3D GESTURE RECOGNITION FOR OPERATING AN ELECTRONIC PERSONAL DISPLAY

1 . A method for utilizing 3D gesture recognition for operating an electronic personal display, said method comprising:

receiving a contact at a capacitive touch sensing surface on at least a portion of the electronic personal display;

monitoring an airspace in range of a 3D motion sensor coupled with the electronic personal display for a motion associated with the contact;

correlating the contact and motion with a predefined gesture denoting a digital reading operation to be performed on a digital content item rendered on the electronic personal display; and

performing the digital reading operation on the electronic personal display.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a back of both of a user's hands contact;

recognizing a hands closing together motion;

correlating the hands closing together motion with the predefined gesture denoting a book closing operation; and

performing the book closing operation.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a knife edge of both of a user's hands contact;

recognizing a hands opening outward motion;

correlating the hands opening outward motion with the predefined gesture denoting a book opening operation; and

performing the book opening operation.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a knife edge of a user's hand contact;

recognizing the user's hand rotating counter-clockwise from the knife edge of the user's hand to a palm of the user's hand as a counter-clockwise rotating motion;

correlating the counter-clockwise rotating motion with the predefined gesture denoting a book closing operation; and

performing the book closing operation.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a knife edge of a user's hand contact;

recognizing the user's hand rotating clockwise from the knife edge of the user's hand to a back of the user's hand as a clockwise rotating motion;

correlating the clockwise rotating motion with the predefined gesture denoting a book opening operation; and

performing the book opening operation.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a knife edge of a user's hand contact;

recognizing the user's hand rotating counter-clockwise about an axis perpendicular to the capacitive touch sensing surface as the predefined gesture related to a page forward operation; and

performing the page forward operation.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a knife edge of a user's hand contact;

recognizing the user's hand rotating clockwise about an axis perpendicular to the capacitive touch sensing surface as the predefined gesture related to a page backward operation; and

performing the page backward operation.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a knife edge of a user's hand contact at the capacitive touch sensing surface;

recognizing the user's hand rotating about an axis perpendicular to the capacitive touch sensing surface as the predefined gesture related to a bookmark page operation; and

performing the bookmark page operation.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

fixedly coupling the 3D motion sensor with the electronic personal display.

10 . An electronic reader (eReader) with 3D gesture recognition comprising:

a capacitive touch sensing surface on at least a portion of the eReader;

a 3D motion sensor coupled with an eReader;

a monitoring module to monitor the capacitive touch sensing surface for a contact and to monitor an airspace in range of the 3D motion sensor for a motion and provide an output when the contact and the motion are detected;

a gesture correlater to correlate the output from the monitoring module with a predefined gesture denoting a digital reading operation to be performed on a digital content item rendered on the eReader and provide a signal when the predefined gesture is detected; and

an operation module to receive the output from the gesture correlater and perform the digital reading operation on the eReader.

11 . The eReader of claim 10 wherein the 3D motion sensor is fixedly coupled with the eReader.

12 . The eReader of claim 10 wherein a book closing operation predefined gesture is selected from the group consisting of: the contact with a back of both of a user's hands at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and the motion of the user's hands closing together; and

the contact with a knife edge of the user's hand at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and the motion of the user's hand rotating counter-clockwise from the knife edge of the user's hand to a palm of the user's hand.

13 . The eReader of claim 10 wherein a book opening operation predefined gesture is selected from the group consisting of: the contact with a knife edge of both of a user's hands at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and the motion of the user's hands opening outward; and

the contact with a knife edge of a user's hand at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and the motion of the user's hand rotating clockwise from the knife edge of the user's hand to a back of the user's hand.

14 . The eReader of claim 10 wherein a page turning operation predefined gesture is selected from the group consisting of: the contact with a knife edge of a user's hand at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and the motion of the user's hand rotating counter-clockwise about an axis perpendicular to the capacitive touch sensing surface as a page turn forward operation; and

the contact with the knife edge of the user's hand at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and the motion of the user's hand rotating clockwise about the axis perpendicular to the capacitive touch sensing surface as a page turn backward operation.

15 . The eReader of claim 14 wherein the axis perpendicular to the capacitive touch sensing surface is selected from the group consisting of: an axis about a user's wrist and an axis about a user's thumb.

16 . The eReader of claim 10 wherein a page bookmarking operation predefined gesture comprises:

the contact with a knife edge of a user's hand at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and

the motion of the user's hand rotating about an axis perpendicular to the capacitive touch sensing surface.

17 . A method for utilizing a 3D motion sensor to perform an operation on an electronic reader (eReader), said method comprising:

providing a capacitive touch sensing surface on at least a portion of the eReader,

coupling a 3D motion sensor with the eReader,

monitoring the capacitive touch sensing surface for a contact;

monitoring an airspace in range of the 3D motion for a motion associated with the contact;

comparing the contact and motion with a predefined set of gestures denoting a digital reading operation to be performed on a digital content item rendered on the eReader;

determining that the contact and motion are a proximate match to one of the predefined set of gestures; and

performing the digital reading operation on the eReader.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein a book closing operation predefined gesture is selected from the group consisting of:

receiving a back of both of a user's hands contact at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and recognizing a user's hands closing together motion; and

receiving a knife edge of a user's hand contact at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and recognizing the user's hand rotating counter-clockwise from the knife edge of the user's hand to a palm of the user's hand on the capacitive touch sensing surface as a counter-clockwise rotating motion.

19 . The method of claim 17 wherein a book opening operation predefined gesture is selected from the group consisting of:

receiving a knife edge of a user's hands contact at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and recognizing a user's hands opening outward motion; and

receiving a back of a user's hand contact at the capacitive touch sensing surface; and recognizing the user's hand rotating clockwise from the knife edge of the user's hand to a back of the user's hand on the capacitive touch sensing surface as a counter-clockwise rotating motion.

20 . The method of claim 17 wherein a page turning operation predefined gesture comprises:

receiving a knife edge of a user's hand contact at the capacitive touch sensing surface;

recognizing the user's hand rotating about an axis perpendicular to the capacitive touch sensing surface, wherein the user's hand rotating clockwise is a proximate match to the predefined gesture related to a page backward operation and the user's hand rotating counter-clockwise is a proximate match to the predefined gesture related to a page forward operation.