GESTURE EVALUATION SYSTEM, METHOD FOR EVALUATING GESTURES AND VEHICLE

Abstract

An optical system which is designed to detect a gesture, and a processing unit that is coupled to the optical system and is designed to analyze the detected gesture, are included in a gesture evaluation system. The gesture evaluation system furthermore has a utilization unit that is designed to save an evaluation that has been detected from the gesture together with evaluated information.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A motor vehicle, comprising: a chassis; at least one vehicle system; and a gesture evaluation system, including: an optical system configured to detect a gesture; a processing unit coupled to the optical system and configured to analyze the gesture; and a utilization unit configured to store an evaluation ascertained from the gesture together with evaluated information, and the gesture evaluation system is configured to detect a time period of the gesture and to initiate an operation of at least one of the at least one vehicle system, after the evaluation is ascertained and based on the time period of the gesture.

12. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a vehicle management system, wherein the utilization unit is part of the vehicle management system.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the vehicle management system is connectable with a global system of interconnected computer networks, and the evaluated information is transmitted to at least one web site via the global system of interconnected computer networks.

14. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the vehicle management system is connectable with a network of remote servers hosted on the global system of interconnected computer networks, and the evaluated information is stored in at least one server among the network of remote servers.

15. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the gesture is an upright thumb.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the upright thumb is a right-hand thumb of a person.

17. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaluated information includes information selected from at least one of a song, a location, a service facility, an image, a graphic, status information, a physical variable, a measurement value, a sound, and a suggestion.

18. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a presentation apparatus configured to provide the evaluated information to a user.

19. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the presentation apparatus includes at least one of a display and a projector.

20. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the optical system includes at least one of an optical sensor and a time-of-flight camera.

21. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the utilization unit includes a memory configured to store the evaluated information.

22. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein when the time period of the gesture is greater than a predefined time period, the operation of the at least one of the at least one vehicle system is initiated.

23. A method for evaluating information provided by a device installed in a vehicle, the method comprising: providing information by the device installed in the vehicle; detecting a gesture that relates to the information; analyzing the gesture to obtain an evaluation with respect to the information; detecting a time period of the gesture; storing the evaluation together with the information; and initiating an operation of at least one vehicle system of the vehicle, after the evaluation is ascertained and based on the time period of the gesture.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising transmitting the evaluation together with the information to a location external to the vehicle via a radio link.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the operation of the at least one vehicle system of the vehicle is initiated when the time period of the gesture is greater than a predefined time period.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a gesture evaluation system in a vehicle; and

[0025] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary gesture for evaluating information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0027] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a gesture evaluation system 10 that is installed in a vehicle (not illustrated). The gesture evaluation system 10 has an optical sensor 11 which measures the interior of the vehicle. In the present case, the optical sensor 11 may be a PMD sensor and part of a time-of-flight camera 12 (ToF camera). The optical sensor 11 can capture the geometry of the interior of the vehicle, including occupants and their movements. This can take place for example by way of reflection of emitted infrared radiation 13 from the ToF camera.

[0028] The gesture evaluation system 10 of FIG. 1 furthermore may include a computation unit 14 with which signals of the optical sensor 11 are analyzed. The computation unit 14 can be part of a control device in the vehicle, for example an ECU (electric control unit). The computation unit 14 may be operatively connected to a utilization unit 15, wherein the utilization unit 15 further processes and thus utilizes a gesture that was detected by the camera 12 and the computation unit 14. Utilization can be effected by way of providing the evaluation to a piece of equipment in the vehicle and storing it together with evaluated information in a data memory. If the evaluated information is retrieved at a later time, the evaluation that is saved in this respect can be provided in addition to the actual information.

[0029] For the purposes of evaluating a gesture, the optical sensor 11 measures the interior of the vehicle, including the occupants in the interior. The signals are evaluated in the processing unit, which is designed as the computation unit, and are made available to the vehicle management system for a response. Here, the extremities of a person can be extracted without problem, as a result of which the position of fingertips can be ascertained at any time. By tracking the trajectory with position and speed, gestures can be extrapolated. Triggering the function like or I like, i.e. a raised thumb, takes place if possible only when the hand is kept steady.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, illustrated is an exemplary gesture 20 for evaluating information 21 with the gesture evaluation system 10 of FIG. 1. The gesture evaluation system 10 may be located in a vehicle, in which a person evaluates provided information 21 by way of a gesture. The information is here represented on a presentation surface. The information can here be represented directly on a screen or display, or be projected into the space. In response to the provided information 21, the person in the vehicle gives an evaluation by way of the gesture 20. FIG. 2 shows an outstretched arm 22 of the person that provides a gesture 20 by way of a rolled first 23 and a thumb 24 that points upward. This gesture 20 can be detected by the gesture evaluation system 10, shown in FIG. 1, so as to be analyzed and finally for storing an evaluation with information that has been evaluated by way of the gesture 20.

[0031] Information 21 in the present exemplary embodiment is a piece of music that plays during the evaluation. The presented information 21 is, for example, a video for the piece of music or the title of the piece of music. The evaluation gesture 20 is preferably a thumb on a fist, with the thumb pointing upward, as shown in FIG. 2. That means that the optical system 11, 12 in the vehicle is designed such that it detects a hand with an upright thumb 24. This gesture 20 is stored as a positive evaluation and saved together with the evaluated piece of music. The evaluation information can be used at a later point in time, for example for selecting songs, such that only songs are played that have been stored with a positive evaluation, for example.

[0032] This produces a list of favorites with positively evaluated pieces of music. Such a list of favorites can furthermore be provided with further information, for example not only with a positive evaluation, but also a weighting, what is called a ranking. Stars or points can be awarded in this case, for example, with the number of stars or points corresponding to the level of the evaluation. This means that, for example, five stars or points yields the highest evaluation within a positive evaluation, whereas one star or one point yields the lowest evaluation within the positive evaluation. This rating using stars or points can be effected for example by activating, after detection of an evaluation gesture by the optical system 11, 12, a further input device, for example by way of the display 25, which prompts, in addition to the detected gesture, the giving of a detailed evaluation by way of stars or points. By way of example, an input device or operating panel in the central console of the vehicle which provides mechanical buttons or virtual buttons can be used so that the further evaluation can be input. Likewise possible is voice recognition, for example by saying a number, wherein this number is stored as the level of the evaluation, for example the number four for evaluating with four stars or points. Another option is to use the duration of a gesture to permit the evaluation to be weighted. In this case, the duration of a gesture can correspond to the weighting of the evaluation. That means that a thumb that is kept raised for a relatively long time period, for example 5 seconds, effects a higher evaluation than a thumb which is kept up for only two seconds.

[0033] A similar application of a gesture evaluation system in a vehicle can take place with a navigation system. In this case, locations, attractions, hotels, theaters and so on can be displayed along the way, which can be evaluated by way of the optical system in the vehicle by an evaluation gesture being detected and stored together with information from the navigation system. It is thus possible, for example, to easily find one's way back to a restaurant by storing favorites in the navigation system and selecting them for determining a destination.

[0034] The proposal is accordingly to detect physically accurate positioning of the occupant (for example using a time-of-flight camera), or of body parts of the occupant gestures or hand configurations. If, as shown in FIG. 2, the hand with an upright thumb is held in front of a presentation apparatus 25, in this case a display, the song or track that is playing can be evaluated or liked. Evaluation can be effected for the audio system or the player, and the track can be listed as I like on the personalized Facebook timeline. A so-called I like gesture is detected.

[0035] The following advantages are thus attained: the user's experience is positively influenced, i.e. a joy of use factor arises for the user. No button in the vehicle is necessary for this evaluation. Savings in terms of costs of buttons and a positive design effect are the advantages here. A continuous connect concept is also brought about.

[0036] On the whole, the proposed gesture evaluation in a vehicle can be used in many ways. Further systems can also be incorporated in the gesture detection, such as for example information transmission of the evaluation to the Internet. To this end, the vehicle may establish an Internet connection itself or establish a radio link via a further communication link, for example to a service center of the car manufacturer, and then the data can be saved at the service center and, if appropriate, be passed on, for example on the basis of the selected user profile settings, to different facilities, such as the Internet, such as specific social media forums on the Internet, such as a homepage etc.

[0037] A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase at least one of A, B and C as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).