Gesture-based user interface employing video camera

• US 8,878,807 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advance Touchscreen And Gesture Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lester F. Ludwig
• Inventors: Ludwig, Lester F.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US13/794,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20130201135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/46 Volume control
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/521 Hall effect transducers or similar magnetic field sensing semiconductor devices, e.g. for string vibration sensing or key movement sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/525 Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/095 Spint zither, i.e. mimicking any neckless stringed instrument in which the strings do not extend beyond the sounding board
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/101 Spint koto, i.e. mimicking any traditional asian-style plucked zither with movable bridges
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/115 Spint sitar, i.e. mimicking any long-necked plucked string instrument with a large number of additional non-playable sympathetic resonating strings or an additional gourd-like resonating chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/145 Spint guitar keyboard, i.e. mimicking a combination of a guitar-like instrument, with or without strings, and a piano-like keyboard, e.g. with white and black keys arranged like on a piano
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/271 Spint gong, i.e. mimicking circular flat, nippled or bowl-shaped metallic percussion instruments G10H2230/321 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/18 using a string, e.g. electric guitar mechanical features G10D1/085
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/26 : using electric feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/10 : Feedback

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a free-space gesture-based user interface for a computer workstation and desktop software applications are disclosed. In one implementation, the system includes a video camera to generate real-time video signals responsive to a user gesture as observed by the video camera, and a processor to generate control signals responsive to the real-time video signals responsive to the user gesture observed by the video camera. The control signals are used to control a desktop software application executing on the computer workstation, such that at least one aspect of the desktop software application is responsive to the user gesture observed by the video camera.

Claims

1. A system configured to provide a user interface for a computing device, the system comprising:

a video camera configured to generate a real-time video signal responsive to an input indicative of a user gesture in free space as observed by the video camera; and

a processor configured to generate one or more control signals based on processing at least gradients of luminance pixel information of the real-time video signal so as to recognize, from the input, the user gesture in free space from a plurality of gestures, the control signals to control a software application configured to be executed on the computing device;

wherein at least one aspect of the desktop software application is responsive to the input indicative of the user gesture as observed by the video camera; and

,

wherein the processor is configured to recognize one or more patterns of shapes from the gradients of the luminance pixel information to recognize the user gesture from the plurality of the gestures.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user gesture comprises movement of the user'"'"'s hand.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user gesture comprises a posture of the user'"'"'s hand.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user gesture comprises movement of the user'"'"'s body.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user gesture comprises movement of an object.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the software application is a graphics design software application.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the video camera generates real-time video signals responsive to a user'"'"'s facial expressions as observed by the video camera.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to recognize a position of the user with respect to the video camera, and the processor is configured to generate control signals in response to the user gesture and the user position.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user gesture comprises a posture of the user'"'"'s hand.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the video camera utilizes image motion tracking and motion video compression to generate real-time free space video signals responsive to the user gesture in free space.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to recognize the user gesture in free space, user position in free space and user proximity in free space to the video camera in the three-dimensional space, and the processor is configured to generate control signals in response to the user gesture in free space, user position in free space and user proximity in free space to the video camera.

12. A method of providing a user interface for a computer device, the method comprising:

generating real-time video signals responsive in response to an input indicative of a user gesture in free space;

generating one or more control signals responsive to the real-time video signals responsive to the user gesture based on processing at least gradients of luminance pixel information of the real-time video signals to recognize the user gesture in free space from a plurality of gestures;

enabling control of a software application configured to be executed on the computing device using the control signals;

wherein at least one aspect of the software application is responsive to the input indicative of the user gesture; and

,

wherein the processing of the gradients of luminance comprises recognizing one or more patterns of shapes from the gradients of the luminance pixel information to recognize the user gesture from the plurality of gestures.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user gesture comprises movement of the user'"'"'s hand.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the user gesture comprises movement of the user'"'"'s body.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the user gesture comprises movement of an object.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the software application is a graphics design software application.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating real-time video signals responsive to a user'"'"'s facial expressions.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a position of the user with respect to a source of the video signals, and generating control signals in response to the user gesture and the user position.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the user gesture in free space, a user position in free space and a user proximity in free space to a source of the video signals in a three-dimensional space, and generating control signals in response to the user gesture, user position and user proximity to the source of the video signals.