IP Library Granted Patent US 12,204,805
Granted Patent B2
US 12,204,805 · App. 18/309,762 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Techniques for using in-air hand gestures detected via a wrist-wearable device to operate a camera of another device, and wearable devices and systems for performing those techniques

Inventors: Christopher Anderson (New York, NY); Paulo Jose Telo Coelho (Seattle, WA); Luke O'Connor (Toronto, CA); Emanuele Formento (San Francisco, CA); Diego Adrian Gutnisky (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
G06F3/14G02B27/0172G06F1/163G06T3/40G06V40/174G06V40/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,204,805
App. No.
18/309,762
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for using a gesture detected at a wrist-wearable device to cause presentation of camera data at a head-wearable device. One example method includes receiving, via one or more sensors of a wrist-wearable device worn by a user, data generated based on performance of an in-air hand gesture by the user. In accordance with a determination that the data indicates that the in-air hand gesture is a camera-control gesture, the method further includes causing presentation to the user, via a display of a head-wearable device that is worn by the user and that is in communication with the wrist-wearable device, of a representation of camera data from a camera that is in communication with one or both of the wrist-wearable device and the head-wearable device.

Claims (67)

1. A method of using a gesture detected based on data from a wrist-wearable device to cause presentation of camera data at a head-wearable device, the method comprising:

receiving data generated based on performance of an in-air hand gesture by a user that is wearing the wrist-wearable device, the data being received from the wrist-wearable device;

in accordance with a determination that the data indicates that the in-air hand gesture is a camera-control gesture:

causing presentation to the user, via a display of a head-wearable device that is worn by the user and that is in communication with the wrist-wearable device, of a representation of camera data from a camera that is in communication with one or both of the wrist-wearable device and the head-wearable device;

receiving additional data generated based on performance of an additional in-air hand gesture by the user while the user is wearing the wrist-wearable device; and

in accordance with a determination that the additional data indicates that the additional in-air hand gesture is not a camera-control gesture:

forgo causing presentation of camera data via the display of the head-wearable device and causing activation of a microphone for allowing the user to provide a voice command to a digital assistant, wherein the microphone is in communication with one or both of the wrist-wearable device and the head-wearable device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the camera is selected from among one or more available cameras that are communicatively coupled to the wrist-wearable device or the head-wearable device based on a characteristic of the in-air hand gesture.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the camera-control gesture causes capturing of an image using the camera; and

the causing presentation to the user includes causing presentation, via the display of the head-wearable device, of the image captured by the camera.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

after the image is captured, causing presentation of one or more options for sharing the image; and

responsive to a user selection of a first option of the one or more options for sharing the image, causing the image to be sent to another electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that data generated by the one or more sensors of the wrist-wearable device indicates that the in-air hand gesture is no longer maintained, causing the presentation of the representation of the camera data via the display of the head-wearable device to cease.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that data generated by the one or more sensors of the wrist-wearable device indicates that the in-air hand gesture is no longer maintained:

causing a capture of an image within the field of view using the camera; and

causing presentation of a representation of the image via the display of the head-wearable device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-air hand gesture is a single pinch gesture performed using at least two phalanges of a user's hand contacting one another, without any contact with a display of the wrist-wearable device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-air hand gesture is a first in-air hand gesture, and the method further comprises:

responsive to a determination that a second in-air hand gesture is performed while the first in-air hand gesture is maintained, causing a zoomed-in representation of the camera data to be presented via the display of the head-wearable device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the first in-air hand gesture is no longer maintained while the zoomed-in representation of the camera data is being presented via the display of the head-wearable device, causing the camera to capture the zoomed-in representation of the camera data; and

causing presentation to the user, via the display of the head-wearable device that is worn by the user, an image of the zoomed-in representation of the camera data.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

responsive to a determination that a third in-air hand gesture is performed while the first in-air hand gesture is maintained, causing a zoomed-out representation of the camera data to be presented via the display of the head-wearable device.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the first in-air hand gesture is no longer maintained while the zoomed-out representation of the camera data is being presented via the display of the head-wearable device, causing the camera to capture the zoomed-out representation of the camera data; and

causing presentation to the user, via the display of the head-wearable device that is worn by the user, of an image of the zoomed-out representation of the camera data.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the first in-air hand gesture is a maintained contact between at least two phalanges of a user's hand;

the second in-air hand gesture is an in-air rotational movement of the user's wrist in a first direction; and

the third in-air hand gesture is an in-air rotational movement of the user's wrist in a second direction distinct from the first direction.

13. The method of claim 1 :

wherein the camera is a first camera, and the method further comprises:

in accordance with a determination that one or more characteristics of the in-air hand gesture are within a first threshold, causing the first camera to capture the camera data for presentation at the display of the head-wearable device that is worn by the user; and

in accordance with a determination that the one or more characteristics of the in-air hand gesture are within a second threshold, causing a second camera to capture the camera data for presentation at the display of the head-wearable device that is worn by the user.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, via one or more sensors of the head-wearable device, facial movement related data based on performance of a vestigial ear muscle gesture by the user that is wearing the head-wearable device; and

in accordance with a determination that the facial movement related data indicates that the vestigial ear muscle gesture is a control gesture, causing the head-wearable device to provide one or more instructions for performing the control gesture at the head-wearable device and/or another communicatively coupled device.

15. A system comprising a head-wearable device and a wrist-wearable device, the system configured to:

receive data generated based on performance of an in-air hand gesture by a user that is wearing the wrist-wearable device, the data being received from the wrist-wearable device;

in accordance with a determination that the data indicates that the in-air hand gesture is a camera-control gesture:

cause presentation to the user, via a display of a head-wearable device that is worn by the user and that is in communication with the wrist-wearable device, of a representation of camera data from a camera that is in communication with one or both of the wrist-wearable device and the head-wearable device;

receive additional data generated based on performance of an additional in-air hand gesture by the user while the user is wearing the wrist-wearable device; and

in accordance with a determination that the additional data indicates that the additional in-air hand gesture is not a camera-control gesture:

forgo causing presentation of camera data via the display of the head-wearable device and causing activation of a microphone for allowing the user to provide a voice command to a digital assistant, wherein the microphone is in communication with one or both of the wrist-wearable device and the head-wearable device.

16. The system of claim 15 further configured to:

responsive to a determination that a second in-air hand gesture is performed while the first in-air hand gesture is maintained, cause a zoomed-in representation of the camera data to be presented via the display of the head-wearable device.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a system including a head-wearable device and a wrist-wearable device, cause the system to:

receive data generated based on performance of an in-air hand gesture by a user that is wearing the wrist-wearable device, the data being received from the wrist-wearable device;

in accordance with a determination that the data indicates that the in-air hand gesture is a camera-control gesture:

cause presentation to the user, via a display of a head-wearable device that is worn by the user and that is in communication with the wrist-wearable device, of a representation of camera data from a camera that is in communication with one or both of the wrist-wearable device and the head-wearable device;

receive additional data generated based on performance of an additional in-air hand gesture by the user while the user is wearing the wrist-wearable device; and

in accordance with a determination that the additional data indicates that the additional in-air hand gesture is not a camera-control gesture:

forgo causing presentation of camera data via the display of the head-wearable device and causing activation of a microphone for allowing the user to provide a voice command to a digital assistant, wherein the microphone is in communication with one or both of the wrist-wearable device and the head-wearable device.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by a system including a head-wearable device and a wrist-wearable device, further cause the system to:

responsive to a determination that a second in-air hand gesture is performed while the first in-air hand gesture is maintained, cause a zoomed-in representation of the camera data to be presented via the display of the head-wearable device.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by a system including a head-wearable device and a wrist-wearable device, further cause the system to:

responsive to a determination that a third in-air hand gesture is performed while the first in-air hand gesture is maintained, cause a zoomed-out representation of the camera data to be presented via the display of the head-wearable device.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein:

the first in-air hand gesture is a maintained contact between at least two phalanges of a user's hand;

the second in-air hand gesture is an in-air rotational movement of the user's wrist in a first direction; and

the third in-air hand gesture is an in-air rotational movement of the user's wrist in a second direction distinct from the first direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2023
From: ANDERSON, CHRISTOPHER; COELHO, PAULO JOSE TELO; O'CONNOR, LUKE; FORMENTO, EMANUELE; GUTNISKY, DIEGO ADRIAN
To: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 063556/0655 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63414886 · Oct 10, 2022
Provisional Application 63337893 · May 3, 2022
Related Publication 20230359422A1 · Nov 9, 2023
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Cited By (1)
US 12,644,956