Free-space gesture recognition for transaction security and command processing

• US 7,948,357 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bodin, William Kress
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Vernal U
• Application Number:
  US12/054,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20080230598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.51, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/5.2, 340/539.23, 340/5.81, 340/5.26, 715/863, 715/700, 345/157, 345/158
• US Class Current: 340/5.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A sensor panel for detecting a free-space gesture signature conducted with a gesturing instrument by providing a panel mounted on a controlled system with multiple gesturing sensors in a two-dimensional arrangement to detect movement of a gesturing instrument, and an array of infrared (“IR”) type sensors adapted to detect movement of gesturing instruments which are distinguishable by heat; determining a sensor sequence from a series of sensor detection events responsive to movement of a gesturing instrument within the sensor proximity; correlating the sensor sequence to a predetermined seguence in order to authenticate a user of the gesturing instrument: and responsive to authentication of the user, authorizing a physical security action, wherein the a gesturing sensors comprise a combination of two or more sensors selected from Radio Frequency Identification type sensors acoustic sensors, acoustic type sensors adapted to detect movement of acoustic-reflective gesturing instruments, and infrared type sensors.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a free-space gesture signature conducted with a gesturing instrument, the method comprising:

providing a panel mounted on a controlled system, the panel having a plurality of gesturing sensors in a two-dimensional arrangement, each sensor being adapted to detect a gesturing instrument within a proximity of a sensor, each sensor having an independent detection event signal, wherein the sensors comprise at least one type of sensor selected from a group consisting of an array of acoustic type sensors adapted to detect movement of acoustic-reflective gesturing instruments, and an array of infrared (“

IR”

) type sensors adapted to detect movement of gesturing instruments which are distinguishable by heat

determining a sensor sequence from a series of sensor detection events responsive to movement of a gesturing instrument within the proximity of the plurality of sensors;

correlating the sensor sequence to a predetermined sequence in order to authenticate a user of the gesturing instrument; and

responsive to authentication of the user, authorizing a physical security action,

wherein the providing a plurality of gesturing sensors comprises providing a combination of two or more types of sensors selected from a group consisting of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) type sensors acoustic sensors, acoustic type sensors adapted to detect movement of acoustic-reflective gesturing instruments, and infrared (“

IR”

) type sensors.