Apparatus and methods for hand motion detection and hand motion tracking generally

• US 7,911,457 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: I.C. + Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: I.C. + Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Vardi, Micha
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang; Regina
• Application Number:
  US12/152,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20080260250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/169, 345173-179, 178/18.01, 178/18.1, 178/19.01, 382/181, 382183-189, 382/312, 382/313
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/228 of three-dimensional handwriting, e.g. writing in the air

Abstract

Apparatus and method for handwriting recognition including a hand-held device including at least one accelerometer providing an acceleration indicating output, computation circuitry receiving the acceleration indicating output and providing a velocity indicating output and a handwritten multiple character recognizer receiving the velocity indicating output and providing a multiple character recognition output indication.

Claims

1. Apparatus for hand motion tracking comprising:

a hand-held device comprising at least one accelerometer providing an acceleration indicating output;

computation circuitry receiving said acceleration indicating output, discarding user specific components therein by eliminating samples and providing a non-user specific output; and

a hand motion tracker receiving said non-user specific output and providing a tracking output indication.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said computation circuitry provides said non-user specific output by indicating value changes and ignoring time durations between said changes.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said computation circuitry provides an output including motion direction signs.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said computation circuitry discards said user specific components by employing a time indication.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said acceleration indicating output includes at least one of a digital output and a filtered output.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein said digital output is provided by at least one of data acquisition circuitry, a digital acceleration sensor and an A-D converter.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said computation circuitry is operative to employ an abscissa indicating number of changes to provide said non-user specific output.

8. A method for hand motion tracking comprising:

providing an acceleration indicating output from a hand-held device;

receiving said acceleration indicating output, discarding user specific components by eliminating samples therein and providing a non-user specific output; and

receiving said non-user specific output and providing a tracking output indication.

9. A method according to claim 8 and wherein said providing said non-user specific output includes indicating value changes and ignoring time durations between said changes.

10. A method according to claim 8 and wherein said discarding said user specific components comprises discarding said user specific components by employing a time indication.

11. A method according to claim 8 and wherein said providing an acceleration indicating output includes providing at least one of a digital output and a filtered output.

12. A method according to claim 8 and wherein said providing said non-user specific output comprises employing an abscissa indicating time.

13. Apparatus for hand motion tracking comprising:

a hand-held device comprising at least one accelerometer providing an acceleration indicating output;

computation circuitry including minimum motion point identification functionality employing said acceleration indicating output, identifying minimum motion points and providing a minimum motion point identification output; and

hand motion tracking circuitry employing said acceleration indication output and said minimum motion point identification output for providing a hand motion tracking output indication.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said minimum motion point identification functionality performs detection of at least one last intentional motion sample.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said minimum motion point identification functionality employs an examination of motion samples.

16. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said minimum motion point identification functionality performs a sequential operation.

17. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said minimum motion point identification functionality operates along a time axis.

18. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said minimum motion point identification functionality performs determination of an average of motion samples.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 and wherein said minimum motion point identification functionality comprises examining a variation from said average.

20. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said minimum motion point identification functionality performs determination of at least one time location.

21. A method for hand motion tracking comprising:

providing an acceleration indicating output of a hand-held device comprising at least one accelerometer;

employing said acceleration indicating output, identifying minimum motion points and providing a minimum motion point identification output; and

employing said minimum motion point identification output and additionally employing said acceleration indication output for providing a hand motion tracking output indication.

22. A method according to claim 21 and wherein at least one of said employing said acceleration indicating output and said identifying minimum motion points comprises determination of at least one last intentional motion sample.

23. A method according to claim 21 and wherein at least one of said employing said acceleration indicating output and said identifying minimum motion points comprises employing examination of motion samples.

24. A method according to claim 21 and wherein at least one of said employing said acceleration indicating output and said identifying minimum motion points operates along a time axis.

25. A method according to claim 21 and wherein at least one of said employing said acceleration indicating output and said identifying minimum motion points comprises determination of an average of a few samples.

26. A method according to claim 25 and wherein at least one of said employing said acceleration indicating output and said identifying minimum motion points comprises sequentially examining a variation from said average.

27. A method according to claim 21 and wherein at least one of said employing said acceleration indicating output and said identifying minimum motion points comprises determination of at least one time location.

28. Apparatus for hand motion tracking comprising:

a hand-held device comprising at least one accelerometer providing an acceleration indicating output;

computation circuitry receiving said acceleration indicating output, discarding user specific components therein and providing a non-user specific output by indicating value changes and ignoring time durations between said changes; and

a hand motion tracker receiving said non-user specific output and providing a tracking output indication.

29. Apparatus according to claim 28 and wherein said computation circuitry discards said user specific components of said acceleration indicating output by eliminating samples.

30. Apparatus according to claim 28 and wherein said computation circuitry provides an output including motion direction signs.

31. Apparatus according to claim 28 and wherein said computation circuitry discards said user specific components by employing a time indication.

32. Apparatus according to claim 28 and wherein said acceleration indicating output includes at least one of a digital output and a filtered output.

33. Apparatus according to claim 32 and wherein said digital output is provided by at least one of data acquisition circuitry, a digital acceleration sensor and an A-D converter.

34. Apparatus according to claim 28 and wherein said computation circuitry is operative to employ an abscissa indicating number of changes to provide said non-user specific output.

35. Apparatus for hand motion tracking comprising:

a hand-held device comprising at least one accelerometer providing an acceleration indicating output;

computation circuitry receiving said acceleration indicating output, discarding user specific components therein and providing a non-user specific output including motion direction signs; and

a hand motion tracker receiving said non-user specific output and providing a tracking output indication.

36. Apparatus according to claim 35 and wherein said computation circuitry discards said user specific components of said acceleration indicating output by eliminating samples.

37. Apparatus according to claim 35 and wherein said computation circuitry provides said non-user specific output by indicating value changes and ignoring time durations between said changes.

38. Apparatus according to claim 35 and wherein said computation circuitry discards said user specific components by employing a time indication.

39. Apparatus according to claim 35 and wherein said acceleration indicating output includes at least one of a digital output and a filtered output.

40. Apparatus according to claim 39 and wherein said digital output is provided by at least one of data acquisition circuitry, a digital acceleration sensor and an A-D converter.

41. Apparatus according to claim 35 and wherein said computation circuitry is operative to employ an abscissa indicating number of changes to provide said non-user specific output.

42. A method for hand motion tracking comprising:

providing an acceleration indicating output from a hand-held device;

receiving said acceleration indicating output, discarding user specific components therein and providing a non-user specific output, wherein providing a non-user specific output includes indicating value changes and ignoring time durations between said changes; and

receiving said non-user specific output and providing a tracking output indication.

43. A method according to claim 42 and wherein said discarding said user specific components includes eliminating samples.

44. A method according to claim 42 and wherein said discarding said user specific components comprises discarding said user specific components by employing a time indication.

45. A method according to claim 42 and wherein said providing an acceleration indicating output includes providing at least one of a digital output and a filtered output.

46. A method according to claim 42 and wherein said providing said non-user specific output comprises employing an abscissa indicating time.

47. Apparatus for hand motion tracking comprising:

a hand-held device comprising at least one accelerometer providing an acceleration indicating output;

computation circuitry operative to employ an abscissa indicating number of changes to provide non-user specific output, receiving said acceleration indicating output, discarding user specific components therein and providing a non-user specific output; and

a hand motion tracker receiving said non-user specific output and providing a tracking output indication.

48. A method for hand motion tracking comprising:

providing an acceleration indicating output from a hand-held device;

receiving said acceleration indicating output, discarding user specific components therein and providing a non-user specific output comprising employing an abscissa indicating time; and

receiving said non-user specific output and providing a tracking output indication.