WO2003075142A2

WO2003075142A2 - Device for coding, transmitting and/or receiving signals

Info

Publication number: WO2003075142A2
Application number: PCT/AT2003/000064
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franz Witthalm; Martin Ruckensteiner; Christian Fischer
Original assignee: Accelate Business Launch And Expansion Gmbh
Priority date: 2002-03-06
Filing date: 2003-03-06
Publication date: 2003-09-12
Also published as: EP1516241A2; WO2003075142A3; JP2005519387A; AU2003212073A1; AT7035U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for coding, transmitting and/or receiving nonverbal or emotional signals, wherein said nonverbal or emotional signals are picked up or measured by an input unit (3) having at least one sensor (10) for detecting contact, pressure or deformation. Said signals are transmitted via a communications network, for instance, a radio net, wherein the receiver has an output unit (3) that converts the transmitted signals into visual, acoustic and/or mechanically perceptible signals, for instance, vibrating.

Description

Device for coding, transmitting and / or receiving signals

The invention relates to a device for coding, transmitting and / or receiving non-verbal or emotional signals.

Telecommunication devices are usually designed in such a way that they serve to transmit information, the information generally comprising verbal communication or else text communication. Texts can be transmitted in appropriate coding via telecommunications devices so that they can be converted into readable verbal information by the recipient. In addition to this classic use of telecommunication devices, in which people who are physically separate from each other make contact through targeted actions, namely dialing the other person's number, it has already become known to transmit telemetry data and possibly biometric data via communication devices in order to be used in central processing units to develop appropriate analyzes, diagnoses or treatment proposals. In the case of such signal transmissions, however, as a rule only existing states, such as the presence of a certain temperature or pulse rate or possibly ECG data, are transmitted to a central computer, which then enables the corresponding statements and, if necessary, emits correcting control signals.

The known telecommunication devices, in which people who are physically separate from each other come into contact with each other, have so far been limited to the transmission of verbal communication or the transmission of text messages.

The invention now aims at non-verbal communication, such as caressing or non-verbal communication of feelings, such as anger or anger regardless of actual circumstances, such as, for example, biometric data, in order in this way to make a specific person-specific message to a physically separate person. The invention further aims to make such a facility as small as possible and simple, so that with a minimum of conventions or codes to be defined in advance, a corresponding transmission of non-verbal communication with a minimum of misunderstandings succeeds.

To achieve this object, the device according to the invention essentially consists in the non-verbal or emotional signals being picked up or measured by an input unit which contains at least one sensor for detecting a touch, a pressure or a deformation and via a communication network, such as radio network are transmitted, the receiver having an output unit which converts the transmitted signals into visual, acoustic and / or mechanically perceptible signals. The fact that non-verbal or emotional signals are made available to an input unit in a corresponding manner and that this input unit not only understands relatively difficult-to-understand codes for different states of mind, but actually accepts a simple and unmistakable non-verbal input, makes it possible to accept one to significantly improve such a system. Since the input unit now contains at least one sensor for detecting a touch, pressure or deformation, non-verbal messages such as stroking, pressing or pinching can be entered in a simple manner without tedious coding and transmitted after coding via a corresponding communication network. Because the receiver now has an output unit which converts the transmitted signals into visual, acoustic and / or mechanically perceptible signals, such as vibrating, the pressure exerted first or the stroking movement carried out first can be achieved via the sensor of the input unit visually, acoustically or to make it perceptible mechanically, d. H . in other words, to refrain from verbalization and to reduce or restrict communication not only on the transmitter side but also on the receiver side to non-verbal components. In this way it becomes possible, in addition to the usual verbal communication with all its possibilities for misunderstandings, a second track or. Open the level of communication at which relatively simple input and output devices can be used to consciously and possibly also with unmistakable intent to simulate or transmit emotional states, whereby this is possible regardless of the actual biometrically measurable values.

In a particularly simple manner, the design according to the invention is further developed in such a way that the input device contains touch sensors, pressure sensors, optical sensors, shake sensors and / or buttons. Such touch sensors or pressure sensors are known in a particularly compact design, for example as sensors integrated on a chip, all of these structural units of the input device being able to be accommodated in the smallest space and having a large number of non-verbal signals generated.

In a preferred manner, and in particular in order, for example, to be able to reliably detect signals such as stroking, the design is advantageously made such that the input device can be touched or has a pressure-sensitive surface to which a sensor array is assigned, a plurality of touch or pressure points being separately detectable. The input unit can be designed, for example, in the manner of a track pad used in portable computers, so that stroking movements are also recorded by the sensor and can be reproduced in a suitable manner by the output unit. The output can take place, for example, in the form of a light traveling in accordance with the stroking movement. In order to achieve the most realistic reproduction of stroking movements, not only the local displacement of the touch or pressure point on the touch or pressure sensitive surface can be measured, but also the size of the pressure with which the sensor surface is touched, for what purpose the input device advantageously has an evaluation circuit with which the contact pressure exerted on the touch or pressure-sensitive surface can be detected separately. On the output side, the conversion of different touch pressures can take place, for example, by varying the light colors, the light intensity or the volume of an acoustic signal.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the touch or pressure-sensitive surface is transparent or translucent, so that, for example, display devices such as lights or LEDs with different colors can be arranged under the touch surface. The input unit can be controlled simultaneously as an output unit and either the touch or pressure-sensitive surface can act as an input unit or the display device arranged under this transparent surface can act as an output unit, with simultaneous bidirectional communication between two communication partners, simultaneous operation as an off and on Input unit is possible.

In order to ensure an overall corresponding display on the output device which is essentially proportional and appropriate to the movements or signals detected by the sensor, the design is advantageously made such that the output device with display devices for displaying different colors, with heating surfaces and / or vibrator generators. The display device is preferably further developed such that it is used to display different colors and / or different ones Luminous intensities are formed, the color gradient and / or the luminous intensity being changeable as a function of decoded signals from the touch, pressure and / or deformation sensors, a change in the contact point on the touch-sensitive surface preferably changing the color or changing the touch pressure a change in light intensity causes. As a result, a largely direct and easily comprehensible transmission of non-verbal or emotional signals succeeds, so that the acceptance of such a communication device is further increased.

A better traceability and communication of the emotional signals, such as stroking over a touch-sensitive surface, is achieved in that, as it corresponds to a preferred development of the device according to the invention, the display device has a plurality of separately controllable areas which are designed to display different colors and are activated each time a correspondingly assigned area of the touch-sensitive surface is touched. In this embodiment, the input and output units have areas which are assigned to one another and which can be arranged congruently in a simple manner, for example when the display device is arranged below a transparent contact surface.

To detect deformations, and in particular in order to be able to reliably detect signals such as stroking, love and affection, but also signals for tweaking, the design according to the invention is preferably such that the input device has a deformable cushion, which is preferably under a flexible cushion or elastically deformable contact surface contains at least one optical sensor, in particular photo resistor, and a plurality of optically breaking filler bodies, in particular balls, the position of which can be changed by pressure on the contact surface. Especially with this last preferred training, at If balls, for example glass balls, are arranged under a flexible touch surface, kneading, tweaking, pressing or even caressing the touch surface enables the packing elements to be shifted accordingly, so that when using optical sensors, different signals are generated depending on the external lighting situation can. If the contact surface is appropriately covered by the hand, for example in high ambient light, this leads to a correspondingly much lower measured value of the photocell or the optical sensor sensors can be added, can be varied accordingly. ^"

In order to be able to use such a device even in low ambient light using optical sensors to generate corresponding signals, the design is advantageously made such that the deformable cushion has light sources, for example LEDs, under a flexible or elastically deformable contact surface. In this case, the light emitted by the integrated light sources will give rise to different signals from the optical sensors by correspondingly dislodging the packing. The extent of this additional or auxiliary lighting relative to the ambient light can be brought into the appropriate balance on the input device using a potentiometer, the existence of such light sources, for example LEDs, in particular when different light sources with different emitted light colors are involved, is not only advantageous for a corresponding input device, but also for a corresponding display device for the output unit. The input unit can thus be constructed essentially the same as the output unit, with in the case of pressure sensors it only being necessary to ensure that a corresponding movement stroke or another visual representation can be displayed, which directly indicates the pressure movements applied on the transmitter side. Such pressure movements can not only be visualized and perceived mechanically in the form of axial strokes, but can of course also be visualized on the level of a display, for example by displaying differently colored contour lines, which clearly represent the pressure point at which pressure was originally applied.

Realistic reproduction is preferably achieved if the output device is designed as a cushion, the shape and / or color gradient of which on the surface can be changed as a function of decoded signals from pressure or deformation sensors. Such a design allows the input unit and the output unit to be constructed essentially with the same components.

The touch surface can in turn be transparent or translucent, which in particular when LEDs with different colors are used, also offers the possibility of visualizing color moods accordingly, provided that this device is at the same time part of the output unit or the display unit, for which advantage Formation is such that light sources with different colors are arranged in the pillow, which are separately controlled or switchable.

The corresponding signals picked up by the input unit can be transmitted in a particularly simple manner in such a way that the coded signals are transmitted as tones or tone sequences. However, the coded signals can also be digitized and sent out in digitized form.

As already mentioned, the device can be made extremely small due to the components used, the dimensions of which essentially correspond to the ergonomics of the movement of a Hand must correspond and must allow a corresponding movement of the hand, such as caressing, pressing, pinching or pressing special buttons. The device can be designed separately from the actual telecommunication device and can be electrically connected to the telecommunication device in a suitable manner. For such a connection, in addition to a connection using a cable, a radio connection for short distances, such as corresponds to the "Bluetooth" standard, for example, or infra-red is naturally suitable. The device according to the invention is therefore advantageously designed such that the input unit and the output unit is designed as a separate unit which can be connected to a telecommunications device, in particular a mobile telephone.

The device according to the invention can be provided with a basic set of input and output options, such as, for example, touch, proximity, pressure and deformation sensors, temperature sensors, loudspeakers, luminous surfaces, lights, flashing lights, buttons, switches etc. In addition, an electrical interface is preferably provided, via which the device according to the invention can be connected to input modules and / or output modules having additional sensors and / or output options. The present invention thus also relates to a corresponding input module with a sensor and a corresponding output module, each with an electrical interface for connection to the device according to the invention. Naturally, a combined input / output module with a total of one electrical interface can also be provided. The input and output module is used to upgrade the basic device with additional functions that give the basic device added value.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an example which is shown schematically in the drawing. 1 shows a first embodiment and FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the device according to the invention. In Fig. 1, a device according to the invention is shown in plan view. The device is designed for stable support on a corresponding base or for docking onto a telecommunication device as a tripod, in each case, for example, a power supply 1, a vibrator 2 or other components can be arranged in the legs. When using two vibrators 2, a corresponding circuit arrangement can also allow the entire device 3 to rotate about a central axis, for which purpose the respective vibrators 2 should have additional freedom of movement in the direction of the double arrows 4 in order to be able to convert a two-axis movement into a rotating movement ,

In addition to a control logic (not shown in more detail), which can also be accommodated in the legs or in the middle section, the device 3 contains a switch 5 for switching the device on and off and a freely programmable button 6 with which certain functions can be transmitted , Potentiometers 7 and 8 are also indicated schematically, with which a corresponding calibration and in particular a corresponding adaptation to the ambient light is made possible.

The central component of the embodiment shown in the exemplary embodiment is a centrally arranged cushion 9 with a pushbutton 10. The cushion is covered by a film which is itself translucent and in this way recognizes light-emitting elements below it, at least in terms of its intensity and color value leaves. 11, 12 and 13 each schematically indicate light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with different color values. These light-emitting diodes 11, 12 and 13 can be controlled separately from one another in order in this way to be able to control the impression of light and in particular the color gradient. The button 10 can be pressed in essentially in the axial direction, the movement being recorded via a linkage 14, which can itself be connected to a corresponding drive. If the linkage 14 is thus arranged on the receiver side, the drive of the linkage 14 can correspondingly actuate the button 10 in the axial direction, so that a mechanical visualization of an exerted pressure on the transmitter side can be realized. In addition, a flash tube 15 is also arranged in the exemplary embodiment, with which special effects can be transmitted.

Corresponding glass balls or the like can now be arranged below the transparent or translucent touch-sensitive film, which can be shifted accordingly when the cover film is touched. Depending on how many of the light-emitting diodes 11, 12 and 13 were actuated, or depending on how high the corresponding proportion of outside light in the environment of the device 3 is, photo sensors 16 now perceive a different light impression, which can be encoded accordingly. The optical sensors 16 make it possible, for example, to detect stroking movements or pinching and to transmit them accordingly, whereby in addition to the optical impressions which are obtained from the photocells or optical sensors 16, the translatory movement of the button 10 is naturally also always Sensor signal is available.

2 shows a modified design of the device, wherein a deformable cushion is dispensed with and primarily touch sensors and optical signals are used to transmit the emotional content. The device 3 has an external shape which, from an ergonomic point of view, favors one-handed operation and which is similar to that of a computer mouse. There is again a switch 5 for switching the device on and off and a freely programmable button 6 with which certain functions can be transmitted. Central element The device 3 has a substantially circular touch or pressure-sensitive surface 17 for the detection of touches such as caresses. The surface or the sensor 17 detects physical contact due to pressure, deformation or changing electrical signals, which are caused, for example, by a resistance network or array, a capacitive sensor array, a Hall sensor array or a photocell array can be. With such a sensor, the local location of the contact within the touch or pressure-sensitive surface 17 and the size of the pressure exerted can be determined in an evaluation electronics. The touch or pressure-sensitive surface 17 is transparent, so that the signals from display devices arranged below the surface, such as LCD displays or LEDs, are visible. The surface 17 or the display device now comprises a plurality of areas 18, wherein each area of the display device can be controlled separately, so that, for example, the areas can be illuminated in mutually different colors. The design can be such that each area 18 of the touch- or pressure-sensitive surface 17 is assigned the corresponding area 18 of the display device, so that the area that touches the transmitter lights up at the receiver. This enables the stroking movements carried out by one communication partner to be visualized accordingly in the other communication partner.

Furthermore, a button 19 with integrated flash light can be seen, an actuation of the button 19 on the transmitter resulting in activation of the flash light on the receiver. In addition, actuation buttons 20, 21 and 22 are shown, which serve to transmit special effects. Finally, a loudspeaker 23 is provided, which can reproduce different acoustic signals depending on the actuation of the buttons 24, 25 or 26 on the transmitter side. If the device 3 is connected via the connection 27 to a telecommunication device, such as, for example, a mobile telephone, the verbal messages received via the corresponding communication network can naturally also be reproduced via the loudspeaker 23.

28 denotes an interface via which additional modules can be connected to the device 3.

Overall, with such a small-sized device, there are a myriad of possibilities for emotional inputs and a myriad of possible displays, with which such emotional inputs can be largely signaled unambiguously, without the need for laboriously learned operating instructions.

Claims

Claims:

1. Device for coding, transmitting and / or receiving non-verbal or emotional signals, characterized in that the non-verbal or emotional signals from an input unit (3) which has at least one sensor (10) for detecting a touch , a pressure or a deformation contains, recorded or measured and via a communication network, such as. B. Radio network are transmitted, the receiver having an output unit (3) which converts the transmitted signals into visual, acoustic and / or mechanically perceptible signals.

2nd Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the input device (3) touch sensors, pressure sensors

(10), optical sensors (16), shake sensors, thermal sensors and / or buttons (5, 6).

3rd Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the input device (3) has a touch-sensitive or pressure-sensitive surface, to which a sensor array is assigned, wherein a plurality of touch or pressure points can be detected separately.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the input device has an evaluation circuit with which the contact pressure exerted on the touch-sensitive or pressure-sensitive surface can be detected separately.

5. Device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the touch or pressure sensitive surface is transparent or translucent.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the output device (3) is equipped with display devices for displaying different colors, with heating surfaces and / or vibrating generators (2).

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the display device is designed to display different colors and / or different light intensities, the color gradient and / or the light intensity depending on decoded signals of the touch, pressure and / or deformation sensors is changeable, a change in the contact point on the touch-sensitive surface preferably changing the color or changing the touch pressure causing a change in the light intensity.

8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the display device has a plurality of separately controllable areas, which are designed to display different colors and are each activated when touching a correspondingly assigned area of the touch-sensitive surface.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the input device is a deformable

Has pillows.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the deformable cushion (9) under a flexible or elastically deformable contact surface contains at least one optical sensor (16), in particular photo resistor, and a plurality of optically refractive packing elements, in particular balls, the position of which is changeable by pressure on the contact surface.

11. The device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the deformable cushion (9) has light sources (11, 12, 13), for example LEDs, under a flexible or elastically deformable contact surface.

12. The device according to claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that light sources (11, 12, 13) with different Colors are arranged in the pillow (9), which can be controlled or switched separately.

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the output device (3) is designed as a cushion (9), the shape of which can be changed as a function of decoded signals from pressure or deformation sensors.

14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the coded signals are transmitted as tones or tone sequences.

15. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the coded signals are digitized and sent in digitized form

16. Device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the input unit (3) and the output unit (3) is designed as a separate unit connectable to a telecommunications device, in particular a mobile phone.

17. Device according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it is equipped with an electrical interface and can be connected via this to additional sensors having input modules and / or output modules.

18. Input module with a sensor and an electrical interface for connection to a device according to

Claim 17.

19. Output module with an electrical interface for connection to a device according to claim 17.