Context-Aware Gesture Detection for Power Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gesture-based human-machine interaction systems lack context awareness, leading to increased power consumption, limited speed, reliability, and accuracy, as well as reduced flexibility and usability due to the inability to adapt gestures to specific environmental situations.

Innovation Solution

A method that selects a gesture mode based on environmental status, enabling detection of specific gestures and associated commands only when conditions are met, such as during driving, running, or gaming, thereby optimizing gesture detection and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If gesture detection is continuously enabled in all modes, then gesture recognition coverage is comprehensive, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegesture recognition coverageVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts gesture detection capabilities based on environmental context. A context determination module identifies situations (e.g., driving, meetings, exercise) and activates only relevant gesture sets accordingly. This dynamic adaptation ensures comprehensive gesture recognition when needed while conserving power during contexts where certain gestures are inappropriate, directly resolving the contradiction between recognition coverage and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of gesture detection by selectively enabling or disabling specific gesture sets based on determined context. When a context is identified, the system modifies which gestures are detectable and responsive, effectively changing the detection parameters to match environmental requirements. This selective parameter adjustment maintains recognition accuracy for relevant gestures while reducing overall system activity and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If all gestures are detected and processed in all situations, then gesture functionality is comprehensive, but processing speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegesture functionalityVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and processes only the relevant subset of gestures appropriate for the current context. By identifying the environmental situation and filtering out irrelevant gesture sets, the system reduces the total number of gestures that require processing. This extraction approach maintains comprehensive functionality for relevant gestures while significantly decreasing processing overhead and improving response speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The gesture system is segmented into multiple context-specific gesture sets. Each gesture set is associated with particular environmental contexts (e.g., driving gestures, exercise gestures, meeting gestures). The system segments processing by activating only the relevant segment based on current context, thereby maintaining comprehensive overall functionality while achieving fast processing within each contextual segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Use of energy by moving object

If gesture detection is context-aware and selective, then power consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces a context determination module as an intermediary between environmental sensors and gesture detection. This mediator analyzes environmental data, determines the current situation, and controls which gesture sets are activated. While this adds a layer of complexity, it enables intelligent power management by ensuring that gesture processing resources are allocated only when and where needed, justifying the increased complexity through significant power savings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary context analysis before enabling gesture detection. By first determining the environmental situation and then selectively activating appropriate gesture sets, the system avoids the complexity of continuously managing all gesture types. This preliminary action approach simplifies the overall system architecture by using a clear two-stage process: context determination followed by selective gesture activation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If context-dependent gesture modes are implemented, then usability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveusabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines environmental context and selects appropriate gesture modes without requiring user intervention. The context determination module continuously monitors environmental conditions and autonomously activates the most suitable gesture set, making the system adaptive and easy to use. This self-service approach improves usability by eliminating the need for users to manually configure gesture settings while managing the complexity internally through automated context analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3139248B1Method for gesture based human-machine interaction, portable electronic device and gesture based human-machine interface system
Publication Date: 2024.08.14 AUSTRIAMICROSYSTEMS AG
  • EP3139248B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3139248B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for gesture based human-machine interaction comprises determining an environmental status of an electronic device (D) and operating the electronic device in one of at least two gesture modes depending on the environmental status. During a first gesture mode, detection of gestures of a first set of gestures is enabled. The method further comprises detecting a movement of an object and, when operating in the first gesture mode, determining if the detected movement corresponds to a gesture of the first set of gestures. The method further comprises, if the detected movement corresponds to a gesture of the first set of gestures, carrying out a first command of the electronic device (D) associated to the gesture corresponding to the detected movement.