Photosensor array gesture detection

• US 8,947,353 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Boulanger, Catherine N., Dietz, Paul Henry, Bathiche, Steven Nabil
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US13/494,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20130328761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 715/862, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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

Photosensor array gesture detection techniques are described. In one or more embodiments, a computing device includes an array of photosensors. The photosensor array can be configured in various ways to measure changes in the amount of light that occur based upon a user'"'"'s hand position above the photosensor array. In at least some embodiments, capacitance associated with the photosensors is charged and data regarding discharge rates for the sensors is collected that is indicative of the amount of incident light. Sequential changes in the amount of light that is measured across the array of photosensors can be used to determine positioning and/or movement of the user'"'"'s hand in three dimensions (e.g., track position/motion in three-dimensional (3D) space relative to the computing device.) Accordingly, various gestures can be defined in terms of input obtained via the photosensor array and recognized to trigger corresponding operations by the computing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initializing an array of photosensors associated with a computing device;

collecting data regarding photocurrent for the array of photosensors;

recognizing a gesture based upon the collected data regarding the photocurrent, the gesture defined in terms of photocurrent changes responsive to changes in the amount of ambient light incident upon the array of photosensors over time, the changes in the amount of ambient light including changes caused by blocking the ambient light;

causing the computing device to perform operations corresponding to the recognized gesture.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the array of photosensors comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to operate as both light emitters and light detectors.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the array of photosensors comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to operate as dedicated light detectors.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the array of photosensors comprises photoresistors.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the array of photosensors is integrated with a display device of the computing device.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the array of photosensors is configured as a separate device that is connectable to the computing device.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the initializing comprises charging capacitance associated with the photosensors.

8. A method as described in claim 7, wherein collecting data regarding photocurrent comprises collecting data regarding changes in photocurrent for the photosensors based upon discharge rates for the capacitance associated with the photosensors.

9. A method as described in claim 1, wherein collecting data regarding photocurrent comprises measuring sequential changes in light levels for individual sensors across the array of photosensors.

10. A computing device comprising:

a display device;

a photosensor array having a plurality of photosensors; and

a gesture detection system configured to;

define gestures that correspond to changes in photocurrent produced at least in part by blocking the ambient light reaching the plurality of photosensors in the photosensor array, the blocking being caused by movement of a user'"'"'s hand over the photosensor array; and

ascertain changes in the photocurrent for the photosensor array to recognize the defined gestures and cause the computing device to perform corresponding operations.

11. A computing device as described in claim 10, wherein the plurality of photosensors comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs).

12. A computing device as described in claim 10, wherein the plurality of photosensors is embedded in a housing for the computing device.

13. A computing device as described in claim 10, wherein the plurality of photosensors is arranged as an integrated component of the display device.

14. A computing device as described in claim 10, wherein the gesture detection system further includes a controller module to ascertain the changes in the photocurrent by:

selectively charging capacitance of the plurality of photosensors; and

measuring an amount of time it takes each photosensor to discharge.

15. A computing device as described in claim 10, wherein the gesture detection system further comprises a microcontroller having device logic to control operation of the photosensor array and input/output pins to which each of the plurality of photosensors is connected.

16. A computing device as described in claim 15, wherein the microcontroller is configured to ascertain the changes by:

cycling input/output pins on a cathode side of the plurality of photosensors from a low output state to a high output state to charge capacitance of the plurality of photosensors;

switching the input/output pins on the cathode side to an input state to discharge to capacitance; and

starting timers to measure an amount of time it takes to discharge the capacitance of each of the plurality of photosensors.

17. A computing device as described in claim 10, wherein the changes in the photocurrent for the array are indicative of positioning and motion of a user'"'"'s hand in three dimensional space relative to a surface of the display device.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to implement a gesture detection system configured to perform operations including:

collecting photocurrent data via an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to operate as photosensors, the photocurrent data indicative of changes in light levels for the array of LEDs over time that correlate to interaction of a user with the computing device, the changes in light levels being caused, at least in part, by blocking the light;

analyzing the collected photocurrent data to detect patterns of changes in the light levels for the array of LEDs indicative of particular user interaction with the computing device;

recognizing an above surface gesture corresponding to a pattern of changes in the light levels that is detected based on the analyzing; and

causing the computing device to perform operations corresponding to the recognized above surface gesture.

19. One or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 18, wherein the gesture detection system is further configured to perform operations including detecting tilt of the computing device in three-dimensional space that corresponds to a pattern of changes in the light levels that is detected based on the analyzing.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 18, wherein collecting photocurrent data via the array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) comprises:

cycling a cathode side of a circuit for the LEDs between low and high output states to charge capacitance associated with the LEDs in multiple cycles; and

during each of the multiple cycles;

switching the cathode side of the circuit to an input state to discharge the capacitance of the LEDs; and

timing the discharge of the capacitance of the LEDs to measure the amount of photocurrent associated with each of the LEDs.