IP Library Granted Patent US 11,194,404
Granted Patent B2
US 11,194,404 · App. 17/155,019 · Granted Dec 7, 2021

Cursor mode switching

Inventor: David S. Holz (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Ultrahaptics IP Two Limited
G06F3/017B65D75/5877G06F3/005G06F3/0304G06F3/0346G06K9/00335
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,194,404
App. No.
17/155,019
Granted
Dec 7, 2021
Kind
B2
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.

Claims (40)

1. A system for gesture-recognition, comprising:

a computer memory for storing a digital representation of a determined path of movement of an object of interest in a three-dimensional (3D) space; and

a processor coupled to the computer memory; and

a processor-executable mode-control module configured to:

analyze the path of movement to determine an intent of a user to be in a first mode of operation comprising a drawing mode in which a line is displayed following movement of the object of interest; and

fill in a displayed line at a rate that is faster than a detected rate of the object of interest until the displayed line catches up with the object of interest, and thereafter displaying movement of the object of interest at the detected rate of the object of interest.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable mode-control module is further configured to:

determine a pointing direction of the object of interest;

based upon the determined pointing direction of the object of interest, determine that the intent of the user is to change from another mode of operation to the first mode of operation comprising the drawing mode; and

perform the filling in of the displayed line when in the drawing mode.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filling in of the displayed line includes passing position data relating to the object of interest to a drawing application.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein no position data is passed until a mode of the gesture is determined, after which faster-rate motion is passed until the displayed line catches up to a current position of the object of interest .

5. The system of claim 4 , further including passing normal-rate position information after the displayed line catches up to the current position of the object of interest.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a discontinuity or jolt is displayed as distance traveled by the object of interest is filled in once a mode of operation is determined to be the drawing mode.

7. The system of claim 1 , further including re-tracing a path already traveled by the object of interest by drawing in the path at a higher velocity than that traveled by the object of interest.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein a mode of operation for a gesture is not determined until after the object of interest making the gesture has traveled some distance in 3D space.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein no line is displayed for movement along a path when a mode of operation is a movement mode.

10. A method of computationally interpreting gestures, the method comprising:

obtaining a digital representation of a determined path of movement of an object of interest in a three-dimensional (3D) space;

analyzing the path of movement to determine an intent of a user to be in a first mode of operation comprising a drawing mode in which a line is displayed following movement of the object of interest; and

filling in a displayed line at a rate that is faster than a detected rate of the object of interest until the displayed line catches up with the object of interest, and thereafter displaying movement of the object of interest at the detected rate of the object of interest.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining a pointing direction of the object of interest;

based upon the determined pointing direction of the object of interest, determining that the intent of the user is to change from another mode of operation to the first mode of operation comprising the drawing mode; and

performing the filling in of the displayed line when in the drawing mode.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the filling in of the displayed line includes passing position data relating to the object of interest to a drawing application.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein no position data is passed until a mode of the gesture is determined, after which faster-rate motion is passed until the displayed line catches up to a current position of the object of interest.

14. The method of claim 13 , further including passing normal-rate position information after the displayed line catches up to the current position of the object of interest.

15. The method of claim 10 , further including displaying a discontinuity or jolt as distance traveled by the object of interest is filled in once a mode of operation is determined to be the drawing mode.

16. The method of claim 10 , further including re-tracing a path already traveled by the object of interest by drawing in the path at a higher velocity than that traveled by the object of interest.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein a mode of operation for a gesture is not determined until after the object of interest making the gesture has traveled some distance in 3D space.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein no line is displayed for movement along a path when a mode of operation is a movement mode.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium impressed with computer program instructions to computationally interpret gestures, which instructions, when executed on a processor, implement:

obtaining a digital representation of a determined a path of movement of an object of interest in a three-dimensional (3D) space;

analyzing the path of movement to determine an intent of a user to be in a first mode of operation comprising a drawing mode in which a line is displayed following movement of the object of interest; and

filling in a displayed line at a rate that is faster than a detected rate of the object of interest until the displayed line catches up with the object of interest, and thereafter displaying movement of the object of interest at the detected rate of the object of interest.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed on the processor, further implement:

determining a pointing direction of the object of interest;

based upon the determined pointing direction of the object of interest, determining that the intent of the user is to change from another mode of operation to the first mode of operation comprising the drawing mode; and

performing the filling in of the displayed line when in the drawing mode.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2026
From: SIM IP HXR LLC
To: UNITY MASTER LLC SERIES XIX
Reel/Frame 075365/0907 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2021
From: LMI LIQUIDATING CO. LLC
To: ULTRAHAPTICS
Reel/Frame 057119/0767 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2021
From: LEAP MOTION, INC.
To: LMI LIQUIDATING CO. LLC
Reel/Frame 057109/0500 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY TYPE APPLICATION NUMBER LISTED ON THE ORIGINAL COVER SHEET SHOULD BE 17/155,019 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 057054 FRAME: 0653. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 5, 2021
From: HOLZ, DAVID S.
To: LEAP MOTION, INC.
Reel/Frame 057089/0666 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2021
From: HOLZ, DAVID S.
To: LEAP MOTION, INC.
Reel/Frame 057054/0653 →