EP0468340A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Eye directed controller
Assignee: BioControl Systems Inc
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Filing: 1991-07-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-07-16
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for operating a video game, controlling the cursor position on a computer display, and controlling the operation of equipment and devices using electro-oculogram and electro-myogram signals resulting from eye movement and muscle contractions in the human body. Operator (10) wears sensor assembly (12) which is connected to control processor (18). Movement of the eyes produces electro-oculogram signals which control processor (18) detects and converts into separate control signals representing upward movement, downward movement, movement to the left and movement to the right. Muscle contractions produce electro-myogram signals which control processor (18) detects and converts into control signals. The control signals are interfaced with equipment (22) which is a computer or video game having a display (24), or other apparatus to be controlled. The electro-oculogram control signals are used to control cursor position on a video game or a computer, while the electro-myogram signals are used to simulate the operation of a switch or "fire control" button. The functions of a "joystick", "mouse", "track ball" and the like are thereby replicated by the method and apparatus disclosed herein.
Inventors
- 👤 Benjamin R. Knapp
- 👤 Hugh S. Lusted
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 06:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/011; G06F3/013; A; A61; A61B; A61B34/00; A61B34/70; A61B34/74; A61F; A61F4/00; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/20; A63F13/21; A63F13/212; A63F13/24; A63F13/40; A63F13/42; G09; G09B; G09B21/00; A61B2034/742; A63F2250/00; A63F2250/26; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/10; A63F2300/1012; A63F2300/1043; A63F2300/60; A63F2300/6045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
51 words
An eye directed controller, comprising: (a) means for sensing electro-oculogram signals produced by movement of a human eye; (b) means for processing said electro-oculogram signals into directional control signals representing the direction of said eye movement; and (c) means for interfacing said directional control signals to a device to be controlled.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
51 words
An eye directed controller, comprising: (a) means for sensing electro-oculogram signals produced by movement of a human eye; (b) means for processing said electro-oculogram signals into directional control signals representing the direction of said eye movement; and (c) means for interfacing said directional control signals to a device to be controlled.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising: (a) means for sensing electro-myogram signals produced by muscle movement; (b) means for processing said electro-myogram signals into trigger control signals representing said muscle movement; and (c) means for interfacing said trigger control signals to said device to be controlled.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as recited in claims 1 or 2, wherein said means for sensing electro-oculogram signals comprises a plurality of electrodes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said plurality of electrodes comprises: (a) an electrode positioned in proximity to the forehead of a human operator; (b) an electrode positioned in proximity to a facial cheek of said human operator; (c) an electrode positioned in proximity to the right temple of said human operator; and (d) an electrode positioned in proximity to the left temple of said human operator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said electrodes are silver mesh cloth.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
17 words
The apparatus as recited in claims 1 to 5, wherein said directional control signals are switch closures.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said trigger control signal is a switch closure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said device to be controlled is a video game.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
16 words
The apparatus as recited in claims 1 to 5, wherein said directional control signals are pulses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said device to be controlled is a computer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
26 words
The apparatus as recited in claims 1 to 10, further comprising a low pass filter, said low pass filter having a cutoff frequency below 5.0 Hertz.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising means for differentiating between said electro-oculogram signals produced from vertical eye movement and horizontal eye movement.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 12, further comprising: (a) means for differentiating between electro-oculogram signals produced from horizontal eye movement in the left direction and electro-oculogram signals produced from horizontal eye movement in the right direction; and (b) means for differentiating between electro-oculogram signals produced from upward eye movement and electro-oculogram signals produced from downward eye movement.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2, further comprising a high pass filter having a cutoff frequency above 50.0 Hertz.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
112 words
An eye directed control apparatus, comprising: (a) means for sensing electrical signals produced from physiological activity in the body; (b) means for amplifying said electrical signals; (c) means for selectively filtering electro-oculogram signals resulting from eye movement from said amplified electrical signals; (d) means for differentiating between electro-oculogram signals resulting from vertical eye movement and from horizontal eye movement; (e) means for converting said electro-oculogram signals resulting from vertical eye movement into vertical control signals representing upward and downward eye movement; and (f) means for converting said electro-oculogram signals resulting from horizontal eye movement into horizontal control signals representing eye movement in the left direction and eye movement in the right direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
112 words
An eye directed control apparatus, comprising: (a) means for sensing electrical signals produced from physiological activity in the body; (b) means for amplifying said electrical signals; (c) means for selectively filtering electro-oculogram signals resulting from eye movement from said amplified electrical signals; (d) means for differentiating between electro-oculogram signals resulting from vertical eye movement and from horizontal eye movement; (e) means for converting said electro-oculogram signals resulting from vertical eye movement into vertical control signals representing upward and downward eye movement; and (f) means for converting said electro-oculogram signals resulting from horizontal eye movement into horizontal control signals representing eye movement in the left direction and eye movement in the right direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said means for selectively filtering said electro-oculogram signals from said amplified electrical signals comprises a low pass filter having a cutoff frequency below 5.0 Hertz.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said means for converting said electro-oculogram signals resulting from vertical eye movement into said vertical control signals comprises a differential comparator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein said means for converting said electro-oculogram signals resulting from horizontal eye movement into the horizontal control signals comprises a differential comparator.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
44 words
The apparatus as recited in claims 15 to 18, further comprising: (a) means for selectively filtering electro-myogram signals resulting from muscle movement from said amplified electrical signals; and (b) means for converting said electro-myogram signals resulting from said muscle movement into trigger control signals.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said control signals are switch closures.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
15 words
The apparatus as recited in claims 15 to 19, wherein said control signals are pulses.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said means for selectively filtering electro-myogram signals resulting from muscle movement from said amplified electrical signals comprises a high pass filter having a cutoff frequency above 50.0 Hertz.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said means for converting said electro-myogram signals into said trigger control signals comprises: (a) an RMS to DC convertor; and (b) a comparator.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
14 words
A method of controlling a device by electrical signals produced by human physiological ac-
Claim 27
Independent Claim
14 words
A method of controlling a device by electrical signals produced by human physiological ac-
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
tivity, comprising the steps of: (a) sensing electro-oculogram signals produced by eye movement; (b) processing said electro-oculogram signals into directional control signals representing the direction of said eye movement; (c) interfacing said directional control signals to the device to be controlled.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
tivity, comprising the steps of: (a) sensing electro-oculogram signals produced by eye movement; (b) processing said electro-oculogram signals into directional control signals representing the direction of said eye movement; (c) interfacing said directional control signals to the device to be controlled.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising the steps of: (a) sensing electro-myogram signals produced by muscle movement; (b) processing said electro-myogram signals into trigger control signals; and (c) interfacing said trigger control signals to the device to be controlled.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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