System and methods for controlling a user experience

• US 9,619,036 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, TONY O
• Application Number:
  US13/469,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345170-176, 348135, 3482221, 715863, 715765
• 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

System and methods for controlling a user experience are described. In an aspect, an interface can comprise an interface device for rendering content to a user, a sensor having a gesture zone associated therewith configured to detect a dexterous gesture of a user within the gesture zone and generate a sensor signal representing the dexterous gesture. A processor may be provided in communication with the sensor and the interface device, wherein the processor receives the sensor signal, analyzes the sensor signal to determine a control action associated with the detected dexterous gesture of the user, and configures the user interface based upon the determined control action of the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

projecting first electromagnetic radiation into a first gesture zone, wherein the projected first electromagnetic radiation defines an adaptive coordinate system within the first gesture zone;

detecting a dexterous gesture of a user within the first gesture zone based on the projected first electromagnetic radiation, wherein movements of the user within the first gesture zone beyond a pre-defined threshold of movement are filtered out and not considered as dexterous gestures;

projecting second electromagnetic radiation into a second gesture zone;

detecting a coarse gesture of the user within the second gesture zone based on the projected second electromagnetic radiation, wherein movements of the user within the second gesture zone below a pre-defined threshold of movement are filtered out and not considered as coarse gestures;

determining a control action associated with at least one of the detected dexterous gesture of the user or the detected coarse gesture of the user, wherein the control action is determined based on a user profile of the user;

determining a device for applying the control action based on at least one of the detected dexterous gesture or the detected coarse gesture; and

modifying a user interface of the device based upon the determined control action of the user.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein modifying the user interface comprises one or more of presenting visual content or presenting audio content.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the dexterous gesture comprises capturing an image of at least an extremity of the user performing the dexterous gesture.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic radiation is configured to irradiate a portion of the user defining the dexterous gesture.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the dexterous gesture of the user comprises detecting the dexterous gesture relative to the user interface.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the control action comprises analyzing the detected dexterous gesture based upon a look-up table to select the control action associated with the detected dexterous gesture.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dexterous gesture comprises an identifiable position of one or more fingers of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic radiation is projected in at least one of a visible wavelength band or an infrared wavelength band.

9. A system, comprising:

a first projection element configured to project first electromagnetic radiation into a first gesture zone, wherein the projected first electromagnetic radiation defines an adaptive coordinate system within the first gesture zone;

a first sensing element configured to detect a dexterous gesture of a user within the first gesture zone based on the projected first electromagnetic radiation, wherein movements of the user within the first gesture zone beyond a pre-defined threshold of movement are filtered out and not considered as dexterous gestures;

a second projection element configured to project second electromagnetic radiation into a second gesture zone;

a second sensing element configured to detect a coarse gesture of the user within the second gesture zone based on the projected second electromagnetic radiation, wherein movements of the user within the second gesture zone below a pre-defined threshold of movement are filtered out and not considered as coarse gestures; and

a processor coupled to the first projection element, the second projection element, the first sensing element, and the second sensing element, wherein the processor is configured for,

determining a control action associated with at least one of the detected dexterous gesture of the user or the detected coarse gesture of the user, wherein the control action is determined based on a user profile of the user,

determining a device for applying the control action based on at least one of the detected dexterous gesture or the detected coarse gesture, and

modifying a user interface of the device based upon the determined control action of the user.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein modifying the user interface comprises one or more of presenting visual content or presenting audio content.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein detecting the dexterous gesture comprises capturing an image of at least an extremity of the user performing the dexterous gesture.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the projected first electromagnetic radiation is configured to irradiate a portion of the user defining the dexterous gesture.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein detecting the dexterous gesture of the user comprises detecting the dexterous gesture relative to the user interface.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein determining the control action comprises analyzing the detected dexterous gesture based upon a look-up table to select the control action associated with the detected dexterous gesture.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the dexterous gesture comprises an identifiable position of one or more fingers of the user.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first electromagnetic radiation is projected in at least one of a visible wavelength band or an infrared wavelength band.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

causing projection of first electromagnetic radiation into a first gesture zone, wherein the projected first electromagnetic radiation defines an adaptive coordinate system within the first gesture zone;

detecting a dexterous gesture of a user within the first gesture zone based on the projected first electromagnetic radiation, wherein movements of the user within the first gesture zone beyond a pre-defined threshold of movement are filtered out and not considered as dexterous gestures;

causing projection of second electromagnetic radiation into a second gesture zone;

detecting a coarse gesture of the user within the second gesture zone based on the projected second electromagnetic radiation, wherein movements of the user within the second gesture zone below a pre-defined threshold of movement are filtered out and not considered as coarse gestures;

determining a control action associated with at least one of the detected dexterous gesture of the user or the detected coarse gesture of the user, wherein the control action is determined based on a user profile of the user;

determining a device for applying the control action based on at least one of the detected dexterous gesture or the detected coarse gesture; and

modifying a user interface of the device based upon the determined control action of the user.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein modifying the user interface comprises one or more of presenting visual content or presenting audio content.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein detecting the dexterous gesture comprises capturing an image of at least an extremity of the user performing the dexterous gesture.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein detecting the dexterous gesture of the user comprises detecting the dexterous gesture relative to the user interface.