Passive Radar-Image Shaper for Gesture Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional trackable controllers for interacting with electronic devices require additional components and power sources, making complex gestures and mode changes cumbersome and inconvenient for users, limiting the full potential of these devices.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a radar-image shaper within an object, such as a controller, which produces a unique radar signature detectable by a radar system, allowing the electronic device to determine the object's characteristic disposition without the need for internal electronics or a power source, enabling rich gesture interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional trackable controllers use additional components and power sources to enable complex gestures and mode changes, then functionality and interaction capability are improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tracking functionality from active electronic components and relocates it to a passive radar reflector element. The controller contains only a radar-image shaper without electronics, processors, or power sources, separating the passive reflection function from the active detection function which resides in the base device.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the controller actively transmit signals or be tracked by cameras, the patent inverts the approach by having the controller passively reflect radar signals. The base device actively emits radar waves and processes the reflections, reversing who is active and who is passive in the tracking system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional controllers include electronics and power sources for additional functionality, then control features are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome mode switching
Solution Approach 1:
The radar system automatically detects the controller's position, orientation, and gestures without requiring the user to manually switch modes or enter commands. The system self-adjusts based on the detected radar signature characteristics, eliminating cumbersome mode switching while maintaining versatile control features.
3Use of energy by moving object
If passive objects are used for control interactions, then power consumption and component count are reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to lack of active tracking signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing a specialized radar-image shaper with specific geometric properties that create a distinctive and easily detectable radar signature. The reflector element's shape, size, and material are optimized to produce strong, characteristic reflections that enable precise detection of position, orientation, and gestures despite the passive nature of the controller.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides accurate and convenient interaction with electronic devices, reducing power consumption and component count, while enhancing user experience and privacy by eliminating the need for video imaging and minimizing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
The techniques and systems use a radar field to enable an electronic device to accurately determine a characteristic disposition of an object
Implementation Method 2
The radar system senses reflections from an object in the radar field
Data Source
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AI summary
This document describes techniques and systems that enable a radar-image shaper for radar-based applications. A radar field (110) enables an electronic device (102) to accurately determine a characteristic disposition (e.g., a location, orientation, velocity, or direction) of an object (112) in the radar field. The characteristic disposition is determined by detecting a radar signature (or cross-section) of a radar-image shaper (114, 802, 804, 1204, 1206) of the object. The shape of the radar-image shaper produces a known signature when illuminated by the radar field. Determining the characteristic disposition of the object with these techniques allows the object to be used to interact with the electronic device using gestures and other position-based techniques. Because the radar-image shaper enables a passive object to control applications on the electronic device, users have an interaction method with a rich library of gestures and controls that do not require additional components or a battery.