IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,106,315
Granted Patent B2
US 11,106,315 · App. 16/204,734 · Granted Aug 31, 2021

Touch screen device facilitating estimation of entity orientation and identity

Inventors: Guy M. Cohen (Ossining, NY); Lior Horesh (North Salem, NY); Raya Horesh (North Salem, NY)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
G06F3/044G06K9/0002G06K9/66G06F2203/04104
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,106,315
App. No.
16/204,734
Granted
Aug 31, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Devices, systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer program products that can facilitate estimating orientation and/or identity of an entity that touches a touch screen device are provided. According to an embodiment, a device can comprise a pixelated touch screen that provides a two-dimensional capacitance map in response to detection of one or more entities touching the pixelated touch screen. Capacitance data of the two-dimensional capacitance map is inversely proportional to a distance between fingers of the one or more entities and the pixelated touch screen. The device can further comprise a processor that applies an analytic method to the two-dimensional capacitance map to estimate orientation or identity of the one or more entities.

Claims (28)

1. An input-output device, comprising:

a pixelated touch screen that generates a two-dimensional capacitance map in response to detection of one or more entities touching the pixelated touch screen, wherein capacitance data of the two-dimensional capacitance map is inversely proportional to a distance between fingers of the one or more entities and the pixelated touch screen; and

a processor that applies an analytic method to the two-dimensional capacitance map to determine whether an entity of the one or more entities is located in a back seat of a vehicle based on matching one or more capacitance data characteristics of the entity to a portion of the capacitance data.

2. The input-output device of claim 1 , wherein the analytic method comprises at least one of: a signal processing analysis; a principal component analysis; a first principles analysis; a machine learning model; or an imaging analysis.

3. The input-output device of claim 1 , wherein the analytic method uses machine learning over time to learn the one or more capacitance data characteristics of the entity.

4. The input-output device of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines an identity of the entity based on the analytic method.

5. The input-output device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more capacitance data characteristics is representative of one or more characteristics of the entity selected from a group consisting of: skin moisture level, width of a finger, and length of the finger.

6. The input-output device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an operation component that prohibits operation by the entity of an input control of a set of input controls of a user interface displayed on the pixelated touch screen based on a result of the determination of whether the entity is located in the back seat of the vehicle.

7. The input-output device of claim 1 , wherein the pixelated touch screen is selected from a group consisting of: a capacitance touch screen; a surface capacitance touch screen; a projected capacitance touch screen; a capacitance sensing touch-based input device; a capacitance sensing touch display; a capacitance sensing touch monitor; and a capacitance sensing touch pad.

8. The input-output device of claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional capacitance map is selected from a group consisting of: a capacitance readout profile; a capacitance line plot; and a two-dimensional capacitance readout profile.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating, by an input-output device operatively coupled to a processor, a two-dimensional capacitance map in response to detection of one or more entities touching a pixelated touch screen, wherein capacitance data of the two-dimensional capacitance map is inversely proportional to a distance between fingers of the one or more entities and the pixelated touch screen; and

applying, by the input-output device, an analytic method to the two-dimensional capacitance map to determine whether an entity of the one or more entities is located in a back seat of a vehicle based on matching one or more capacitance data characteristics of the entity to a portion of the capacitance data.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the analytic method comprises at least one of: a signal processing analysis; a principal component analysis; a first principles analysis; a machine learning model; or an imaging analysis.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the analytic method uses machine learning over time to learn the one or more capacitance data characteristics of the entity.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising determining, by the input-output device, an identity of the entity based on the analytic method.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more capacitance data characteristics is representative of one or more characteristics of the entity selected from a group consisting of: skin moisture level, width of a finger, and length of the finger.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

prohibiting, by the input-output device, operation by the entity of an input control of a set of input controls of a user interface displayed on the pixelated touch screen based on a result of the determination of whether the entity is located in the back seat of the vehicle.

15. A computer program product facilitating an entity identification process, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

generate a two-dimensional capacitance map in response to detection of one or more entities touching a pixelated touch screen, wherein capacitance data of the two-dimensional capacitance map is inversely proportional to a distance between fingers of the one or more entities and the pixelated touch screen; and

apply an analytic method to the two-dimensional capacitance map to determine whether an entity of the one or more entities is located in a back seat of a vehicle based on matching one or more capacitance data characteristics of the entity to a portion of the capacitance data.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the analytic method comprises at least one of: a signal processing analysis; a principal component analysis; a first principles analysis; a machine learning model; or an imaging analysis.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the analytic method uses machine learning over time to learn the one or more capacitance data characteristics of the entity.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine an identity of the entity based on the analytic method.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the one or more capacitance data characteristics is representative of one or more characteristics of the entity selected from a group consisting of: skin moisture level, width of a finger, and length of the finger.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to prohibit operation by the entity of an input control of a set of input controls of a user interface displayed on the pixelated touch screen based on a result of the determination of whether the entity is located in the back seat of the vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2018
From: COHEN, GUY M.; HORESH, LIOR; HORESH, RAYA
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047627/0806 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200174596A1 · Jun 4, 2020