Handheld computer systems and techniques for character and command recognition related to human movements

Abstract

Systems and methods for human hand gesture recognition through a training mode and a recognition mode are disclosed. In the training mode, a user can move a handheld device with a hand gesture intended to represent a command. Sensors within the handheld device can record raw data, which can be processed to obtain a set of values corresponding to a set of discrete features, which is stored in a database and associated with the intended command. The process is repeated for various hand gestures representing different commands. In the recognition mode, the user can move the handheld device with a hand gesture. A computer system can compare a set of values corresponding to a set of discrete features derived from the hand gesture with the sets of values stored in the database, select a command with the closest match and displays and/or executes the command.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand held electronic device, comprising:
 a gyroscope that generates gyroscope data representing a trajectory of a movement of the handheld device;   an accelerometer that generates accelerometer data representing a tilt of the handheld device relative to earth's gravity, wherein the trajectory comprises at least one segment; and   a processing component that generates a command to initiate a function that corresponds to the command in the hand held electronic device; wherein generating a command comprises:   moving the handheld device along a selected trajectory corresponding to the command;   determining the selected trajectory and segments thereof using at least one of the gyroscope and the accelerometer;   processing data from the at least one of the gyroscope and the accelerometer to derive data parameters; wherein the data parameters include any of at least one of an angle of the trajectory, an inverse tangent of a change in pitch divided by a change in yaw, a location of a crossing point or a number of times in which the trajectory changes in direction; and   determining the command from the determined selected trajectory and segments thereof based on the derived data parameters to initiate the function in the handheld device.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing component stores at least a portion of the data generated by the at least one of the gyroscope and the accelerometer in a data store. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld device of  claim 1 , further comprising a display for displaying the trajectory of the movement. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing component executes a command associated with an application program associated with the handheld device or an operating system associated with the handheld device. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld device of  claim 4 , wherein the command triggers an event in a video game. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld device of  claim 4 , wherein the command opens or closes the application program or controls a set of applications running within the operating system. 
     
     
         7 . A method of generating a command to initiate a function that corresponds to the command in a hand held electronic device; the method comprising:
 moving the handheld device along a selected trajectory corresponding to the command;   determining the selected trajectory and segments thereof using at least one of a gyroscope and an accelerometer contained within the handheld device;   processing data from the at least one of the gyroscope and the accelerometer to derive data parameters; wherein the data parameters include any of at least one of an angle of the trajectory, an inverse tangent of a change in pitch divided by a change in yaw, a location of a crossing point or a number of times in which the trajectory changes in direction; and   determining the command from the determined selected trajectory and segments thereof based on the derived data parameters to initiate the function in the handheld device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing component stores at least a portion of the data generated by the at least one of the gyroscope and the accelerometer in a data store. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising displaying the trajectory of the movement on a display in the hand held electronic device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing component executes a command associated with an application program associated with the handheld device or an operating system associated with the handheld device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the command triggers an event in a video game. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the command opens or closes the application program or controls a set of applications running within the operating system. 
     
     
         13 . A hand held electronic device, comprising:
 a gyroscope that generates gyroscope data representing a trajectory of a movement of the handheld device;   an accelerometer that generates accelerometer data representing a tilt of the handheld device relative to earth's gravity, wherein the trajectory comprises at least one segment;   a compass that generates compass data representing a direction of the handheld device relative to the earth's magnetic pole; and   a processing component that generates a command to initiate a function that corresponds to the command in the hand held electronic device; wherein generating a command comprises:   moving the handheld device along a selected trajectory corresponding to the command;   determining the selected trajectory and segments thereof using at least one of the gyroscope, the accelerometer and the compass;   processing data from the at least one of the gyroscope, the accelerometer and the compass to derive data parameters; wherein the data parameters include any of at least one of an angle of the trajectory, an inverse tangent of a change in pitch divided by a change in yaw, a location of a crossing point or a number of times in which the trajectory changes in direction, and a direction of the handheld device relative to the earth's magnetic pole; and   determining the command from the determined selected trajectory and segments thereof based on the derived data parameters to initiate the function in the handheld device.   
     
     
         14 . The handheld device of  claim 13 , wherein the processing component stores at least a portion of the data generated by the at least one of the gyroscope, the accelerometer and the compass in a data store. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld device of  claim 13 , further comprising a display for displaying the trajectory of the movement. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld device of  claim 13 , wherein the processing component executes a command associated with an application program associated with the handheld device or an operating system associated with the handheld device. 
     
     
         17 . The handheld device of  claim 16 , wherein the command triggers an event in a video game. 
     
     
         18 . The handheld device of  claim 16 , wherein the command opens or closes the application program or controls a set of applications running within the operating system.