SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO OPERATE CONTROLLABLE DEVICES WITH GESTURES AND/OR NOISES

• US 20170315519A1
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brain Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brain Corporation
• Inventors: Laurent, Patryk, Izhikevich, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 10,295,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Gesture recognition systems that are configured to provide users with simplified operation of various controllable devices such as, for example, in-home controllable devices. In one implementation, the gesture recognition system automatically configures itself in order to determine the respective physical locations and/or identities of controllable devices as well as an operating mode for controlling the controllable devices through predetermined gesturing. In some implementations, the gesture recognition systems are also configured to assign boundary areas associated with the controllable devices. Apparatus and methods associated with the gesture recognition systems are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by a processing apparatus to operate a detection system, the processor being in signal communication with one or more detection devices, the instructions configured to, when executed by the processing apparatus, cause the processing apparatus to:

emit one or more signals from the detection system;

discover a location of each of one or more controllable devices within a detectable area based at least in part on a response of each of the one or more controllable devices to the emitted signals; and

detect via the one or more detection devices a predetermined gesture, wherein the detection of the predetermined gesture commands at least in part a change in a user-controlled operational state of the one or more controllable devices.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processing apparatus, further cause the processing apparatus to assign a boundary area to each of the one or more controllable devices after discovery of the location.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein detection of the predetermined gesture further comprises detection of the predetermined gesture within the assigned boundary area.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the one or more controllable devices comprises a first wirelessly controllable device having a first unique identifier, and assignment of the boundary area to each of the one or more controllable devices further comprises association of a first boundary area with the first unique identifier.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the one or more controllable devices comprises a second wirelessly controllable device, the second wirelessly controllable device having a second unique identifier, and assignment of the boundary area to each of the one or more controllable devices further comprises association of a second boundary area with the second unique identifier.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein discovery of the location of each of the one or more controllable devices further comprises wireless detection within a wireless network of the first unique identifier and the second unique identifier.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined gesture is at least one of a gesture directed towards the one or more controllable devices, a gesture in proximity to the one or more controllable devices, and a gesture interacting with the one or more controllable devices.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein detection of the predetermined gesture further comprises detection of a first predetermined gesture within the first boundary area for user-controlled operation of the first wirelessly controllable device and detection of a second predetermined gesture within the second boundary area for user-controlled operation of the second wirelessly controllable device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

in response to the first predetermined gesture, the user-controlled operational state of the second wirelessly controllable device is substantially maintained, and in response to the second predetermined gesture, the user-controlled operational state of the first wirelessly controllable device is substantially maintained.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the predetermined gesture includes a motion performed by at least one of a person, animal, and object.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more detection devices comprises a camera and the response includes a visual change detectable by the camera.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more detection devices comprises a microphone and the response includes an auditory change detectable by the microphone.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processing apparatus, further cause the processing apparatus to detect via the one or more detection devices a noise created by a user to command at least in part the change in the user-controlled operational state of the one or more controllable devices.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processing apparatus, further cause the processing apparatus to learn a demonstrated gesture as the predetermined gesture and associate at least in part the detection of the demonstrated gesture to the change in the user-controlled operational state of the one or more controllable devices.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processing apparatus, further cause the processing apparatus to learn a noise and associate at least in part the detection of the noise to the change in the user-controlled operational state of the one or more controllable devices.

16. A method of operating a gesture detection system having a detection device in signal communication with a processor, the method comprising:

emitting one or more signals from the gesture detection system;

discovering a location of at least one controllable device within a detectable area based at least in part on a response of the at least one controllable device to the emitted signals;

detecting at least one predetermined gesture performed by a user to command operation of the at least one controllable device; and

sending a signal to the at least one controllable device that is configured to regulate operation of the at least one controllable device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the act of discovering the location of the at least one controllable device within the detectable area comprises automatically operating the at least one controllable device and detecting a measurable change associated with the operation of the at least one controllable device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising assigning a boundary area to the at least one controllable device and the act of detecting the at least one predetermined gesture comprises detecting at the least one predetermined gesture being performed within the boundary area.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the act of discovering the location of the at least one controllable device further comprises detecting within a local area network a unique identifier associated with the at least one controllable device;

and

the act of assigning the boundary area to the at least one controllable device further comprises associating the unique identifier with the boundary area.

20. A system configured to detect gestures for operation of one or more controllable devices within a detectable area, the system comprising:

a detection device;

a processing apparatus in communication with the detection device; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed by the processing apparatus, cause the processing apparatus to;

operate a controllable device so as to cause the controllable device to generate a measurable change in state;

detect the measurable change in state of the controllable device;

discover a location of the controllable device based on the detection of the measurable change;

assign a boundary area to the controllable device based on the discovered location;

detect a predetermined gesture performed by a user within the assigned boundary area; and

in response to the detection of the predetermined gesture, send a signal to the controllable device to cause the controllable device to operate in accordance with the predetermined gesture.