Method for evaluating gestures

• US 10,114,468 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Ette, Bernd, Wintsche, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US15/387,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20170192520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 345156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/14 Optical characteristics of the device performing the acquisition or on the illumination arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113

Abstract

A method for evaluating gestures based on data of a sensor having lateral drift-field photodetector diodes (LDPD) diodes, the method includes sequentially measuring first, extraneous light in order to obtain two dimensional (2D) data in the form of reflectance data; measuring second, laser light in order to obtain three dimensional (3D) data in the form of distance data; measuring third, residual light; obtaining movement artifacts in the 2D and/or 3D data which were caused by residual charges in a moved object; detecting a movement by processing the movement artifacts; and evaluating the detected movement with regards to a possible gesture.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating gestures based on data of a sensor having lateral drift-field photodetector diodes (LDPD), the method comprising:

sequentially measuring first, extraneous light in order to obtain two dimensional (2D) data in the form of reflectance data;

measuring second, laser light in order to obtain three dimensional (3D) data in the form of distance data;

measuring third, residual light;

obtaining movement artifacts in the 2D and/or 3D data which were caused by residual charges in a moved object;

detecting a movement by processing the movement artifacts; and

evaluating the detected movement with regards to a possible gesture.

2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that a quantification of movement artifacts at the edges of the moved object is used for the calculation of a movement vector.

3. The method of claim 1, characterized in that a quantification of movement artifacts at the edges of the moved object is used for the calculation of an approach speed of the moved object towards the sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, characterized in that, after determination of a directed movement towards a gesture area, a filter for reducing the movement artifacts is switched on.

5. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the 3D data for determining a stationary object is evaluated.

6. The method of claim 1, characterized in that switching of evaluation from the 2D data to the 3D data takes places when determining fast objects.

7. The method of claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to the movement detection using the 2D data, a movement detection takes place using the 3D data and the results are checked for plausibility.

8. The method of claim 1, characterized in that an actuator is operated after a detected approach and/or after a detected gesture.

9. The method of claim 8, characterized in that the sensor is arranged in a vehicle and that, only after successful identification of a person performing the approach and/or the gesture by a keyless entry procedure, an actuator of the vehicle is operated.

10. A vehicle comprising a sensor having lateral drift-field photodetector diodes (LDPD) and a control device connected to the sensor, characterized in that the control device is configured to execute a method of claim 1.

11. A computer program product having a program code to perform, if the program product is executed on a computing unit or a control device of a vehicle, a method for evaluating gestures based on data of a sensor having lateral drift-field photodetector diodes (LDPD), the program comprising:

sequentially measuring first, extraneous light in order to obtain two dimensional (2D) data in the form of reflectance data;

measuring second, laser light in order to obtain three dimensional (3D) data in the form of distance data;

measuring third, residual light;

obtaining movement artifacts in the 2D and/or 3D data which were caused by residual charges in a moved object;

detecting a movement by processing the movement artifacts; and

evaluating the detected movement with regards to a possible gesture.