Input Determination Method

Abstract

Methods and systems for determining intent in voice and gesture interfaces are described. An example method includes determining that a gaze direction is in a direction of a gaze target, and determining whether a predetermined time period has elapsed while the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target. The method may also include providing an indication that the predetermined time period has elapsed when the predetermined time period has elapsed. According to the method, a voice or gesture command that is received after the predetermined time period has elapsed may be determined to be an input for a computing system. Additional example systems and methods are described herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 operating a gesture-controlled device with gesture control of the gesture-controlled device deactivated;   determining, using a gaze tracking component and while the gesture control of the gesture-controlled device is deactivated, that a gaze direction is in a direction of a gaze target;   determining that a predetermined time period has elapsed while the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target;   responsive to determining that the predetermined time period has elapsed while the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target:
 activating the gesture control of the gesture-controlled device, and 
 providing a human-perceivable indication that the gesture control is activated; and 
   processing a gesture command that is received by the gesture-controlled device after activating the gesture control.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaze tracking component is a component of the gesture-controlled device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the human-perceivable indication that the gesture control is activated comprises transmitting a signal to a light-emitting electronic component that causes the light-emitting electronic component to output a visual indication. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the light-emitting electronic component is a component of the gesture-controlled device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the human-perceivable indication that the gesture control is activated comprises transmitting a signal to a speaker that causes the speaker to output an audible indication. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the speaker is a component of the gesture-controlled device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to determining that the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target, providing another human-perceivable indication that: the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze, the gesture control is deactivated, and maintaining the gaze direction in the direction of the gaze target for the predetermined time period will activate the gesture control. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising continuously providing the other human-perceivable indication as feedback while the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target until determining that the predetermined time period has elapsed. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaze direction corresponds to a gaze of a user, and wherein the gesture-controlled device is located remotely from the user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaze target is the gaze tracking component. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaze target is a physical target that is separate from the gaze tracking component and located at a known position with respect to the gaze tracking component. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gaze target is a virtual target that is located at a known position with respect to the gaze tracking component. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing the gesture command that is received by the gesture-controlled device comprises recognizing a predetermined hand gesture or a predetermined head gesture. 
     
     
         14 . A gesture-controlled device comprising:
 an indicator component;   one or more processors; and   instructions stored in a memory and executable by the one or more processors to:
 determine, using a gaze tracking component and while gesture control of the gesture-controlled device is deactivated, whether a gaze direction is in a direction of a gaze target, 
 upon determining that a predetermined time period has elapsed while the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target, (i) activate the gesture control and (ii) cause the indicator component to provide a human-perceivable indication that indicates that the gesture control is activated, and 
 process a gesture command that is received after activating the gesture control. 
   
     
     
         15 . The gesture-controlled device of  claim 14 , wherein the gaze tracking component is a component of the gesture-controlled device. 
     
     
         16 . The gesture-controlled device of  claim 15 , wherein the gaze target comprises a portion of the gesture-controlled device in which the gaze tracking component and the indicator component are positioned. 
     
     
         17 . The gesture-controlled device of  claim 14 , wherein the gaze target is the gaze tracking component. 
     
     
         18 . The gesture-controlled device of  claim 14 , wherein the indicator component comprises a light-emitting electronic component. 
     
     
         19 . The gesture-controlled device of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions executable by the one or more processors to, upon determining that the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target, cause the indicator component to provide another human-perceivable indication that: the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target, the gesture control is deactivated, and maintaining the gaze direction in the direction of the gaze target for the predetermined time period will activate the gesture control. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
 determining that a gaze direction is in a direction of a gaze target by processing one or more images;   determining whether a predetermine time period has elapsed while the gaze direction is in the direction of the gaze target;   upon determining that the predetermined time period has elapsed, transmitting a signal to an indicator component that causes the indicator component to provide a human-perceivable indication that gesture control of a gesture-controlled device is activated; and   processing a gesture command that is received after activating the gesture control as an input for the gesture-controlled device.