Rapid gesture re-engagement

• US 9,448,635 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: MacDougall, Francis B., Hildreth, Evan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALUNKAL, THOMAS D
• Application Number:
  US13/801,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20130271397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 715/863
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06V 40/113 Recognition of static hand signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media are provided for use with a system configured to detect gestures. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a first user gesture meeting a first condition to enter a mode of operation. The method may further include exiting the mode of operation. The method may further include detecting a second user gesture meeting a second condition to reenter the mode of operation based on the detecting the first user gesture, wherein the second condition is less stringent than the first condition.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a first user gesture meeting a first condition to enter a command mode on a computing device, wherein detecting the first user gesture includes tracking the first user gesture over a first period of time;

exiting the command mode;

detecting a second user gesture of a plurality of user gestures, the second user gesture meeting a second condition to reenter the command mode based on the detecting the first user gesture, wherein detecting the second user gesture includes tracking the second user gesture over a second period of time, wherein;

other user gestures of the plurality of user gestures do not meet the second condition;

the second condition is less stringent than the first condition;

the first user gesture and the second user gesture are performed by a user extremity; and

the computing device need not be in contact with the user extremity during the detecting the first user gesture and the detecting the second user gesture.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein tracking the first user gesture or the second user gesture comprises using one or more of depth sensor tracking, 2-D sensor tracking, histogram tracking, and ultrasound sensor tracking.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the command mode comprises executing one or more commands of the mobile device in response to detecting the other user gestures.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting the first user gesture or the second user gesture comprises obtaining a plurality of images using an image sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second user gestures are fixed gestures.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second user gestures are dynamic gestures.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second period of time is shorter than the first period of time.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first condition is detecting the first user gesture within a first region and the second condition is detecting the second user gesture within a second region, wherein the second region is larger than or equal to the first region.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the detecting the first user gesture comprises determining whether the user extremity is steady within the first region by detecting that any movement associated with the user extremity is below a predefined movement threshold in the first region for a period of time.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the user extremity is a hand.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first condition is detecting the first user gesture to a first confidence level and wherein the second condition is detecting the second user gesture to a second confidence level, wherein the second confidence level is lower than the first confidence level.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing feedback indicating reentering the gesture tracking mode in response to the detecting.

13. The method of claim 1:

wherein the second condition comprises a command corresponding to the second user gesture being equivalent to a command corresponding to a gesture performed between the first user gesture and the second user gesture; and

further comprising bypassing a requirement for the second user gesture to meet the first condition based at least in part on the detecting the second user gesture meeting the second condition.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first condition comprises a motion or trajectory in a first direction, and wherein the second condition comprises a change in direction such that a resulting direction of motion is substantially aligned with the first direction.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

an image capture device configured to capture images; and

a processor coupled to the image capture device,

wherein the processor is configured to;

detect a first user gesture meeting a first condition to enter a command mode, wherein detecting the first user gesture includes tracking the first user gesture over a first period of time;

exit the gesture tracking mode;

detect, based on images captured by the image capture device, a second user gesture of a plurality of user gestures, the second user gesture meeting a second condition to reenter the command mode based on the detecting the first user gesture, wherein detecting the second user gesture includes tracking the second user gesture over a second period of time, wherein;

other user gestures of the plurality of user gestures do not meet the second condition;

the second condition is less stringent than the first condition;

the first user gesture and the second user gesture are performed by a user extremity; and

the computing device need not be in contact with the user extremity during the detecting the first user gesture and the detecting the second user gesture.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein tracking the first user gesture or the second user gesture comprises using one or more of depth sensor tracking, 2-D sensor tracking, histogram tracking, and ultrasound sensor tracking.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the command mode comprises executing one or more commands of the mobile device in response to detecting the other user gestures.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first and second user gestures are fixed gestures.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first and second user gestures are dynamic gestures.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the second period of time is shorter than the first period of time.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first condition is detecting the first user gesture within a first region and the second condition is detecting the second user gesture within a second region, wherein the second region is larger than or equal to the first region.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is configured to detect the first user gesture by determining whether the user extremity is steady within the first region by detecting that any movement associated with the user extremity is below a predefined movement threshold in the first region for a period of time.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the user extremity is a hand.

24. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first condition is detecting the first user gesture to a first confidence level and wherein the second condition is detecting the second user gesture to a second confidence level, wherein the second confidence level is lower than the first confidence level.

25. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to cause an output device to provide feedback indicating reentering the gesture tracking mode in response to the detecting the second user gesture meeting the second condition.

26. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the second condition comprises a command corresponding to the second user gesture being equivalent to a command corresponding to a gesture performed between the first user gesture and the second user gesture;

and

wherein the processor is further configured to bypass a requirement for the second user gesture to meet the first condition based at least in part on the detecting the second user gesture meeting the second condition.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first condition comprises a motion or trajectory in a first direction, and wherein the second condition comprises a change in direction such that a resulting direction of motion is substantially aligned with the first direction.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting a first user gesture meeting a first condition to enter a gesture tracking mode, wherein the means for detecting a first user gesture includes a means for tracking the first user gesture over a first period of time;

means for exiting the command mode;

means for detecting a second user gesture of a plurality of user gestures, the second user gesture meeting a second condition to reenter the command mode based on the detecting the first user gesture, wherein the means for detecting the second user gesture includes a means for tracking the second user gesture over a second period of time, wherein;

other user gestures of the plurality of user gestures do not meet the second condition;

the second condition is less stringent than the first condition;

the first user gesture and the second user gesture are performed by a user extremity; and

the computing device need not be in contact with the user extremity during the detecting the first user gesture and the detecting the second user gesture.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein command mode comprises executing one or more commands of the mobile device in response to detecting the other user gestures.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the second period of time is shorter than the first period of time.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the first condition is detecting the first user gesture within a first region and the second condition is detecting the second user gesture within a second region, wherein the second region is larger than or equal to the first region.

32. A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor to:

detect a first user gesture meeting a first condition to enter a command mode, wherein detecting the first user gesture includes tracking the first user gesture over a first period of time;

exit the command mode; and

detect a second user gesture of a plurality of user gestures, the second user gesture meeting a second condition to reenter the gesture tracking mode based on the detecting the first user gesture, wherein detecting the second user gesture includes tracking the second user gesture over a second period of time, wherein;

user gestures of the plurality of user gestures not meeting the second condition;

the second condition is less stringent than the first condition;

the first user gesture and the second user gesture are performed by a user extremity; and

the computing device need not be in contact with the user extremity during the detecting the first user gesture and detecting the second user gesture.