Abstract: Motions, positions or configurations off, for example a human hand can be recognized by transmitting a plurality of transmit signals in respective time frames; receiving a plurality of receive signals; determining a plurality of channel impulse responses using the transmit and receive signals; defining a matrix of impulse responses, with impulse responses for adjacent time frames adjacent each other; and analyzing the matrix for patterns (22) corresponding to the motion position or configuration.

Abstract: The disclosed electronic apparatus comprises: transmitting means 54 arranged to transmit an ultrasonic signal; receiving means 55 arranged to receive a reflection of the ultrasonic signal from an input object, and to generate a received analogue electrical signal therefrom; a filter 56 arranged to take the received analogue electrical signal as input and to output a filtered analogue electrical signal; and digital processing means 52 configured to control a characteristic of the filter 56, and to use the filtered analogue electrical signal to determine a user input to the electronic apparatus.

Abstract: A human-machine interface system adapted to track movement of an object in air is disclosed. In one aspect, the human-machine interface includes an acoustic transmitter, an acoustic receiver, and logic configured to apply a calculated inverse matrix of an impulse signal transmitted by the acoustic transmitter to a signal received by the acoustic receiver, wherein movement of the object is used to control the machine.

Abstract: A user input to a system is processed by receiving reflections of signals from a moving input object. Information relating to the direction of movement of the input object and information relating to the speed of the input object are determined from the reflections. Continual sensory feedback is provided to the user, controlled by a parameter that is repeatedly updated based on the direction and speed of the input object. When no new determination of information relating to the speed or direction of the input object has been made since a previous update, a time-dependent change is made to the parameter.

Abstract: A portable electronic device comprises means for generating or receiving a signal indicating that it has been placed in a predetermined position. The portable electronic device is configured upon receiving said signal to enable user interaction with the portable electronic device by a touchless interaction mode. Also disclosed are various arrangements of a peripheral device and a portable electronic device which cooperate to provide a touchless interaction mode—e.g. through transducers and/or processing means being provided in the peripheral device.

Abstract: An electronic device (2; 26) comprises a first input means adapted to detect that a first digit of a user's hand (6; 28) is in contact with the device and a second input means adapted to detect movement of a second digit 30 of the user's hand which is not in contact with the device. The device is configured to respond to detection of the movement by the second input means while the contact is detected by the first input means or within a predetermined mined time thereafter.

Abstract: An electronic device such as a smart-phone, has an active state in which it is able to receive inputs from an input object and a standby state in which at least one of said inputs is disabled. The device is configured to be switchable from the standby state to the active state upon the detection of the presence of the input object within a predetermined distance of the device and the subsequent detection of a predetermined user action.

Abstract: A human-machine interface system adapted to track movement of an object in air is disclosed. In one aspect, the human-machine interface includes an acoustic transmitter, an acoustic receiver, and logic configured to apply a calculated inverse matrix of an impulse signal transmitted by the acoustic transmitter to a signal received by the acoustic receiver, wherein movement of the object is used to control the machine.

Abstract: A first handheld device transmits an acoustic signal. A second handheld device receives a signal derived from the transmitted signal, and performs an action based on the received signal.

Abstract: A first electronic device is operated in the presence of a second electronic device. Both are configured to transmit acoustic signals, the first being configured to transmit signals with a first characteristic. The first device determines the presence of the second device and thereafter transmits acoustic signals having a second, signal characteristic, different from the first characteristic, and giving a reduced interference between signals transmitted from the first and second devices respectively than the first signal characteristic. Acoustic signals comprising reflections of the transmitted signals from an object are received at the first device, and are used to characterise the motion of the object and thereby control a function of the first device.

Abstract: The shape or position of an object is estimated using a device comprising one or more transmitters and one or more receivers, forming a set of at least two transmitter-receiver combinations. Signals are transmitted from the transmitters, through air, to the object. They are reflected by the object and received by the receivers. A subset of the transmitter-receiver combinations which give rise to a received signal meeting a predetermined clarity criterion is determined. The positions of points on the object are estimated using substantially only signals from the subset of combinations.

Abstract: A human-machine interface system adapted to track movement of an object in air is disclosed. In one aspect, the human-machine interface includes an acoustic transmitter, an acoustic receiver, and logic configured to apply a calculated inverse matrix of an impulse signal transmitted by the acoustic transmitter to a signal received by the acoustic receiver, wherein movement of the object is used to control the machine.

Abstract: An input apparatus has an interaction surface, an acoustic transmitter located adjacent the surface, an acoustic receiver located adjacent the surface and across the surface from the transmitter, and a processing environment. It is configured to transmit an acoustic signal(s) from the transmitter and to receive the signal or signals at the receiver. It detects the presence of an input object adjacent or touching the interaction surface by detecting an increase in the minimum time of flight, through air, of at least a part of the signal(s).

Abstract: The motion of an object is characterised by transmitting acoustic signals over first and second transmitter-receiver channels. Information relating to signals received over the first channel is compared with information relating to signals received over the second channel, to identify a similar pattern in both channels arising from reflections from the object. A relative timing difference between the channels, associated with the similar pattern, is used to characterise the motion of the object.

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.

Abstract: A human-machine interface system adapted to track movement of an object in air is disclosed. In one aspect, the human-machine interface includes an acoustic transmitter, an acoustic receiver, and logic configured to apply a calculated inverse matrix of an impulse signal transmitted by the acoustic transmitter to a signal received by the acoustic receiver, wherein movement of the object is used to control the machine.

Abstract: A method of estimating the impulse response of a channel is disclosed. The method includes transmitting an impulse signal to the channel, detecting a received signal from the channel at a receiver, and calculating an estimate of the impulse response of the channel by applying a calculated inverse matrix of the impulse signal to the received signal.

Abstract: Apparatus for determining the movement of an object comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 1,4;16 arranged to enable the location of the object to be determined by transmission and reflection of signals between the transducers 1,4;16. A yielding surface 2;12 is arranged in proximity to the transducers such that movement of the object into the surface upon application of a yielding pressure to the yielding surface 2;12 can be detected.

Abstract: An apparatus determines the position of a target part of a user's hand within a predetermined zone. It has a plurality of transducers for transmitting and/or receiving locating signals. The transducers are arranged such that, for any location of the target hand part within the predetermined zone there are at least two pairings of transmitting transducers and receiving transducers for which the total time-of-flight of said timing signals from the transmitter of the pairing to the receiver of the pairing via the target part of the user's hand is less than equivalent total times-of-flight to and from a set of points comprising all points in the predetermined zone which are beyond a minimum spacing from the target hand part but at least as far away from the nearest point of the apparatus as the location of the target hand part is. In some embodiments a selection is made between possible channels to determine which can be used for tracking without suffering from finger/hand confusion.

Abstract: Estimating the impulse response of a channel by providing an initial signal (20); applying a time-shift function to the initial signal (20) to produce a transmit signal (36); transmitting the transmit signal (36); receiving a received signal; calculating an impulse response from the received signal as if the received signal had been produced by the initial signal; and using the impulse response to distinguish between received signals arising from reflections from objects (6) at different ranges.