Patent Publication Number: US-2010127969-A1

Title: Non-Contact Input Electronic Device and Method Thereof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 97145573 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Nov. 25, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an input electronic device and an input method thereof and, more particularly, to a non-contact input electronic device and a non-contact input method thereof. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     With the progress of the science and technology, new types of electronic products are invented to replace the old frequently. Many electronic products have input devices to allow a user to input related commands, and the electronic products receive and execute the commands to output the corresponding results. Thus, the user may communicate with the electronic products. 
     The most common input devices are keyboards or various keys. The user may input commands via the keyboard or the keys to trigger the electronic products to perform corresponding functions. For example, in a mobile phone or a computer, a keyboard or keys are used to input commands. 
     Recently, many touch input methods not needing keyboards or keys are developed. Via a resistive or capacitive touch screen, the user may input commands with the cooperation of an application and a tool such as a finger or a stylus directly. The input method may allow the user to input commands more intuitively. 
     Besides the touch screen, recently, another new input method using motion sensors disposed on a digital portable device is developed to achieve the input function. For example, a built-in motion sensor is disposed in a mobile phone, and when the user plays a song with the mobile phone, he only needs to swing the mobile phone to change the played song. However, the swinging mode for inputting commands is not adapted to an electronic product such as a notebook computer or an electronic product having mechanisms. 
     In addition, using the input methods above, the user should contact the electronic products or the related elements (such as the stylus). If touching the electronic product is inconvenient to the user, he may fail to finish the input process smoothly. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a non-contact input electronic device. The non-contact input electronic device includes a display module, a plurality of sensors and a control module. The sensors are disposed around the display module, respectively, to sense a non-contact input motion. The control module is coupled to the sensors, and it generates an input command according to a moving order of the non-contact input motion sensed by the sensors and executes the input command. 
     The invention also provides a non-contact input method adapted to an electronic device having a display module. The method includes the steps as follows. A plurality of sensors are disposed around the display module. The sensors sense a non-contact input motion. An input command is generated according to a moving order of the non-contact input motion sensed by the sensors. The input command is executed. 
     Via the device and method disclosed in the invention, when a user wants to input information, he does not need to contact the non-contact input electronic device directly. 
     Thus, even if touching the electronic device is inconvenient to the user (for example, the user&#39;s hands are dirty or greasy), the user also may input related commands easily according to the non-contact input electronic device of the invention. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a non-contact input device in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing a non-contact input electronic device in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a first schematic diagram showing the use of the non-contact input electronic device in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a second schematic diagram showing the use of the non-contact input electronic device in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3C  is a third schematic diagram showing the use of the non-contact input electronic device in an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the non-contact input method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a non-contact input electronic device in an embodiment of the invention. The non-contact input electronic device  1  includes sensors  10  and a control module  20 . 
     The sensors  10  are disposed around the non-contact input electronic device  1 , respectively, to sense the user&#39;s motion in a non-contact mode. The sensors  10  may be light sensors. Since the light sensors may generate sensing signals as long as light changes, the light changes when the user input a non-contact motion, and the motion is sensed to finish inputting related commands. 
     In other cases, the sensors  10  may be infrared sensors. Since a human body may emit heat naturally, the user&#39;s motion may be sensed via the change of the heat, and the command also may be input. Thus, different from the input method using a conventional resistive touch panel or capacitive touch panel, the non-contact input method does not ask the user to touch a touch panel to input commands. 
     The control module  20  is coupled to the sensors  10 , and a moving order of the user&#39;s motion is sensed by the sensors  10  to generate an input command corresponding to the moving order. The control module  20  controls the non-contact input electronic device  1  to execute the input command. The input command corresponding to the moving order is illustrated in detail herein below. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , there are four sensors  10  in the embodiment, and they are disposed at a left side, a right side, an upper side and a lower side of the non-contact input electronic device  1 . The number of the sensors  10  may be larger according to requirements, and it is not limited to be four. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing the non-contact input electronic device in an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment, the non-contact input electronic device  1  having the non-contact input function has a display module  12 . In  FIG. 2 , the non-contact input electronic device  1  may be a handheld phone or a personal digital assistant, and it is not limited thereto. 
     In the embodiment, the sensors may be disposed around the display module  12 , respectively, to sense the non-contact input motion made by the user when he inputs related commands. The number of the sensors may be four, and the sensors are a sensor  101 , a sensor  102 , a sensor  103  and a sensor  104  disposed at the left side, the upper side, the lower side and the right side of the display module  12 , respectively. The non-contact input electronic device  1  may be polygon-shaped or even round. The number and positions of the sensors may be adjusted according to the shape of the non-contact input electronic device  1  or the display module  12 , and it is not limited to form a quadrangle. 
     The control module  20  is coupled to the sensors  101  to  104 , and the control module  20  may be a control chip disposed in the non-contact input electronic device  1 . Since the sensors and the control module  20  are disposed in the non-contact input electronic device  1  to be electrically connected to a motherboard of the non-contact input electronic device  1 , the sensors  101  to  104  and the control module  20  in  FIG. 2  are denoted by dashed lines. 
     A plurality of sensors  101  to  104  sense the moving order of the non-contact input motion. Different input commands are generated via different moving orders. As shown in  FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3C , to take the light sensors as an example, if the light is blocked off, the light sensors may generate an interrupt signal to the control module  20 , and the control module may determine the moving order of the user according to the time order in which each light sensor generates the interrupt signal. 
       FIG. 3A  is a first schematic diagram showing the use of the non-contact input electronic device. In the embodiment, supposing that a user&#39;s hand moves from bottom to top, it sweeps the display module  12  without contacting the non-contact input electronic device  1 . At that moment, to the four sensors  101  to  104  around the display module  12 , the sensor  101  first senses the change of the light, and then the sensor  102  and  103  sense the change of the light at the same time. At last, the sensor  104  senses the change of light. Thus, the moving order of the user is detected to be bottom-to-top. The control module  20  may generate a corresponding input command and controls the non-contact input electronic device  1  to execute the input command. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3A , the bottom-to-top arrow shows that the user&#39;s finger sweeps the display module  12  from bottom to top and finishes the input process. Supposing that the user utilizes the non-contact input electronic device  1  to use a specific application such as a music player, an image viewer or a power point application, the bottom-to-top moving order may make the non-contact input electronic device  1  execute the input command such as zooming in on the image or increasing the volume. 
     Correspondingly, when the user&#39;s hand moves from top to bottom, it sweeps the display module  12  without contacting the non-contact input electronic device  1 . At that moment, to the four sensors  101  to  104  around the display module  12 , the sensor  104  first senses the change of the light, and then the sensor  102  and  103  sense the change of the light at the same time. At last, the sensor  101  senses the change of light. Thus, the moving order of the user is detected to be top-to-bottom. According to the top-to-bottom moving order, the non-contact input electronic device  1  may execute the input command such as zooming out on the image or decreasing the volume. 
       FIG. 3B  is a second schematic diagram showing the use of the non-contact input electronic device. Supposing that the user&#39;s hand moves right-to-left, it sweeps the display module  12  without contacting the non-contact input electronic device  1 . At that moment, to the four sensors  101  to  104  around the display module  12 , the sensor  103  first senses the change of the light, and then the sensors  101  and  104  sense the change of the light at the same time. At last, the sensor  102  senses the change of light. Thus, the moving order of the user is detected to be right-to-left. As shown in  FIG. 3B , the right-to-left arrow shows that the user&#39;s finger sweeps the display module  12  from right to left and finishes the input process. At that moment, the non-contact input electronic device  1  may execute the input command such as page up or selecting music forward. 
     Correspondingly, when the user&#39;s hand moves from left to right, it sweeps the display module  12  without contacting the non-contact input electronic device  1 . At that moment, to the four sensors  101  to  104  around the display module  12 , the sensor  102  first senses the change of the light, and then the sensors  101  and  104  sense the change of the light at the same time. At last, the sensor  103  senses the change of light. Thus, the moving order of the user is detected to be left-to-right. According to the left-to-right moving order, the non-contact input electronic device  1  may execute the input command such as page down or selecting music backward. 
       FIG. 3C  is a third schematic diagram showing the use of the non-contact input electronic device. Supposing that the user&#39;s hand moves counter-clockwise, it sweeps the display module  12  without contacting the non-contact input electronic device  1 . At that moment, to the four sensors  101  to  104  around the display module  12 , the sensor  103  first senses the change of the light, and then the sensor  104  senses the change of the light. Thus, the moving order of the user is detected to be counter-clockwise. As shown in  FIG. 3C , the counter-clockwise arrow shows that the user&#39;s finger sweeps the display module  12  counter-clockwise and finishes the input process. At that moment, the non-contact input electronic device  1  may execute the input command such as rotating the image counter-clockwise or fast playing. 
     Correspondingly, when the user&#39;s hand moves clockwise, it sweeps the display module  12  without contacting the non-contact input electronic device  1 . At that moment, to the four sensors  101  to  104  around the display module  12 , the sensor  104  first senses the change of the light, and then the sensor  103  senses the change of the light. Thus, the moving order of the user is detected to be clockwise. According to the clockwise moving order, the non-contact input electronic device  1  may execute the input command such as rotating the image clockwise or playing backwards. 
     The display module  12  may show the result of executing the commands. For example, a next image, a next displayed song and related information are displayed. 
       FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3C  are just examples to show the moving orders and the corresponding input commands. The actual moving orders and the corresponding input commands may be designed according to the user&#39;s demands or preset by the system of the non-contact input electronic device, and they are not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the non-contact input method. The non-contact input electronic device having a display module. The method includes the steps as follows. 
     In step S 10 , a plurality of sensors are disposed around the display module. The sensors may be light sensors which may sense the non-contact input motion according to the change of the light. The sensors also may be infrared sensors which may sense non-contact input motion according to the change of the heat. 
     The method for disposing the sensors may include the step of disposing the sensors at the left side, the right side, the upper side and the lower side, respectively. 
     In step S 20 , the sensors sense the non-contact input motion. 
     In step S 30 , the sensors sense the moving order of the non-contact input motion and generate the input command. 
     In step S 40 , the input command is executed. 
     The moving order in the above has various aspects, and the following are just examples. When the moving order is left-to-right, the input command of page down or selecting music backward is executed. When the moving order is right-to-left, the input command of page up or selecting music forward is executed. When the moving order is bottom-to-top, the input command of zooming in on the image or increasing volume is executed. When the moving order is top-to-bottom, the input command of zooming out on the image or decreasing volume is executed. When the moving order is counter-clockwise, the input command of rotating the image counter-clockwise or fast playing is executed. When the moving order is clockwise, the input command of rotating the image clockwise or playing backward is executed. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.