Guide mode for gesture spaces

Abstract

A gesture system executes actions or commands based on gesture inputs. The system includes a detection subsystem and a gesture processing device. The detection subsystem monitor a plurality of gesture spheres, including a participant gesture sphere and a guide gesture sphere. The participant gesture sphere corresponds to a first user and a participant domain on a display device. The guide gesture sphere corresponds to a second user. The gesture processing device implements a guide mode to execute an action within the participant domain based on a gesture from the guide gesture sphere.

1 . A method for operating a gesture system, the method comprising:
 monitoring a participant gesture sphere and a guide gesture sphere, wherein the participant gesture sphere corresponds to a participant domain on a display device;   recognizing a gesture from the guide gesture sphere;   identifying an action corresponding to the gesture from the guide gesture sphere;   determining if the gesture system is operating in a guide mode; and   executing the action corresponding to the gesture from the guide gesture sphere within the participant domain in response to a determination that the gesture system is operating in the guide mode.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recognizing a gesture from the participant gesture sphere;   identifying an action corresponding to the gesture from the participant gesture sphere; and   executing the action corresponding to the gesture from the participant gesture sphere within the participant domain while the gesture system is operating in the guide mode.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disallowing access from the participant gesture sphere to the guide domain while the gesture system is operating in the guide mode. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein monitoring the guide gesture sphere and the participant gesture sphere further comprises monitoring the guide gesture sphere and the participant gesture sphere using images from a single detector. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein monitoring the guide gesture sphere and the participant gesture sphere further comprises:
 monitoring the participant gesture sphere using images from a first detector; and   monitoring the guide gesture sphere using images from a second detector.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first detector is coupled to a first computer device at a first location, and the second detector is coupled to a second computer device at a second location, and the first and second computer devices are coupled together to facilitate network communications between the first and second computer devices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing data on an electronic data memory device for use with the gesture system, wherein the stored data comprises:
 parameters for configuration of the gesture system; and   instructions for processing gesture inputs from the participant gesture sphere and the guide gesture sphere.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions for processing the gesture inputs comprise:
 instructions for identifying conflicting gesture inputs from the participant gesture sphere and the guide gesture sphere; and   instructions for processing the conflicting gesture inputs according to a priority rule.