Gesture-Based Display Control via Skeletal Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing group meeting technologies limit collaborative information sharing among attendees, requiring a central presenter and relying on specialized controllers, which can be expensive and inconvenient, while also not allowing for seamless, intuitive, and socially acceptable interactions with public displays.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an information sharing democratization technique that uses skeletal tracking and object sensing devices to enable attendees to interact with public displays using in-air gestures and touch inputs, allowing for peer-to-peer data transfer and manipulation of information objects across various devices without the need for specialized controllers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a central presenter and specialized controllers are used for public display interaction, then control precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces specialized mechanical controllers with gesture-based interaction using skeletal tracking technology. Attendees use natural hand and body gestures in the air to control the public display, eliminating the need for complex specialized controllers while maintaining intuitive control precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables direct interaction where attendees use their own bodies and personal devices to control the display without requiring specialized intermediary controllers. The skeletal tracking system detects gestures directly from attendees, allowing self-service interaction with the public display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If specialized controllers are required for interaction, then control precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical controllers with natural gesture recognition. Attendees use intuitive hand and body movements that are automatically detected by skeletal tracking, making operation as easy as natural communication while maintaining precise control through gesture recognition algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the interaction parameter from physical contact with specialized controllers to wireless gesture-based control. This parameter change enables more natural and easier operation while maintaining control precision through advanced gesture detection and recognition algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If traditional presenter-controlled display interaction is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidadaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal interaction system where any attendee can control the public display using gesture recognition and personal devices. This multi-functional approach allows the same simple tracking system to serve multiple users and purposes, greatly enhancing adaptability while keeping device complexity low.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

By replacing the traditional single-presenter control model with gesture-based multi-user interaction, the system achieves high adaptability. Any attendee can naturally gesture to control the display, making the system adaptable to different users and scenarios without adding complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of operation

If attendees are required to be close to the public display for interaction, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidadaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends interaction from the two-dimensional display surface to the three-dimensional space around it. Skeletal tracking detects gestures from anywhere in the room, allowing attendees to interact with the display from a distance while maintaining ease of operation through natural gestures. This adds a spatial dimension to the interaction model.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The skeletal tracking system acts as an intermediary that translates distant physical gestures into precise display control commands. This mediator enables easy operation from a distance by converting natural hand movements into accurate control actions on the public display.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9659280B2Information sharing democratization for co-located group meetings

Publication Date: 2017.05.23 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Information sharing between meeting attendees during a co-located group meeting in a meeting space is democratized using a computer that is operating cooperatively with one or more object sensing devices in the meeting space to identify postures formed by the meeting attendees.