Occluded Gesture Recognition

• US 20180004301A1
• Filed: 09/13/2017
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Poupyrev, Ivan
• Granted Patent: US 10,409,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• 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

Abstract

This document describes techniques and devices for occluded gesture recognition. Through use of the techniques and devices described herein, users may control their devices even when a user'"'"'s gesture is occluded by some material between the user'"'"'s hands and the device itself. Thus, the techniques enable users to control their mobile devices in many situations in which control is desired but conventional techniques do permit effective control, such as when a user'"'"'s mobile computing device is occluded by being in a purse, bag, pocket, or even in another room.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting a microwave radar signal reflected from a portion of a person, the person known to be permitted gesture-based control of a mobile computing device;

determining, based on the detected microwave radar signal, an identifying indicia for the portion of the person; and

recording the identifying indicia effective to enable a later-detected microwave radar signal to authenticate the person for gesture-based control of the mobile computing device.

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

receiving authentication credentials from the person; and

determining, prior to recording the identifying indicia and based on the received authentication credentials, that the person is known to be permitted gesture-based control of the mobile computing device.

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

the portion of the person includes a hand of the person; and

the identifying indicia includes a shape of the hand

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein:

the portion of the person also includes an arm of the person; and

the identifying indicia includes a size of the arm and a size of the hand

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the portion of the person includes a device worn on a hand of the person; and

the identifying indicia is based on the detected microwave radar signal that is reflected from the device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising initiating microwave radar signal tracking of the identifying indicia effective to track the person known to be permitted gesture-based control of the mobile computing device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the later-detected microwave signal is detected through an occlusion.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting, at a mobile computing device, a microwave radar signal through one or more occlusions, the microwave radar signal penetrating through the one or more occlusions;

determining, based on the detected microwave radar signal, identifying indicia of a person making an occluded gesture;

authenticating, based on the determined identifying indicia, the person making the occluded gesture; and

enabling the person to control the mobile computing device via the occluded gesture.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein authenticating the person includes determining that the determined identifying indicia corresponds to a recorded identifying indicia that is associated with an authenticated person known to be permitted gesture-based control of the mobile computing device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the recorded identifying indicia is determined based on a previously detected microwave radar signal.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein enabling the person to control the mobile computing device includes at least one of the following:

enabling the person to control a volume of the mobile computing device;

or enabling the person to control media playback on the mobile computing device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein detecting the microwave radar signal includes detecting the microwave radar signal in a region in which gestures are anticipated.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the region in which gestures are anticipated is determined based on a location of the mobile computing device relative to a location of the person.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the location of the mobile computing device relative to the location of the person is determined based on tracking a location associated with the identifying indicia.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the one or more occlusions include glass or wood furniture.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the occluded gesture includes a sign-language gesture.

17. An apparatus comprising:

an occluded-gesture recognition system comprising a microwave radio element configured to receive a microwave radar signal through an occlusion;

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more computer processors, perform operations comprising;

detecting, based on the received microwave radar signal, a gesture performed by a person;

determining, based on the received microwave radar signal, identifying indicia of the person performing the detected gesture;

authenticating the person based on the identifying indicia; and

responsive to authenticating the person, enabling the detected gesture to control an entity associated with the apparatus.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein authenticating the person based on the identifying indicia is effective to prevent another detected gesture that is performed by an unauthorized person from controlling the entity.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the detected gesture is performed by the person using a stylus; and

the identifying indicia is determined based on an appendage of the person that is holding the stylus.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the occluded-gesture recognition system is further configured to provide the microwave radar signal.