Electronic Device Control Based on Gestures

• US 20120124516A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Friedman, Lee G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,304,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Systems and methods for electronic device control based on gestures are provided. A particular method includes sending a menu from a gesture controller to a display device. The menu includes selectable options to control at least one electronic device. The method includes detecting a first user gesture at the gesture controller in response to three dimensional (3D) image data obtained from a gesture camera. The method includes determining at least one command for one or more electronic devices at the gesture controller based on the first user gesture and based on the menu. The method also includes sending the at least one command from the gesture controller to the one or more electronic devices.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a three dimension (3D) image device configured to provide 3D image data of movements of a user;

a display interface configured to send options of a menu to a display device;

a processor configured to analyze the 3D image data to identify a gesture made by the user to select a particular option of the menu, to determine whether the user is authorized to select the particular option of the menu, and, when the user is authorized to select the particular option, to provide at least one of an instruction to change the menu and at least one command for one or more devices; and

at least one interface to send the at least one command to the one or more device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the 3D image device comprises an emitter and at least one image sensor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the emitter is an infrared emitter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the 3D image device comprises a gesture camera.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to send a top menu to the display device in response to detection of an initiate gesture from the user in the 3D image data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the top menu includes selectable options for at least one of the display device, a media player, and other devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to remove the menu from the display and to await detection of an initiate gesture from the user in response to detection of an end gesture from the user in the 3D image data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor ignores gestures of the user in the 3D image data until detection of an initiate gesture by the user in the 3D image data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the options comprise at least one of animated icons, symbols, and text.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more devices comprise at least one of a media device, a display device, a computer system, a security system, electronic devices, lighting, and a mobile communication device.

11. A method, comprising:

sending a menu from a gesture controller to a display device, wherein the menu includes selectable options to control at least one electronic device;

detecting a first user gesture at the gesture controller in response to three dimensional (3D) image data obtained from a gesture camera, wherein the first user gesture selects a particular selectable option for a particular electronic device;

identifying from the 3D image data a person performing the first gesture;

determining whether the person is authorized to control the particular electronic device;

determining at least one command corresponding to the particular selectable option when the person is authorized to control the particular electronic device; and

sending the at least one command from the gesture controller to the particular electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting an initiate gesture from initial 3D image data before sending the menu to the display device, wherein the menu is sent to the display device in response to the initiate gesture.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the gesture controller selects a particular electronic device to control based on the initiate gesture.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

ignoring gestures of a second person within range of the gesture camera other than the person after detecting the initiate gesture until at least one of detection of an end gesture from the person and passage of a preset inactivity time from a previous gesture of the person detected by the gesture controller.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a signal indicating activation of the particular electronic device prior to sending the menu.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the particular electronic device comprises a telephone and wherein the selectable options comprise at least one of sending an incoming call to the telephone to voicemail and allowing a ring signal for the incoming call to be sent to the telephone.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the particular electronic device comprises a mobile communication device, and wherein presence of the mobile communication device near the display device is detected before sending the selectable options to the display device.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the person is authorized to control the particular electronic device comprises applying a time dependent restriction:

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

instructions executable by the processor to detect an initiate gesture from initial three dimensional (3D) image data obtained from a gesture camera;

instructions executable by the processor to determine that the initiate gesture applies to a particular device;

instructions executable by the processor to send a menu to a display device, wherein the menu provides selectable options for control of at the particular device;

instructions executable by the processor to determine a command for the particular device based on a first user gesture detected by analysis of 3D image data obtained from the gesture camera and based on the menu; and

instructions executable by the processor to send the command to the particular device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising:

instructions executable by the processor to determine a selection of an option from the menu in response to receipt of the 3D image data; and

instructions executable by the processor to update the menu sent to the display device based on the selection.