TWI894651B - Device and method for detection - Google Patents

Abstract

A detection device includes a plurality of capacitive sensors, a transmission antenna, a reception antenna, a radar module, a carrier module, and a processor. The capacitive sensors detect first information of a human body portion in a first direction, and detect second information of the human body portion in a second direction. The radar module uses the transmission antenna to transmit a radar signal to the human body portion. The radar module uses the reception antenna to receive a reflection signal from the human body portion. The radar module detects third information of the human body portion in a third direction according to the reflection signal. The capacitive sensors, the transmission antenna, and the reception antenna are disposed on the carrier element. The processor estimates status information of the human body portion according to the first information, the second information, and the third information.

Description

Detection device and detection method

The present invention relates to a detection device, and more particularly to a detection device and a detection method.

Capacitive sense pads are common detection components. However, when used in virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), traditional capacitive sense pads have relatively limited applications, which can reduce overall detection accuracy. This necessitates a new solution to overcome the limitations of existing technologies.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a detection device for detecting a human body part, comprising: a plurality of capacitive sensors for detecting a first information of the human body part in a first direction and a second information of the human body part in a second direction; a transmitting antenna; a receiving antenna; and a radar module for transmitting a radar signal to the human body part using the transmitting antenna and receiving the radar signal using the receiving antenna. A reflected signal is received from the human body part, wherein the radar module further detects third information of the human body part in a third direction based on the reflected signal; a carrier element, wherein the capacitive sensors, the transmitting antenna, and the receiving antenna are all disposed on the carrier element; and a processor estimates status information of the human body part based on the first information, the second information, and the third information.

In some embodiments, the human body part is a finger of a user.

In some embodiments, the detection device is implemented on a virtual reality (VR) controller or an augmented reality (AR) controller.

In some embodiments, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

In some embodiments, the first information and the second information are each location information.

In some embodiments, the third information is position and speed information.

In some embodiments, the capacitive sensors, the transmitting antenna, and the receiving antenna do not overlap with each other.

In some embodiments, the carrier component is a multi-layer circuit board.

In some embodiments, the status information is related to a three-dimensional image of the human body part.

In some embodiments, the detection device further includes an antenna cover covering the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna.

In some embodiments, the antenna dome has an operating frequency band between 55 GHz and 140 GHz.

In some embodiments, the antenna cover includes a conductive layer and a non-conductive shell, and the conductive layer is disposed on the non-conductive shell.

In some embodiments, the conductive layer includes a signal radiation region and a signal cutoff region, and the signal radiation region is adjacent to the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna.

In some embodiments, the signal radiation region is surrounded by the signal cutoff region.

In some embodiments, a plurality of slots are formed and periodically arranged within the signal radiation region of the conductive layer.

In some embodiments, the length of each of the slots is approximately equal to 0.5 wavelengths of the operating band.

In some embodiments, the width of each of the slots is less than or equal to 0.1 wavelength of the operating band.

In some embodiments, a plurality of openings are formed and periodically arranged within the signal cutoff region of the conductive layer.

In some embodiments, the length or width of each of the openings is between 0.1 and 0.2 times the wavelength of the operating band.

In another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a detection method comprising the following steps: detecting first information about a human body part in a first direction using a plurality of capacitive sensors; detecting second information about the human body part in a second direction using the capacitive sensors; transmitting a radar signal to the human body part using a transmitting antenna; receiving a reflected signal from the human body part using a receiving antenna; detecting third information about the human body part in a third direction using a radar module based on the reflected signal; and estimating status information about the human body part using a processor based on the first information, the second information, and the third information. The capacitive sensors, the transmitting antenna, and the receiving antenna are all disposed on a carrier element.

In order to make the purpose, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, specific embodiments of the present invention are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Certain terms are used in the specification and patent application to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that hardware manufacturers may use different terms to refer to the same component. This specification and patent application do not use differences in name as a way to distinguish components, but rather use differences in the functions of the components as the criterion for distinction. The words "include" and "including" mentioned throughout the specification and patent application are open-ended terms and should be interpreted as "including but not limited to". The word "substantially" means that within an acceptable error range, those skilled in the art can solve the technical problem within a certain error range and achieve the basic technical effect. In addition, the word "coupled" in this specification includes any direct and indirect electrical connection means. Therefore, if a first device is described herein as being coupled to a second device, it means that the first device may be directly electrically connected to the second device, or indirectly electrically connected to the second device via other devices or connection means.

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different features of the present invention. The following disclosure describes specific examples of various components and their arrangements to simplify the description. Of course, these specific examples are not intended to be limiting. For example, if this disclosure describes a first feature formed on or above a second feature, it means that it may include an embodiment in which the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact, and it may also include an embodiment in which additional features are formed between the first feature and the second feature, so that the first feature and the second feature may not be in direct contact. In addition, the same reference symbols or (and) labels may be reused in different examples of the following disclosure. These repetitions are for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and are not intended to limit the different embodiments or (and) structures discussed to have a specific relationship.

Additionally, spatially relative terms such as "below," "beneath," "lower," "above," "upper," and similar terms are used to facilitate describing the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature in a diagram. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. The device may be rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations, and the spatially relative terms used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a detection device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, the detection device 100 can be applied in the fields of virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), but is not limited thereto. In the embodiment of FIG1 , the detection device 100 includes: a plurality of capacitive sensors 110-1, 110-2, ..., 110-N, a transmission antenna 120, a reception antenna 130, a radar module 140, a carrier element 150, and a processor 160, where "N" can be any positive integer greater than or equal to 2. It should be understood that, although not shown in FIG. 1 , the detection device 100 may further include other components, such as a housing, a speaker, or (and) a power supply module.

In some embodiments, the detection device 100 can be used to detect a human body part HB. For example, the human body part HB can be any finger of a user, but is not limited thereto.

The capacitive sensors 110-1, 110-2, ..., 110-N can detect first information SX of the human body part HB in a first direction and second information SY of the human body part HB in a second direction, where the first and second directions can be perpendicular to each other. In some embodiments, the first information SX and the second information SY can each be position information. For example, the first information SX can include multiple X-axis positions of the human body part HB, and the second information SY can include multiple Y-axis positions of the human body part HB, but the present invention is not limited to this. It should be understood that because the human body part HB occupies a certain volume in space, its X-axis position and Y-axis position each have a specific range.

The present invention does not specifically limit the shape and type of transmitting antenna 120 and receiving antenna 130. For example, either transmitting antenna 120 or receiving antenna 130 can be a patch antenna, a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, a loop antenna, a planar inverted F antenna (PIFA), or a chip antenna.

The radar module 140 is coupled to the transmitting antenna 120 and the receiving antenna 130. Specifically, the radar module 140 can use the transmitting antenna 120 to transmit a radar signal SE to the human body part HB and use the receiving antenna 130 to receive a reflected signal SR from the human body part HB. The radar module 140 can then detect third information SZ of the human body part HB in a third direction based on the reflected signal SR. This third direction may be perpendicular to both the first and second directions. In some embodiments, the third information SZ may be position and velocity information. For example, the third information SZ may include multiple Z-axis positions and a Z-axis velocity of the human body part HB, but is not limited to this.

In some embodiments, the first direction may be equivalent to an X-axis direction, the second direction may be equivalent to a Y-axis direction, and the third direction may be equivalent to a Z-axis direction, wherein the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction may be perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, the first and second directions may be considered horizontal directions, while the third direction may be considered vertical directions.

The capacitive sensors 110-1, 110-2, ..., 110-N, the transmitting antenna 120, and the receiving antenna 130 can all be disposed on a carrier element 150. For example, the carrier element 150 can be a multilayer circuit board. In some embodiments, the capacitive sensors 110-1, 110-2, ..., 110-N, the transmitting antenna 120, and the receiving antenna 130 can all be disposed on the same layer of the multilayer circuit board. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the capacitive sensors 110-1, 110-2, ..., 110-N, the transmitting antenna 120, and the receiving antenna 130 can also be disposed on different layers of the multilayer circuit board.

The processor 160 is coupled to the capacitive sensors 110-1, 110-2, ..., 110-N to receive first information SX and second information SY. The processor 160 is further coupled to the radar module 140 to receive third information SZ. The processor 160 then estimates status information ST of the human body part HB based on the first information SX, the second information SY, and the third information SZ. In some embodiments, the status information ST may be a 3D image of the human body part HB, but is not limited to this. For example, if the human body part HB is a finger of a user, the status information ST estimated by the processor 160 may include a gesture image of the human body part HB.

According to the present invention, the detection device 100 can simultaneously perform a dual detection process on human body part HB by using the capacitive sensors 110-1, 110-2, ..., 110-N and the radar module 140. Because the radar module 140 provides vertical information in addition to horizontal information, the overall accuracy of the dual detection process of the detection device 100 can be significantly improved.

The following embodiments will introduce various configurations and detailed structural features of the detection device 100. It must be understood that these drawings and descriptions are only examples and are not intended to limit the present invention.

FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a controller 270 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The aforementioned detection device 100 may be implemented on the controller 270. For example, the controller 270 may be a virtual reality controller or an augmented reality controller. In the embodiment of FIG2 , the aforementioned detection device 100 may be disposed on a handle portion 280 of the controller 270, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a detection device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG3 is similar to FIG1. In the embodiment of FIG3, the detection device 300 includes at least: a plurality of capacitive sensors 310-1, 310-2, ..., 310-M, a transmitting antenna 320, a plurality of receiving antennas 331, 332, 333, and a carrier element 350, where "M" can be any positive integer greater than or equal to 2. Generally speaking, the transmitting antenna 320 and the receiving antennas 331, 332, 333 can be arranged on the carrier element 350 in an alternating manner with the capacitive sensors 310-1, 310-2, ..., 310-M. It is important to note that to improve the detection accuracy of the detection device 300, the capacitive sensors 310-1, 310-2, ..., 310-M, the transmitting antenna 320, and the receiving antennas 331, 332, 333 do not overlap. With this design, the detection device 300 provides a radar sensing zone 390 to effectively detect a human body part (not shown). Similarly, the aforementioned radar sensing zone 390 can correspond not only to the X-axis and the Y-axis, but also to the Z-axis. In some embodiments, the distance D1 between any two adjacent capacitive sensors 310-1, 310-2, ..., 310-M, the transmitting antenna 320, and the receiving antennas 331, 332, 333 can be greater than or equal to 0.5 mm. The remaining features of the detection device 300 in FIG. 3 are similar to those of the detection device 100 in FIG. 1 , and thus both embodiments can achieve similar operational effects.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates an antenna cover 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, the aforementioned detection device 100 (or 300) may further include an antenna cover 400, wherein the antenna cover 400 may be used to cover the aforementioned transmitting antenna 120 (or 320) and receiving antenna 130 (or 331, 332, 333). In some embodiments, the antenna cover 400 has an operating frequency band between 55 GHz and 140 GHz. Generally speaking, the inclusion of the antenna cover 400 limits the radar radiation range, thereby reducing the probability of misjudgment of the radar module 140's detection results regarding the human body portion HB.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , antenna cover 400 includes a conductive layer 410 and a nonconductive housing 460, wherein conductive layer 410 is disposed on nonconductive housing 460. Specifically, conductive layer 410 includes a signal radiation region 420 and a signal cut-off region 440. Signal radiation region 420 may be adjacent to the aforementioned transmitting antenna 120 (or 320) and receiving antenna 130 (or 331, 332, 333). For example, signal radiation region 420 may be completely surrounded by signal cut-off region 440, but this is not the only embodiment. It should be noted that the term "adjacent" or "adjacent" in this specification may refer to a situation where the distance between two corresponding components is less than a predetermined distance (for example, 10 mm or less), but generally does not include a situation where the two corresponding components are in direct contact with each other (i.e., the aforementioned distance is shortened to 0).

Specifically, a plurality of slots 430-1, 430-2, ..., 430-K may be formed and periodically arranged within the signal radiation region 420 of the conductive layer 410, where "K" may be any positive integer greater than or equal to 2. For example, each slot may be substantially in the shape of a straight strip, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the length L1 of each of the slots 430-1, 430-2, ..., 430-K can be approximately equal to 0.5 wavelengths (0.5λ) of the operating frequency band of the antenna cover 400, while the width W1 of each of the slots 430-1, 430-2, ..., 430-K can be less than or equal to 0.1 wavelengths (0.1λ) of the operating frequency band of the antenna cover 400. According to actual measurement results, the aforementioned ranges of length L1 and width W1 help maximize the corresponding radiation efficiency within the signal radiation region 420. In other words, the relevant electromagnetic waves can be transmitted through the signal radiation region 420 of the conductive layer 410.

Additionally, a plurality of openings 450-1, 450-2, ..., 450-R may be formed and periodically arranged within the signal cutoff region 440 of the conductive layer 410, where "R" may be any positive integer greater than or equal to 2. For example, each opening may be substantially square, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the length L2 or width W2 of each of the openings 450-1, 450-2, ..., 450-R may be between 0.1 and 0.2 wavelengths (0.1λ to 0.2λ) of the operating frequency band of the antenna cover 400. Based on actual measurement results, the aforementioned ranges of length L2 and width W2 help minimize the corresponding radiation effect within the signal cutoff region 440. In other words, the relevant electromagnetic waves will be almost unable to penetrate the signal cutoff region 440 of the conductive layer 410. It should be noted that the relevant parameters are only used to express the corresponding design of the "pass-band" and "stop-band". In some embodiments, a central region of the conductive layer 410 can be roughly equivalent to the aforementioned pass-band, while an edge region of the conductive layer 410 can be roughly equivalent to the aforementioned stop-band. In other embodiments, the conductive layer 410 can also be implemented as a structure with more layers, but the relevant parameters are not further described here.

FIG5 is a flow chart illustrating a detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, in step S510, a plurality of capacitive sensors detect first information about a human body part in a first direction. In step S520, the capacitive sensors detect second information about a human body part in a second direction. In step S530, a transmitting antenna transmits a radar signal to the human body part. In step S540, a receiving antenna receives a reflected signal from the human body part. The capacitive sensors, transmitting antenna, and receiving antenna are all mounted on a carrier element. In step S550, a radar module detects third information about the human body part in a third direction based on the reflected signal. Finally, in step S560, a processor estimates a state of the human body part based on the first information, the second information, and the third information. It should be understood that the above steps do not need to be performed in sequence, and each feature of the embodiments of Figures 1-4 can be applied to the detection method of Figure 5.

The present invention proposes a novel detection device and detection method. Compared with traditional designs, the present invention has at least the advantages of improving overall detection accuracy and reducing overall manufacturing costs, making it suitable for application in a variety of devices.

It is worth noting that the component parameters described above are not limiting conditions of the present invention. Designers can adjust these settings according to different needs. The detection device and detection method of the present invention are not limited to the states illustrated in Figures 1-5. The present invention may include only one or more features of any one or more of the embodiments in Figures 1-5. In other words, not all illustrated features must be implemented simultaneously in the detection device and detection method of the present invention.

The methods of the present invention, or specific aspects thereof, or portions thereof, may be in the form of program code. The program code may be contained in a physical medium, such as a floppy disk, an optical disk, a hard disk, or any other machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) storage medium, or in a computer program product, not limited to an external form, wherein when the program code is loaded and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for participating in the present invention. The program code may also be transmitted via some transmission medium, such as a wire or cable, an optical fiber, or any other transmission type, wherein when the program code is received, loaded, and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for participating in the present invention. When implemented on a general-purpose processing unit, the code combines with the processing unit to provide a unique device that operates similarly to application-specific logic circuits.

In this specification and the scope of the patent application, ordinal numbers, such as "first", "second", "third", etc., have no sequential relationship with each other and are only used to mark and distinguish two different components with the same name.

Although the present invention is disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, they are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may make slight modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the attached patent application.

100, 300: Detection device 110-1, 110-2, 110-N, 310-1, 310-2, 310-M: Capacitive sensor 120, 320: Transmitting antenna 130, 331, 332, 333: Receiving antenna 140: Radar module 150, 350: Carrier element 160: Processor 270: Controller 280: Handle 390: Radar sensing range 400: Antenna cover 410: Conductive layer 420: Signal radiation area 430-1, 430-2, 430-K: Slot 440: Signal cutoff area 450-1, 450-2, 450-R: Opening 460: Non-conductive housing D1: Distance HB: Human body part L1, L2: Length S510, S520, S530, S540, S550, S560: Steps SE: Radar signal SR: Reflected signal ST: Status information SX: Primary information SY: Secondary information SZ: Third information W1, W2: Width X: X-axis Y: Y-axis Z: Z-axis

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an antenna cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a flow chart of a detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

100: Detection device

110-1, 110-2, 110-N: Capacitive sensors

120: Transmitting antenna

130: Receiving antenna

140: Radar Module

150: Carrier element

160: Processor

HB: Human body parts

SE: Radar signal

SR: reflected signal

ST: Status information

SX: First Information

SY: Second Information

SZ: Third Information

X: X-axis

Y:Y axis

Z:Z axis

Claims (18)

A detection device for detecting a human body part comprises: A plurality of capacitive sensors for detecting first information about the human body part in a first direction and second information about the human body part in a second direction; A transmitting antenna; A receiving antenna; A radar module for transmitting a radar signal to the human body part using the transmitting antenna and receiving a reflected signal from the human body part using the receiving antenna, wherein the radar module further detects third information about the human body part in a third direction based on the reflected signal; A carrier element, wherein the capacitive sensors, the transmitting antenna, and the receiving antenna are all disposed on the carrier element; A processor estimates status information of the human body part based on the first information, the second information, and the third information, wherein the status information includes a hand gesture image of the human body part; and an antenna cover covering the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna; the antenna cover includes a conductive layer and a non-conductive outer shell; the conductive layer includes a signal radiation region and a signal cutoff region; a plurality of openings are formed and periodically arranged within the signal cutoff region of the conductive layer. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the human body part is a finger of a user. The detection device of claim 1, wherein the detection device is implemented on a virtual reality (VR) controller or an augmented reality (AR) controller. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the first information and the second information are each location information. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the third information is position and speed information. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensors, the transmitting antenna, and the receiving antenna do not overlap with each other. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the carrier element is a multi-layer circuit board. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the status information is related to a three-dimensional image of the human body part. The detection device of claim 1, wherein the antenna mask has an operating frequency band between 55 GHz and 140 GHz. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is disposed on the non-conductive housing. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the signal radiation area is adjacent to the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna. The detection device as described in claim 1, wherein the signal radiation area is surrounded by the signal cutoff area. The detection device as described in claim 10, wherein a plurality of slots are formed and periodically arranged within the signal radiation area of the conductive layer. The detection device of claim 14, wherein the length of each of the slots is approximately equal to 0.5 times the wavelength of the operating band. The detection device of claim 14, wherein the width of each of the slots is less than or equal to 0.1 times the wavelength of the operating band. The detection device as described in claim 10, wherein the length or width of each of the openings is between 0.1 times and 0.2 times the wavelength of the operating band. A detection method includes the following steps: Detecting first information about a human body part in a first direction using a plurality of capacitive sensors; Detecting second information about the human body part in a second direction using the capacitive sensors; Transmitting a radar signal to the human body part using a transmitting antenna; Receiving a reflected signal from the human body part using a receiving antenna; Covering the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna with an antenna cover, wherein the antenna cover includes a conductive layer and a non-conductive outer shell, the conductive layer including a signal radiation region and a signal cutoff region, and a plurality of openings formed and periodically arranged within the signal cutoff region of the conductive layer; A radar module detects third information about the human body part in a third direction based on the reflected signal; and a processor infers state information about the human body part based on the first information, the second information, and the third information, wherein the state information includes a hand gesture image of the human body part. The capacitive sensors, the transmitting antenna, and the receiving antenna are all disposed on a carrier element.