Context-sensitive control of radar-based gesture-recognition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11467672-B2
Application number	US-201916965735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2019
Priority date	Aug 30, 2019
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

This document describes techniques and systems for radar-based gesture-recognition with context-sensitive gating and other context-sensitive controls. Sensor data from a proximity sensor ( 108 ) and/or a movement sensor ( 108 ) produces a context of a user equipment ( 102 ). The techniques and systems enable the user equipment ( 102 ) to recognize contexts when a radar system ( 104 ) can be unreliable and should not be used for gesture-recognition, enabling the user equipment ( 102 ) to automatically disable or “gate” the output from the radar system ( 104 ) according to context. The user equipment ( 102 ) prevents the radar system ( 104 ) from transitioning to a high-power state ( 1910 ) to perform gesture-recognition in contexts where radar data detected by the radar system ( 104 ) is likely due to unintentional input. By so doing, the techniques conserve power, improve accuracy, or reduce latency relative to many common techniques and systems for radar-based gesture-recognition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for context-sensitive control of radar-based gesture-recognition, the method comprising:
receiving, from one or more sensors of a user equipment, sensor data;
determining, based on the sensor data, a context of the user equipment, the context of the user equipment indicating that a radar system is occluded by an object;
determining whether the context satisfies requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition, the determining whether the context satisfies requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition based at least in part on whether the context indicates that the radar system is occluded by the object; and
responsive to determining that the context does not satisfy the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition, gating the radar system to prevent the radar system from outputting indications of radar-based gestures to application subscribers of the user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context is a first context, and the sensor data is first sensor data, the method further comprising:
receiving, from the one or more sensors, second sensor data;
determining, based on the second sensor data, a second context of the user equipment, the second context of the user equipment indicative that the radar system is not occluded by the object;
determining whether the second context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition, the determining whether the context satisfies requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition based at least in part on whether the context indicates that the radar system is occluded by the object; and
responsive to determining that the second context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition, outputting the indications of radar-based gestures to the application subscribers of the user equipment.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
further responsive to determining that the second context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition:
inputting radar data obtained by the radar system to a model that determines the radar-based gestures from the inputted radar data; and
outputting, from the model, the indications of radar-based gestures to the application subscribers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors exclude camera sensors.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of a proximity sensor, an inertial measurement unit, an ambient light sensor, a microphone, a barometer, a camera sensor, a global positioning system, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein receiving the sensor data further comprises receiving the sensor data from the inertial measurement unit of the user equipment, the sensor data indicating one or more of an orientation, vibration, velocity, acceleration, or position of the user equipment.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the position comprises a pitch, roll, or yaw.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining an orientation and acceleration of the user equipment; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on the orientation and acceleration of the user equipment.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining that the user equipment has no acceleration in a downward-facing orientation; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on whether the context indicates that the user equipment has no acceleration in the downward-facing orientation.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining that the user equipment is at rest on a flat, stationary surface; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on whether the context indicates that the user equipment is at rest on the flat, stationary surface.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining that the user equipment has an oscillating acceleration and a changing position; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on whether the context indicates that the user equipment has the oscillating acceleration and the changing position.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining that the user equipment resides in a pocket, purse, or bag of a user; and
determining whether the context satisfies requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on whether the context indicates that the user equipment resides in the pocket, purse, or bag of the user.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the radar system is occluded by fabric.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining that the user equipment is within a low-light condition; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on whether the context indicates that the user equipment is within the low-light condition.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining whether the user is holding the user equipment; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on whether the user is holding the user equipment.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining whether the user is holding the user equipment in a particular orientation; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on whether the user is holding the user equipment in the particular orientation.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining whether a wired or wireless charging system is powering the user equipment; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on determining whether the wired or wireless charging system is powering the user equipment.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining whether the user equipment is receiving wireless signals; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on determining whether the user equipment is receiving wireless signals.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining variations in meteorological conditions; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on determining variations in meteorological conditions.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
determining the context of the user equipment further comprises determining whether inputs are detected at a presence-sensitive display; and
determining whether the context satisfies the requirements for radar-based gesture-recognition is further based on whether inp

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Sachidanandam Vignesh
• Poupyrev Ivan
• Giusti Leonardo
• O'Reilley Stern Devon James
• Hong Jung Ook
• Amihood Patrick M
• Jacobs John David
• Mengistu Abel Seleshi
• Barbello Brandon
• Kugler Tyler Reed

Classifications

• G01S13/06

  Systems determining position data of a target · CPC title

• H04M1/72454

  according to context-related or environment-related conditions · CPC title

• G06F21/32

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title

• G01S7/415

  Identification of targets based on measurements of movement associated with the target · CPC title

• Y02D30/70

  in wireless communication networks · CPC title