Text Size
Samsung files touch-free patent to control phones
updated 02:50 pm EDT, Fri April 18, 2008
Samsung files phone patent
It appears Samsung is trying to leapfrog the iPhone's touch display and go straight to a touch-free interface in its future mobile phones. The company has reportedly filed a patent for an interface based on hand signals. The phone's integrated camera will recognize users' hand gestures as commands and execute them.
Skeptics cite concerns regarding such a system's speed, convenience, accuracy and misinterpretation as possible hurdles to mainstream adoption.
Samsung previuosly filed a similar patent for a Virtual Display data entry interface back in 2006, which also involved the built-in camera. [via GigaOM]
lololololol
04/18, 02:40pm reply
good luck with that...
MyRightEye
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2008
patent money on trees
04/18, 02:43pm reply
Yeah, and I want to patent a tree that money grows on. I can probably get that to grow before they get this working.
How fracking funny is that?
jhawk95
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2006
I can see ...
04/18, 02:57pm reply
... How that marketing campaign will go:
"look mom, no hands"
Or how they can up with that in an executive meeting:
"iPhone is eating us alive. What's better than touch by hands?"
"uhm... No hands?"
"BRILLIANT! Make it happen!"
ZinkDifferent
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2005
lame
04/18, 03:13pm reply
so you have to have the cell phone camera pointed at your hands? yea.. good luck with that! lol!
eldarkus
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2004
sign language
04/18, 03:23pm reply
Didn't Apple have a patent on LCD's doubling as camera's?
I can see this happening in the future for specific devices and apps but i can't imagine it to be better than touch.
Peter Bonte
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
lol
04/18, 04:11pm reply
What's the reason for not touching the phone? How do you avoid accidental inputs? (Sorry the phone disconnected you, I was trying to hit a fly).
How do you use it with one hand? Does the phone fly and its camera will rotate and follow your hand around?
I guess you have to gesture in the air like crazy monkey boy Balmer?
MOST-RETARDED-IDEA-EVER...
dliup
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006
This is a good thing...
04/18, 04:48pm reply
The great thing about this interface is that if someone is being an a** and talking too loud on the phone you can just flip them off, it will be interpreted as number 4, and their call will switch to the Muzak version of Muskrat Love. Payback is great.
Also, does the computer interface in the 2002 movie Minority Report count as prior art?
brainiac
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2003
oops
04/18, 06:47pm reply
I meant MOST-RETARDED-IDEA-EVER... for a phone. Might be interesting for a desktop thing, but what can't be done with touching a surface?
But love the possibility to turn off loud talkers. "oh sorry I was just stretching"
And of course Balmer is spelled Ballmer
dliup
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006
Speed dial
04/19, 10:20am reply
Flip it the bird to call your boss.
trenchcoat77
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2003
concern
04/21, 02:40am reply
[QUOTE]Skeptics cite concerns regarding such a system's speed, convenience, accuracy and misinterpretation as possible hurdles to mainstream adoption.[/QUOTE]
How about looking like a total a** for trying to use sign language on a phone...
Kees
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2001