Touchless Side Sensor Gesture Control for Multi-App Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile devices have limited touch input capabilities, especially on small screens like smartwatches, and require complex multi-touch sequences to switch between applications, which are not intuitive and restrict usability when handling multiple applications simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a touchless input system using side sensors that detect the number and type of objects (fingers or stylus) to associate specific inputs with applications, allowing the same gesture to control different applications by varying the number of fingers used, thereby expanding the user interface beyond the physical screen boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a touchscreen display is used for input, then the user interface is compact, but the input area is limited by the physical size of the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the input area from the two-dimensional touchscreen surface into the third dimension by adding a side sensor that detects gestures in the air above the device. This allows users to interact with applications using hand gestures in a spatial area beyond the physical display boundaries, effectively increasing the input area without expanding the device footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The side sensor acts as an intermediary between the user's hand gestures and the application control system. By detecting objects (fingers, hands) in the air above the device, the sensor mediates the interaction, allowing touchless control of applications through gesture recognition without requiring direct contact with the display.
2Area of stationary object
If the application takes over the complete screen when active, then the application has full display space, but the area available to control other applications becomes unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the input control into two distinct channels: the touchscreen display for application content viewing and the side sensor area for application control. This segmentation allows the active application to occupy the full display space while users can simultaneously control other applications through gestures detected by the side sensor, eliminating the trade-off between display space and control availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The side sensor serves as an intermediary control interface that operates independently from the display. It mediates the control of background applications without interfering with the active application's display, enabling users to manage multiple applications simultaneously through spatial gestures rather than requiring display space for control elements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple touch sequences are used to switch between applications, then application switching is possible, but the interaction becomes complex and non-intuitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns different qualities to different spatial locations for gesture recognition. By detecting the position and characteristics of objects (fingers, hands) in specific zones above the device, the system can differentiate between various application control commands through simple, intuitive gestures at different locations rather than requiring complex multi-touch sequences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical multi-touch sequence system with a simpler gesture-based control system. Instead of requiring precise touch patterns on the display, users perform natural hand gestures in the air that are detected by the side sensor, substituting a more intuitive physical interaction model for the previous touch-based system.
4Ease of operation
If the number of gestures is limited, then the gesture set is easy to learn, but the usability when executing multiple applications at once is severely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the gesture control system dynamic by allowing the same basic gesture to have different meanings depending on the number of fingers or objects used. A single finger gesture controls one application, while multiple finger gestures control different applications or functions, enabling versatile multi-application control without requiring a separate gesture for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The side sensor gesture system provides universal control across multiple applications using a unified gesture language. The same gesture type can control different applications depending on the number of objects detected, creating a multi-functional control system that scales with the number of applications without requiring users to learn separate gestures for each.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy and natural interaction with multiple applications using a limited command set, allowing simultaneous control of top and background applications without needing to switch them, enhancing usability and reducing the complexity of input gestures.
Implementation Method 1
There are sensors added to such mobile devices, e.g. radar that enable gesture recognition or detection of movements in certain parts of the space surrounding the device.
Data Source
AI summary
A user equipment comprising at least one side sensor and a controller, wherein the side sensor configured to receive touchless user input, thereby providing a touchless input area, and wherein the controller is configured to: detect a group of objects in the touchless input area; determine a number of objects in the group of objects; determine an application associated with the number of objects; receive input based on the detected group of objects; and determine an action associated with the input for the application associated with the number of objects.