US 8,009,147 B2 · Multi-touch interfaces for user authentication, partitioning, and external device control

Abstract

Multi-touch interfaces allow user interaction with multiple points of contact to control external devices such as game consoles, authenticate users, partition the interface for multiple users, and so forth. The multi-touch interface may provide graphical representations that are manipulated by users through multiple points of contact to participate in games running on an external game console. Additionally, user authentication may occur through multiple points of contact with the multi-touch interface where each user has a unique contact pattern that includes points of contact, location of points of contact, rhythm of points of contact, and so forth. The graphical representations may be customized based on the authentication of a user, and the multi-touch surface may be partitioned based on the number of users present.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer readable medium containing instructions for performing acts in conjunction with a multi-touch interface, the acts comprising:

receiving input signals in response to multiple points of simultaneous physical contact on the multi-touch interface;
comparing the input signals to data this is stored in a memory and that represents a pattern of physical contact associated with a user;
determining from the comparison whether the physical contact represented by the input signals matches the pattern of physical contact associated with the user;
and
producing a signal value that indicates a successful authentication of the user and that identifies the user upon determining that the physical contact matches the pattern of the physical contact associated with the user.

2 more elements

A device for generating external control signals, comprising:

a multi-touch interface that produces input signals in response to multiple points of simultaneous physical contact;
a processing device in data communication with the multi-touch interface, that analyzes the input signals to produce instructions to manipulate an aspect of an electronic game;
and
an output interface for sending game control signals to a gaming console, the output interface receiving the instructions from the processing device and generating the game control signals based on the instructions.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-touch interfaces for user authentication, partitioning, and external device control

Life of this patent

Multi-touch interfaces for user authentication, partitioning, and external device control

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20