Controller Sensor Segmentation for Accurate Virtual Hand Gesture Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional VR, AR, or MR system accessories cannot accurately detect finger gestures, limiting their interaction capabilities with virtual content.

Innovation Solution

An electronic system with a controller equipped with sensors on its surfaces that generate sensing data based on finger contact areas, transmitting this data to a processor for identifying effective sensors, grouping them by finger, and determining bending angles to render accurate virtual hand gestures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional accessories or controllers are used in VR/AR/MR systems, then the system can be operated, but the gesture detection accuracy is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegesture detection accuracyVSAvoidcontroller structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller surface is divided into multiple independent sensor regions (first sensor region, second sensor region, third sensor region, fourth sensor region) corresponding to different finger zones. Each region independently detects touch events, enabling precise identification of which finger touched where and calculating accurate bending angles for each finger segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from simple binary touch detection (touch/no touch) to multi-dimensional detection by measuring both the triggered area size and hover distance for each sensor region. This dimensional expansion enables calculation of bending angles and pressure distribution, significantly improving gesture recognition accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If multiple sensors are added to improve gesture detection, then detection accuracy improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensing accuracyVSAvoidsensor configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor array is segmented into four distinct regions (first, second, third, and fourth sensor regions) arranged in specific patterns on the controller surface. Each region serves a specific detection purpose, and the segmented structure enables independent processing of touch signals from different fingers, improving accuracy without requiring a complete sensor overhaul.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple sensor regions work together as an integrated sensing system. The processor combines data from all four sensor regions to determine overall hand gesture state, bending angles, and pressure distribution, achieving high detection accuracy through synergistic operation of the sensor array rather than requiring each sensor to work independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3677997B1Electronic system and controller
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 HTC CORP
  • EP3677997B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3677997B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3677997B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

A computer-implement operating method includes periodically generating sensing data by determining a triggered area of each of the sensors of a surface on which each of the sensors disposed; grouping effective sensors among the sensors into a plurality of sensor groups respectively corresponding to the fingers; obtaining a bending angle of one finger among the fingers according to the sensing values of the sensing data of all effective sensors in one sensor group corresponding to the said one finger among the sensor groups; and bending one virtual finger corresponding to the said one finger among virtual fingers of a virtual hand rendered in a virtual space corresponding to the electronic system according to the obtained bending angle of the said one finger, so as to render the virtual hand having a gesture matching to a gesture of the hand sensed by the controller.