Portable Terminal Gesture Control via Attitude and Acceleration Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable information terminals with touch panels face challenges in detecting touch inputs from users with dirty or wet hands, those wearing gloves, or with prosthetic hands, as capacitive sensing methods fail to register these inputs effectively, limiting functionality in work environments.
Innovation Solution
The portable information terminal employs attitude and acceleration sensors to allow users to switch and perform actions on data without touch input, using inclinations and taps to navigate and manage data, with guidance images displayed when a hand is close to the panel to prevent accidental operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If capacitive sensing method is used for touch panel, then touch input detection is enabled, but detection fails when user has dirty/wet hands or wears gloves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces attitude sensors and acceleration sensors as intermediary devices that detect user intentions through device orientation and motion patterns rather than direct touch contact. These sensors serve as mediators between the user and the system, translating physical gestures (inclining, tapping) into operational commands without requiring capacitive touch contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the capacitive sensing system with a mechanical sensing approach using attitude sensors and acceleration sensors. Instead of detecting electrical properties of touch contact, the system detects mechanical movements and orientations of the device, substituting one detection mechanism with another that is insensitive to hand contamination.
2Ease of operation
If touch input is required for all operations, then precise control is achieved, but usability deteriorates in harsh conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic input methods where the device's orientation and motion states change over time to convey different commands. Users incline the device to specific angles or tap it with specific motion patterns, creating dynamic gestures that are easily distinguishable and execute reliably even when touch contact is compromised.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensing methods are added to support various input conditions, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the attitude sensor and acceleration sensor serve multiple functions: detecting device orientation for navigation, detecting tapping gestures for selection, and detecting waving motions for dismissal. This multi-functionality allows a single sensing subsystem to replace what would otherwise require multiple specialized sensors, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process is provided. The process includes switching, in a case where at least one of an attitude sensing result and an acceleration sensing result relating to a portable information terminal, the portable information terminal including a touch panel, satisfies a predetermined switching condition, data of interest to a corresponding piece of data among plural pieces of data; and performing, on the data of interest, in a case where at least one of the attitude sensing result and the acceleration sensing result relating to the portable information terminal satisfies a predetermined performing condition, processing corresponding to the performing condition.