IP Library Granted Patent US 8,138,882
Granted Patent B2
US 8,138,882 · App. 12/365,922 · Granted Mar 20, 2012

Securing premises using surfaced-based computing technology

Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,138,882
App. No.
12/365,922
Granted
Mar 20, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An approach is provided that that uses an electronic multi-touch floor covering that has numerous sensors to identify shapes. The electronic multi-touch floor covering identifies a shape of an object that is in contact with the surface of the electronic multi-touch floor covering. An entity record is then retrieved from a data store, such as a database, with the retrieved entity record corresponding to the identified shape. Actions are then retrieved from a second data store with the actions corresponding to the retrieved entity record. The retrieved actions are then executed by the computer system.

Claims (29)

1. A method implemented by a computer system, the method comprising:

identifying a shape of an object in contact with an electronic multi-touch floor covering, wherein the multi-touch floor covering includes a plurality of sensors that identify shapes of objects in contact with a surface of the electronic multi-touch floor covering;

retrieving an entity record from a first computer system data store, wherein the retrieved entity record corresponds to the identified shape;

retrieving one or more actions from a second computer system data store, wherein the one or more actions corresponds to the retrieved entity record;

sensing a plurality of objects in contact with the multi-touch floor covering;

counting the plurality of sensed objects, the counting resulting in a total number of objects;

comparing the total number of objects with one or more group threshold values; and

performing one or more group threshold actions in response to the total number of objects exceeds one or more group threshold values.

2. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;

one or more nonvolatile storage areas accessible by at least one of the processors;

an electronic multi-touch floor covering that is an input device accessible by at least one of the processors, wherein the multi-touch floor covering includes a plurality of sensors that identify shapes of objects in contact with a surface of the electronic multi-touch floor covering;

a set of instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors in order to perform actions of:

identifying a shape of an object in contact with the electronic multi-touch floor covering;

retrieving an entity record from a first computer system data store that is stored on one of the nonvolatile storage areas, wherein the retrieved entity record corresponds to the identified shape;

retrieving one or more actions from a second computer system data store that is stored on one of the nonvolatile storage areas, wherein the one or more actions corresponds to the retrieved entity record;

sensing a plurality of objects in contact with the multi-touch floor covering;

counting the plurality of sensed objects, the counting resulting in a total number of objects;

comparing the total number of objects with one or more group threshold values; and

performing one or more group threshold actions in response to the total number of objects exceeds one or more group threshold values.

3. A computer program product stored in a computer readable storage device, comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions that include:

identifying a shape of an object in contact with an electronic multi-touch floor covering, wherein the multi-touch floor covering includes a plurality of sensors that identify shapes of objects in contact with a surface of the electronic multi-touch floor covering;

retrieving an entity record from a first computer system data store, wherein the retrieved entity record corresponds to the identified shape;

retrieving one or more actions from a second computer system data store, wherein the one or more actions corresponds to the retrieved entity record;

sensing a plurality of objects in contact with the multi-touch floor covering;

counting the plurality of sensed objects, the counting resulting in a total number of objects;

comparing the total number of objects with one or more group threshold values; and

performing one or more group threshold actions in response to the total number of objects exceeds one or more group threshold values.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2009
From: DO, LYDIA MAI; GRIGSBY, TRAVIS M.; NESBITT, PAMELA ANN; DELUCA, LISA SEACAT
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022208/0731 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100194525A1 · Aug 5, 2010