METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CAMERA MODULE FOR OPERATING GESTURE RECOGNITION AND HOME APPLIANCE

• US 20130229346A1
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Original Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Inventors: Jungbauer, Markus, Baier, Martin
• Application Number:
  US13/785,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229346A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• 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 camera module for operating gesture recognition includes a camera, an evaluation unit which evaluates picture data generated by the camera for recognition of an operating gesture from a predefined set of operating gestures, wherein the operating gestures serve for operator control of a home appliance, wherein the home appliance includes a control device for function control separate from the camera module, and an interface for coupling of the camera module with the control device, wherein information according to the recognized operating gesture is transmitted to the control device via the interface.

Claims

1. A camera module for operating gesture recognition comprising:

a camera;

an evaluation unit which evaluates picture data generated by the camera for recognition of an operating gesture from a predefined set of operating gestures, wherein the operating gestures serve for operator control of a home appliance, wherein the home appliance comprises a control device for function control separate from the camera module; and

an interface for coupling the camera module with the control device, wherein information according to the recognized operating gesture is transmitted to the control device via the interface.

2. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein:

the camera is a two-dimensional (2D) camera or a three-dimensional (3D) camera.

3. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein:

the camera module comprises a controllable illuminant, wherein the evaluation unit synchronizes the illuminant and the camera.

4. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein:

the evaluation unit synchronizes the camera and a controllable illuminant provided externally in relation to the camera module.

5. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein:

a unique operating gesture identifier is assigned to a respective operating gesture from the predefined set of operating gestures, wherein the information comprises the assigned operating gesture identifier.

6. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein:

the information comprises position information of the recognized operating gesture.

7. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein:

the interface comprises different control leads, wherein to each respective control lead an operating gesture is assigned from the predefined set of operating gestures.

8. A home appliance comprising:

a control device for function control of the home appliance; and

a user interface for operator control of the home appliance, wherein the user interface comprises a camera module according to claim 1.