Patent Application
20070052672
The present invention concerns a communication device and system comprising a Virtual Retinal Display (VRD) according to the independent claim and to a method for operating a communication device comprising a Virtual Retinal Display (VRD) in the form of glasses (spectacles) to project an image directly onto the retina of the user and at least one haptic sensor on the frame of said glasses, wherein it is possible to navigate by means of a cursor through the image displayed by the Virtual Retinal Display (VRD) with the at least one haptic sensor.
Virtual Retinal Displays (VRD) have been described for example in patent applications WO-A1-94/09472, WO-A1-97/37339 and WO-A-98/13720 and therefore no longer need to be described. VRD devices project an image directly onto the retina of the user who is wearing the device.
WO-A2-2004/013676 relates to a mobile multimedia communication device, which is provided with a housing, input means, an electronic circuit, memory means, a power source comprising at least one VRD system for processing an image or data source and projecting the same in the form of laser beams onto the retina of the user of the device. In addition, said device has a station for audio, video and data communication that receives and transmits signals via radio network or other transmission channels. Said signals can be exchanged by means of a Bluetooth, wireless LAN, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, DAB, 4G or 5G system or via any telephone cable, radio or satellite network.
Similar systems that allow an apparatus to be controlled by the eye are already known. WO-A1-01/88680 relates to a method enabling to input instruction into a VRD device wherein instructions can be inputted using sequences of voluntary movements of parts of the eye. The sequences required for a specific instruction depend individually on each user. However, eye movements are sometimes difficult to control; the eye also makes involuntary movements, among others saccades that under the circumstances could be interpreted as an instruction for the controlled device. These methods are therefore hardly suitable for entering security-critical instructions.
Furthermore, systems are known in which eye parameters are used as biometric keys to allow access to systems or services. It has among others been suggested to use the iris or retina pattern to authenticate the viewer or even to identify him.
WO-A1-02/41069 relates to a method for graphically visualizing objects, with which the objects represented on a visual field are comfortably and reliably manipulated, controlled or influenced with regard to their features and/or actions by interactive control commands of the user. Technologies used for inputting the control commands issued by the user, in addition to standard manually operable mechanical or touch-sensitive input mechanisms, involve the use of devices for recording, recognizing, interpreting and processing acoustic and/or optical signals of the user.
It is an aim of the invention to propose a new and improved communication device, system and method with which data displayed on a Virtual Retinal Display (VRD) can be easily controlled by the user.
It is another aim of the invention to propose a new and improved communication device, system and method with which it is possible for the user to navigate (such as scrolling, entering, rotating, pressing, etc.) easily through a graphical user interface (GUI), data or an image from a server displayed on the VRD device.
It is another aim of the invention to propose a new and improved communication device, system and method with which it is possible to identify or to authenticate users wearing glasses with a VRD device, where there is no space for a keypad and eye-based authentication may not be reliable or not available.
According to the present invention, these aims are achieved in particular through the characteristics of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are moreover described in the dependent claims and in the description.
According to the invention, these aims are achieved by means of a communication device, system and method according to the independent claim.
Especially, these aims are achieved by a communication device comprising:
These aims are also achieved by a communication system comprising:
In an embodiment, these aims are achieved by the independent method claim which is directed to a method for operating a communication device.
The haptic sensor can be mounted on the frame of said glasses or connected by a short range connection interface to said Virtual Retinal Display (VRD). The haptic sensor can be a fingerprint sensor and used for identification and authentication purposes as well. The retinal or iris scan data or voice recognition from the VRD can be used separately from or in addition to the mentioned authentication. The biometric authentication will be with advantage used to access a server, applications or an external device which is connected to the glasses by means of a short range communication interface. As external device a mobile headset, mp3-player, game console, PC, Laptop, DVB-H or DVB receiver, a mobile telephone comprising an identification module and connected to a mobile communication network, the Virtual Retinal Display (VRD) of another user or any other suitable device might be used.
When the communication device comprises an identification module of a radio mobile network, this module can be used to access remote servers or the internet. In this case the VRD may provide the biometric data.
The communication device further comprises a power supply, earphones and/or a (body scarf) microphone. The transparency of the glasses can preferably be controlled from see-through to non see-through parts of the glasses, and this progressively. In this way, the user can view the environment and the surroundings as well as a displayed graphical user interface (GUI). The transparency may also act as sun glasses. For users with visual defects, the glasses might also integrate visual correction.
Further advantageous embodiments can be found in the dependent claims.
The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description of an embodiment given by way of example and illustrated by the figures, in which:
The image projected by the VRD on the retina may be produced by spatial modulation of a light beam using any suitable light shutter, for example based on liquid crystal technology. In another preferred embodiment, the projecting direction of a single light beam is moved using vibrating mirrors, for example two mirrors for moving it along two axes, so as to scan an image on the retina. In both embodiments, the light shutter respectively the mirrors may be based on MEMS technology.
The VRD device 1 is controlled by a video controller/control unit 11 in order to project image signals corresponding to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image onto the fovea of the user's eye(s) with an integrated Retinal Scanning device 18. The Retinal Scanning device 18 can either display in monochrome mode or in full color still pictures or animated images, e.g. movies. The resolution of the Retinal Scanning device 18 can be up to HDTV or even higher. A double unit can beam two signals, one into each eye, for three-dimensional pictures. In order to be able to project the image directly onto the retina of the user, an eye-tracking system may optionally monitor the exact viewing direction of the eye. The eye-tracking system is used to identify the spot of a users view to a projected picture with one or more objects. This feature offers additional functions, e.g. identify which objects are preferred by a specific user.
The overall control of all components of the device within the control unit 11 will be explained with respect to
According to the present invention the VRD device 1 is equipped with haptic sensors 12, preferably on one or both sides of the frame of said glasses 1, in a way that it can easily be reached by the user with his fingers. A preferred example of haptic sensors 12 is an array of capacitive sensors, for example in a matrix of 9×192 capacitive electrodes, as made by the company ATRUA. Haptic sensor in the context of this document designates any sensor allowing navigation in at least two, preferably at least four, or any, directions through a graphical and/or text menu. Preferably, an haptic sensor in the sense of this application is a sensor that allows to enter not only binary selections, but also directions and amplitudes, depending on the moving direction of the finger. Some preferred capacitive haptic sensors also allow fingerprints to be taken, as described below. Other examples for haptic sensors which may be used are touch pads, joy sticks, trackballs or any finger operated input device for moving a cursor on a GUI or for navigating in a menu.
User authentication based on fingerprint captured with a haptic sensor may require the user to swipe his finger on the sensor, in order to capture an image of the whole finger.
With the haptic sensor 12 on the frame of said glasses 1, it is thus possible for the user to make selections, to navigate with a cursor through a graphical user interface (GUI), input characters on a virtual keyboard or change images or video sequences (zooming, replay, fast forward, etc.) displayed by the VRD device 1. A virtual keypad displayed by a VRD device is already known from the international publication WO-A1-01/88680. The term “navigate” comprises all known mouse features for moving a cursor such as displaying a cursor, rolling, scrolling, rotating, clicking, double clicking, and pressing in order to move through the graphical user interface (GUI). The system works therefore as the input system of a mouse or a joystick at a personal computer.
Furthermore, navigating through a menu which consists of icons or text could be done as well with the haptic sensor. The navigation then consists essential of flipping, possibly through the different icons or menu items, which then could be selected by clicking. The user then enters e.g. a new menu or selects an application. Still it would be possible to navigate by defining vectors, such as the direction and the length of the vector, for navigating along several directions in the menu and/or faster scrolling. The sense and length can also be used as parameters for commands, for example in order to control the loudspeaker volume, or the brightness or contrast of the display.
Since the VRD device 1 may also be equipped with an eye tracking system in order to determine the direction of the user's viewing or of a predetermined sequence of movements of the user's eye(s). This direction or sequence of directions can then be taken into account for entering further commands into the system. In this way, in one embodiment of the invention, the user will choose an item to be selected only by viewing the same item. Thereafter, the user can select the item by pressing or acting on the haptic sensor 12.
Many instructions or inputs can be combined taking into account the movement of the eye(s) and of the haptic sensor 12. Due to the arrangement of the haptic sensor 12 on the frame of the glasses 1 and the possibilities of moving through a graphical user interface (GUI) to input characters on a keypad or access a server, no space is needed for a separate keypad.
In another embodiment, the haptic sensor is not mounted directly on the glasses, but connected to the VRD device or to the same processing unit than the VRD device, for example over a wired or wireless interface. For example, if the device is used for driving a car or a plane, the VRD device may be mounted in glasses or in a helmet worn by the driver, or mounted in the cockpit, while the haptic sensor may be conveniently mounted near the steering wheel. Mutual authentication mechanisms are preferably provided to ensure that the VRD device is always communicating with the expected haptic sensor.
The haptic sensor 12 can be used for identification and authentication purposes as well if the sensor 12 is a fingerprint sensor. A mode switch may be used for a quick swipe between navigation and authentication of the user, so that the user knows when his fingerprint is taken. The different modes can be displayed in a (small) icon in the projected VRD image, so that the user is aware of mode. Alternatively, fingerprints may be taken each time the user manipulates the haptic sensor.
In a first embodiment, only authorized users can use the inventive device. In this way, before the use of the VRD device 1, the fingerprint or any other biometric feature such as voice recognition or a retinal or iris scan of the user can be taken in order to authenticate the user. This could even be done automatically by the device 1 without active intervention of the user, when the user wears the device and biometric data can be obtained by the device 1. Reference data will be taken when the user uses the device for the first time, and stored in a memory. Means for comparing the reference data with the measure data are provided in the device. In one embodiment, this memory is a smart card such as an identification module (SIM) 19 of a radio mobile network 6, where the biometric reference data can be stored. In a variant embodiment the fingerprint reference is stored in a special chip, which has the same or similar functionality of a SIM, such as a specific security chip as described in patent application WO-A2-02/01328. The SIM, or any other security chip, may also be used alone or in addition to the biometric parameters for user identification or authentication.
If the authentication procedure is positive, the user can use the device or execute an application in the device. Of course, it would be possible to store the biometric data of different users that are allowed to use the device. The registration and-authentication procedure will be the same for all the users. However, it is possible in the beginning to launch different programs or apply different user preferences for different users. These user set-ups will preferably also be stored in said memory.
If the VRD device 1 is equipped with the mentioned identification module (SIM) 19 and it is connected to a mobile communication network 6 such as GSM or UMTS, the device can be used as a mobile phone and the user can enter his commands, write SMS or MMS, select telephone numbers to be dialed, etc. using the haptic sensor 12 or both the haptic sensor 12 and eye commands. A video phone call or a video conference can be conducted where the user sees his or her telephone or conference partner(s). In the same way, the user can access the internet over the mobile communication network 6 and navigate through it. To enable full communications capabilities, one or several microphones can be integrated in the glasses frame, e.g. body scarf microphones 15 with contact to the temporal bone or any other conventional microphone. Other embodiments are also possible, such as a combination with an ear phone 17. The glasses' frame is connected over an electric wire 16 with said ear phone or earplugs 17. The ear plugs might also combined with an acoustic hearing aid.
The power supply 14 of the VRD device 1 can consist of photovoltaic cells, the accumulator and the controlling part in the control logic 11. The photovoltaic cells may be mounted in the frame or as an additional transparent layer as a coating on the glasses 1, using for example Graetzel cells such as known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,827 or conventional silicon cells. In addition to these elements, contacts might be foreseen to reload the energy system. Other energy sources are also possible. In addition, the ear phones 17 might integrate accumulators for the power supply.
The inventive glasses 1 can also be equipped with a short range contactless interface 13. Over the contactless interface 13, the glasses 1 are connected over a contactless communication channel 8 to an external device, such as a mobile phone 2 or any other personal device 9 which is also equipped with such a contactless interface 23. Contactless interfaces 13, 23 are known in the prior art as well, such as for example according to Bluetooth, ZigBee, IrDA, HomeRF, NFC (near field communication), WLAN or DECT.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, data from the personal device 9 is transmitted over the contactless communication channel 8. Before this procedure, the user can be authenticated from the VRD device 1 itself with one or a combination of biometric features and/or passwords as explained above. Of course, this procedure is only optional. The user starts the glasses 1 by clicking on a start button, or with a fast swipe on the haptic sensor 12 in order to get a secure connection between the personal device 9 and the VRD device 1. The fast swipe (gesture) is a fast finger move over the fingerprint sensor 12, which starts the function of the entire system and displays a service menu (graphical user interface GUI) by using the retinal scanning device 18.
To continue, the user may start an authentication procedure by swiping his specific finger over the fingerprint sensor before he sees said menu. Navigating and taking the fingerprint of the user can also be performed at the same time, when the user is using the haptic sensors 12. In this way he can move through a server and access secured parts only when he is authenticated by his fingerprints taken during the prior navigation. This second authentication procedure will be performed with the reference data stored in the personal device 9. The fingerprint sensor 12 is either a solid state fingerprint sensor or a solid sweep fingerprint sensor (capacitive sensor) with a communication interface to the Identification module (SIM-Card) 19 (or as seen later SIM-Card 24) or to any specific security chip as described above.
WO-A2-02/01328 offers a biometric-based security chip in which the user database, processor, and biometric map generation functions are all located on the same integrated circuit, whose secure contents are inaccessible from outside the integrated circuit. Biometric data, such as a fingerprint, iris, retina scan, and/or voiceprint, is taken from a user requesting access to restricted resources. The biometric data is transferred into the integrated circuit, where it is converted into a biometric map and compared with a database of biometric maps stored in a non-volatile memory in the integrated circuit. The stored maps represent pre-authorized users, and a match triggers the security circuit to send a signal to a host processor authorizing the host processor to permit the requesting user access to the restricted resources. The integrated circuit essentially serves as a write-only memory for the secure data, because the secure data and security functions in the integrated circuit are not directly accessible through any pin or port, and therefore cannot be read or monitored through a dedicated security attack. A second non-volatile memory, accessible from outside the integrated circuit, can also be provided in the integrated circuit for storing non-secure data. This second memory has its own interface port, and is isolated from the security-related functions and memory so that secure and non-secure functions are physically isolated from each other and cannot be modified to overcome that isolation.
If the authentication test is positive, the user can use the personal device 9 and the data will be displayed with the retinal scanning device 18. In order to create a secure system, this authentication can be a combined authentication with eye (retina, pupil or iris), finger (fingerprint, blood vessel) and/or voice recognition and/or comparison of data stored in the mentioned chip-card in the VRD device 1 or in the above mentioned security chip.
Different combinations of biometric data and/or passwords or PINs may be requested by different applications, by different parts of a same application, or depending on the context or current security level. For example, a retinal authentication may be sufficient for many applications, but additional authentication data, for example a fingerprint, a voiceprint, or a password may be requested by security-sensitive applications, or when the confidence level delivered by the retinal authentication system is below a predetermined threshold. Alternatively, the various authentication methods available may be chosen by the user, or used sequentially as fallback if a first authentication fails.
As will be understood, the PIN or password can be entered with the haptic sensor 12 by the user, for example by means of a virtual keyboard which is displayed to him by the VRD device 1.
When the authentication procedure is positive, the user is able to navigate through the personal device 9 (or the mobile phone 2) by entering commands through the mentioned haptic sensors 12 mounted on the inventive glasses 1. The commands will also be transmitted over the communication channel 8. As already mentioned, the navigation includes known commands such as rolling, scrolling, clicking and/or pressing, etc. With this equipment, the user will be able to elect video clips to be displayed, to play games or to review personal documents that are stored in the personal device 9. Sound presented at the same time will be presented to the user through said earphones 17 and will be transmitted e.g. over the same communication channel 8. Examples of possible personal devices 9 are mobile handsets, mp3 players, game consoles, PC, Laptops, DVB-H or DVB receivers or any other suitable device.
If the system is paired with an external device 9 (or as seen below with the mobile phone 2), the system will start the communication with this device 9. In one embodiment, the system control (control unit 11) may contain a specific register of paired external devices 2, 9. If so, the user may select one of the registered devices 2, 9 for his usage. Once the user has selected the device 2, 9 he wants, he can use the fingerprint sensor to have full control of said external device 2, 9 by using the fingerprint sensor 12.
If the VRD device 1 is connected to a broadcast receiver in the described way, there is the possibility to use it for authentication within a DRM (Digital Right Management) system. The user then may subscribe a certain content in advance for which he pays a fee (pay-TV). During the subscription, e.g. in a video store, the user has to indicate his biometric data to the content provider. And the user only can decrypt the subscribed content, if the biometric data matches the user specific encryption data sent along with the content. Of course, encryption and decryption means will be used in order to provide appropriate security.
In this embodiment, the haptic sensor 12 can be used not only for selecting items such as channels, volume, brightness, etc. but also for zooming, replaying, etc. the displayed image or video.
If the user connects the VRD device 1 to a personal computer as personal device 9 and he wants to access a special application run by this device 9, this application can preferably be secured with biometric features. In this way, the application is protected and can only be used by authorized persons.
In a second embodiment, the inventive VRD device 1 is connected over the contactless communication channel 8 to the mobile phone 2. The mobile phone 2 comprises a display 22, a keyboard 23 (or any other input means), said contactless interface 23 and a chip-card, for example a SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) card 24, in which user-specific data are stored. Again, any type of data can be exchanged in both directions from the VRD device 1 to said mobile phone 2 over the short range communication interfaces 13, 23 and displayed by the VRD device 1 or the mobile phone 2. In a variant embodiment there could be a contact based interface (such as a wire) and the VRD is connected over that interface to the external device 9 or the mobile phone 2.
The authentication procedure is similar to the one explained above for the personal device 9. Reference biometric data can be stored in the SIM card 24. This biometric data will be compared with the measured biometric data taken from the user and transmitted from the VRD device 1 to the mobile phone 2 or from the mobile phone 2 to the VRD device 1. If the authentication is positive, the user can visualize his data from the mobile phone, such as reading and writing SMS or MMS or browsing the (mobile) internet using the haptic sensor 12. Again, it is possible to use the plurality of biometric data and/or an additional PIN code as above mentioned. In another embodiment, during the use of the inventive system, the user may also have access to non associated audio signals, e.g. to his telephone calls, while watching any other optical signal at the same time.
The mobile phone 2 is connected to a communication network 6 over a mobile radio interface 5. The network 6 is for example a mobile radio network, for example according to GSM or UMTS, but could also be the internet or consist of several networks. The mobile phone 2 can be connected over the communication network 6 with a remote server 3, for example with a http or WAP server, that is administered by the operator of the communication network 6 and/or by a service provider. The data transmission between the mobile phone 2 and the remote server 3 is preferably secured end-to-end, for example with the protocol SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), TLS (Transport Layer Security) and/or WTLS (Wireless Transport Layer Security). Data sent from the mobile phone 2 to the server 3 are preferably signed electronically by a security module, preferably with an electronic private key stored in an electronic certificate in the SIM card 24 or in the security module 110 in the glasses 1 or in the mobile phone 2 (securing the air interface/contactless communication channel 8).
According to this embodiment, said Virtual Retinal Display 1 is connected over said short range communication interfaces 13, 23, over said mobile telephone 2 and over said mobile communication network 6 with the server 3 or the content provider 4. The server 3 contains a portal 31 for accessing over a communication path 7 different databases therein such as a customer database 32 or a services database 33. The identification or authentication of the user against the server 3 is performed in the same way as described above with the fingerprint sensor 12 mounted on the frame of the glasses 1 with retinal authentication with voice authentication and/or password. This embodiment allows a fingerprint to be taken from the user while the user is using the haptic sensor as a navigation instrument to access the server 3 or the content provider 4 or to tone other biometric data while he is speaking or looking into the VRD device. For the access of the server 3, the security control can be done by with the haptic sensor 12 with reference data stored in the SIM card. If the test is positive, the server 3 can be accessed. In this way the security is significant increased. In a variant embodiment the fingerprint reference is stored in a special chip, which has the same or similar functionality of a SIM, or as a specific security chip as described above. In still a further embodiment, a user identification in the SIM, or in any security chip, is used in addition or for replacing fingerprint or other biometric identifications when accessing the server.
The user has to register in advance with his biometric features in order to be identified or authenticated if he wants to access this server 3. The rights given to the user on the server 3 depend on the type of server 3 and the type of services offered by the service provider. The mobile phone 2 can also be connected over the communication network 6 to a content provider 4 in order to make a subscription for a certain content, thereby transmitting his or her biometric feature(s) to the content provider 4.
For the access to the content provider 4, the security control can be done by with the haptic sensor 12 with reference data stored in the SIM card. If the test is positive, the content can be accessed. In this way the security is significant increased. In a variant embodiment the fingerprint reference is stored in a special chip, which has the same or similar functionality of a SIM, such as a specific security chip as described above. In still a further embodiment, a user identification in the SIM, or in any security chip, is used in addition or for replacing fingerprint or other biometric identifications when accessing the content.
In a further embodiment, two “sensor glasses 1” can be connected together via the contactless interface 13 or the communications network 6 or the between a user A and a user B, both using the same device 1. In this embodiment, the user A will experience the sounds and images captured by the sensor glasses 1 of the user B (microphone and inverted retinal scanning device 18). Additional information will be provided by marking the user B's viewpoint on the user A's beamed image. This embodiment is particularly useful for video conferences and video games.
The system control is a microprocessor to control all functions of the inventive glasses as presented in
As seen in
The advantages of such inventive “sensor glasses” are significant in the domains of speed, convenience, quality, confidence and trust. There is no need for a separate keyboard, but only one haptic sensor 12 which makes the use for the user very easy.
