Gesture-based user interface for a wearable portable device

• US 8,289,162 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WIMM Labs Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mooring, David J., Fitzgerald, Alissa M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obiniyi, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/341,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20100156676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 340/546
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• 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

Methods and systems for providing a gesture-based user interface for a wearable portable device are described. A gesture including a movement of the wearable portable device is received, and at least one character associated with the gesture is identified and displayed on the wearable portable device, thereby allowing entry of characters on the user interface of the wearable portable device using the gestures.

Claims

1. A method for providing a gesture-based user interface for a wearable portable device, comprising:

storing a gesture profile for each of a plurality of different applications on the wearable portable device to define different gestures for the different applications;

while executing one of the applications, receiving a gesture comprising a movement of the wearable portable device;

using the gesture profile associated with the application to identify at least one of a character and a predetermined function associated with the gesture;

in response to identifying the character, displaying the at least one character on the wearable portable device;

in response to identifying the predetermined function, executing the predetermined function; and

receiving a customized gesture profile downloaded to the wearable portable device that modifies the gesture, the customized gesture profile comprising personal preferences of the user regarding the modified gesture, including physical attributes of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the gesture comprises receiving a voltage signal associated with the gesture.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying the at least one character comprises receiving the voltage signal, wherein the voltage signal comprises signal data comprising at least one axis of movement, a frequency, and a force magnitude of the gesture, and comparing the signal data with prestored signal data values associated with a plurality of characters to find at least one character associated with substantially similar prestored signal data values as the gesture.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the gesture comprises sensing a number of taps on the wearable portable device and the displaying the at least one character comprises displaying the number of taps sensed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the gesture comprises sensing a message in Morse code tapped on the wearable portable device and the displaying the at least one character comprises displaying the sensed message in text form.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the gesture comprises sensing use of the wearable portable device to mime the at least one character.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture is defined by a user using a software tool.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one character is defined by a user using a software tool.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture comprises sensing a tap on a side of the wearable portable device and the executing the predetermined function comprises returning to a previous screen of the user interface.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture comprises sensing inversion of the wearable portable device and maintenance of an inverted position for at least one second, and the executing the predetermined function comprises returning to a main menu of the user interface.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the gesture comprises sensing rotating the wearable portable device by at least a predetermined angle and the executing the predetermined function comprises displaying images.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the wearable portable device comprises a module configured to execute the method of claim 1.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising deriving the first signal data from a raw signal describing the gesture, wherein identifying at least one character comprises comparing the signal data to a plurality of gesture rules in a gesture store on a continuous basis to find a match.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the gesture rules comprise conditions associated with a gesture performed with a left hand of a user, in addition to conditions associated with a gesture performed with a right hand of the user.

15. A wearable -portable device having a gesture-based user interface, comprising:

an inertial sensor;

a display;

a memory that stores a gesture profile for each of a plurality of different applications on the wearable portable device to define different gestures for the different applications;

a processor; and

a user interface application executing on the processor, wherein the user interface application is configured to;

while executing one of the applications, receive at least one signal from the inertial sensor corresponding to a sensed gesture comprising a movement of the wearable portable device;

compare the at least one signal against the gesture profile associated with the application to identify at least one of a character and a predetermined function associated with the sensed gesture;

in response to identifying the character, display the at least one character on the display;

in response to identifying the predetermined function, execute the predetermined function; and

receive a customized gesture profile downloaded to the wearable portable device that modifies the gesture, the customized gesture profile comprising personal preferences of the user regarding the modified gesture, including physical attributes of the user.

16. The wearable portable device of claim 15 wherein the at least one signal comprises at least one axis of movement, a frequency, and a force magnitude.

17. The wearable portable device of claim 15 wherein the at least one signal has a magnitude that is proportional to sensed movement.

18. The wearable portable device of claim 15 wherein the at least one signal comprises two voltage signals corresponding to a movement in the X and Y axes.

19. The wearable portable device of claim 15 wherein the at least one signal comprises three voltage signals corresponding to a movement in the X, Y, and Z axes.

20. The wearable portable device of claim 15 wherein the inertial sensor senses angular motion, and the at least one signal correspond to angular motion in the φ

, θ

, and ψ

directions.

21. An executable software product stored on a computer-readable medium containing program instructions for providing a gesture-based user interface for a wearable portable device, the program instructions for:

storing a gesture profile for each of a plurality of different applications on the wearable portable device to define different gestures for the different applications;

while executing one of the applications, receiving a gesture comprising a movement of the wearable portable device;

using the gesture profile associated with the application to identify at least one of a character and a predetermined function associated with the gesture;

in response to identifying the character, displaying the at least one character on the wearable portable device;

in response to identifying the predetermined function, executing the predetermined function; and

receiving a customized gesture profile downloaded to the wearable portable device that modifies the gesture, the customized gesture profile comprising personal preferences of the user regarding the modified gesture, including physical attributes of the user.

22. A wearable portable electronic device having a gesture-based user interface, comprising:

a case; and

a module, wherein the module is configured to be removably received by the case and comprises;

an inertial sensor

a display;

a memory that stores a gesture profile for each of a plurality of different applications on the wearable portable device to define different gestures for the different applications; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

while executing one of the applications, receive at least one signal from the inertial sensor corresponding to a sensed gesture comprising a movement of the wearable portable device;

compare the at least one signal against the gesture profile associated with the application to identify at least one of a character and a predetermined function associated with the sensed gesture;

in response to identifying the character, display the at least one character on the display;

in response to identifying the predetermined function, execute the predetermined function; and

receive a customized gesture profile downloaded to the wearable portable device that modifies the gesture, the customized gesture profile comprising personal preferences of the user regarding the modified gesture, including physical attributes of the user.

23. A method for providing a gesture-based user interface for a wearable portable device, comprising:

receiving from a first sensor a first signal associated with a gesture comprising a movement of the wearable portable device;

sensing from a second sensor a second signal associated with at least one of a pressure on the wearable portable device, a temperature range, and an amount of light upon the wearable portable device;

using both the first signal and the second signal, identifying at least one of a character and a predetermined function associated with the gesture;

in response to identifying the character, displaying the at least one character on the wearable portable device; and

in response to identifying the predetermined function, executing the predetermined function.

24. A wearable portable device having a gesture-based user interface, comprising:

an inertial sensor;

a second sensor;

a display;

a processor; and

a user interface application executing on the processor, wherein the user interface application is configured to;

receive at least one signal from the inertial sensor corresponding to a sensed gesture comprising a movement of the wearable portable device;

sense from the second sensor a second signal associated with at least one of a pressure on the wearable portable device, a temperature range, and an amount of light upon the wearable portable device;

compare both the at least one signal and the second signal against a set of pre-established rules to identify at least one of a character and a predetermined function associated with the sensed gesture;

in response to identification of the character, display the at least one character on the display; and

in response to identification of the predetermined function, execute the predetermined function.