Control interface apparatus
AssigneeDavid G. Capper
InventorsDavid G. Capper, Stan Axelrod
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention comprises a control interface between a machine and a physical object. The invention includes an infrared transmitter for transmitting a first infrared signal to an object. Upon striking the object, the infrared signal is reflected forming a reflected infrared signal. An infrared receiver receives the reflected signal from the object and the reflected signal is transformed into a second signal which may be either an analogue type or a yes/no threshold type, representative of a distance between the object and the receiver. The second signal is coupled to the machine. The apparatus is a cordless touch-free controller interface for use with a machine. The present invention is ideally suited for controlling cursor position for use with computers and also with video games.
Claims13
A method by which a person may play a video game, the method comprising:
- transmitting infrared radiation from a radiation transmitter to create a detection field;
- providing a radiation receiver which has a fixed position relative to the radiation transmitter and this position being one where the receiver can detect reflections of the infrared radiation;
- moving at least a part of the person to a position within the detection field thereby causing infrared radiation to reflect off of the part of the person within the detection field toward the receiver;
- receiving radiation reflected from the part of the person within the detection field by the radiation receiver;
- determining the strength of the radiation reflected from the part of the person within the detection field;
- triggering an action in the game when the strength of the reflected radiation is above a predetermined threshold.
A video game apparatus which allows a user to play a video game without touching the apparatus, comprising:
- an infrared radiation transmitter for outwardly transmitting radiation to create a detection field into which the user may put at least a part or extension of the user's body;
- a radiation receiver which has a fixed position relative to the radiation transmitter for receiving a reflection of the outwardly transmitted radiation that creates a detection field from the part or extension of the user within the detection field, and for producing a signal corresponding to the strength of the received reflection;
- and
- a processor, operably associated with the radiation receiver, for triggering at least one predetermined action in the game when the signal corresponding to the strength of the reflected radiation is above a predetermined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.