboard, but the reception of a signal shorter than a predetermined limit corresponding to the presence of a hand at a certain distance from the keyboard, and thus defines the presence of a hand. Another possibility is to use several sensors at various positions on the keyboard to also improve the ability to find the position of a hand or multiple hands above the keyboard and possibly the ability to detect recognizable gestures above the keyboard. Thus, communication capabilities are added to the keyboard or associated computer without touching the keyboard.

[0023] As discussed in the preceding paragraph, the present invention relates in particular to the operation of a predetermined function related to a keyboard, specifically the backlighting of the keyboard. The function may also include measuring hand movements above the keyboard, as discussed in Patent Document 7, which is incorporated herein by reference and can detect and recognize gestures made by the hand above the keyboard. This may also include biomeasurements such as additional sensors 8 (Figure 1) and activating facial recognition using a camera, voice recognition or fingerprint sensors in a device connected to or located within the keyboard.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, operation can also be carried out as a two-stage process. First, to achieve proximity detection, a single signal transmission and reception is used, for example, with a first set of transducers to detect the proximity of a person, object, etc., and then a second set of transducers is activated to measure whether a hand is in close proximity to the keyboard at a predetermined distance. To conserve power, if the first and second sets include various transducers, the transducers involved exclusively in the first set of transducers may be stopped or reduced in operation, as long as the second set confirms that user activity related to the keyboard and / or computer indicates that it is in use.

[0025] In an alternative approach, the process includes a low-power initial detection to determine whether a user is present anyway, then increasing the operation of the sensor, e.g., the position sampling rate and / or the number of sensors, if proximity is detected to detect that hands are above the keyboard, and then, if the computer or device is in an active usage state, e.g., by the keyboard, mouse, touchpad, etc., proximity detection may be paused or significantly reduced to maintain the ability to detect gestures above the keyboard or simple presence detection for a given period of time. Power consumption would be highest when a user is close and has hands above the keyboard but not using it. Without corresponding keyboard activity, if the proximity sensor detects an increase in activity, such as a change in distance, the transducer operation may be increased again. The detection or sampling rate may be adjusted incrementally or continuously based on the measured distance.

[0026] More specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the keyboard and other functions are in sleep mode, while at least one transmitter is configured to emit a low-energy pulse and detect the reception of a reflected pulse. In the first step 11, only proximity close to the keyboard can be detected, thereby confirming that the object is directly above the keyboard before the next step 12, which activates one or more additional transducers, for example, distributed to the keyboard and activates selected functions, before step 13.

[0027] The keyboard backlight or other functions may be turned off by the user or after a certain period of time, and may be reactivated directly in the second step 12 within a selected time frame without first entering sleep mode 11, while sleep mode may be entered after a longer time frame or as selected by the user.

[0028] In summary, the present invention relates to a keyboard control system comprising at least one ultrasonic transducer, or possibly at least two ultrasonic transducers, located at a certain distance from each other within a keyboard, configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals, wherein at least one of the transducers is configured to transmit ultrasonic signals, and at least one of the transducers is configured to receive ultrasonic signals, and the system provides an index of the distance to a reflective object relative to the transducers based on the transmitted and received signals. The system is configured to calculate, based on measurements from the two transducers, whether an object is within a predetermined distance from the keyboard and, if an object such as one or two hands is in close proximity to the keyboard, activate a predetermined function of the keyboard. The sequence may proceed in two steps: firstly, the signal detects the proximity of an object or user using low power, for example, at a slow repetition rate, before activating a proximity measurement to detect whether an object is within a predetermined distance.

[0029] Preferably, the functionality includes at least a keyboard backlight. The backlight is activated when the presence of an object is detected and it is within a certain distance from the keyboard.

[0030] Using at least two transducers, they may include two transmitters, each transmitting an identifiable ultrasonic signal and at least one receiver receiving the reflected signal, or alternatively, at least one transmitter transmitting an ultrasonic signal and at least two receivers receiving the reflected signal. The system is configured to verify whether the propagation time of the reflected signal is within a predetermined limit and whether the difference between the propagation times is within a predetermined limit.

[0031] According to another embodiment, at least two transducers include one transmitter and one receiver, located on either side of the keyboard, and the system is configured to detect the presence of an object based on the propagation time of an ultrasonic signal.

[0032] By analyzing the signal, the system may be able to recognize whether an object, usually a person or hand, is close to the keyboard and the direction in which it is moving toward the object. Therefore, based on an analysis of the propagation time to and from the transducer, it may be possible to detect whether an object is in front of the keyboard, which is considered to indicate an intention to use the keyboard; or, if it is beside it, it is not considered to indicate an intention to use the keyboard. Thus, a given distance may be determined by the position relative to the keyboard.

[0033] Furthermore, the transducer may be configured to measure the movement of the object and thus detect whether the user is attempting to use the keyboard. This could include detecting whether the user is moving towards the keyboard from a certain distance or whether the user is moving their hands toward the keyboard. The system may also be configured to recognize a predetermined set of movements on the keyboard and thus recognize and interpret gestures performed by the user, for example, to activate a selected function or issue a command to the associated computer.

[0034] The functionality may also include being configured to activate a biometric sensor, such as a facial recognition sensor, when the proximity of an object is detected.

[0035] The use of the present invention is a method for controlling a keyboard and associated devices, wherein the keyboard includes at least two ultrasonic transducers, and the method is a) Emitting an ultrasonic signal from at least one of the transducers and receiving a signal reflected from an object by at least one of the transducers, b) A step of calculating whether the object is within a predetermined distance from the keyboard based on the propagation time of the signal, c) If the object is within the predetermined limits, the step of activating the selected function of the keyboard and associated devices. It is thought that this includes methods that include this.

[0036] The method is thought to include an initial step of transmitting an ultrasonic signal from at least one of the transmitters, and upon receiving a reflected signal, indicating the presence of an object, and thus proceeding to step a). In some cases, the method may be initiated by the reception of an acoustic signal, and inertial measurements within a touch sensor device, or a keyboard or related device, indicate the operation therein.

[0037] Furthermore, this method may include the step of increasing the number of transducers used, increasing the measurement speed, and / or increasing the amplitude of the ultrasonic signal when an object is detected nearby. Also, when the use of a keyboard or related device is detected, it is possible to reduce the number of transducers, decrease the measurement speed, and / or decrease the amplitude of the ultrasonic signal. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 1. Laptop computer 2. The main body (of a laptop computer) 3 Keyboards 4 Transducer Units 5 speakers, 1st transducer 6. Microphone, receiver 8 Additional sensors 9 (User's) hands 10 signals 11. Sleep Mode

Claims

1. A keyboard control system comprising at least one ultrasonic transducer located within a keyboard, wherein the at least one transducer is adapted to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals, the system provides a measurement of the distance to a reflective object relative to the transducer, and the system is configured to calculate, based on measurements from two of the transducers, whether the object is within a predetermined distance from the keyboard, and if so, to activate a predetermined function of the keyboard.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer includes at least one transmitter and at least one receiver.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard is equipped with a keyboard backlight, and the backlight is activated when the presence of an object on the keyboard is detected.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least two transducers each include two transmitters that transmit an identifiable ultrasonic signal and at least one receiver that receives a reflected signal, and the system is adapted to identify whether the propagation time of the reflected signal is within a predetermined limit and whether the difference between the propagation times is within a predetermined limit.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least two transducers include at least one transmitter that transmits an ultrasonic signal and at least two receivers that receive reflected signals, and the system is adapted to identify whether the propagation time of the reflected signals is within a predetermined limit and whether the difference between the propagation times is within a predetermined limit.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least two transducers include one transmitter and one receiver located on either side of the keyboard, and the system is configured to identify the presence of an object based on the propagation time of the ultrasonic signal.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transducer is configured to measure the motion of the object.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system is configured to recognize a predetermined set of movements on the keyboard, thereby recognizing and interpreting gestures performed by a user, for example, to activate a selected function or to give instructions to an associated computer.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to activate a biometric sensor, such as a facial recognition sensor, when the proximity of the object is detected.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein a first detection sequence configured to detect the presence of an object or person using a low-power signal is configured to activate distance measurement when the presence is detected.

11. A method for controlling a keyboard and related devices, wherein the keyboard includes at least one ultrasonic transducer, and the method is a) The steps of emitting an ultrasonic signal from at least one of the transducers and receiving a signal reflected from an object by at least one of the transducers, b) A step of calculating whether the object is within a predetermined distance from the keyboard based on the propagation time of the signal, c) If the object is within the predetermined limits, the step of activating a selected function of the keyboard and associated device. Methods that include...

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising the initial step of transmitting an ultrasonic signal from at least one transmitter and entering step a) when a reflected signal indicating an object in the vicinity of the keyboard is received.

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