Determining correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle

• US 8,952,869 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weaver, Joshua, Starner, Thad Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US13/604,361
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 345 6- 8, 359630-633, 340/573.1, 704/246, 704/E17.001, 702/160, 351/41, 351/124, 351/131, 351/136, 351/159, 73/13.8, 381/327, 381380-381
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/08 Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/10 Special adaptations of display systems for operation with variable images
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

Example methods and systems for determining correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle are provided. In an example, a computer-implemented method includes identifying a threshold number of sets of correlated movements. The method further includes determining that the threshold number of sets of correlated movements is associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle. The method still further includes causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a threshold number of sets of correlated movements, wherein identifying a set of correlated movements comprises;

(i) receiving data associated with a first movement of a wearable computing system;

(ii) within a predetermined amount of time, receiving data associated with a second movement of the wearable computing system;

(iii) determining that the first movement and the second movement are correlated with one another; and

(iv) treating the first movement and the second movement as the set of correlated movements;

determining that the threshold number of sets of correlated movements are associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle; and

causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the wearable computing system is disposed on a driver of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wearable computing system is mounted on a head of the driver of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first movement of the wearable computing system is characteristic of a body movement associated with driving the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the body movement comprises one or more of the following:

(a) body movement associated with turning on a turn signal, (b) body movement associated with shifting a gear of the vehicle, (c) body movement associated with rotating a steering wheel, and (d) body movement associated with the driver looking over their shoulder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second movement of the wearable computing device is characteristic of a movement of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the movement of the vehicle comprises one or more of the following:

(a) movement associated with a lane change, (b) movement associated with acceleration of the vehicle, and (c) movement associated with a turn of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second movement is of a larger scale than the first movement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number is two or greater.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of time is between 0 and 30 seconds.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein (i) receiving data associated with a first movement of the wearable computing system and (ii) within a predetermined amount of time, receiving data associated with a second movement of the wearable computing system comprises:

(i) an accelerometer receiving data associated with a first movement of the wearable computing system and (ii) within a predetermined amount of time, the accelerometer receiving data associated with a second movement of the wearable computing system.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions for identifying a threshold number of sets of correlated movements, wherein the instructions for identifying a set of correlated movements comprise;

(i) instructions for receiving data associated with a first movement of a wearable computing system;

(ii) instructions for receiving, within a predetermined amount of time, data associated with a second movement of the wearable computing system;

(iii) instructions for determining that the first movement and the second movement are correlated with one another; and

(iv) instructions for treating the first movement and the second movement as the set of correlated movements;

instructions for determining that the threshold number of sets of correlated movements are associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle; and

instructions for causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first movement of the wearable computing system is characteristic of a body movement associated with driving the vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the body movement comprises one or more of the following:

(a) body movement associated with turning on a turn signal, (b) body movement associated with shifting a gear of the vehicle, (c) body movement associated with rotating a steering wheel, and (d) body movement associated with the driver looking over their shoulder.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the second movement of the wearable computing device is characteristic of a movement of the vehicle.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the movement of the vehicle comprises one or more of the following:

(a) movement associated with a lane change, (b) movement associated with acceleration of the vehicle, and (c) movement associated with a turn of the vehicle.

17. A wearable computing system comprising:

a head-mounted display, wherein the head-mounted display is configured to display computer-generated information and allow visual perception of a real-world environment; and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to;

(a) identify a threshold number of sets of correlated movements, wherein identifying a set of correlated movements comprises;

(i) receiving data associated with a first movement of the wearable computing system;

(ii) within a predetermined amount of time, receiving data associated with a second movement of the wearable computing system;

(iii) determining that the first movement and the second movement are correlated with one another; and

(iv) treating the first movement and the second movement as the set of correlated movements;

(b) determine that the threshold number of sets of correlated movements are associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle; and

(c) cause the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

18. The wearable computing system of claim 17, wherein the controller comprises a movement-detection system.

19. The wearable computing system of claim 18, wherein the movement-detection system comprises an accelerometer.

20. The wearable computing system of claim 17, wherein the wearable computing system is configured to be mounted on a head of a driver of the vehicle.