GESTURE BASED INTERACTIVE CONTROL OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

• US 20130010207A1
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3divi Company
• Original Assignee: 3DIVI
• Inventors: Valik, Andrey, Zaitsev, Pavel, Morozov, Dmitry
• Application Number:
  US13/478,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010207A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• 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 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for controlling one or more electronic devices by recognition of gestures made by a three-dimensional object (3D). In one example embodiment, the method comprises capturing a series of successive 3D images in real time, identifying that the object has a predetermined elongated shape, identifying that the object is oriented substantially towards a predetermined direction, determining at least one qualifying action being performed by a user and/or the object, comparing the at least one qualifying action to one or more pre-determined actions associated with the direction towards which the object is oriented, and, based on the comparison, selectively issuing to the one or more electronic devices a command associated with the at least one qualifying action.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling one or more electronic devices by recognition of gestures made by a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

capturing a series of successive 3D images in real time;

identifying that the object has a predetermined elongated shape;

identifying that the object is oriented substantially towards a predetermined direction;

determining at least one qualifying action being performed by a user and/or the object;

comparing the at least one qualifying action to one or more pre-determined actions associated with the direction towards which the object is oriented; and

based on the comparison, selectively issuing to the one or more electronic devices a command associated with the at least one qualifying action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined direction is associated with the one or more electronic devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is selected from a group comprising a wand, a elongated pointing device, an arm, a hand, and one or more fingers of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the series of successive 3D images are captured using at least one video camera or a 3D image sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the object comprises one or more of:

processing the captured series of successive 3D images to generate a depth map;

determining geometrical parameters of the object; and

identifying the object by matching the geometrical parameters to a predetermined object database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining at least one qualifying action comprises determining and acknowledging one or more of:

a predetermined motion of the object;

a predetermined gesture of the object;

a gaze of the user towards the predetermined direction associated with one or more electronic devices;

a predetermined motion of the user;

a predetermined gesture of the user;

biometric data of the user; and

a voice command provided by the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein biometric data of the user is determined based on one or more of the following:

face recognition, voice recognition, user body recognition, and recognition of a user motion dynamics pattern.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the gaze of the user is determined based on one or more of the following:

a position of eyes of the user, a position of pupils or a contour of irises of the eyes, a position of a head of the user, an angle of inclination of the head, and a rotation of the head.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic devices comprising a computer, a game console, a TV set, a TV adapter, a communication device, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a lighting device, an audio system, and a video system.

10. A system for controlling one or more electronic devices by optical recognition of gestures made by an object, the system comprising:

at least one three-dimensional image sensor configured to capture a series of successive 3D images in real time; and

a computing unit communicatively coupled to the at least one 3D image sensor, the computing unit being configured to;

identify that the object has a predetermined elongated shape;

identify that the object is oriented substantially towards a predetermined direction;

determine at least one qualifying action being performed by a user and/or the object;

compare the at least one qualifying action to one or more predetermined actions associated with the direction towards which the object is oriented; and

based on the comparison, selectively issue to the one or more electronic devices a command associated with the at least one qualifying action.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one 3D image sensor comprises one or more of an infrared (IR) projector to generate modulated light, an IR camera to capture 3D images associated with the object or the user, and a color video camera.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the IR projector, the color video camera, and IR camera are installed in a common housing.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the color video camera and/or the IR camera are equipped with liquid lenses.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined direction is associated with the one or more electronic devices.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the object is selected from a group comprising a wand, a elongated pointing device, an arm, a hand, and one or more fingers of the user.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the computing unit is configured to identify the object by performing the acts of:

processing the captured series of successive 3D images to generate a depth map;

determining geometrical parameters of the object; and

identifying the object by matching the geometrical parameters to a predetermined object database.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the computing unit is configured to determine at least one qualifying action by performing the acts of determining and acknowledging one or more of:

a predetermined motion of the object;

a predetermined gesture of the object;

a gaze of the user towards the predetermined direction associated with one or more electronic devices;

a predetermined motion of the user;

a predetermined gesture of the user;

biometric data of the user; and

a voice command provided by the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein biometric data of the user is determined based on one or more of the following:

face recognition, voice recognition, user body recognition, and recognition of a user motion dynamics pattern.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the gaze of the user is determined based on the one or more of the following:

a position of eyes of the user, a position of pupils or a contour of irises of the eyes, a position of a head of the user, an angle of inclination of the head, and a rotation of the head.

20. A processor-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

capture a series of successive 3D images in real time;

identify that an object has a predetermined elongated shape;

identify that the object is oriented substantially towards a predetermined direction;

determine at least one qualifying action being performed by a user and/or the object;

compare the at least one qualifying action to one or more predetermined actions associated with the direction towards which the object is oriented; and

based on the comparison, selectively provide to the one or more electronic devices a command associated with the at least one qualifying action.