Control using movements

Abstract

A movement of an object is recognised as a predetermined movement, by transmitting signals between transmitter-receiver pairs, which are reflected from the object. A first event is recorded for one of the transmitter-receiver pairs if a reflected signal meets a predetermined proximity criterion, and a second event is recorded for a second transmitter-receiver pair if, after the first event, a subsequent reflected signal meets a predetermined proximity criterion. The first and second events are used to identify the movement.

1 . A method of responding to a user input to an electronic system, based on a movement of an input object by a user, wherein the system comprises at least two acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs, arranged to transmit and receive acoustic signals through air, the method comprising:
 detecting the input object with a first pair of said acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs;   detecting the input object with a second pair of said acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs;   determining an order in which said detections are made; and   the electronic system responding to the movement of the input object, wherein the response is dependent on the order in which said detections are made.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the order in which said detections are made to identify the movement of the input object as being of a predetermined type of movement; and the electronic system responding to the movement of the input object, wherein the response is dependent on what type of movement is identified. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising using the time of flight of an acoustic signal travelling from the transmitter of one of the acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs to the receiver of the acoustic transmitter-receiver pair, via the input object, to detect the object. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising using acoustic energy reflected by the input object to detect the object. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising using one or both of a time of flight or a received energy for each of a plurality of acoustic echoes or echo profiles to detect the object. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs share an acoustic transmitter or an acoustic receiver in common. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an electronic display surface separates the transmitter and receiver of each acoustic transmitter-receiver pair. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the response comprises updating an electronic display screen. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the response comprises moving an object on an electronic display screen in a direction that depends on the order in which said detections are made. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the response comprises increasing or decreasing the volume on a television set, depending on the order in which said detections are made. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising measuring the time between the two detections, wherein said response is additionally dependent on the time between the two detections. 
     
     
         12 . An electronic system configured to respond to a user input, based on a movement of an input object by a user, the electronic system comprising:
 at least two acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs arranged to transmit and receive acoustic signals through air; and   a processing subsystem configured to:   detect the input object with a first pair of said acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs;   detect the input object with a second pair of said acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs;   determine an order in which said detections are made; and   cause the electronic system to respond to the movement of the input object, wherein the response is dependent on the order in which said detections are made.   
     
     
         13 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to use the order in which said detections are made to identify the movement of the input object as being of a predetermined type of movement, and is configured to cause the electronic system to respond to the movement of the input object wherein the response is dependent on what type of movement is identified. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to use the time of flight of an acoustic signal travelling from the transmitter of one of the acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs to the receiver of the acoustic transmitter-receiver pair, via the input object, to detect the object. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to use acoustic energy reflected by the input object to detect the object. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to use one or both of a time of flight or a received energy for each of a plurality of acoustic echoes or echo profiles to detect the object. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , wherein the two acoustic transmitter-receiver pairs share an acoustic transmitter or an acoustic receiver in common. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , comprising a display screen, wherein the transmitter and receiver of each acoustic transmitter-receiver pair lie across at least part of the display screen from each other. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , configured to respond to the movement of the input object by updating an electronic display screen. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , configured to respond to the movement of the input object by moving an object on an electronic display screen in a direction that depends on the order in which said detections are made. 
     
     
         21 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , configured to respond to the movement of the input object by increasing or decreasing the volume on a television set, depending on the order in which said detections are made. 
     
     
         22 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to cause the electronic system to respond to the movement of the input object only when said detections occur within a maximum allowed time threshold of each other. 
     
     
         23 . The electronic system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to measure the time between the two detections, and wherein said response is additionally dependent on the time between the two detections.