METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TOUCHLESS CONTROL COMMANDS

1 . A method of detecting an input gesture command comprising:

obtaining at least one digital image from a digital camera of a pre-defined controlled movement area;

comparing, via a processor, the at least one digital image to at least one pre-stored background image previously obtained from the digital camera of the same pre-defined controlled movement area;

identifying, via the processor, at least one pixel difference between the at least one digital image and the at least one pre-stored background image; and

designating, via the processor, the at least one digital image as having a detected input gesture command.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

triggering the digital camera to begin obtaining the at least one digital image based on a movement detected by an infrared (IR) sensor coupled to the processor associated with the digital camera.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

converting content of the at least one digital image to a linear representation to identify a type of input gesture command.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the linear representation comprises a plurality of gridpoints used to identify the user's body part used for the input gesture command.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

comparing the linear representation to a pre-stored linear representation to identify the type of input gesture command; and

identifying the type of input gesture command.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

transmitting a command to a remote device based on the identified type of input gesture command.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital camera is a complementary symmetry metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera.

8 . An apparatus configured to detect an input gesture command comprising:

a digital camera;

a receiver configured to receive at least one digital image from the digital camera of a pre-defined controlled movement area; and

a processor configured to

compare the at least one digital image to at least one pre-stored background image previously obtained from the digital camera of the same pre-defined controlled movement area,

identify at least one pixel difference between the at least one digital image and the at least one pre-stored background image, and

designate the at least one digital image as having a detected input gesture command.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the digital camera to begin obtaining the at least one digital image based on a movement detected by an infrared (IR) sensor coupled to the processor associated with the digital camera.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to convert content of the at least one digital image to a linear representation to identify a type of input gesture command.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the linear representation comprises a plurality of gridpoints used to identify the user's body part used for the input gesture command.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to compare the linear representation to a pre-stored linear representation to identify the type of input gesture command and identify the type of input gesture command.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a command to a remote device based on the identified type of input gesture command.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital camera is a complementary symmetry metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to detect an input gesture command, the processor being further configured to perform:

obtaining at least one digital image from a digital camera of a pre-defined controlled movement area;

comparing, via a processor, the at least one digital image to at least one pre-stored background image previously obtained from the digital camera of the same pre-defined controlled movement area;

identifying, via the processor, at least one pixel difference between the at least one digital image and the at least one pre-stored background image; and

designating, via the processor, the at least one digital image as having a detected input gesture command.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

triggering the digital camera to begin obtaining the at least one digital image based on a movement detected by an infrared (IR) sensor coupled to the processor associated with the digital camera.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

converting content of the at least one digital image to a linear representation to identify a type of input gesture command.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the linear representation comprises a plurality of gridpoints used to identify the user's body part used for the input gesture command.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

comparing the linear representation to a pre-stored linear representation to identify the type of input gesture command; and

identifying the type of input gesture command.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

transmitting a command to a remote device based on the identified type of input gesture command.