Cursor mode switching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9436288-B2
Application number	US-201414281817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2014
Priority date	May 17, 2013
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing input from an image-capture device for gesture-recognition. The method further includes computationally interpreting user gestures in accordance with a first mode of operation; analyzing the path of movement of an object to determine an intent of a user to change modes of operation; and, upon determining an intent of the user to change modes of operation, subsequently interpreting user gestures in accordance with the second mode of operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gesture-recognition system comprising:
an image-capture device for obtaining digital images of an object in 3D space;
a processor-executable analysis module for computationally determining a path of movement of the object based on the captured images;
a computer memory for storing a digital representation of the path of movement; and
a processor-executable mode-control module configured for:
interpreting user gestures in accordance with a first mode of operation;
analyzing the path of movement to determine an intent of a user to change modes of operation by determining the amount of curvature of the path of movement based upon a maximum distance the path of movement is from a straight line between a staring point and ending point of the path of movement; and
upon determining the intent of the user to change modes of operation, interpreting user gestures in accordance with a second mode of operation.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode-control module is configured to analyze the path of movement by determining a direction of curvature of the path of movement.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein determining the direction of curvature of the path of movement includes determining which side of a virtual reference plane a midpoint of the path of movement is on.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode-control module is configured to analyze the path of movement by determining whether the path intersects a virtual reference plane.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the mode-control module is configured to create the virtual reference plane based on prior gestures.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode-control module is configured to determine if a velocity, acceleration, or range of motion of the movement crosses a threshold to overcome a hysteresis effect associated with the first mode.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the hysteresis effect is based on a physics-based model of the first and second modes.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode-control module is configured to analyze a second path of movement to determine the intent of the user to perform a multi-object gesture and change the modes of operation, the mode-control module subsequently interpreting user gestures in accordance with the second mode of operation based on the intent.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mode-control module is further configured for determining the intent of the user to change modes based on prior gestures.

10. A method of computationally recognizing and interpreting gestures, the method comprising:
obtaining, using an image-capture device, digital images of a real-world object in 3D space;
computationally determining a path of movement of the object based on the captured images;
storing, in a computer memory, a digital representation of the path of movement;
interpreting user gestures in accordance with a first mode of operation;
analyzing the path of movement to determine an intent of a user to change modes of operation by determining an amount of curvature of the path of movement based upon a maximum distance the path of movement is from a straight line between a starting point and ending point of the path of movement; and
upon determining the intent of the user to change modes of operation, interpreting user gestures in accordance with a second mode of operation.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein analyzing the path of movement comprises determining a direction of curvature of the path of movement.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the direction of curvature of the path of movement includes determining which side of a virtual reference plane a midpoint of the path of movement is on.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein analyzing the path of movement comprises determining whether the path intersects a virtual reference plane.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the virtual reference plane is created based on prior gestures.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein analyzing the path of movement comprises determining if a velocity, acceleration, or range of motion of the movement crosses a threshold to overcome a hysteresis effect associated with the first mode.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the hysteresis effect is based on a physics-based model of the first and second modes.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising analyzing a second path of movement to determine the intent of the user to perform a multi-object gesture and changing from the first mode to the second mode based on the intent.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the intent of the user to change modes is inferred based on prior gestures.

Assignees

• Leap Motion Inc

Inventors

• Holz David

Classifications

• G06F3/005

  Input arrangements through a video camera · CPC title

• 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

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• B65D75/5877

  connected to a planar surface of the package wall · CPC title

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title