Buffering mechanism for camera-based gesturing

• US 9,024,958 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nicholson, John Weldon, Zawacki, Jennifer Greenwood, Locker, Howard J., Cromer, Daryl C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mazumder, Tapas
• Application Number:
  US13/361,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 345/547
• US Class Current: 345/547
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0261 in the context of movement of objects on the screen or movement of the observer relative to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/36 characterised by the display of a graphic pattern, e.g. using an all-points-addressable [APA] memory

Abstract

A method can include buffering video data to a buffer that includes a buffer capacity that corresponds to a video time interval; sampling video data at a sampling rate of at least once per video time interval; processing the sampled video data for gesture evidence; and, responsive to gesture evidence in the sampled video data, processing the buffered video data for additional gesture evidence. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

buffering video data to a buffer that comprises a buffer capacity that corresponds to a video time interval that exceeds a sum of a longest gesture time interval and a recognition time interval for processing sampled video data for gesture evidence;

sampling video data at a sampling rate of at least once per video time interval wherein the sampling rate comprises a frame sampling rate, wherein the buffering comprises buffering video data at a frame buffering rate, and wherein the frame buffering rate exceeds the frame sampling rate;

processing the sampled video data for gesture evidence; and

responsive to recognition of gesture evidence in the sampled video data,

processing the buffered video data for additional gesture evidence.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the buffering comprises buffering the video data to a circular buffer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the buffer capacity comprises a frame capacity based at least in part on a video frame rate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing the buffered video data for additional gesture evidence comprises processing the buffered video data directionally toward older buffered video data.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, responsive to additional gesture evidence in the buffered video data, issuing a command based at least in part on the gesture evidence and the additional gesture evidence.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the command comprises a navigation command.

7. A system comprising:

circuitry to buffer video data at a frame buffering rate to a buffer that comprises a buffer capacity that corresponds to a video time interval that exceeds a sum of a longest gesture time interval and a recognition time interval for processing sampled video data for gesture evidence;

circuitry to sample video data at a frame sampling rate wherein the frame buffering rate exceeds the frame sampling rate;

circuitry to process sampled video data for gesture evidence;

circuitry to process buffered video data for gesture evidence responsive to recognition of gesture evidence in sampled video data; and

circuitry to assign gesture evidence in sampled video data and gesture evidence in buffered video data to a single gesture.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the buffer comprises a circular buffer that receives video data from the circuitry to buffer video data.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising a video camera.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the circuitry to process buffered video data for gesture evidence comprises circuitry responsive to recognition of gesture evidence in sampled video data.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the circuitry to sample video data samples video data according to a sampling resolution, wherein the circuitry to buffer video data buffers video data according to a buffering resolution and wherein the buffering resolution exceeds the sampling resolution.

12. The system of claim 7 further comprising output circuitry for output of gesture-based commands.

13. One or more computer-readable non-transitory media comprising processor-executable instructions to instruct a processor to:

buffer video data to a circular buffer at a frame buffering rate wherein the circular buffer comprises a buffer capacity that corresponds to a video time interval that exceeds a sum of a longest gesture time interval and a recognition time interval for processing sampled video data for gesture evidence;

sample video data at a frame sampling rate wherein the frame buffering rate exceeds the frame sampling rate;

process sampled video data for evidence of a gesture;

process buffered video data for additional evidence of a gesture responsive to evidence of a gesture in the sampled video data; and

issue a command based at least in part on evidence of a gesture in the sampled video data and additional evidence of a gesture in the buffered video data.

14. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory media of claim 13 further comprising instructions to instruct a processor to:

define the sampling rate based at least in part on a minimum gesture time.

15. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory media of claim 13 further comprising instructions to instruct a processor to process buffered video data directionally toward older buffered video data.