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

• US 8,686,976 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: I.C. + Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: I.C. + Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Vardi, Micha
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US13/024,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 178/19.01
• 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 motion tracking, including a hand-held device including at least one accelerometer providing an acceleration indicating output and computation circuitry adapted to employ the acceleration indicating output for generating tracking output indication.

Claims

1. Apparatus for motion tracking comprising:

a hand-held device comprising at least one accelerometer adapted to provide a first set of samples including multi-axis acceleration information;

computational circuitry adapted to employ examination of at least part of the first set of samples for providing a second set of samples indicating a motion information included in the first set of samples, wherein examination of samples associated with a first axis uses at least one different parameter than used for examination of samples associated with a second axis; and

hand motion tracking circuitry adapted to use the second set of samples for providing motion tracking output indication.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second set is a subset of the first set.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second set includes acceleration indications.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second set includes velocity indications.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second set includes displacement indications.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the size of the second set is smaller than the size of the first set.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration information included in the first set includes at least one of a digital output and a filtered output.

8. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 1, wherein said computational circuitry is further adapted to employ examination of samples associated with a first and a second axis at least partially in parallel.

9. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 1, wherein said computational circuitry is further adapted to employ selection of one or more memory regions.

10. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 1, wherein said computational circuitry is further adapted to employ different formulas for examination of samples associated with different axes.

11. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 1, wherien said computation circuitry is further adapted to employ a relation between motion information of two or more different axes.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion tracking output indication includes a multi-dimensional image.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one different parameter includes a threshold parameter.

14. A method for motion tracking comprising:

providing a first set of samples including multi-axis acceleration information from a hand-held device;

examination of at least part of the first set of samples for providing a second set of samples indicating a motion information included in the first set of samples, wherein examination of samples associated with a first axis uses at least one different parameter than used for examination of samples associated with a second axis; and

using the second set of samples for providing tracking output indication.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the second set is a subset of the first set.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the second set includes acceleration indications.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the second set includes velocity indications.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the second set includes displacement indications.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein the size of the second set is smaller than the size of the first set.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein the acceleration information included in the first set includes at least one of a digital output and a filtered output.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein examination of samples associated with a first and a second axis is performed at least partially in parallel.

22. The method according to claim 14, further adapted to employ selection of one or more memory regions.

23. The method according to claim 14, further adapted to employ different formulas for examination of samples associated with different axes.

24. The method according to claim 14, further adapted to employ a relation between motion information of two or more different axes.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the tracking output indication includes a multi-dimensional image.

26. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one different parameter includes a threshold parameter.

27. Apparatus for motion tracking comprising:

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

computation circuitry adapted to employ the acceleration indicating output and further adapted to employ motion parameter related compression for providing a compressed motion indication output; and

a hand motion tracker adapted to employ the compressed motion indication output and to provide a tracking output indication.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

29. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said computation circuitry is adapted to provide the compressed motion indication output by employing digitization operation.

30. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes binary indication.

31. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the acceleration indicating output includes at least one of a digital output or a filtered output.

32. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said computation circuitry is adapted to provide the compressed motion indication output by applying at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes.

33. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the compressed motion indication output indicates a subset of the information included in the acceleration indicating output.

34. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 27, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to filter narrow motion segments.

35. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 27, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

36. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 27, wherein said computational circuitry is further adapted to detect within a motion indicating dataset two or more related and opposing value trends.

37. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 36, wherein each of the two or more related value trends is associated with motion on the same axis.

38. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 36, wherein each of the two or more related value trends is associated with motion on a different axis.

39. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 27, wherein said computational circuitry is further adapted to employ at least one different compression step on a motion indicating dataset associated with a different axis.

40. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said computation circuitry is adapted to apply a common threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with each of two or more axes.

41. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the tracking output indication includes displacement information.

42. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the tracking output indication includes a multi-dimensional image.

43. A method for motion tracking comprising:

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

processing the acceleration indicating output and employing motion parameter related compression for providing a compressed motion indication output; and

employing the compressed motion indication output and providing a tracking output indication.

44. A method according to claim 43, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

45. A method according to claim 43, wherein the processing provides a compressed motion indication output by employing digitization operation.

46. A method according to claim 43, wherein the processing provides a compressed motion indication output by employing binarization.

47. A method according to claim 43, wherein the acceleration indicating output includes at least one of a digital output or a filtered output.

48. A method according to claim 43, wherein the processing is providing a compressed motion indication output by applying at least one threshold.

49. A method according to claim 43, wherein the compressed motion indication output indicates a subset of the information included in the acceleration indicating output.

50. The method according to claim 43, further adapted to filter short duration motion segments.

51. The method according to claim 43, further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

52. The method according to claim 43, further adapted to detect within a motion indicating dataset two or more related and opposing value trends.

53. The method according to claim 52, wherein each of the two or more related value trends is associated with motion on the same axis.

54. The method according to claim 52, wherein each of the two or more related value trends is associated with motion on a different axis.

55. The method according to claim 43, further adapted to employ at least one different compression step on a motion indicating dataset associated with a different axis.

56. The method according to claim 43, further comprising applying a common threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with each of two or more axes.

57. The method according to claim 43, wherein the tracking output indication includes displacement information.

58. The method according to claim 43, wherein the tracking output indication includes a multi-dimensional image.

59. Apparatus for motion tracking comprising:

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

computation circuitry adapted to;

employ the acceleration indicating output, filter narrow motion segments, and employ compression for providing a compressed motion indication output; and

a hand motion tracker adapted to employ the compressed motion indication output and to provide a tracking output indication.

60. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 59, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

61. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to provide the compressed motion indication output by applying at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes.

62. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

63. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes binary indication.

64. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein the compressed motion indication output indicates a subset of the information included in the acceleration indicating output.

65. Apparatus for motion tracking comprising:

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

computation circuitry adapted to;

employ the acceleration indicating output, detect within a motion indicating dataset two or more related and opposing value trends, and employ compression for providing a compressed motion indication output; and

a hand motion tracker adapted to employ the compressed motion indication output and to provide a tracking output indication.

66. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 65, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

67. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 65, wherein each of the two or more related value trends is associated with motion on the same axis.

68. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 65, wherein the two or more related value trends are associated with motion on different axes.

69. The apparatus according to claim 65, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to provide the compressed motion indication output by applying at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes.

70. The apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

71. Apparatus for motion tracking comprising:

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

computation circuitry adapted to;

employ the acceleration indicating output, employ compression for providing a compressed motion indication output such that at least one different compression step is performed on a motion indicating dataset associated with different axes; and

a hand motion tracker adapted to employ the compressed motion indication output and to provide a tracking output indication.

72. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 71, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

73. The apparatus according to claim 71, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to provide the compressed motion indication output by applying at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes.

74. The apparatus according to claim 71, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

75. Apparatus for motion tracking comprising:

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

computation circuitry adapted to;

employ the acceleration indicating output, apply a common threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with each of two or more axes, and employ compression for providing a compressed motion indication output; and

a hand motion tracker adapted to employ the compressed motion indication output and to provide a tracking output indication.

76. The apparatus for motion tracking according to claim 75, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

77. The apparatus according to claim 75, wherein said computation circuitry is further adapted to provide the compressed motion indication output by applying at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes.

78. The apparatus according to claim 75, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

79. The apparatus according to claim 75, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes binary indication.

80. Method for motion tracking comprising:

providing an acceleration indicating output;

employing the acceleration indicating output, filtering short duration motion segments, and employing compression for providing a compressed motion indication output; and

employing the compressed motion indication output and providing a tracking output indication.

81. The method according to claim 80, further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

82. The method according to claim 80, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

83. The method according to claim 80, further adapted to apply at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes for providing a compressed motion indication output.

84. Method for motion tracking comprising:

providing an acceleration indicating output;

employing the acceleration indicating output, detecting within a motion indicating dataset two or more related and opposing value trends, and employing compression for providing a compressed motion indication output; and

employing the compressed motion indication output and providing a tracking output indication.

85. The method according to claim 84, further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

86. The method according to claim 84, wherein each of the two or more related value trends is associated with motion on the same axis.

87. The method according to claim 84, wherein the two or more related value trends are associated with motion on different axes.

88. The method according to claim 84, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

89. The method according to claim 84, further adapted to apply at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes for providing a compressed motion indication output.

90. Method for motion tracking comprising:

providing an acceleration indicating output;

employing the acceleration indicating output, employing compression for providing a compressed motion indication output such that at least one different compression step is performed on a motion indicating dataset associated with different axes; and

employing the compressed motion indication output and providing a tracking output indication.

91. The method according to claim 90, further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.

92. The method according to claim 90, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

93. The method according to claim 90, further adapted to apply at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes for providing a compressed motion indication output.

94. Method for motion tracking comprising:

providing an acceleration indicating output;

employing the acceleration indicating output, applying a common threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with each of two or more axes, and employing compression for providing a compressed motion indication output; and

employing the compressed motion indication output and providing a tracking output indication.

95. The method according to claim 94, wherein the compressed motion indication output includes velocity indicating output.

96. The method according to claim 94, further adapted to apply at least one different threshold to acceleration indication outputs associated with different axes for providing a compressed motion indication output.

97. The method according to claim 94, further adapted to employ a relation between acceleration indication output in a first axis and acceleration indication output in a second axis for providing a compressed motion indication output.