Three dimensional user interface session control

• US 8,933,876 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Galor, Micha, Pokrass, Jonathan, Hoffnung, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): Pervan, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/314,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 715700-866
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• 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: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042

Abstract

A method, including receiving, by a computer executing a non-tactile three dimensional (3D) user interface, a set of multiple 3D coordinates representing a gesture by a hand positioned within a field of view of a sensing device coupled to the computer, the gesture including a first motion in a first direction along a selected axis in space, followed by a second motion in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, along the selected axis. Upon detecting completion of the gesture, the non-tactile 3D user interface is transitioned from a first state to a second state.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer executing a non-tactile three dimensional (3D) user interface, a set of multiple 3D coordinates representing a gesture by a hand positioned within a field of view of a sensing device coupled to the computer, the gesture comprising a rising motion along a vertical axis in space wherein the hand performs the rising motion for at least an unlock gesture distance at a minimum unlock gesture speed; and

transitioning the non-tactile 3D user interface from a locked state to an unlocked state upon detecting completion of the gesture.

2. The method according to claim 1, and comprising conveying a first visual feedback to the user prior to the gesture, and conveying a second visual feedback subsequent to the gesture.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first and the second visual feedbacks comprise illuminating or darkening one or more visual feedback devices coupled to the computer.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first and the second visual feedbacks comprise altering a feedback item presented on a display coupled to the computer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unlock gesture distance comprises 20 centimeters, and the minimum unlock gesture speed comprises four centimeters per second.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensing device; and

a computer executing a non-tactile three dimensional (3D) user interface and configured to receive, from the sensing device, a set of multiple 3D coordinates representing a gesture by a hand positioned within a field of view of the sensing device, the gesture comprising a rising motion along a vertical axis in space wherein the hand performs the rising motion for at least an unlock gesture distance at a minimum unlock gesture speed, and to transition the non-tactile 3D user interface from a locked state to an unlocked state upon detecting completion of the gesture.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the computer is configured to convey a first visual feedback to the user prior to the gesture, and to convey a second visual feedback subsequent to the gesture.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, and comprising one or more visual feedback devices, wherein the computer is configured to convey the first and the second visual feedbacks by illuminating or darkening the one or more visual feedback devices.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, and comprising a display, wherein the computer is configured to convey the first and the second visual feedbacks by altering a feedback item presented on the display.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the unlock gesture distance comprises 20 centimeters, and the minimum unlock gesture speed comprises four centimeters per second.

11. A computer software product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium, in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer executing a non-tactile user interface, cause the computer to receive, from a sensing device, a set of multiple 3D coordinates representing a gesture by a hand positioned within a field of view of the sensing device, the gesture comprising a rising motion along a vertical axis in space wherein the hand performs the rising motion for at least an unlock gesture distance at a minimum unlock gesture speed, and to transition the non-tactile 3D user interface from a locked state to an unlocked state upon detecting completion of the gesture.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer executing a non-tactile three dimensional (3D) user interface, a set of multiple 3D coordinates representing a gesture by a hand positioned within a field of view of a sensing device coupled to the computer, the gesture comprising a rising motion along a vertical axis in space;

determining whether the gesture of the hand included a rising of the hand by at least 20 centimeters; and

transitioning the non-tactile 3D user interface from a locked state to an unlocked state upon detecting completion of the gesture,

wherein the transitioning of the user interface from a locked state to an unlocked state is performed only if the upward gesture included a rise of the hand by at least 20 centimeters.