Systems and methods for machine control

• US 9,679,215 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lmi Liquidating Co., LLC
• Original Assignee: Leap Motion Incorporated (Ultraleap Limited)
• Inventors: Holz, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzpatrick, Atiba O
• Application Number:
  US14/280,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20140369558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/08 Feature extraction
• 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: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/586 from multiple light sources, e.g. photometric stereo
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/25 Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/107 Static hand or arm

Abstract

A region of space may be monitored for the presence or absence of one or more control objects, and object attributes and changes thereto may be interpreted as control information provided as input to a machine or application. In some embodiments, the region is monitored using a combination of scanning and image-based sensing.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for conducting machine control, the method comprising:

scanning a region of space, the scanning including;

directing at least two emission cycles to form at least two scan patterns that scan from an emission region to the region of space, one scan pattern of the at least two scan patterns being different from at least one other scan pattern of the at least two scan patterns;

detecting a reflectance of the at least two scan patterns; and

determining that the detected reflectance indicates a presence of an object in the region of space;

determining a first object attribute set of one or more object attributes of the object for a first scan pattern of the at least two scan patterns;

determining a second object attribute set of one or more object attributes of the object for a second scan pattern of the at least two scan patterns;

analyzing the first object attribute set and the second object attribute set to determine a control portion of the object;

comparing the first object attribute set and the second object attribute set to determine control information; and

responding to the determined control information according to response criteria.

2. The computer implemented method according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more object attributes of the object for the first scan pattern or the one or more object attributes of the object for the second scan pattern comprises attributes of the control portion of the object, and

wherein the comparing of the first object attribute set and the second object attribute set includes comparing control portion attributes selected from the first object attribute set with control portion attributes selected from the second object attribute set.

3. The computer implemented method according to claim 2,

wherein the directing comprises directing an emission cycle in a scan pattern, and

wherein the determining of the first object attribute set and the determining of the second object attribute set include conducting a second scanning in a different scan pattern that is different from the scan pattern.

4. The computer implemented method according to claim 3, wherein the different scan pattern is more refined than the scan pattern.

5. The computer implemented method according to claim 4, wherein the refined scan pattern captures surface detail about the object.

6. The computer implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the determining of the first object attribute set and the determining of the second object attribute set include determining control-portion attributes based at least in part on captured surface detail about the object.

7. The computer implemented method according to claim 6, wherein the comparing the first object attribute set and the second object attribute set includes comparing differences in captured surface detail of the control portion of the object from control portion attributes of the first scan pattern and the second scan pattern to determine a change indicating the control information.

8. The computer implemented method according to claim 7, wherein the comparing of the differences includes determining whether an engagement gesture has occurred.

9. The computer implemented method according to claim 7, wherein the comparing of the differences includes determining whether a prospective user has come into a vicinity of a machine under control.

10. The computer implemented method according to claim 7, wherein the comparing of the differences includes determining whether or not an object is present.

11. The computer implemented method according to claim 7, wherein the comparing of the differences includes determining a correction to the control information by comparing the control information to a prior determined control information.

12. The computer implemented method according to claim 3, wherein the detecting of the reflectance includes detecting a reflectance of the first scan pattern using at least one photo-sensitive element.

13. The computer implemented method according to claim 3, wherein the detecting of the reflectance includes capturing an image of a reflectance of the first scan pattern using at least one suitable photo-sensitive array element.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the directing of the at least two emission cycles includes causing a light emission pattern of a first light emitter to interfere with or to create an interference pattern with a light emission pattern of a second light emitter.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the directing of the at least two emission cycles includes varying a first power state of a first light emitter at least partially in concurrence with varying a second power state of a second light emitter.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the directing of the at least two emission cycles includes extinguishing a first light emitter completely before activating a second light emitter.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the emission region includes a first emission point and a second emission point rotationally pivotable about one or more axes having an origin point within the emission region.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 17, wherein the first emission point is the same as the second emission point.

19. The computer implemented method according to claim 7, wherein the analyzing of the first object attribute set and the second object attribute set includes finding a known feature.

20. The computer implemented method according to claim 19, wherein the finding of the known feature includes identifying a reflector affixed to the object.

21. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the response criteria includes determining whether to respond to the control information.

22. The computer implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the determining of the first object attribute set and the determining of the second object attribute set comprise:

detecting the at least two scan patterns; and

capturing at least one image using an imaging system including at least one camera.

23. The computer implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the one scan pattern is configured to provide sequential emissions from emitters of the emission region in a binary manner such that each of the emitters is turned on and off one at a time, and

wherein the at least one other scan pattern is configured to provide simultaneously overlapping emissions from the emitters.

24. The computer implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the one scan pattern and the at least one other scan pattern are configured to provide emissions from a same emitter of the emission region, such that the same emitter provides emissions of different patterns.

25. The computer implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the one scan pattern is configured to provide emissions from emitters of the emission region in a first order, and

wherein the at least one other scan pattern is configured to provide emissions from the emitters of the emission region in a second order, which is different from the first order.

26. The computer implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the one scan pattern is configured to provide emissions from emitters of the emission region at a first rate, and

wherein the at least one other scan pattern is configured to provide emissions from the emitters of the emission region at a second rate, which is different from the first rate.