Abstract:
The present invention discloses a thin transparent panel that can be built-in or attached to a touchscreen to detect the user&#39;s identity once the user touches the screen. It can be utilized with a mobile phone, tablet device, and computer touchscreen. The panel can also be attached to a computer keyboard, mouse, or touchpad to enable quick recognition of the user&#39;s identity once the user uses the keyboard, mouse, or touchpad. Generally, the present invention detects the measurements of the hand skeleton and compares these measurements with a database to recognize or confirm the user&#39;s identity.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/587,339, filed Oct. 6, 2009, titled “Touch Sensing Technology”. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The utilization of touchscreens in the construction of modern computers, tablets devices, and mobile phones is rapidly increasing. At the same time, the use of computers, tablet devices, and mobile phones for storing sensitive information or accessing personal online accounts is also growing. Methods for confirming and securing personal devices and private online information of the users are highly needed. Using additional hardware with the touchscreen such as iris-scanners or biometric fingertip readers is not a practical solution. The need for a solution that enables touchscreens to recognize the identity of its user without utilizing a special biometric hardware is apparent. This solution will make our information more protected in a society that counts mainly on touchscreens in accessing information. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present invention discloses an innovative touchscreen that has the ability to recognize the identity of its user with one touch of two fingers. In one embodiment of the present invention, the touchscreen utilizes force sensors to detect the 3D direction of the two fingers and the force exerted of each finger when they are simultaneously touching the touchscreen. Detection of the 3D direction and the force exerted by each finger, in addition to the distance between the two fingers during the moment of touch determines certain measurements that accurately describe the hand skeleton. Comparison of these measurements with those stored in a database reveals the user&#39;s identity. 
         [0004]    The two fingers used for biometrics touchscreen can be any two fingers from the same hand, such as the thumb and the index finger, the thumb and the middle finger, or the index finger and the middle finger. More than two fingers of the same hand can also be utilized in detecting the user&#39;s identity, such as the thumb, the index finger and the ring finger. The hand can be the left hand or the right hand. The touchscreen can be a touchscreen of a mobile phone, tablet, computer, or the like. The recognition of the user&#39;s identity can be done at the initial moment of use of the touchscreen to gain access to the device or the computer. The recognition of the user&#39;s identity can be continuous, prolonged period of time and not limited to initial use, which ensures that the one who began the use of the device is still the same person who is interacting with the device. Also for public computers, the recognition and storing of the users identities will be done each time a user identity is changed during use of the same computer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIGS. 1 to 4  illustrate two fingers of a hand simultaneously touching a touch panel and exerting two forces, each of which can be described with a 3D direction and a value. 
           [0006]      FIG. 5  illustrates two fingers touching a touchscreen of a mobile phone, where the 3D direction and value of the force exerted by each finger on the touchscreen are detected. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate the same two fingers touching a touchscreen of a mobile phone in two different configurations or patterns. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate the skeleton of a hand, showing the distal, intermediate, proximal phalanges, metacarpals and carpals. 
           [0009]      FIG. 10  illustrates utilizing the present invention with a computer keyboard to detect the user&#39;s identity whilst using the keyboard. 
           [0010]      FIG. 11  illustrates utilizing the present invention with a computer mouse to detect the user&#39;s identity whilst using the mouse. 
           [0011]      FIG. 12  illustrates a bottom view of five fingers simultaneously touching a touch screen that recognizes the user&#39;s identity. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 13 to 15  illustrate the change of the 3D direction of a force exerted by a finger on a touchscreen with a change of the finger directions. 
           [0013]      FIG. 16  illustrates a representation of a 3D direction of a force by a first angle located between the touchscreen plane and a line representing the 3D direction of the force, and a second angle located between the x-axis and the projection of the line on the touchscreen plane. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 17 and 18  illustrate two fingers simultaneously touching a touchscreen to exert two forces parallel to the touchscreen plane 
           [0015]      FIG. 19  illustrates a touch panel equipped with a plurality of force sensors to detect the points of touch, the 3D direction, and the values of the forces exerted from two or more fingers on the touch panel. 
           [0016]      FIG. 20  illustrates three lines connected between three points on a touchscreen touched by three fingers. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    In one embodiment, the present invention discloses a touchscreen that recognizes the identity of a user touching the touchscreen by two fingers of a hand, wherein the touchscreen is comprised of;
       a touch panel that detects the distance between the positions of touch of the two fingers;   a sensing unit that detects the 3D directions and the ratio between the forces exerted by the two fingers on the touch panel;   a database that associates each unique combination of a distance, and 3D directions and ratio between forces with a unique identity; and   a microprocessor that receives the data of the distance from the touch panel, and the data of the 3D directions and the ratio from the sensing unit to search and retrieve the user&#39;s identity form the database.       
 
         [0022]    To clarify the function and operation of the present invention,  FIG. 1  illustrates a thumb  110  and an index finger  120  of the same hand simultaneously touching a touch panel  130  at a first position  140 , and a second position  150 . The thumb exerts a first force  160  on the first position and the index finger exerts a second force  170  on the second position. The first force has a 3D direction and a value, and the second force also has a 3D direction and a value. The 3D directions and values of the first force and the second force are detected by a plurality of sensors  180  connected to a microprocessor. 
         [0023]    The thumb and index finger can be any combination of two fingers from the same hand. For example,  FIG. 2  illustrates an index finger  190  and a middle finger  200  of the same hand simultaneously touching a touch panel  210  at a first position  220  and a second position  230 . The value and the 3D direction of the first force  240  exerted by the index finger on the first position, and the value and the 3D direction of the second force  250  exerted by the middle finger on the second position are detected by a plurality of sensors  260  located at the boundary of the touch panel. 
         [0024]    The configuration of the two fingers touching the touch panel can take various shapes. For example,  FIG. 3  illustrates the index and middle fingers  270  touching a touch panel  280  at two positions  290  and exerting two forces  300  and  310  on the two positions.  FIG. 4  illustrates the same index and middle fingers  270  touching the touch panel  280  at two new positions  320  to exert two forces  330  and  340  on the two new positions. 
         [0025]    Generally, the touch panel can be the touchscreen of any mobile phone, tablet, or computer equipped with sensors to detect the 3D directions and values of the forces exerted from the two fingers on the touchscreen. For example,  FIG. 5  illustrates a touchscreen of a mobile phone  350  held by a left hand  360 , meant to be touched by the thumb  370  and the middle finger  380  of the right hand at a first position  390  and a second position  400 . The 3D directions and values of the two forces are represented by the two dotted arrows  410  and  420  in the figure. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  illustrates another configuration of the same thumb and the index finger touching the same touchscreen of the mobile phone at two different positions  430  and  440  to exert another two different forces  450  and  460 . Each one of the two different forces has a different 3D direction and value than the corresponding force of the previous example.  FIG. 7  illustrates another configuration or pattern of the same thumb and index finger touching the same touchscreen of the mobile phone at two different positions  470  and  480  and exerting two different forces  490  and  500 . Each one of the two different forces of this example has a different 3D direction and value than the corresponding forces of the two previous examples. 
         [0027]    Generally, detecting the first position and the second position of the two points of touch by the two fingers determines the distance between the two positions of touch. Detecting the 3D directions and values of the two forces exerted by the two fingers determines the distribution of the hand force through the two fingers. The combination of the distance of the two positions of touch and the distribution of the hand force through the two fingers represents the uniqueness of the hand skeleton. The uniqueness of the hand skeleton can be described as the unique dimensions of the hand bones and the structure of the hand joints. The structure of the hand joints impacts the force translation from the hand through the two fingers to the touch panel. 
         [0028]      FIG. 8  illustrates the skeleton of the hand. As shown in the figure, the skeleton of each of the little, ring, middle, and index fingers is comprised of the distal phalange  510 , intermediate phalange  520 , and proximal phalange  530  connected to the metacarpals  540  and carpals  550 . The skeleton of the thumb is comprised of the distal phalange  210  and proximal phalange  430  connected to the metacarpals  540  and carpals  550 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the shape of the hand skeleton when moving the hand fingers. In this case, the joints between the phalanges and metacarpals, and the joints between the metacarpals and carpals, fully effect the movement of the hand fingers. 
         [0029]    It is important to note that each phalange, metacarpal, and carpal of a user&#39;s hand has different dimensions, shape, and connectivity with each other. This results in a different distance between the two points of touch touched by of the two fingers associated with different 3D directions of two forces exerted by the two fingers, and a different ratio between these two forces. Using these three parameters (the distance between the two points of touch; the 3D directions of the two forces; and the ratio between the two values of the two forces) enables recognition of the user&#39;s identity. Generally, recognition of the user&#39;s identity is achieved by using a database that associates each unique combination of the three aforementioned parameters with a unique ID. 
         [0030]    To create the database, various methods are utilized. In one embodiment, the database is created by touching the touchscreen at all possible distances between two fingers and storing each distance with the corresponding 3D directions and values of the forces of the two fingers of the user. In another embodiment, the database is created by automatically storing the distances between the two fingers, the 3D directions and values of the forces of the two fingers each time the users touches the touchscreen. 
         [0031]    Generally, the present invention is utilized with other computer input devices rather than the touchscreen. For example,  FIG. 10  illustrates a computer keyboard  560  that has the ability to detect the user&#39;s identity when the user&#39;s simultaneously touches two buttons of the keyboard. As shown in the figure, a first finger  570  and a second finger  580  are simultaneously touching a first button  590  and a second button  600  of the keyboard. The 3D direction and value of the first force  610  exerted by the first finger is detected by the first button. Also, the 3D direction and value of the second force  620  exerted by the second finger is detected by the second button as will be described subsequently. 
         [0032]      FIG. 11  illustrates utilizing the present invention with a computer mouse to detect the user&#39;s identity once the user touches the computer mouse. As shown in the figure, a computer mouse  630  is touched by a first finger  640  at the left button of the mouse  650 , and a second finger  660  at the right button  670  of the mouse. The 3D direction and value of the first force  680  exerted by the first finger is detected by the left button of the mouse. Also the 3D direction and value of the second force  690  exerted by the second finger is detected by the right button of the mouse. It is important to note that in this example, the directions of the two forces are almost perpendicular to the two fingers. 
         [0033]    In one embodiment, the present invention detects the user&#39;s identity using more than two fingers. For example, the user&#39;s identity can be recognized when the user touches the touchscreen with any combination of three, four, or five fingers belonging to the same hand.  FIG. 12  illustrates a bottom view of five fingers  700  of a hand simultaneously touching a touch screen  710 , where the 3D directions and values of the five forces  720  exerted by the five fingers are detected by the touchscreen. 
         [0034]      FIG. 13  illustrates the 3D direction of a force  730  exerted from a finger  740  on a point of touch  750  on a touchscreen.  FIGS.14 and 15  illustrate the change of the 3D direction according to the little change of the finger configuration or rotation.  FIG. 16  illustrates a representation of the 3D direction  760  of the force by a first angle  770  located between the touchscreen plane and a line representing the 3D direction of the force, and a second angle  780  located between the projection of the line on the touchscreen plane and the x-axis of touchscreen plane. 
         [0035]    In another embodiment, the present invention recognizes the identity of the user when the forces exerted from the fingers on the touchscreen are horizontal forces. For example,  FIG. 17  illustrates a first finger  800  and a second finger  810  simultaneously touching a first position  820  and a second position  830  of a touchscreen. The two forces  840  and  850  exerted from the two fingers are parallel to the touchscreen plane. In other words, the two forces exerted from the two fingers are horizontal relative to the touchscreen plane. In this case, the first angle which is illustrated in  FIG. 16  equals zero.  FIG. 18  illustrates another example in which two fingers  860  and  870  are simultaneously touching a touchscreen at two positions  880  and  890 , where the two forces  900  and  910  exerted by the two fingers are horizontal forces parallel to the touchscreen plane. 
         [0036]    In one embodiment of the present invention, detecting the points of touch, the 3D directions of the forces, and the values of the forces exerted by the fingers on the touchscreen, is achieved by a plurality of force sensors. For example,  FIG. 19  illustrates a touch panel  920  equipped with a first plurality of force sensors  930  positioned on the bottom surface of the touch pane to detect the vertical force exerted on each sensor. Also, a second plurality of sensors  930  are positioned on the side surfaces of the touch panel to detect the horizontal force exerted on each sensor. Analyzing the vertical forces and the horizontal forces on all sensors determines the points of touch, the 3D directions of the forces, and the values of the forces exerted from the fingers that touch the touchscreen. The U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/587,339 explains this analysis and method in details. 
         [0037]    Generally, the 3D direction and value of each force exerted on the touch panel can be determined by using methods or tools other than the force sensors. For example, the 3D direction of the force can be captured by a tracking camera. The value of the force exerted by the finger can also be determined by using a special touchscreen that detects the finger pressure or force. Also, the value of the force exerted by the finger can be determined, as known in the art, by measuring the area of finger&#39;s touch on the touchscreen, where each different area is associated with a certain finger pressure or force. 
         [0038]    The touch panel described in the previous example can be a transparent surface designed to be attached to a touchscreen of a mobile phone, tablet, or a computer. It can also be a built-in component in the touchscreen of the mobile phone, tablet, or computer. It can also be used for touchpads of laptops or the like. In the case of using the present invention with a computer keyboard, the force sensors are positioned inside each button of the keyboard to enable detection of the user&#39;s identity when touching two or more buttons by two or more fingers. Also, in case of using the present invention with a computer mouse, the force sensors are positioned inside the left and right buttons of the mouse to detect the user&#39;s identity via the two buttons. The force sensors can also be positioned inside the chassis of the computer mouse to detect the user&#39;s identity once the chassis is touched by two or more fingers. 
         [0039]    Once the points of touch, the 3D directions and values of the forces are detected, the distance between the points of touch and the ratio between the forces are calculated to retrieve the user&#39;s identity from the database. In one were to use, more than two fingers, the distances between each two successive points of touch and the angles between the lines that represent these distances are used in determining the user&#39;s identity. For example,  FIG. 20  illustrates three spots or positions  950  on a touchscreen  960 , simultaneously touched by three fingers. The lines  970  represent the distances between the centers of the spots. In this case, the lengths of the lines and the angles between the lines are stored in the database for use in detecting the user&#39;s identity. The same concept applies when using four or five fingers in user identity recognition by the present invention. 
         [0040]    In another embodiment, the identity of the user can be recognized if two fingers or more are not touching the touchscreen at the same time. All that is required in this case is to have the hand supported at the same place without movement, while each finger is individually touching the touchscreen. The position of touch of each finger is detected to determine the distance between each two positions of touch. Also, the 3D direction and value of each force exerted from a finger is detected to determine the ratio between the forces. Accordingly, the user&#39;s identity can be recognized using the database, as previously described. 
         [0041]    Finally, the presented invention can be described as a method for recognizing the identity of a hand skeleton by detecting the distribution pattern of the hand force through at least two fingers of the hand touching a surface, and checking the distribution pattern with a database that associates the distribution pattern with an identifier representing the hand skeleton. 
         [0042]    Conclusively, while a number of exemplary embodiments have been presented in the description of the present invention, it should be understood that a vast number of variations exist, and these exemplary embodiments are merely representative examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternative thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications variations, or improvements therein or thereon may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the claims, below. Therefore, the foregoing description provides those of ordinary skill in the art with a convenient guide for implementation of the disclosure, and contemplates that various changes in the functions and arrangements of the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure defined by the claims thereto.