Motion recognition system and method for controlling electronic devices

• US 7,843,425 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Lu, Ying-Ko, Tsai, Ming-Jye, Liou, Shun-Nan, Lian, Zhi-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIS, RANDAL L
• Application Number:
  US11/580,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20070139370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 341/20
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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

Abstract

A motion recognition system and method for controlling electronic devices are disclosed, in which at least a micro inertial sensor, each being arranged at a specific location of a human body, is used to detect and measure a motion of the body so as to correspondently obtain a plurality of gesture parameters, such as angular velocity and acceleration, etc., and then the detected parameters are analyzed and converted into an input gesture sequence by a specific algorithm to be compared with a predefined motion information sequence so as to enable any of the controlled electronic devices to perform a specific operation according to the result of the comparison. In addition, a momentum can be obtained by performing a calculation upon the detected gestured parameters with respect to time, which can be used for controlling the interaction of the controlled electric devices.

Claims

1. A motion recognition method for controlling an electronic device to interact with a user, comprising steps of:

providing a predefined motion information sequence;

utilizing an inertial sensor to detect a series of gestures created by the user;

processing signals detected by the an inertial sensor to form an input gesture sequence;

comparing the input gesture sequence with the predefined motion information sequence for generating a series of motion control signals;

processing signals detected by the inertial sensor and measured time intervals for obtaining a momentum value;

converting the momentum value into a calorie consumption rate indicating a measurement of calorie consumed per unit time;

generating a signal for activating and controlling the electronic device based at least in part on the calorie consumption rate; and

utilizing the signal to control the electronic device to operate in accordance with the motion control signals and the calorie consumption rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is a sequence selected from the group consisting of a single motion control signal and a combination of a plurality of motion control signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is composed of control signals capable of enabling an interactive platform to generate a series of predefined motions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is substantially a time series of acceleration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is substantially a time series of angular velocity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of:

enabling the electronic device to operate according to the series of motion control signals while the input gesture sequence matches the predefined motion information sequence.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic device is a household appliance.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic device is an interactive multimedia device.

9. A motion recognition system for controlling an electronic device to interact with a user, comprising:

an inertial sensor, adapted to be arranged on the user'"'"'s body, for detecting a gesture parameter of the body and generating a gesture signal accordingly; and

an operation control module, for receiving the gesture signal, further comprising;

a storage unit, for storing at least a predefined motion information sequence; and

a control unit, electrically connected to the storage unit, for performing a calculation upon the received gesture signal to obtain an input gesture sequence while comparing the input gesture sequence with at least one of the predefined motion information sequences stored in the storage unit wherein the control unit is capable of processing signals detected by the inertial sensor for obtaining a momentum value, converting the momentum value into a calorie consumption rate indicating a measurement of calorie consumed per unit time, generating a signal for activating and controlling the electronic device based at least in part on the calorie consumption rate, and utilizing the signal for controlling the electronic device to interact with the user in accordance with the input gesture sequence and the calorie consumption rate.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is substantially a time series of acceleration.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is substantially a time series of angular velocity.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

the electronic device, capable of receiving a control signal issued by the control unit and thus being enabled to operate accordingly.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic device is a household appliance.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic device is an interactive multimedia device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the gesture signal is transmitted to the operation control module by a wireless communication means.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the gesture parameter is an angular velocity.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the gesture parameter is an acceleration.

18. A motion recognition method for controlling an electronic device to interact with a user, comprising steps of:

loading a predefined motion information sequence into a storage unit;

adapting an inertial sensor to be arranged at the user'"'"'s body;

enabling the user to create a series of gestures;

enabling each inertial sensor to detect the series of gestures;

performing a signal processing operation upon signals detected by each inertial sensor to form an input gesture sequence;

comparing the input gesture sequence with each predefined motion information sequence, and generating a series of motion control signals while the input gesture sequence matches at least of the predefined motion information sequence;

enabling the electronic device to operate in response to a generated signal according to the series of motion control signals; and

processing signals detected by the at least one inertial sensor for obtaining a momentum value and converting the momentum value into a calorie consumption rate indicating measurement of calorie consumed per unit time, and generating a signal based at least in part on the calorie consumption rate for activating and controlling the electronic device for interaction with the user accordingly.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is substantially a time series of acceleration.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is substantially a time series of angular velocity.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic device is a household appliance.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein he electronic device is an interactive multimedia device.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the signal processing operation further comprises steps of:

performing a calculation to obtain a datum point of the series of gestures created by the user; and

processing signals detected by the sensors to analyze the series of gestures and thus generate an input gesture sequence.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is a sequence selected from the group consisting of a single motion control signal and a combination of a plurality of motion control signals.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the predefined motion information sequence is composed of control signals capable of enabling an interactive platform to generate a series of predefined motions.