Enhanced Character Input Using Recognized Gestures

• US 20090315740A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GestureTek Incorporated (Winning Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: McDougall, Francis, Hildreth, Evan
• Granted Patent: US 8,514,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/20
• 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

Enhanced character input using recognized gestures, in which a user'"'"'s first and second gestures are recognized, and a control including radially disposed interaction elements is output. At least a portion of the interaction elements are associated with clusters of characters. When an interaction element is selected, the characters associated with the selected interaction element are disposed radially in relation to the selected interaction element. Using the control, the interaction element and a character associated with the selected interaction element are selected based on the user'"'"'s recognized first and second gestures, respectively, and the selected character is output.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

recognizing a user'"'"'s first and second gestures;

outputting a control that further comprises;

radially disposed interaction elements, at least a portion of which are associated with clusters of characters, and,

the characters associated with a selected interaction element, disposed radially in relation to the selected interaction element, when the interaction element is selected;

selecting, using the control, the interaction element and a character associated with the selected interaction element, based on the user'"'"'s recognized first and second gestures, respectively; and

outputting the selected character.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a representation of the user in a central region of the control,

wherein the interaction elements are radially disposed in relation to the central region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the interaction element and the character associated with the selected interaction element using the control further comprises interacting with the control.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically determining a quantity of interaction elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each character represents an alphabetic character, a numeric character, or a symbol character.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction elements further comprise:

a first interaction element associated with alphabetic characters only;

a second interaction element associated with numeric characters only; and

a third interaction element associated with symbolic characters only.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the radially disposed interaction elements further comprise:

a first interaction element associated with a cluster of characters, and

a second interaction element associated with a function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the function comprises a character deletion function or a default function.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the interaction element further comprises determining whether the user'"'"'s recognized first gesture exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the control further comprises hiding the characters associated with the selected interaction element when the users recognized first gesture moves away from the selected interaction element.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing a user'"'"'s third and fourth gestures;

outputting, as the control;

supplemental interaction elements disposed radially in relation to the output selected character, of which at least a portion are associated with additional clusters of characters, and,

characters associated with a selected supplemental interaction element disposed radially in relation to the selected supplemental interaction element, when the supplemental interaction element is selected;

selecting, using the control, the supplemental interaction element and one of the characters associated with the selected supplemental interaction element, based on the user'"'"'s recognized third and fourth gestures, respectively; and

outputting the one of the characters associated with the selected supplemental interaction element.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising hiding the output radially disposed interaction elements.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically determining the characters associated with each cluster.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s first gesture is recognized from images of the user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s gesture further comprises a single or multiple finger gesture;

a single hand gesture;

a single hand and arm gesture;

a single hand and arm, and body gesture;

a bimanual gesture;

a change in a head pose or posture;

a change in an eye position;

a change in facial expression;

or a change in a body pose or posture.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the radially disposed interaction elements further comprise:

a first interaction element associated with characters;

A, B, C, D, E, and F;

a second interaction element associated with characters;

G, H, I, J, K, and L;

a third interaction element associated with characters;

M, N, O, P, Q, and R;

a fourth interaction element associated with characters;

S, T, U, V, W, and X;

a fifth interaction element associated with symbolic characters and characters;

Y and Z; and

a sixth interaction element associated with a backspace function.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, in association with each interaction element, a visual indicia of the clusters of characters associated with the each interaction element.

18. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to:

recognize a user'"'"'s first and second gestures;

output a control that further comprises;

radially disposed interaction elements, at least a portion of which are associated with clusters of characters, and,

the characters associated with a selected interaction element, disposed radially in relation to a selected interaction element, when the interaction element is selected;

select, using the control, the interaction element and a character associated with the selected interaction element, based on the user'"'"'s recognized first and second gestures, respectively; and

output the selected character.

19. A device comprising:

a user interface configured to output a control that further comprises;

radially disposed interaction elements, at least a portion of which are associated with clusters of characters, and,

the characters associated with a selected interaction element, disposed radially in relation to a selected interaction element, when the interaction element is selected; and

a processor configured to;

recognize a user'"'"'s first and second gestures,

select, using the control, the interaction element and a character associated with the selected interaction element, based on the user'"'"'s recognized first and second gestures, respectively, and

output the selected character.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising:

a camera configured to generate images of the user,

wherein the user'"'"'s first and second gestures are recognized from the generated images.

21. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

recognizing a user'"'"'s gesture;

outputting a control that further comprises radially disposed interaction elements, each of which are associated with a character;

selecting, using the control, an interaction element based on the user'"'"'s recognized gesture; and

outputting the character associated with the selected interaction element.