Method and apparatus for distributed user interfaces using wearable devices to control mobile and consumer electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9030404-B2
Application number	US-72263110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2010
Priority date	Jul 23, 2009
Publication date	May 12, 2015
Grant date	May 12, 2015

Abstract

A method for controlling a controlled device with a device wearable on a portion of a body is disclosed. The method includes detecting relative movement between the wearable device and the portion of the body; and generating an indication of the relative movement for use in controlling the controlled device. A method for controlling a controlled device with a device wearable on a portion of a body is also disclosed. The method includes receiving a message indicating a relative movement between the wearable device and the portion of the body; and generating an action to control the controlled device based on a command associated with the relative movement. Apparatuses for performing the methods are disclosed herein as well.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a controlled device with a first device wearable on a portion of a body, comprising:
receiving a first message indicating a movement of the first wearable device;
receiving a second message indicating a movement of a second device wearable on another portion of the body, wherein the first and second messages are received substantially simultaneously;
identifying the movement of the first wearable device as a gesture and the movement of the second wearable device as not a gesture-related movement based on the first and second messages indicating that the movements of the first and second wearable devices are substantially similar;
generating an action to control the controlled device based on a command associated with the identified gesture; and
transmitting a feedback signal to the first wearable device, the feedback signal being associated with the generated action.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message comprises raw sensor data obtained by the first wearable device.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising interpreting the raw sensor data as the gesture.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the first wearable device corresponds to at least one of a sliding, a tilting, a tapping, or a rotating of the first wearable device.

5. An apparatus for controlling a controlled device with a first device wearable on a portion of a body, comprising:
a receiver configured to:
receive a first message indicating movement of the first wearable device; and
receive a second message indicating a movement of a second device wearable on another portion of the body, wherein the first and second messages are received substantially simultaneously;

a processing system configured to:
identify the movement of the first wearable device as a gesture and the movement of the second wearable device as not a gesture-related movement based on the first and second messages indicating that the movements of the first and second wearable devices are substantially similar; and
perform an action to control the controlled device based on a command associated with the identified gesture; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a feedback signal to the first wearable device, the feedback signal being associated with the generated action.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first message comprises raw sensor data obtained by the first wearable device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the raw sensor data is interpreted as the gesture.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the movement of the first wearable device corresponds to at least one of a sliding, a tilting, a tapping, or a rotating of the first wearable device.

9. An apparatus for controlling a controlled device with a first device wearable on a portion of a body, comprising:
means for simultaneously receiving first and second messages indicating movements of the first wearable device and a second wearable device, respectively;
means for identifying the movement of the first wearable device as a gesture and the movement of the second wearable device as not a gesture-related movement based on the first and second messages indicating that the movements of the first and second wearable devices are substantially similar;
means for performing an action to control the controlled device based on a command associated with the identified gesture; and
means for transmitting a feedback signal to the first wearable device, the feedback signal being associated with the generated action.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first message comprises raw sensor data obtained by the first wearable device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the raw sensor data is interpreted as the gesture.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the movement of the first wearable device corresponds to at least one of a sliding, a tilting, a tapping, or a rotating of the first wearable device.

13. A watch for controlling a controlled device by a first device worn on a portion of a body, comprising:
at least one antenna;
a receiver configured to:
receive a first message, via the at least one antenna, indicating movement of the first wearable device; and
receive a second message, via the at least one antenna, indicating movement of a second wearable device, wherein the first and second messages are received substantially simultaneously;

a processing system configured to:
identify the movement of the first wearable device as a gesture and the movement of the second wearable device as not a gesture-related movement based on the first and second messages indicating that the movements of the first and second wearable devices are substantially similar; and
perform an action to control the controlled device based on a command associated with the identified gesture; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a feedback signal to the first wearable device, the feedback signal being associated with the generated action.

14. A computer-program product for controlling a controlled device with a first device wearable on a portion of a body, comprising a computer-readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a processor to:
receive a first message indicating movement of the first wearable device;
receive a second message indicating movement of a second wearable device, wherein the first and second messages are received substantially simultaneously;
identify the movement of the first wearable device as a gesture and the movement of the second wearable device as not a gesture-related movement based on the first and second messages indicating that the movements of the first and second wearable devices are substantially similar;
perform an action to control the controlled device based on a command associated with the identified gesture; and
transmit a feedback signal to the first wearable device, the feedback signal being associated with the generated action.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback signal indicates that the identified gesture has been recognized.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback signal indicates that the command has been acknowledged.

Assignees

• Linsky Joel Benjamin
• Michaelis Oliver
• Jaime Manuel Eduardo
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Linsky Joel Benjamin
• Michaelis Oliver
• Jaime Manuel Eduardo

Classifications

• G06F3/038

  Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry · CPC title

• G06F3/017

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

• G06F1/163 Primary

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G06F1/1694

  the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title