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Publication Number
US-11474604-B2
Publication Date
2022-10-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
System and methods for gesture-based control are described. In some embodiments, a system may include a wearable device configured to be worn at a person's wrist. The wearable device may include a biopotential sensor and a wrist motion sensor. The system may be configured to determine that the person performed an initial gesture based on biopotentials detected by the biopotential sensor. The system may be configured to determine that the person performed a supplemental gesture based on at least the wrist motion data obtained by the wrist motion sensor. The system may be further configured to generate a command to be executed by a responsive device based on the combination of at least the initial gesture and the supplemental gesture.
Core Innovation
The invention is a wearable device configured to be worn at a wrist of a person, where the wearable device includes a biopotential sensor comprising at least two pairs of electrodes defining at least two electrode channels. The electrodes are configured to face the wrist and detect biopotentials indicating a state of a hand of the person.
The wearable device further includes a wrist motion sensor configured to obtain wrist motion data indicating motion of the wrist. The system determines that the person lifted an index finger based on the biopotentials, determines that the person performed a supplemental gesture based on the wrist motion data, and determines that a time elapsed between the index finger lift and the supplemental gesture is less than a threshold period of time.
Based on the combination of the index finger lift detected using the biopotentials from the at least two pairs of electrodes and the supplemental gesture occurring within less than the threshold period of time, the system generates a command to be executed by a responsive device. The method and system use the wrist-worn biopotential signal together with wrist motion data to recognize gestures and generate commands.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims covering both a system and a method. Each includes the same core inventive sequence: wrist-worn biopotential sensing of hand state, wrist motion sensing, determining an index-finger lift and a supplemental gesture, verifying their timing within a threshold period, and generating a command for execution by a responsive device. The inventive features below are the main claim elements that carry the inventive concept.
Wrist-worn biopotential electrode channels detecting hand state
A wearable device comprising a biopotential sensor having at least two pairs of electrodes defining at least two electrode channels configured to face the wrist, where the electrodes detect biopotentials indicating a state of a hand of the person.
Wrist motion data obtaining for supplemental gesture detection
A wrist motion sensor configured to obtain wrist motion data indicating a motion of the wrist, used to determine that the person performed a supplemental gesture.
Index finger lift determination from biopotentials
Determining that the person lifted an index finger based on at least the biopotentials detected by the at least two pairs of electrodes.
Timing verification between index finger lift and supplemental gesture
Determining that a time elapsed between the index finger lift and the supplemental gesture is less than a threshold period of time.
Command generation for responsive device based on combined gesture timing
Generating a command to be executed by a responsive device based on the combination of the index finger lift, detected using the biopotentials from the at least two pairs of electrodes, and the supplemental gesture occurring within less than the threshold period of time.
Across both independent claims, gesture-based control is achieved by combining biopotential detection from at least two electrode-channel pairs on a wrist-worn device with wrist motion data, determining an index-finger lift and a supplemental gesture, validating that they occur within a threshold time window, and generating a command for execution by a responsive device.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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