Method and System for Touch Gesture Detection in Response to Microphone Output

• US 20130022214A1
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dolby International AB (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated), Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dolby International AB (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated), Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: DICKINS, GLENN N., DONEY, DAVID P., EHRET, ANDREAS, SUN, XUEJING
• Granted Patent: US 9,042,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method for processing output of at least one microphone of a device (e.g., a headset) to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by distinguishing the gesture from input to the microphone other than a touch gesture intended by the user, and by distinguishing between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device, where the output of the at least one microphone is also indicative of ambient sound (e.g., voice utterences). Other embodiments are systems for detecting ambient sound (e.g., voice utterences) and touch gestures, each including a device including at least one microphone and a processor coupled and configured to process output of each microphone to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device.

Claims

1. A method for identifying at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on a device, including the step of:

(a) processing output of at least one microphone of the device to identify the at least one touch gesture exerted by the user on the device, where the output of the at least one microphone is also indicative of ambient sound, including by distinguishing the touch gesture from input to the at least one microphone other than a touch gesture intended by the user, and by distinguishing between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

2. The method of claim 1, also including the step of:

controlling the device in response to identification of at least one said touch gesture.

3. The method of claim 1, also including the step of:

controlling a system including the device in response to identification of at least one said touch gesture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a headset including at least two microphones, and the outputs of the microphones are processed to identify and distinguish between a tap exerted by the user on the headset and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the headset.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes at least two microphones, and the outputs of the microphones are processed to identify and distinguish between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes a step of processing the output of the at least one microphone to distinguish between a tap exerted on the device and each of a predetermined set of dynamic gestures exerted on the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes a step of microphone output signal analysis and classification that alters or disables detection of touch gestures in response to at least one determined signal condition to avoid false touch gesture detection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes a step of distinguishing a touch gesture executed by a nail of a user'"'"'s finger from a gesture executed by a pad of a user'"'"'s finger.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes a step of performing state based filtering to improve touch gesture detection performance.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes use of at least one of context and state information, determined from the device, that is not directly related to touch gesture detection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) includes determination of peak to average power ratio of the output of each said microphone.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes at least two microphones, and step (a) includes determination of a power ratio of outputs of the microphones as a function of time.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes at least two microphones, and step (a) includes determination of a characteristic of a relative power spectrum determined from outputs of the microphones.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes at least two microphones, and step (a) includes determination of a cross correlation peak as a function of time from the outputs of the microphones.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the device has a surface texture, and step (a) includes determination from the output of a trend of a pitch estimator related to the surface texture.

16. A method for identifying at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on a device, including a step of:

(a) processing output of at least one microphone of the device to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by determining peak to average power ratio of the output of each said microphone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the output of the at least one microphone is also indicative of ambient sound, and step (a) includes a step of distinguishing the touch gesture from input to the at least one microphone other than a touch gesture intended by the user.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein step (a) includes a step of distinguishing between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

19. The method of claim 16, also including a step of:

controlling the device or a system including the device, in response to identification of at least one said touch gesture.

20. A method for identifying at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on a device, wherein the device includes at least two microphones, said method including a step of:

(a) processing outputs of the microphones to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by determining a power ratio of the outputs of the microphones as a function of time.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the output of the microphones is also indicative of ambient sound, and step (a) includes a step of distinguishing the touch gesture from input to the microphones other than a touch gesture intended by the user.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein step (a) includes a step of distinguishing between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

23. The method of claim 20, also including a step of:

controlling the device or a system including the device, in response to identification of at least one said touch gesture.

24. A method for identifying at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on a device, wherein the device includes at least two microphones, said method including a step of:

(a) processing output of the microphones to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by determining a characteristic of a relative power spectrum determined from outputs of the microphones.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the output of the microphones is also indicative of ambient sound, and step (a) includes a step of distinguishing the touch gesture from input to the microphones other than a touch gesture intended by the user.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein step (a) includes a step of distinguishing between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

27. The method of claim 24, also including a step of:

controlling the device or a system including the device, in response to identification of at least one said touch gesture.

28. A method for identifying at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on a device, wherein the device includes at least two microphones, said method including a step of:

(a) processing outputs of the microphones to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by determining a cross correlation peak as a function of time from the outputs of the microphones.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the output of the microphones is also indicative of ambient sound, and step (a) includes a step of distinguishing the touch gesture from input to the microphones other than a touch gesture intended by the user.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein step (a) includes a step of distinguishing between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

31. The method of claim 28, also including a step of:

controlling the device or a system including the device, in response to identification of at least one said touch gesture.

32. A method for identifying at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on a device having a surface texture, including a step of:

(a) processing output of at least one microphone of the device to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by determining from said output a trend of a pitch estimator related to the surface texture.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the output of the at least one microphone is also indicative of ambient sound, and step (a) includes a step of distinguishing the touch gesture from input to the at least one microphone other than a touch gesture intended by the user.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein step (a) includes a step of distinguishing between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

35. The method of claim 32, also including a step of:

controlling the device or a system including the device, in response to identification of at least one said touch gesture.

36. A method for identifying at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on a device, including a step of:

(a) processing output of at least one microphone of the device to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by determining a combination of at least two of absolute power of said output, absolute level of said output, peak to average power ratio of said output, power ratio of outputs of two microphones of the device, a relative power spectrum characteristic determined from outputs of two microphones of the device, and cross correlation peak as a function of time determined from outputs of two microphones of the device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the output of the at least one microphone is also indicative of ambient sound, and step (a) includes a step of distinguishing the touch gesture from input to the at least one microphone other than a touch gesture intended by the user.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein step (a) includes a step of distinguishing between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

39. The method of claim 36, also including a step of:

controlling the device or a system including the device, in response to identification of at least one said touch gesture.

40. A system for detecting ambient sound and touch gestures, said system including:

a device including at least one microphone configured to detect ambient sound; and

a processor coupled and configured to process output of each said microphone to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by distinguishing the touch gesture from input to the at least one microphone other than a touch gesture intended by the user, and to distinguish between a tap exerted by the user on the device and at least one dynamic gesture exerted by the user on the device.

41. A system for identifying at least one touch gesture, including:

a device including at least one microphone configured to detect ambient sound; and

a processor coupled and configured to process output of the at least one microphone to identify at least one touch gesture exerted by a user on the device, including by determining a combination of at least two of absolute power of said output, absolute level of said output, peak to average power ratio of said output, power ratio of outputs of two microphones of the device, a relative power spectrum characteristic determined from outputs of two microphones of the device, and cross correlation peak as a function of time determined from outputs of two microphones of the device.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the processor is configured to identify the touch gesture including by distinguishing said touch gesture from input to the microphones other than a touch gesture intended by the user.