IN-AIR ULTRASOUND PEN GESTURES

• US 20150242002A1
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: ALTMAN, Nathan, PADOVANI, Niccolo, BORNSTEIN, Gilad
• Granted Patent: US 9,720,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0346 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 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Implementations of the technology described herein provide a method for detecting gesture commands using an ultrasonic pen system. The system has a pen and a user device. Detection of gesture commands is based on two-dimensional gestures relative to the screen of a user device, three-dimensional gestures relative to the screen of the user device, roll/rotation around a longitudinal axis of the pen body, and micro-twisting around the longitudinal axis of the pen body. The user device receives the gestures and translates them into commands such as UNDO and BACK.

Claims

1. A method of detecting gesture commands using an ultrasonic pen and a user device, comprising:

acquiring a position of the ultrasonic pen along an x-axis of the user device;

acquiring a position of the ultrasonic pen along a y-axis of the user device;

acquiring a position of the ultrasonic pen along a z-axis of the user device; and

performing a command based on the acquired positions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring the positions includes:

receiving an ultrasonic signal;

calculating a distance traveled by the ultrasonic signal; and

identifying the acquired positions based on the calculated distance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a first calculated distance is associated with a first command and a second calculated distance is associated with a second command different from the first command.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the positions are acquired from a top side or a bottom side of the user device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the positions are acquired from a left side or a right side of the user device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring a rolling or twisting gesture of the ultrasonic pen about a longitudinal axis of the pen; and

performing a command associated with the rolling or twisting gesture based on the acquired rolling or twisting gesture.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring a micro-twisting gesture of the ultrasonic pen about a longitudinal axis of the pen; and

performing a command associated with the micro-twisting gesture based on the acquired micro-twisting gesture.

8. An apparatus for detecting gesture commands using an ultrasonic pen and a user device, comprising:

a microphone array configured to acquire a position of the ultrasonic pen along an x-axis of the user device, along a y-axis of the user device, and along a z-axis of the user device; and

a command execution module configured to perform a command based on the acquired the positions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the microphone array is further configured to receive an ultrasonic signal, and

wherein the triangulation module is further configured to calculate a distance traveled by the ultrasonic signal and to identify the acquired positions based on the calculated distance.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a first calculated distance is associated with a first command and a second calculated distance is associated with a second command different from the first command.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the positions are acquired from a left side or a right side of the user device.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the positions are acquired from a top side or a bottom side of the user device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a magnetic coil array configured to acquire a rolling or twisting gesture of the ultrasonic pen about a longitudinal axis of the pen and wherein the command execution module is further configured to perform a command associated with the rolling or twisting gesture based on the acquired rolling or twisting gesture.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a magnetic coil array configured to acquire a micro-twisting gesture of the ultrasonic pen about a longitudinal axis of the pen and wherein the command execution module is further configured to perform a command associated with the micro-twisting gesture based on the acquired micro-twisting gesture.

15. An apparatus for detecting gesture commands using an ultrasonic pen and a user device, comprising:

means for acquiring a position of the ultrasonic pen along an x-axis of the user device, along a y-axis of the user device, and along a z-axis of the user device; and

means for performing a command based on the acquired positions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein acquiring the positions includes:

means for receiving an ultrasonic signal;

means for calculating a distance traveled by the ultrasonic signal; and

means for identifying the acquired positions based on the calculated distance.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a first calculated distance is associated with a first command and a second calculated distance is associated with a second command different from the first command.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the positions are acquired from a top side or a bottom side of the user device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the positions are acquired from a left side or a right side of the user device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for acquiring a rolling or twisting gesture of the ultrasonic pen about a longitudinal axis of the pen; and

means for performing a command associated with the rolling or twisting gesture based on the acquired rolling or twisting gesture.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for acquiring a micro-twisting gesture of the ultrasonic pen about a longitudinal axis of the pen; and

means for performing a command associated with the micro-twisting gesture based on the acquired micro-twisting gesture.

22. A computer-readable storage medium including information that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations for detecting gesture commands using an ultrasonic pen and a user device, the operations comprising:

acquiring a position of the ultrasonic pen along an x-axis of the user device, along a y-axis of the user device, and along a z-axis of the user device; and

performing a command based on the acquired positions.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein acquiring the positions includes:

receiving an ultrasonic signal;

calculating a distance traveled by the ultrasonic signal; and

identifying the acquired positions based on the calculated distance.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein a first calculated distance is associated with a first command and a second calculated distance is associated with a second command different from the first command.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the positions are acquired from a left side or a right side of the user device.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the positions are acquired from a top side or a bottom side of the user device.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising information that, when accessed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations of:

acquiring a rolling or twisting gesture of the ultrasonic pen about a longitudinal axis of the pen; and

performing a command associated with the rolling or twisting gesture based on the acquired rolling or twisting gesture.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising information that, when accessed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations of:

acquiring a micro-twisting gesture of the ultrasonic pen about a longitudinal axis of the pen; and

performing a command associated with the micro-twisting gesture based on the acquired micro-twisting gesture.