NAVIGATION APPROACHES FOR MULTI-DIMENSIONAL INPUT

• US 20130222246A1
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morrison, Jonathan D., Booms, Douglas Matthew, Garg, Parag K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,423,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Multi-dimensional gesture input to a computing device can be improved by providing a mechanism to lock or reduce the effects of motion in unintended directions. In one example, a user can navigate in two dimensions, then provide a selection action through motion in a third dimension. If a computing device analyzing the gesture is able to detect the selection action, the device can limit motion outside the corresponding third dimension in order to ensure that the proper selection action is performed. Various thresholds, values, or motions can be used to limit motion in one or more axes for any appropriate purpose as discussed herein.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of enabling input to a computing device, comprising:

displaying a keyboard on a display screen of a computing device;

capturing image information using a camera of the computing device;

analyzing the image information, using a processor of the computing device, to determine a position of a fingertip of a user with respect to the electronic device;

updating a current position of a cursor displayed on the display screen of the computing device, the cursor configured to move across the keyboard in two dimensions corresponding to movement of the fingertip of the user in a plane relative to the display screen;

detecting, from the captured image information and using the processor, motion of the fingertip toward the display screen; and

if an amount of change in position of the fingertip toward the display screen at least meets a selection threshold;

locking the current position of the cursor such that the position does not change during the motion of the fingertip toward the display screen; and

causing a character of the keyboard under the cursor to be selected as input to an application executing on the computing device as a result of the motion of the fingertip toward the display screen at the determined position.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the current position of the cursor to continue to update when the amount of motion of the fingertip toward the display screen does not at least meet the determined selection threshold.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing detected motion of the fingertip during the selection motion, wherein a determined position of the fingertip in the plane at a starting point of the selection motion serves as the current position of the cursor when the character is selected.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection threshold is specific to at least one of the user or the application.

5. A computer-implemented method of enabling input for a computing device, comprising:

capturing image information using a camera of the computing device;

determining, from the captured image information, a position of a feature of a user with respect to the computing device, the position being determined in at least two dimensions;

detecting a predetermined action performed by the user; and

in response to detecting the predetermined action, limiting an amount of change in an input position provided to an application executing on the computing device in at least one dimension.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the position of the feature is capable or being determined in three dimensions, and limiting an amount of change in the input position includes limiting the amount of change to one or two dimensions.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein limiting the amount of change in the input position includes locking the input position in at least one dimension while the user is performing the predetermined action.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein limiting the amount of change in the input position includes decreasing an amount of change in the input position along at least one dimension for corresponding movement of the feature in the at least one dimension.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined action includes at least one of a user moving the feature past a selection threshold, shaping the feature in a predetermined shape, performing a predetermined gesture, or speaking a predetermined command.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined action is customizable for the user.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the feature is one of a hand, a head, a finger, or a thumb of the user, or an object being held by the user.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

storing position data while limiting the amount of change, the position data capable of being utilized when the predetermined action is determined to have been detected in error.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the position of multiple features is determined, and wherein the amount of change in the input position provided for at least one of the multiple features is limited in at least one dimension upon detecting a predetermined action corresponding to the feature.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein changes in the determined position of the feature correspond to movement of at least one of the feature or the computing device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein determining the position of the feature includes emitting infrared light from the electronic device and detecting infrared light reflected back from the feature.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining an amount of light near the computing device using at least one light sensor; and

activating at least one illumination element of the computing device when the amount of light is below a minimum light threshold.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining an amount of motion of the computing device using a motion sensor of the computing device during the determining of the position; and

accounting for the motion of the computing device when determining changes in the position of the feature.

18. A computing device, comprising:

a device processor;

a camera; and

a memory device including instructions operable to be executed by the processor to perform a set of actions, enabling the computing device to;

capture image information using the camera of the computing device;

determine, from the captured image information, a position of a feature of a user with respect to the computing device, the position being determined in at least two dimensions;

detect a predetermined action performed by the user; and

in response to detecting the predetermined action, limit an amount of change in position data, corresponding to the determined position of the feature with respect to the computing device, in at least one dimension with respect to a change in an actual position of the feature.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the position of the feature is capable of being determined in three dimensions, and limiting an amount of change in the position data includes limiting the amount of change to one or two dimensions or locking the position data in at least one dimension while the user is performing the predetermined action.

20. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the predetermined action includes at least one of a user moving the feature past a selection threshold, shaping the feature in a predetermined shape, performing a predetermined gesture, or speaking a predetermined command.

21. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the position of multiple features is determined, and wherein the amount of change in the position data for at least one of the multiple features is limited in at least one dimension upon detecting a predetermined action corresponding to the feature.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

capture image information using the camera of the computing device;

determine, from the captured image information, a position of a feature of a user with respect to the computing device, the position being determined in at least two dimensions;

detect a predetermined action performed by the user; and

in response to detecting the predetermined action, limit an amount of change in position input data for the feature in at least one dimension with respect to a change in an actual position of the feature.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computing device to:

store position data while limiting the amount of change, the position data capable of being utilized when the predetermined action is determined to have been detected in error.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computing device to:

determine an amount of light near the computing device using at least one light sensor; and

activate at least one illumination element of the computing device when the amount of light is below a minimum light threshold.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computing device to:

determine an amount of motion of the computing device using a motion sensor of the computing device during the determining of the position; and

account for the motion of the computing device when determining changes in the position of the feature.