System and Method of Gesture Detection for a Remote Device

• US 20180196501A1
• Filed: 01/09/2017
• Published: 07/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Trotta, Saverio
• Granted Patent: US 10,466,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2045 by hand gestures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• 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: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A method for operating a mobile device includes detecting a gesture by the mobile device. Detecting the gesture includes receiving a reflected millimeter wave signal by the mobile device, generating a first message in accordance with the detected gesture, and transmitting the first message from the mobile device to an external remote device. The detected gesture is associated with an operation of the remote device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

detecting a gesture by the mobile device, detecting the gesture comprising receiving a reflected millimeter wave signal by the mobile device;

generating a first message in accordance with the detected gesture; and

transmitting the first message from the mobile device to an external remote device, wherein the detected gesture is associated with an operation of the remote device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

detecting the gesture further comprises transmitting, by the mobile device, a first millimeter wave signal to a location of the gesture, wherein the reflected millimeter wave signal comprises a reflection of the first millimeter wave signal reflected from the location of the gesture.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the gesture is located a distance of not greater than 30 centimeters from the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the mobile device comprises at least one of a mobile phone, a watch, or a key for the remote device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

wirelessly charging a battery of the mobile device, by the mobile device, from a power source of the remote device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the remote device comprises a vehicle; and

the mobile device comprises at least one of a vehicle access key or a vehicle ignition key.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the operation comprises at least one of setting an air conditioning setting of the vehicle, setting a heat seating setting of the vehicle, opening a trunk of the vehicle, setting a lighting setting of the vehicle, or initiating an emergency call.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the gesture comprises a hand gesture.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the gesture further comprises:

determining frequency content of the reflected millimeter wave signal;

tracking the frequency content of the reflected millimeter wave signal over time; and

comparing the tracked frequency content to a pre-determined gesture signature stored in a look-up table.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile device further comprises a first antenna and a second antenna;

receiving the reflected millimeter wave signal comprises receiving using the first antenna; and

transmitting the first message comprises transmitting using the second antenna.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first antenna comprises a receive antenna array and a transmit antenna array.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

transmitting the first message comprises encrypting, by the mobile device, the first message using a shared security key of the mobile device and the remote device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving feedback, by the mobile device from the remote device, wherein the feedback comprises a status of whether the remote device successfully performed the operation associated with the gesture.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating, by the mobile device, a sound in accordance with the received feedback.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the operation comprises adjusting a temperature setting; and

the received feedback comprises a variable feedback signal that varies in accordance with the adjusted temperature setting; and

generating the sound comprises adjusting the sound in accordance with the variable feedback signal.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises at least one of radar timing information or radar frequency information.

17. A method for operating a first device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the first device from an external mobile device, a first message generated using millimeter wave radar signaling in a field of view of the mobile device;

processing, by the first device, the first message to detect a gesture associated with an operation of the first device; and

performing, by the first device, an operation in accordance with the detected gesture.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

decrypting the first message, by the first device, in accordance with a shared security key of the mobile device and the first device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

wirelessly charging the mobile device by a power source, wherein the first device comprises the power source.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the first device comprises a vehicle; and

the mobile device comprises at least one of a vehicle access key or a vehicle ignition key.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the first message comprises radar data; and

processing the first message comprises;

performing a spectral analysis of the radar data;

tracking frequency content of the radar data over time based on the spectral analysis; and

matching the tracked frequency content with a pre-determined gesture signature stored in a look-up table.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating feedback comprising a status of whether the first device successfully performed the operation associated with the gesture; and

transmitting the feedback from the first device to the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

performing the operation comprises adjusting a temperature setting; and

the feedback comprises a variable feedback signal that varies in accordance with the adjusted temperature setting.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein performing the operation comprises initiating an emergency call.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving, by the first device, a user input comprising emergency contact information,

wherein initiating the emergency call is in accordance with the emergency contact information.

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, by the first device, user input comprising a desired operation of the first device to be associated with a desired gesture; and

associating the desired operation with the desired gesture.

27. A control circuit for a first device, the circuit comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from an external mobile device, a first message comprising radar data generated using millimeter wave radar signaling in a field of view of the mobile device;

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming comprising instructions to;

process the first message to detect a gesture associated with an operation of the first device; and

perform the operation of the first device in accordance with the detected gesture.

28. The circuit of claim 27, further comprising a look-up table (LUT), wherein:

the first message comprises radar data; and

the instructions to process the first message comprise instructions to;

perform a spectral analysis of the radar data;

track frequency content of the radar data over time based on the spectral analysis; and

match the tracked frequency content with a pre-determined gesture signature stored in the LUT.

29. The circuit of claim 27, wherein the operation comprises at least one of:

turning on the first device, turning off the first device, setting a temperature setting, setting a fan setting, turning on a sound system, turning off the sound system, setting a volume setting of the sound system, selecting an input of the sound system, tuning a radio channel, opening a mechanical latch, turning on a light, turning off the light, setting a dimming setting of the light, changing a color of the light, turning on a user display, turning off the user display, changing visible content of the user display, setting a cruise control setting, turning on an auto-pilot program, turning off the auto-pilot program, turning on a voice recognition program, turning off the voice recognition program, mapping a route, looking up weather information, looking up information about a road condition, looking up information about traffic, initiating a diagnostic test, enabling a security system, disabling the security system, generating a sound, generating a haptic output, and initiating a communications session.