System and method for controlling a user experience

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11093047-B2
Application number	US-202016842544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2020
Priority date	May 11, 2012
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

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. 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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, from one or more sensors, motion data indicative of a gesture made by a user;
storing, in a user profile associated with the user, an association between the gesture and a control action, wherein the control action corresponds to the gesture;
receiving, from the one or more sensors, further motion data indicative of the gesture;
selecting, based on a proximity of the user to the one or more sensors, a device from among a plurality of devices; and
modifying, based on the further motion data and the user profile, a user experience at the device, wherein the device is proximate to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying, based on the further motion data and the user profile, the user experience at the device comprises determining, based on the user profile, the control action.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
causing the device to apply the control action.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, based on the motion data, the control action corresponding to the gesture.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motion data comprises at least one of: a dexterous gesture or a coarse gesture.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motion data is detected by the one or more sensors within a gesture zone, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, from the one or more sensors, second motion data indicative of the gesture made by the user outside the gesture zone; and
determining, based on the second motion data being detected outside the gesture zone, that the control action is not to be applied.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the one or more sensors, second motion data indicative of a second gesture made by a second user; and
storing, in a second user profile associated with the second user, an association between the second gesture and the control action, wherein the control action corresponds to the second gesture.

8. A method comprising:
receiving, from one or more sensors:
first motion data and an indication of a control action, wherein the first motion data is indicative of a first gesture made by a first user, and
second motion data and a further indication of the control action, wherein the second motion data is indicative of a second gesture made by a second user;

storing, in a first user profile associated with the first user, an association between the first motion data and the control action, wherein the control action corresponds to the first gesture;
storing, in a second user profile associated with the second user, an association between the second motion data and the control action, wherein the control action corresponds to the second gesture;
selecting, based on further motion data detected by the one or more sensors, and based on a proximity of a user associated with the further motion data to the one or more sensors, a device from among a plurality of devices; and
modifying, based on the further motion data, a user experience at the device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the user associated with the further motion data comprises the second user, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, from the one or more sensors, the further motion data, wherein the further motion data is indicative of the second gesture;
and
determining, based on the further motion data being associated with the second user, and based on the second user profile, that the control action is to be applied.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the user associated with the further motion data comprises the first user, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, from the one or more sensors, the further motion data, wherein the further motion data is indicative of the first gesture; and
determining, based on the further motion data being associated with the first user, and based on the first user profile, that the control action is to be applied.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the further motion data comprises one or more user characteristics identifying the first user.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining, based on the one or more user characteristics, that the further motion data is associated with the first user.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the control action comprises at least one of: a user device action or a local system action.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, from the one or more sensors, the further motion data, wherein the further motion data is indicative of the first gesture made by the first user outside a gesture zone; and
determining, based on the further motion data being detected outside the gesture zone, that the control action is not to be applied.

15. A method comprising:
detecting, via one or more sensors, first motion data indicative of a gesture made by a user within a gesture zone;
storing, in a user profile associated with the user, an association between the gesture and a control action, wherein the control action corresponds to the first motion data;
determining, based on second motion data indicative of the gesture made by the user outside the gesture zone, that the control action is not to be applied;
detecting, via the one or more sensors, third motion data indicative of the gesture made by the user within the gesture zone; and
selecting, based on the third motion data being detected within the gesture zone, and based on a proximity of the user to the one or more sensors when the third motion data was detected, a device from among a plurality of devices for modifying a user experience.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the gesture zone comprises a volumetric space.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising
modifying, based on the third motion data and the user profile, the user experience at the device proximate.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein modifying the user experience comprises modifying a playback of content by the device.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein modifying the user experience comprises modifying one or more environmental conditions associated with the device.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
detecting, via the one or more sensors, fourth motion data indicative of the control action, wherein the fourth motion data is indicative of a second gesture made by a second user; and
storing, in a second user profile associated with the second user, an association between the fourth motion data and the control action, wherein the control action corresponds to the second gesture.

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Chen Michael A

Classifications

• G06F3/017 Primary

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title