VEHICLE GESTURE RECOGNITION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140152551A1
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wagner, Peter, Mueller, Florian
• Granted Patent: US 9,639,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/146 Input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/06 of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• 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: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113

Abstract

Embodiments of vehicle gesture recognition systems and methods are disclosed. An example vehicle gesture recognition system comprises a data interface configured for receiving 2d image data from a 2d sensor and/or from a portable device camera via a portable device interface. Additionally or alternatively, the data interface is configured for receiving gesture data indicating a gesture. A vehicle processing unit is configured for controlling user interfacing with a user interface based on the gestures recognized from the 2d image data and/or as indicated by the gesture data.

Claims

1. A vehicle gesture recognition system, comprising:

a data interface configured for receiving two-dimensional, 2d, image data of at least one field of view within the vehicle; and

a vehicle processing unit configured for

recognizing a gesture from the received 2d image data, and

controlling user interfacing with a user interface based on the recognized gesture.

2. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 1, further comprising:

a portable device interface configured for establishing a data connection between a portable device and the data interface, wherein the data interface is configured to receive at least parts of the 2d image data via the data connection from a 2d sensor of the portable device.

3. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 2, wherein the portable device interface is configured to releasably mount the portable device in a predetermined position.

4. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 1, further comprising at least one 2d sensor configured for providing at least parts of the 2d image data to the data interface.

5. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 4, wherein the at least one 2d sensor is selected from the group comprising:

an infrared sensor, a 2d optical camera, a capacitive sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a touch pad.

6. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle processing unit is a vehicle head unit, the vehicle head unit comprising a housing, wherein at least one outer surface of the housing is a cover shielding an interior of the vehicle head unit from a passenger compartment of the vehicle and comprising interface elements, and wherein the at least one 2d sensor is located on the at least one outer surface.

7. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 6, wherein the field of view of the at least one 2d sensor is orientated substantially perpendicular to the at least one outer surface.

8. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 2, wherein the portable device interface is configured to releasably mount the portable device such that the field of view of the at least one 2d sensor and the field of view of the portable device 2d sensor are at least partially overlapping.

9. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 8, wherein the portable device interface is configured to releasably mount the portable device such that the field of view of the at least one 2d sensor and the field of view of the portable device 2d sensor enclose an angle of approximately 90°

.

10. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle processing unit is configured to recognize the gesture taking into account the predetermined position of the portable device and/or a predetermined position of the at least one 2d sensor.

11. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle processing unit is further configured for determining the predetermined position of the portable device based on the parts of the 2d image data received from the portable device 2d sensor and further based on parts of the 2d image data received from the at least one 2d sensor.

12. A vehicle gesture recognition system, comprising:

a data interface configured for receiving gesture data, the gesture data indicating a gesture;

a portable device interface being configured for establishing a data connection between a portable device and the data interface, wherein the data interface is further configured for receiving the gesture data via the data connection from a portable device application executed on the portable device; and

a vehicle processing unit configured for controlling user interfacing with a user interface based on the gesture indicated by the gesture data.

13. The vehicle gesture recognition system of claim 12, wherein the gesture data comprises indicators indicating at least one particular gesture from a predefined set of gestures.

14. A method of gesture recognition in a vehicle, comprising:

receiving 2d image data of at least one field of view within the vehicle;

in a vehicle processing unit recognizing a gesture from the received 2d image data; and

in the vehicle processing unit controlling user interfacing with a user interface based on the recognized gesture.

15. A method of gesture recognition in a vehicle, comprising:

establishing a data connection between a portable device and a portable device interface;

receiving gesture data indicating a gesture via the data connection from a portable device application executed on the portable device; and

in a vehicle processing unit controlling user interfacing with a user interface based on the gesture indicated by the gesture data.