Control system, gesture recognition system, vehicle, and method for controlling gesture recognition system

Abstract

A control system (10) of a gesture recognition system (2) of a vehicle (1) determines a position of a body part (29) relative to a gesture recognition area (32) based on a detection signal of a sensor system (4), determines a tactile feedback signal based on the position of the body part (29) relative to the gesture recognition area (32), and outputs the tactile feedback signal to a tactile feedback system (6), wherein the tactile feedback signal is configured to cause the tactile feedback system (6) to output non-contact tactile feedback indicating the position of the body part (29) relative to the gesture recognition area (32) toward a vehicle occupant (25).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle gesture recognition system, a control system, a gesture recognition system, a vehicle, and a method for controlling the gesture recognition system. Background Art

[0002] A recent vehicle is known that includes a gesture recognition system that is configured to observe a spatial volume inside the vehicle and to detect gestures performed inside the observed spatial volume based on the position of an individual and / or a series of movements. Summary of the invention

[0003] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0004] In many cases, such gesture recognition systems are configured to observe a specific body part of an individual such as a hand, one or more fingers, or an individual's arm that can be associated with a database of recognized gestures and control behaviors corresponding to the gestures.

[0005] When the detected gesture corresponds to one of the recognizable gestures, the gesture recognition system can be configured to control one or more actions of the vehicle. The gesture-based control method can improve road safety by enabling the driver to control various operations of the vehicle while maintaining visual attention on the road.

[0006] A problem with known gesture recognition systems is to ensure highly reliable gesture recognition even when the gesture is performed under suboptimal conditions (non-optimal conditions) such as poor lighting conditions.

[0007] Solutions for solving problems

[0008] Modes and implementations of the present invention provide a control system, a gesture recognition system, a vehicle, and a method of controlling the gesture recognition system.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a control system for a vehicle gesture recognition system is provided. The gesture recognition system comprises: a sensor system that observes a spatial volume in a vehicle cabin, determines a position of a body part of a vehicle occupant within the spatial volume, and determines a gesture performed within a gesture recognition area defined by the body part within the spatial volume; and a tactile feedback system that outputs non-contact tactile feedback to the vehicle occupant.

[0010] The control system includes one or more control devices. The control devices are configured to receive a detection signal from a sensor system, the detection signal including information indicating a position of a body part within a spatial volume, determine a position of the body part relative to a gesture recognition area based on the detection signal, determine a tactile feedback signal based on the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area, and output the tactile feedback signal to a tactile feedback system. The tactile feedback signal is configured to cause the tactile feedback system to output non-contact tactile feedback indicating a position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area toward a vehicle occupant.

[0011] Advantageously, the output of tactile feedback guides the vehicle occupant toward a gesture recognition area, which may be an area of ​​the vehicle optimized for gesture recognition, where the gesture recognition system can reliably recognize gestures under sub-optimal in-cabin conditions (non-optimal indoor conditions). In addition, "indoor" is any space inside a vehicle that is configured to accommodate a vehicle occupant.

[0012] Furthermore, for optimal gesture recognition, the gesture recognition area is a three-dimensional area, i.e., a space having a volume (volume of space). The gesture recognition area depends on the lighting conditions in the room and / or the structure of the sensor system. Furthermore, the body part is any body part suitable for performing gesture-based control, including a finger, hand or arm of a vehicle occupant.

[0013] Optionally, one or more control devices are configured to determine the position of a body part relative to the gesture recognition area by determining at least one of the position of the body part within the spatial volume, the position of the gesture recognition area within the spatial volume, the direction of the gesture recognition area relative to the position of the body part, the proximity of the body part to the gesture recognition area, and the distance between the body part and the gesture recognition area along a first axis.

[0014] It will be apparent from the following description that the first axis may also be any axis suitable for controlling tactile feedback. For example, the first axis may also be an axis in the front-to-back direction of the vehicle so as to control the output of tactile feedback according to the positioning of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area in the front-to-back direction.

[0015] In other examples, the first axis can be an axis extending between the tactile feedback system and the target position, or an axis extending between the sensor system and the target position. In this way, the output of tactile feedback can also be configured to guide the movement of the body part along a specific axis toward the gesture recognition area.

[0016] In one embodiment, the haptic feedback signal is configured to cause the haptic feedback system to output haptic feedback toward an area within the room.

[0017] Optionally, one or more control devices are configured to determine the tactile feedback signal by determining at least one of a size of the tactile feedback, a location in the room where the area of ​​tactile feedback is directed, and a size of the area of ​​tactile feedback.

[0018] Optionally, the area of ​​tactile feedback is a circular area, and the radius of the area of ​​tactile feedback can be determined. Advantageously, each parameter of these tactile feedback parameters can be configured to intuitively represent the position of the gesture recognition area relative to the body part.

[0019] In one embodiment, one or more control devices are configured to determine at least one of the magnitude of the tactile feedback and the size of the area of ​​the tactile feedback based on the proximity of the body part to the gesture recognition area. As such, the magnitude, i.e., the force of the tactile feedback and / or the size of the area of ​​the tactile feedback may increase as the body part approaches the gesture recognition area, and decrease as the body part moves away from the gesture recognition area, or vice versa.

[0020] Optionally, one or more control devices are configured to determine at least one of the size of the tactile feedback and the size of the area of ​​the tactile feedback based on the distance between the body part and the gesture recognition area along the first axis. As such, the output of the tactile feedback can also be configured to guide the movement of the body part along the first axis, such as along the front-to-back direction, toward the gesture recognition area.

[0021] In one embodiment, one or more control devices may also be configured to determine the position in the room where the area of ​​tactile feedback is oriented based on the position of the body part within the spatial volume and the direction of the gesture recognition area relative to the position of the body part.

[0022] For example, in the case where the gesture recognition area is arranged in the direction in which the fingertips (relative to the hand) extend, the area of ​​tactile feedback may also be oriented toward the fingertips of the vehicle occupant.

[0023] Optionally, one or more control devices are configured to detect a reference point of a body part, determine the position of the reference point within the spatial volume based on the detection signal, compare the position of the reference point with a target position within the gesture recognition area, determine a vector between the target position and the position of the reference point, and thereby determine the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area. In this way, multiple unique points can be conveniently compared on a coordinate system to determine the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area, and the relative position can be represented by a vector between them. A vector represents the distance of a straight line connecting two points and the direction in which the straight line extends. A vector can be three-dimensional and can include a first distance along a first axis, a second distance along a second axis, and a third distance along a third axis. The second axis extends in a first plane that passes through the gesture recognition area and is perpendicular to the first axis. The third axis extends in the first plane in a manner perpendicular to the second axis.

[0024] In one embodiment, one or more control devices may also be configured to determine the position in the room where the area of ​​tactile feedback is oriented by determining a point offset from the position of the reference point in the direction of the target position. For example, the reference point may be in the center of the palm of the vehicle occupant and the calibration point may be to the left or right of the reference point towards the finger or wrist. This is effective for indicating the relative direction of the gesture recognition area.

[0025] Optionally, one or more control devices are configured to scale a vector between the target position and the reference point position, and to parallel move the reference point position based on the scaled vector, thereby determining a correction point offset from the reference point position toward the target position.

[0026] In one embodiment, the one or more control devices are configured to determine the proximity of the target position to the position of the reference point by determining the magnitude of the vector.

[0027] Optionally, one or more control devices are configured to determine one of the size of the tactile feedback and the size of the area of ​​the tactile feedback based on the proximity of the target position to the position of the reference point, and one or more control devices are configured to determine the other size of the tactile feedback and the size of the area of ​​the tactile feedback based on the distance along a first axis between the target position and the position of the reference point.

[0028] In one embodiment, one or more control devices are configured to determine the distance along the first axis between the position of the reference point and the target position based on the vector. For example, the component of the vector aligned with the first axis position can be determined.

[0029] Optionally, the detection signal includes image data determined by the sensor system. The sensor system may be configured to observe a spatial volume within the room, and one or more control devices may be configured to detect a body part within the spatial volume based on the image data and determine a position of the body part within the spatial volume.

[0030] In one example, the tactile feedback system can take the form of an ultrasonic system. Optionally, the tactile feedback system includes an array of multiple ultrasonic devices, and the tactile feedback signal is configured to cause the tactile feedback system to output tactile feedback in the form of an ultrasonic beam.

[0031] According to another aspect of the present invention, a posture recognition system for a vehicle is provided. The posture recognition system comprises: a control system as described in the above aspect of the present invention; and a sensor system including one or more sensors, wherein the sensors are configured to observe the spatial volume in a room and output a detection signal to the control system, wherein the detection signal includes information indicating the position of a body part of a vehicle occupant within the observed spatial volume.

[0032] Optionally, one or more sensors are configured to output a gesture signal to the control system, the gesture signal including information indicating a gesture performed by a body part of the vehicle occupant within the gesture recognition area. One or more control devices of the control system are further configured to receive the gesture signal and determine the gesture performed by the body part based on the gesture signal.

[0033] As such, the gesture recognition system is able to reliably determine that a gesture is performed within the gesture recognition area.

[0034] In one example, the control system can be configured to use a skeleton-based algorithm to determine a gesture performed by a body part. The skeleton-based algorithm can provide high-speed and accurate gesture recognition.

[0035] Optionally, the control system is further configured to control one or more behaviors of the vehicle based on the determined posture.

[0036] In one embodiment, a gesture recognition system includes a haptic feedback system having one or more haptic feedback devices configured to output non-contact haptic feedback based on a haptic feedback signal.

[0037] Optionally, one or more tactile feedback devices comprise an array of multiple ultrasonic transducers.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle including the control system described in the above aspect of the present invention or the gesture recognition system described in another aspect of the present invention.

[0039] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a corresponding method for controlling a gesture recognition system of a vehicle is provided. In particular, the gesture recognition system comprises: a sensor system comprising one or more sensors configured to observe the spatial volume in the interior of the vehicle; and a tactile feedback system configured to output non-contact tactile feedback toward the vehicle occupants in the interior. The method comprises the following steps: controlling the sensor system to observe the spatial volume and determine a detection signal, wherein the detection signal includes information indicating the position of a body part of the vehicle occupant inside the spatial volume; determining the position of the body part relative to a gesture recognition area defined inside the spatial volume based on the detection signal; determining a tactile feedback signal based on the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area; and controlling the tactile feedback system based on the tactile feedback signal, wherein the tactile feedback signal is configured to output non-contact tactile feedback indicating the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area toward the vehicle occupants.

[0040] It is expressly intended that within the scope of this application, the various modes, embodiments, examples and alternatives described in the above paragraphs, claims and / or the following description and drawings, in particular the various features thereof, can be interpreted independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination as long as such features are not interchangeable. The applicant reserves the right to make changes to the initially filed claims or to file new claims accordingly. This includes the right to amend the initially filed claims to include features that are not originally recorded in the claims but are dependent on features of other claims and / or to incorporate such features.

[0041] Effects of the Invention

[0042] According to the present invention, there is achieved an effect that highly reliable gesture recognition can be ensured even when the operation is performed under suboptimal conditions such as poor lighting conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 2 is used for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a gesture recognition system according to an embodiment of the present invention for a vehicle shown.

[0045] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 2The gesture recognition system shown in Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary configuration of the interior of a vehicle is shown.

[0046] Figure 4 It shows that Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of an output of tactile feedback of a gesture recognition system is shown.

[0047] Figure 5 It shows that Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of an output of tactile feedback of a gesture recognition system is shown.

[0048] Figure 6 It shows that Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of an output of tactile feedback of a gesture recognition system is shown.

[0049] Figure 7 It shows that Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of an output of tactile feedback of a gesture recognition system is shown.

[0050] Figure 8 It shows that Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of an output of tactile feedback of a gesture recognition system is shown.

[0051] Fig. 9 It shows that Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of an output of tactile feedback of a gesture recognition system is shown.

[0052] Fig.10 It shows Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary method of controlling a gesture recognition system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Fig.11 is Fig.10 An overview of a method for determining a dependency of a tactile feedback signal in the method shown.

[0054] Fig.12 It shows Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of another exemplary method of controlling an embodiment of the present invention using a gesture recognition system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a gesture recognition system for a vehicle.

[0056] Advantageously, the gesture recognition system includes a haptic feedback system for guiding the vehicle occupant toward an area of ​​the vehicle optimized for gesture recognition, in which the gesture recognition system can reliably recognize gestures despite changing interior conditions.

[0057] For example, in a moving vehicle, lighting conditions vary widely and the amount of background noise may make tracking and recognition difficult. Under such conditions, gesture recognition capabilities may be limited to the point where gestures can only be reliably recognized when performed within a defined area indoors.

[0058] To address this problem, the present invention is configured to observe the spatial volume in the vehicle cabin in a region of the vehicle cabin where the reliability of the gesture recognition system is maximized, and to identify the position of the gesture of a body part such as a hand of the vehicle occupant.

[0059] In the following description, this three-dimensional region, that is, the volume of space, for performing optimal gesture recognition is referred to as a gesture recognition region.

[0060] Advantageously, the present invention utilizes the position of a body part relative to a gesture recognition area to determine a tactile feedback output that intuitively illustrates the relative direction and / or proximity of the gesture recognition area relative to the body part. As a result, such tactile feedback can direct the movement of the body part toward the gesture recognition area using force-based feedback that does not interrupt the visual attention of the vehicle occupant.

[0061] It will be apparent from the following description that, for this purpose, the various features of the tactile feedback may also be specifically configured to illustrate the following elements:

[0062] i) The orientation of the gesture recognition area relative to the body part

[0063] ii) The distance between the gesture recognition region and the body part in one or more dimensions

[0064] For example, the magnitude of the tactile feedback output, that is, the force, can be increased or decreased according to the proximity of the body part to the gesture recognition area, thereby indicating the overall proximity of the body part to the gesture recognition area.

[0065] At the same time, the size of the area where the tactile feedback is output can also be increased or decreased to show whether the body part is in front / back, up / down, or left / right of the gesture recognition area. The direction of the gesture recognition area relative to the body part can also be shown by changing the position where the tactile feedback is directed.

[0066] For example, tactile feedback may also be output toward the fingertips of the vehicle occupant to show that the gesture recognition area is in the direction in which the fingertips extend. In addition, tactile feedback may also be output toward the wrist of the vehicle occupant to show that the gesture recognition area is in the opposite direction.

[0067] Such highly precise haptic feedback can guide the movements of the vehicle occupant, in particular the movements of body parts, within the three-dimensional volume of the space toward the gesture recognition area.

[0068] Figure 1 An exemplary vehicle 1 including a gesture recognition system 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The gesture recognition system 2 will be described in more detail. Figure 2 An example of a gesture recognition system 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. Figure 3 An example of the arrangement of the gesture recognition system 2 in the interior 12 of the vehicle 1 is schematically shown.

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, the gesture recognition system 2 includes a sensor system 4, a tactile feedback system 6, and a control system 10. In addition, the gesture recognition system 2 may not include the control system 10. That is, the control system 10 may not be mounted on the vehicle 1, but may control the gesture recognition system 2 using communication.

[0070] The sensor system 4 includes one or more sensors configured to observe the spatial volume of the interior 12 of the vehicle 1 and generate signals representing the position, movement and / or placement of a specific body part such as a hand of a vehicle occupant within the observed spatial volume.

[0071] For this purpose, the one or more sensors may include at least one of an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an electrostatic capacitance sensor, and / or a camera for generating data suitable for determining the position of a body part in a room. Such data may also be in the form of image data, capacitive data, or any other preferred form of computer vision data.

[0072] exist Figure 3 In the example shown, the sensor system 4 comprises a first sensor 26 and a second sensor 28 , which are in the form of a first and a second video camera.

[0073] The first sensor 26 is configured to observe a first spatial volume of the space 30 and determine sensor data corresponding to a movement, position, sequence of positions, or a pattern of configuration of a body part 29 such as a hand of the vehicle occupant 25 within the first spatial volume of the space 30 .

[0074] like Figure 3 As shown, the first spatial volume of the space 30 includes the gesture recognition area 32 and extends beyond the gesture recognition area 32 .

[0075] The sensor system 4 is configured to generate a gesture recognition signal based on the sensor data, the gesture recognition signal including information indicating one or more gestures performed by a body part within the first volume of space 34 and / or gesture recognition area 32. The gesture recognition signal is output to the control system 10 and is used to determine one or more vehicle behaviors to be controlled.

[0076] The second sensor 28 is configured to observe a second volume of the space 34 and determine sensor data corresponding to the position of the body part 29 within the second volume of the space 34. Figure 3 As shown, the second spatial volume space 34 includes the first spatial volume space 30 and expands in a manner exceeding the first spatial volume space 30 to include a larger portion of the interior 12. The second spatial volume space 34 can include a spatial volume with a high possibility of arranging the vehicle occupant 25. For example, the second spatial volume can include the front passenger seat of the vehicle 1. In this way, the position of the body part 29 can be determined outside the gesture recognition area 32.

[0077] Sensor system 4 generates a body part detection signal based on the sensor data, the body part detection signal including information indicating the position of body part 29 within the second spatial volume of space 34. The body part detection signal is output to control system 10 and is used to determine i) the position of body part 29 relative to gesture recognition area 32, and ii) a tactile feedback signal for controlling tactile feedback system 6.

[0078] In other examples, the sensor system 4 may include a single sensor for determining both the body part detection signal and the gesture recognition signal. However, the reliability of object detection and recognition may be further improved by using multiple sensors.

[0079] As described above, the control system 10 is configured to process the body part detection signal and the gesture recognition signal for the following purposes:

[0080] i) determining the position of the body part 29 relative to the gesture recognition area 32,

[0081] ii) controlling the tactile feedback output from the tactile feedback system 6 to guide the body part 29 towards the gesture recognition area 32,

[0082] iii) determining a gesture performed by the body part 29 in the gesture recognition area 32 .

[0083] To this end, the control device 10 can include more than one control device, each of which can include a control unit or a computing device having more than one electronic processor.

[0084] A set of commands for executing a control method such as the control method described in this specification can be provided to one or more control devices or control units. The set of commands can also be embedded in one or more electronic processors. Alternatively, the set of commands can be provided as software executed by one or more of the electronic processors.

[0085] A set of instructions may also be embedded in a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium). A computer-readable storage medium can have any mechanism for storing information in a form that can be read by a machine or electronic processor / computing device. The computer-readable storage medium can include, but is not limited to, magnetic storage media (e.g., floppy disks), optical storage media (e.g., CD-ROMs), magneto-optical storage media, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable memory (e.g., EPROM and EEPROM), flash memory, or electrical or other types of media for storing such information / instructions.

[0086] like Figure 2 As shown, in the present embodiment, the control device 10 includes a first control device 14 and a second control device 16 .

[0087] The first control device 14 is a gesture recognition control device, which is configured to process the gesture recognition signal and determine the gesture performed by the body part 29 based on the gesture recognition signal. "Determining the gesture performed by the body part 29" means that the first control device 14 generates a spatial posture model that corresponds to the position and / or movement of the body part 29 observed by the first sensor 26.

[0088] Various types of spatial gesture models are well known in the technical field of gesture recognition and will not be described in detail to avoid obscuring the present invention. More information is recorded, for example, in "Visual Interpretation of Hand Gestures for Human-Computer Interaction: A Review" published by VIPavlovic, R. Sharma and TS Huang in "IEEE Transactions on pattern and machine intelligence, VOL.19, NO.7, JULY1997".

[0089] As demonstrated by V. I. Pavlovic, R. Sharma, and T. S. Huang (1997), the spatial posture model can be determined by various methods known in the art, for example, it can be implemented using any appropriate computer vision and / or image processing method.

[0090] For rapid processing, simplified detection and processing algorithms may also be used. For example, a "skeletal-based algorithm" may be used that utilizes joint angle parameters and segment lengths of body part 29. Such a skeletal-based algorithm is used to determine the position and orientation of segments and the relationship between segments (e.g., angles and relative positions or orientations of joints) to identify postures.

[0091] Furthermore, a further simplified method uses a recognition algorithm that is configured to recognize unique points of the body part 29, such as the ends of the fingers and the center of the hand / palm, and track the position and / or movement of such reference points. However, the body part 29 must be present in an optimal position to be able to recognize the key points and accurately and precisely detect the gesture being performed. Such a simplified algorithm can be implemented by optimized recognition conditions within the gesture recognition area 32. In order to provide gesture-based control of the vehicle 1, the first control device 14 can also be further configured to compare the determined gesture with a database of recognition gestures. The recognition gesture can also be associated with controlling one or more vehicle behaviors.

[0092] For example, a database of identification gestures in a form corresponding to the determined gestures may also be stored in a storage device of the first control device 14 together with the vehicle behavior associated with each identification gesture. The first control device 14 can be configured to access the storage device and use known techniques for comparing a spatial gesture model with a gesture sequence to determine whether the determined gesture corresponds to one of the identification gestures. This processing can, for example, include the use of known pattern matching techniques, in which case the simplified detection and processing algorithms can provide high-speed pattern matching, since only important parameters are analyzed.

[0093] When there is a correspondence between the determined posture and the identification posture, the control system 10 may also output one or more corresponding control signals to control the behavior of the vehicle 1 .

[0094] The second control device 16 is a tactile feedback control device, which is configured to: i) detect the body part 29, ii) determine the position of the body part 29 relative to the gesture recognition area 32, and iii) determine a corresponding tactile feedback signal and send the tactile feedback signal to the tactile feedback system 6.

[0095] For example, the detection signal of the body part can include image data, volumetric data, or any other preferred form of computer vision data representing the position of the body part 29 inside the second spatial volume of the space 34. The second control device 16 can also be configured to detect the body part 29 based on the detection data (sensory data) and generate a display of the body part 29 inside the second spatial volume of the space 34. For example, the body part 29 can be represented by a spatial model or a set of points on a coordinate system corresponding to the second spatial volume of the space 34. As described above in connection with the spatial posture model, the display of the body part 29 can be determined by various methods known in the current technical field, for example, the display of the body part 29 can be performed using any appropriate computer vision and / or image processing method.

[0096] In one example, Figure 3 As shown, the second control device 16 can also be configured to generate a single reference point 42 based on the body part detection signal representing the position of the body part 29 within the second spatial volume of the space 34. Such a reference point 42 is a point that can correspond to the center of the palm or any other easily detectable feature of the body part 29. Based on this, when the body part 29 moves relative to the sensors 26, 28, the second control device 16 can monitor the position of the reference point 42 and can determine a series of corresponding coordinate positions of the reference point 42 inside the second spatial volume of the space 34.

[0097] For ease of understanding, the coordinate system may correspond to one of the sensors 26 and 28 or to the vehicle 1 itself. For example, the position of the reference point 42 may be determined on a coordinate system having a first axis aligned with the longitudinal axis position of the vehicle 1 in a (front-rear direction), a second axis arranged on a cross section with respect to the first axis and extending in a lateral direction (left-right direction) in a manner crossing the vehicle 1, and a third axis arranged in the cross section and extending in a longitudinal direction (up-down direction) perpendicular to the second axis.

[0098] Second control device 16 can also use calibration data to determine the position of body part 29 relative to gesture recognition area 32 , the calibration data containing information about the shape, size and position of the spatial volume forming gesture recognition area 32 in vehicle 1 .

[0099] In this regard, it is to be understood that gesture recognition area 32 can take various forms depending on the specific configuration of sensor system 4 and / or calibration of sensors 26, 28. Such calibration data may be stored in a memory device of second control device 16 or received from sensor system 4, for example.

[0100] In one example, the gesture recognition area 32 is as follows Figure 3 In order to form a spherical spatial volume as shown, the second control device 16 has calibration data on the size of the radius and the position of the center of the spherical spatial volume in the vehicle.

[0101] The second control device 16 is configured to determine the target position 44 at the center of the gesture recognition area 32 and the proximity threshold close to the target position 44 based on the calibration data. The proximity threshold indicates whether the body part 29 is arranged inside or outside the boundary of the spherical shape of the gesture recognition area 32. In this way, the second control device 16 can determine the direction and / or proximity of the gesture recognition area 32 with respect to the body part 29 using the comparison result based on the coordinates between the reference point 42 and the target position 44. In addition, the second control device 16 can detect whether the body part 29 is arranged inside or outside the gesture recognition area 32 by comparing with the measured threshold proximity.

[0102] As will become apparent from the following description, second control device 16 uses the orientation and / or proximity of reference point 42 relative to target position 44 to determine a haptic feedback signal representing the relative position of gesture recognition area 32 relative to vehicle occupant 25 .

[0103] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5The haptic feedback system 6 is described in further detail. Generally speaking, the haptic feedback system 6 includes one or more haptic feedback devices configured to output haptic feedback toward the vehicle occupant 25 based on a haptic feedback signal.

[0104] The tactile feedback device can include any non-contact or mechanical tactile feedback device such as an ultrasonic control device, an air wave control device, or an air vortex control device. Thus, the tactile feedback system 6 is preferably configured to provide a non-contact form of tactile feedback for generating pressure referred to as a "tactile feedback area". For example, an array of commercially available muRata (registered trademark) ultrasonic transducers can be suitable for providing this form of tactile feedback.

[0105] The haptic feedback system 6 is configured to output haptic feedback based on the haptic feedback signal, and to control at least one of the position, size, or shape of the haptic feedback area, the size (force) of the haptic feedback, or the corresponding output pattern / frequency.

[0106] Figure 4 An example of the tactile feedback system 6 in the form of an ultrasonic system including an array of tactile feedback devices 36 for outputting ultrasonic waves to an occupant in the vehicle 1 is shown.

[0107] Each of the tactile feedback devices 36 may be, for example, an ultrasonic transducer. Figure 4 As shown, one or more of the tactile feedback devices 36 in the array may be selectively operated to output an ultrasonic beam 38 for creating a pressure region that exerts a so-called tactile force in the tactile feedback region 40. Figure 4 When the area 40 of tactile feedback is oriented in the direction of the vehicle occupant's finger as shown, the vehicle occupant feels pressure.

[0108] By controlling each tactile feedback device 36, the direction of the ultrasonic beam 38 can be manipulated, and the shape, force, and direction of the tactile feedback area 40 can be appropriately changed. In addition, by controlling the phase and strength of the output of each tactile feedback device 36, the position, size, and shape of the tactile feedback area 40 can be adjusted in the same manner as the force of the tactile feedback.

[0109] For clarity, the circular area 40 of tactile feedback is used as an example in the following description. The force of the tactile feedback, the radius of the area 40 of tactile feedback, and the position of the area 40 of tactile feedback are controlled to show the relative position of the gesture recognition area 32 with respect to the vehicle occupant 25 .

[0110] Figures 5 to 9The following illustrates how controllable parameters of tactile feedback may be configured to represent the relative direction and / or proximity of body part 29 to gesture recognition area 32 .

[0111] Figure 5 to Figure 7 The position of body part 29 is shown in a cross section extending transversely through vehicle 1 . As shown, the position at which area 40 of tactile feedback is oriented can vary in the cross section to show the direction of the gesture recognition area relative to the position of body part 29 .

[0112] exist Figure 5 In the first example shown, the second control device 16 determines that the reference point 42 in the body part 29 is located to the right of the target position 44. As a result, the area 40 of tactile feedback can be oriented to the left part of the body part 29 as shown, and as a result, the area 40 of tactile feedback is offset in the direction of the target position 44 relative to the reference point 42.

[0113] exist Figure 6 In the second example shown, the reference point 42 on the body part 29 is positioned below the target position 44, ie, toward the wrist. Thus, the tactile feedback area 40 may also be oriented toward the upper portion of the body part 29, ie, the fingertips, as shown.

[0114] exist Figure 7 In the third example shown, the reference point 42 on the body part 29 coincides with the target position 44 in the cross section. Thus, the area 40 of tactile feedback is oriented to the reference point 42, i.e., the center of the palm. Thus, the area 40 of tactile feedback is positioned in a manner that confirms the position of the body part 29 in the transverse direction within the gesture recognition area 32.

[0115] In the above examples, the position at which the tactile feedback area 40 is oriented depends on the direction of the gesture recognition area 32 relative to the body part 29. In each example, the tactile feedback area 40 is oriented so as to be offset from the reference point 42 to the target position 44 in a portion of the body part 29. That is, the control device 10 scales (adjusts the size of the vector) the vector between the target position and the position of the reference point, moves the position of the reference point based on the scaled vector, and thereby determines the correction point offset from the position of the reference point to the direction of the target position. By orienting the tactile feedback area 40 in this way, the tactile feedback shows the direction in which the body part 29 should move in order to approach the gesture recognition area 32.

[0116] Not limited to the above, in other examples, the tactile feedback may be configured in the opposite way, that is, the tactile feedback is oriented to a position offset in the opposite direction relative to the gesture recognition area 32 , for example, “pressing” the body part 29 toward the gesture recognition area 32 .

[0117] like Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the size of the tactile feedback area 40 can also be used to indicate the direction in which the body part 29 should be moved in order to approach the gesture recognition area 32 along a predetermined axis. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 2 , a body part 29 of a vehicle occupant 25 is illustrated at a viewpoint oriented along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 1 .

[0118] As shown in these examples, the size of the area 40 of tactile feedback can be varied to indicate the position of the body part 29 in front of or behind the gesture recognition area 32. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 By comparison, the size of the tactile feedback area 40 can also be changed as the reference point 42 on the body part 29 moves from the longitudinal axis to the longitudinal axis. Figure 8 The first position shown, that is, the front of the target position 44, is closer to the target position 44. Fig. 9 The second position shown moves backwards and shrinks. In addition, when the body part 29 moves further backwards beyond the target position 44, the size of the area 40 of tactile feedback increases again.

[0119] As such, the size of the tactile feedback area 40 may also depend on the distance along the longitudinal axis between the body part 29 and the gesture recognition area 32. As a result, the size of the tactile feedback area 40 is enlarged or reduced depending on whether the body part 29 is close to or away from the gesture recognition area 32 along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, to show the position of the body part 29 relative to the gesture recognition area 32 in the front-rear direction.

[0120] The same principle can be applied in an equivalent manner to any movement axis of the body part 29 including a vertical direction (up-down direction) axis or a transverse direction (left-right direction) axis, for example.

[0121] The magnitude of the tactile feedback, i.e., the force, may also be additionally or alternatively configured to show the overall proximity of the body part 29 to the gesture recognition area 32. For example, the force of the tactile feedback may also increase as the body part 29 moves toward the gesture recognition area 32, and decrease as the body part 29 moves away from the gesture recognition area 32.

[0122] Other structures of tactile feedback are not limited to the above examples, and can appropriately indicate the position of the gesture recognition area 32 relative to the body part 29. For example, in another structure, the size of the tactile feedback can also be configured to indicate the direction of the gesture recognition area 32 relative to the body part 29 along a specific axis, and the size of the tactile feedback area 40 can indicate the overall proximity to the gesture recognition area 32.

[0123] Further reference is made to Fig.10 and Fig.11 An exemplary method 50 of operating the gesture recognition system 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0124] In step 52 , gesture recognition system 2 is operated to determine the position of body part 29 within vehicle 1 .

[0125] For example, the second sensor 28 can also be operated to observe the second spatial volume of the space 34 and determine the body part detection signal. The body part detection signal can be received by the control system 10 and processed by the second control device 16 to generate a display of the body part 29 and determine the coordinate position of the reference point 42 inside the second spatial volume of the space 34.

[0126] In step 54, the gesture recognition system 2 is configured to determine a tactile feedback signal to be output to the tactile feedback system 6 based on the position of the body part 29 relative to the gesture recognition area 32. In various examples of the present invention, the tactile feedback signal can be determined based on one or more tactile feedback parameters, such as the position, size, or shape of the area containing the tactile feedback, or the size of the tactile feedback or the pattern / frequency of the output. In step 54, a selected parameter of the tactile feedback parameters is determined based on the relative proximity and / or direction of the gesture recognition area 32 relative to the body part 29.

[0127] In the following example, the control system 10 is operated to determine the size of the tactile feedback, the location where the area 40 of the tactile feedback is to be directed, and the size of the area 40 of the tactile feedback. To this end, step 54 of the method 50 can include Fig.11 The following sub-steps 55 to 74 are shown.

[0128] By comparing the coordinates of the reference point 42 with the coordinates of the target position 44, the distance between the gesture recognition area 32 and the body part 29 and the direction of the gesture recognition area 32 relative to the body part 29 can be conveniently determined in vector form. Therefore, in sub-step 55, the control system 10 is operated to determine the vector between the position of the reference point 42 on the body part 29 at the center of the gesture recognition area 32 and the target position 44.

[0129] For example, the target position 44 may be accessed from a storage device of the second control device 16. The control device 10 may also compare the coordinates of the target position 44 with the coordinates of the reference point 42 to determine a three-dimensional vector from one point to the other point. The three-dimensional vector may also include respective distances along each of the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis of the common coordinate system.

[0130] In sub-steps 56 - 60 , control system 10 determines the magnitude of the tactile feedback based on the proximity of body part 29 relative to gesture recognition area 32 .

[0131] First, in sub-step 56 , the overall proximity of body part 29 to gesture recognition area 32 is determined by calculating the magnitude of the vector between reference point 42 and target position 44 .

[0132] In sub-step 58, the control system 10 determines the magnitude of the tactile feedback based on the magnitude of the vector. For example, the control system 10 can determine the force of the tactile feedback to be output according to the following formula.

[0133] Tactile force = (α × vector size)

[0134] Here, α is a scalar coefficient. The scalar coefficient α may also be adjusted so that the tactile force is suitable for indicating the relative proximity of the body part 29 to the gesture recognition area 32. For example, when the tactile force = 1, the maximum tactile force is output, and when the tactile force = 0, the minimum tactile force is output. Thus, the maximum size of the vector can be determined based on the space in the room 12, and the scalar coefficient may also change the tactile force between 1 and 0 according to the proximity of the body part 29 to the gesture recognition area 32.

[0135] In another example, the force of the tactile feedback can decrease as the body part 29 approaches the gesture recognition area 32, and the control system 10 can determine and output the force of the tactile feedback according to the following alternative equation:

[0136] Tactile force = 1-(α×vector size)

[0137] Here, α is a scalar coefficient that is adjusted so that the tactile force can reliably change between the maximum tactile force (when the tactile force=1) and the minimum tactile force (when the tactile force=0).

[0138] In sub-step 59, it is determined in method 50 whether the body part 29 is appropriately far away from the gesture recognition area 32 to enable the output of the tactile feedback of the gesture recognition system 2 to work. For this purpose, the control system 10 can compare the magnitude of the tactile feedback with a minimum threshold of the tactile feedback, and can set the magnitude of the tactile feedback to a minimum force value in sub-step 60 if the magnitude is less than the minimum threshold. The minimum force value can also be, for example, zero tactile force. In this way, tactile feedback can also not be output when the vehicle occupant 25 does not want to control the gesture recognition system 2 and the body part 29 is at an appropriate distance from the gesture recognition area 32.

[0139] In another example, the control system 10 can determine whether the tactile force to be output is zero or non-zero based on the overall proximity of the body part 29 to the gesture recognition area 32. The tactile force of zero or non-zero can also be output based on a threshold of the proximity of the body part 29 to the gesture recognition area 32.

[0140] In sub-steps 62 to 70, the control system 10 determines the size of the tactile feedback area 40 based on the distance between the body part 29 and the gesture recognition area 32 along a selected one of the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis of the coordinate system. In other words, the control system 10 can determine how close the body part 29 is to the gesture recognition area 32 in one of the front-to-back direction, the lateral direction, or the up-down direction, and the control system 10 can adjust the size of the tactile feedback area 40 accordingly.

[0141] If the front-to-back direction is used as an example, in sub-step 62 , the control system 10 determines the distance between the body part 29 and the gesture recognition area 32 along the front-to-back axis based on the vector between the reference point 42 and the target position 44 .

[0142] In a simple example, one of the first, second and third axes of the vector can be made consistent with the front-back axis, and the distance between the body part 29 and the gesture recognition area 32 can be determined based on the magnitude of the front-back component of the vector.

[0143] Next, in sub-step 64, the control system 10 determines the size of the area 40 of tactile feedback based on the forward and backward components of the vector. For example, the control system 10 can determine the radius of the area 40 of tactile feedback according to the following equation:

[0144] Radius = β * the magnitude of the front and rear components of the vector

[0145] Here, β is, for example, a scalar coefficient that can be adjusted based on the representative size of the observed body part 29 .

[0146] In substeps 66 to 70, the radius of the tactile feedback area 40 can be limited by an upper or lower limit value in method 50. The upper and lower limits can also correspond to the size of the body part 29 to be observed by the gesture recognition system, so that the tactile feedback area 40 is not too large or too small for the body part 29.

[0147] In this example, in step 66, the radius of the tactile feedback area 40 is compared with a minimum radius threshold, and if the radius is smaller than the minimum radius threshold, the size of the tactile feedback area 40 is set to a specified minimum radius in step 68. The minimum radius may correspond to the width of a finger, for example.

[0148] Similarly, in step 69, the radius of the tactile feedback area 40 is compared with the maximum radius threshold, and if the radius is greater than the maximum radius threshold, the radius of the tactile feedback area 40 is set to a specified maximum radius in step 70. The maximum radius may correspond to the width of the palm, for example.

[0149] In sub-step 72 , control system 10 determines where region 40 of tactile feedback is to be oriented based on i) the location of body part 29 within vehicle 1 , and ii) the orientation of gesture recognition region 32 relative to body part 29 .

[0150] In particular, the position at which the tactile feedback area 40 is oriented is determined as a position deviated from the reference point 42 in the direction of the vector between the reference point 42 and the target position 44. Therefore, the position at which the tactile feedback area 40 is oriented can also be determined according to the following formula:

[0151] Position of tactile feedback (X, Y, Z) = Position of reference point (X, Y, Z) + (μ*vector (Y, Z))

[0152] Here, X, Y, and Z are values ​​along the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis. μ is, for example, a scalar coefficient that can be configured to limit the position of the tactile feedback to a distance within a predetermined range from the reference point 42 (the center of the palm).

[0153] As such, the area 40 of tactile feedback can be effectively associated with the position of the body part 29 along the front-back axis. For example, the area 40 of tactile feedback can also be oriented toward the same position along the front-back axis as the reference point 42, but the area 40 of tactile feedback can also be oriented toward a (corrected) position offset from the reference point 42 in the lateral and up-down directions (the second axis and the third axis). As such, the position of the area 40 of tactile feedback can show the relative position of the gesture recognition area 32 in the lateral and up-down directions.

[0154] In sub-step 74, the control system 10 determines a tactile feedback signal based on the tactile feedback parameters determined in sub-steps 55 to 72. Fig.10 In step 76 , it is determined in method 50 whether body part 29 is configured within gesture recognition area 32 .

[0155] For example, the control system 10 may also determine the distance between the body part 29 and the gesture recognition area 32 and compare the distance with a threshold distance for determining whether the body part 29 is configured inside the gesture recognition area 32 .

[0156] In one example, as described above, control system 10 can determine the distance between body part 29 and gesture recognition area 32 based on the magnitude of the vector between reference point 42 and target location 44 .

[0157] The magnitude of the vector can then be compared to the radius of the gesture recognition area 32, which is stored in the second control device 16 to define a threshold distance. If the magnitude of the vector is greater than the threshold distance, the control system 10 can infer that the body part 29 is outside the gesture recognition area 32.

[0158] Thus, in step 78 , control system 10 can output the haptic feedback signal determined in step 54 to haptic feedback system 6 to cause the haptic feedback system to generate haptic feedback representative of the relative position of gesture recognition area 32 relative to vehicle occupant 25 .

[0159] For example, the array of tactile feedback devices 36 can be configured to output an ultrasonic beam 38 corresponding to a tactile feedback signal, and the vehicle occupant 25 can feel the pressure in the tactile feedback area 40. The vehicle occupant 25 can infer the relative direction of the gesture recognition area 32 based on the position, size, and force of the tactile feedback, thereby causing the vehicle occupant 25 to move the body part 29 toward the gesture recognition area 32.

[0160] Following step 78, the new position of body part 29 can be determined in method 50. For example, steps 52-76 can be repeated to determine whether vehicle occupant 25 has moved body part 29 in response to tactile feedback in a manner that causes one or more tactile feedback parameters to change or moves body part 29 toward gesture recognition area 32.

[0161] When the magnitude of the vector is less than the threshold distance, the control system 10 can infer that the body part 29 is within the gesture recognition area 32 .

[0162] Thus, in step 80 , control system 10 is able to determine the gesture performed by body part 29 within gesture recognition area 32 .

[0163] For example, the first sensor 26 can also be activated to observe the first spatial volume of the space 30 and determine a gesture recognition signal. The gesture recognition signal can be received in the control system 10 and processed by the first control device 14, which determines the gesture performed by the body part 29 by means of the morphology of the spatial gesture model.

[0164] In step 82, the control system 10 can compare the determined posture with the database of identification postures. If the determined posture corresponds to one of the identification postures, the control system 10 can output a corresponding control signal to control the behavior of the vehicle associated with the identification posture. For example, the control signal can also be output to one or more vehicle systems (not shown) configured to control the behavior of the vehicle.

[0165] In one example, steps 52 to 76 may be repeated while the body part 29 is performing a gesture, so that the body part 29 remains within the gesture recognition area 32 .

[0166] Also, after step 82 , the method 50 may be repeated to determine whether the vehicle occupant 25 has moved the body part 29 and / or to determine another gesture-based command.

[0167] Various changes and modifications can be added to the present invention without departing from the technical scope of the present application.

[0168] For example, in the above-described exemplary method 50, when the control system 10 determines in step 74 that the body part 29 is located within the gesture recognition area 32, no tactile feedback is output to the vehicle occupant 25. In this way, the absence of tactile feedback can indicate that the body part 29 is located within the gesture recognition area 32.

[0169] However, if Fig.12 As shown, in another exemplary method 150 for causing the gesture recognition system 2 to perform action, in step 78, a tactile feedback signal can be output, as described in step 76, regardless of whether the control system 10 determines that the body part 29 is configured on the inside or outside of the gesture recognition area 32.

[0170] In this way, it is possible to provide the vehicle occupant 25 with tactile feedback configured to maintain the body part 29 within the gesture recognition area 32 while performing a specific gesture.

[0171] Advantageously, the vehicle occupant 25 can associate a specific haptic feedback sensation with the ability to control the behavior of the vehicle via the gesture recognition system 2 . Based on this, the vehicle occupant 25 can infer that the body part 29 is located within the gesture recognition area 32 .

[0172] Another exemplary method (not shown) for operating the gesture recognition system 2 can be performed substantially in the same manner as described above, but the method can further include the following steps: determining the position, size, and / or shape of the gesture recognition area 32 before determining the position of the body part 29 in step 52. The position, size, and / or shape of the gesture recognition area 32 can also be changed according to one or more indoor conditions that affect the gesture recognition capability of the sensor system 4, such as the lighting conditions of the room 12.

[0173] For example, the control system 10 may be configured to determine the gesture recognition area 32 based on calibration data received from the sensor system 4 or calibration data obtained by accessing a storage device of the first control device 14 .

[0174] The calibration data may also be arranged in the form of a look-up table, for example, which has shapes, sizes, and positions in the room 12 corresponding to the gesture recognition area 32 for a predetermined fixed range of room conditions. In this way, the control system 10 can receive an indication of one or more room conditions and determine the size, position, or shape of the gesture recognition area 32 based on the look-up table. Advantageously, the present invention can optimize the gesture recognition area 32 for room conditions that may change during driving to maximize the accuracy of the gesture recognition performed in step 78.

[0175] Advantageously, in step 78 , the tactile feedback output of the method can also be configured to redirect the body part 29 to the optimized gesture recognition area 32 . In this way, the method can provide adaptive position guidance of the body part 29 according to the indoor conditions of the vehicle 1 .

[0176] Description of Reference Numerals

[0177] 1: Vehicle; 2: Gesture recognition system; 4: Sensor system; 6: Tactile feedback system; 10: Control system (control device); 12: Indoor; 14: First control device; 16: Second control device; 25: Vehicle occupant; 29: Body part; 32: Gesture recognition area; 38: Ultrasonic beam; 42: Reference point; 44: Target position.

Claims

1. A control system is a control system of a vehicle posture recognition system, The gesture recognition system comprises: A sensor system that observes a spatial volume in the interior of the vehicle, determines the position of a body part of a vehicle occupant within the spatial volume, and determines a gesture performed by the body part within a gesture recognition area defined within the spatial volume, wherein: The gesture recognition area depends on the lighting conditions in the interior of the vehicle and / or the structure of the sensor system, and the position, size and / or shape of the gesture recognition area is changed according to the lighting conditions in the interior of the vehicle to optimize the gesture recognition area; as well as a haptic feedback system that outputs contactless haptic feedback toward the vehicle occupant, The control system comprises one or more control devices. The control device is configured to receive a detection signal from the sensor system, the detection signal including information indicating the position of the body part within the spatial volume, determine the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area based on the detection signal, determine a tactile feedback signal based on the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area, and output the tactile feedback signal to the tactile feedback system, wherein the tactile feedback signal is configured to cause the tactile feedback system to output the non-contact tactile feedback indicating the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area toward the vehicle occupant, The output of the non-contact tactile feedback is configured to redirect the body part toward the optimized gesture recognition area.

2. The control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The one or more control devices are configured to determine the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area by determining at least one of the position of the body part within the spatial volume, the position of the gesture recognition area within the spatial volume, the direction of the gesture recognition area relative to the position of the body part, the proximity of the body part to the gesture recognition area, and the distance between the body part and the gesture recognition area along a first axis.

3. The control system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tactile feedback signal is configured to cause the tactile feedback system to output the tactile feedback toward an area within the interior of the vehicle, The one or more control devices are configured to determine the tactile feedback signal by determining at least one of a magnitude of the tactile feedback, a position in the room where the area of ​​tactile feedback is oriented, and a size of the area of ​​tactile feedback.

4. The control system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The one or more control devices are configured to determine at least one of the size of the tactile feedback and the size of the area of ​​the tactile feedback based on the degree of proximity of the body part to the gesture recognition area.

5. The control system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The one or more control devices are configured to determine at least one of a size of the tactile feedback and a size of an area of ​​the tactile feedback based on a distance between the body part and the gesture recognition area along the first axis.

6. The control system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The one or more control devices are configured to determine a position within the room at which the area of ​​tactile feedback is oriented based on the position of the body part within the spatial volume and the orientation of the gesture recognition area relative to the position of the body part.

7. The control system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The one or more control devices are configured to: detect a reference point of the body part, determine the position of the reference point inside the spatial volume based on the detection signal, compare the position of the reference point with a target position within the gesture recognition area, and determine the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area by determining a vector between the target position and the position of the reference point.

8. The control system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The one or more control devices are configured to: detect a reference point of the body part, determine the position of the reference point inside the spatial volume based on the detection signal, compare the position of the reference point with a target position within the gesture recognition area, determine the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area by determining a vector between the target position and the position of the reference point, and determine the position in the room where the area of ​​tactile feedback is oriented by determining a correction point offset from the position of the reference point in the direction of the target position.

9. The control system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The one or more control devices are configured to scale the vector between the target position and the position of the reference point, move the position of the reference point based on the scaled vector, and thereby determine the correction point that is offset from the position of the reference point in the direction of the target position.

10. The control system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The detection signal contains image data determined by the sensor system, The one or more control devices are configured to detect the body part within the spatial volume and determine a position of the body part within the spatial volume based on the image data.

11. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The tactile feedback system is formed as an ultrasonic system comprising an array of a plurality of ultrasonic devices, The tactile feedback signal is configured to cause the tactile feedback system to output the tactile feedback in the form of an ultrasonic beam.

12. A gesture recognition system is a gesture recognition system for a vehicle, The gesture recognition system is controlled by a control system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The gesture recognition system includes a sensor system including one or more sensors, wherein the sensors are configured to observe a spatial volume in the room and output a detection signal to the control system, wherein the detection signal includes information indicating a position of a body part of a vehicle occupant within the observed spatial volume.

13. The gesture recognition system according to claim 12, characterized in that: The one or more sensors are configured to output a gesture signal to the control system, the gesture signal including information indicating a gesture performed by a body part of the vehicle occupant within the gesture recognition area, The one or more control devices of the control system are configured to receive the posture signal and determine the posture performed by the body part based on the posture signal.

14. The gesture recognition system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The control system is configured to use a skeleton-based algorithm to determine a gesture performed by the body part.

15. The gesture recognition system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The control system is configured to control one or more behaviors of the vehicle based on the determined posture.

16. The gesture recognition system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The invention further includes a haptic feedback system including one or more haptic feedback devices configured to output non-contact haptic feedback based on the haptic feedback signal.

17. The gesture recognition system according to claim 16, characterized in that: The one or more tactile feedback devices include an array of multiple ultrasonic transducers.

18. A vehicle comprising the control system according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or the gesture recognition system according to any one of claims 12 to 17.

19. A method for controlling a gesture recognition system, wherein the gesture recognition system is a gesture recognition system of a vehicle, The gesture recognition system comprises: A sensor system including one or more sensors configured to observe a spatial volume inside a vehicle; and A tactile feedback system is configured to output non-contact tactile feedback to a vehicle occupant in a vehicle cabin, The method comprises the following steps: controlling a sensor system to observe the volume of space and determine a detection signal including information indicative of a location of a body part of the vehicle occupant within the volume of space; Determine the position of the body part relative to a gesture recognition area defined inside the spatial volume based on the detection signal, wherein the gesture recognition area depends on lighting conditions in the interior of the vehicle and / or the structure of the sensor system, and change the position, size and / or shape of the gesture recognition area based on the lighting conditions in the interior of the vehicle to optimize the gesture recognition area; determining a tactile feedback signal based on the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area; and controlling the tactile feedback system based on the tactile feedback signal, wherein the tactile feedback signal is configured to cause the tactile feedback system to output non-contact tactile feedback indicating the position of the body part relative to the gesture recognition area toward the vehicle occupant, The output of the non-contact tactile feedback is configured to redirect the body part toward the optimized gesture recognition area.

20. A computer storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, performs the method for controlling a gesture recognition system according to claim 19.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, performs the method of controlling a gesture recognition system according to claim 19.

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