# US 2014/0152537 A1 · Method and device for identifying contactless gestures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152537 A1 - Document ID: US20140152537A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/689,848 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Research In Motion Limited - Applicants: Research In Motion Limited - Inventors: Ahmed ABDELSAMIE; Omar George Joseph BARAKE; Jeff Chi Shing CHAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152537A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods and devices for identifying contactless gestures are described. In one example, the present disclosure describes a method of detecting a contactless gesture on an electronic device. The electronic device has an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and an electromagnetic radiation receiver. The electromagnetic radiation receiver is configured for receiving electromagnetic radiation emitted from the electromagnetic radiation transmitter and reflected by an object. The method includes: monitoring an amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation at the electromagnetic radiation receiver; detecting a proximity event by comparing the amplitude to a predetermined proximity threshold; after detecting the proximity event, continuing to monitor the amplitude of the received electromagnetic radiation at the electromagnetic radiation receiver; and, in response to detecting the proximity event, performing an analysis on the received electromagnetic radiation to determine whether the received electromagnetic radiation indicates a predetermined gesture. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of detecting a contactless gesture on an electronic device, the electronic device having an electromagnetic radiation transmitter and an electromagnetic radiation receiver, the electromagnetic radiation receiver configured for receiving electromagnetic radiation emitted from the electromagnetic radiation transmitter and reflected by an object, the method comprising: monitoring an amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation at the electromagnetic radiation receiver; detecting a proximity event by comparing the amplitude to a predetermined proximity threshold; after detecting the proximity event, continuing to monitor the amplitude of the received electromagnetic radiation at the electromagnetic radiation receiver; and, in response to detecting the proximity event, performing an analysis on the received electromagnetic radiation to determine whether the received electromagnetic radiation indicates a predetermined gesture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein performing an analysis on the received electromagnetic radiation to determine whether the received electromagnetic radiation indicates a predetermined gesture comprises: detecting a peak amplitude event based on the amplitudes of the received electromagnetic radiation monitored after the proximity event; determining a first incline representing an average rate of change of the amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation during a period preceding the peak amplitude event; determining a second incline representing an average rate of change of the amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation during a period subsequent to the peak amplitude event; and comparing the first incline and the second incline to one or more predetermined incline thresholds. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising, prior to detecting the peak amplitude event: detecting a gesture start time based on the amplitudes of the received electromagnetic radiation by evaluating a series of received amplitudes according to one or more predetermined rules, and wherein the first incline is determined based on the gesture start time and the peak amplitude event. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein one of the predetermined rules specifies that the gesture start time occurs when the proximity event is detected. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein detecting a gesture start time comprises: while the amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation remains above the predetermined proximity threshold, detecting a period of relatively stable received electromagnetic radiation; and if the period exceeds a predetermined time threshold, determining that a gesture start time has occurred. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: detecting a gesture end time when the amplitude of the received electromagnetic radiation falls below the predetermined proximity threshold, and wherein the second incline is determined based on the gesture end time and the peak amplitude event. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: detecting the gesture end time after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following the gesture start time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein detecting the peak amplitude event comprises: identifying a maximum amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation between the gesture start time and the gesture end time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined gesture is an inward vertical gesture and wherein the one or more predetermined incline thresholds used to identify the inward vertical gesture indicate a relatively steep first incline and a relatively flat second incline. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined gesture is an outward vertical gesture and wherein the one or more predetermined incline thresholds used to identify the outward vertical gesture indicate a relatively flat first incline and a relatively steep second incline. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined gesture is a hover gesture and wherein the one or more predetermined incline thresholds used to identify the hover gesture indicate a relatively flat first incline and a relatively flat second incline. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined gesture is a horizontal gesture and wherein the one or more predetermined incline thresholds used to identify the horizontal gesture indicate a relatively steep first incline and a relatively steep second incline. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic device includes a plurality of electromagnetic radiation transmitters and wherein the received electromagnetic radiation is associated with a plurality of channels, each channel associated with a separate one of the plurality of electromagnetic radiation transmitters, and wherein detecting a peak amplitude event based on the amplitudes of the received electromagnetic radiation monitored after the proximity event comprises detecting a peak amplitude event associated with each of the channels, the method further comprising: determining a direction associated with the horizontal gesture based on the order of the peak amplitude events associated with the channels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a peripheral device associated with a host electronic device, the method further comprising: when the analysis on the received electromagnetic radiation indicates the predetermined gesture, outputting a code to the host electronic device that is unique to the predetermined gesture. ### Claim 15 An electronic device comprising: one or more electromagnetic radiation transmitters; an electromagnetic radiation receiver, the electromagnetic radiation receiver configured for receiving electromagnetic radiation emitted from the one or more electromagnetic radiation transmitters and reflected by an object; and a controller coupled to the one or more electromagnetic radiation transmitters and the electromagnetic radiation receiver, the controller configured to: monitor an amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation at the electromagnetic radiation receiver; detect a proximity event by comparing the amplitude to a predetermined proximity threshold; after detecting the proximity event, continue to monitor the amplitude of the received electromagnetic radiation at the electromagnetic radiation receiver; and, in response to detecting the proximity event, perform an analysis on the received electromagnetic radiation to determine whether the received electromagnetic radiation indicates a predetermined gesture. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic device of claim 15, wherein performing an analysis on the received electromagnetic radiation to determine whether the received electromagnetic radiation indicates a predetermined gesture comprises: detecting a peak amplitude event based on the amplitudes of the received electromagnetic radiation monitored after the proximity event; determining a first incline representing an average rate of change of the amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation during a period preceding the peak amplitude event; determining a second incline representing an average rate of change of the amplitude of received electromagnetic radiation during a period subsequent to the peak amplitude event; and comparing the first incline and the second incline to one or more predetermined incline thresholds. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the one or more electromagnetic radiation transmitters comprises: a plurality of electromagnetic radiation transmitters, and wherein the received electromagnetic radiation is associated with a plurality of channels, each channel associated with a separate one of the plurality of electromagnetic radiation transmitters, and wherein detecting a peak amplitude event based on the amplitudes of the received electromagnetic radiation monitored after the proximity event comprises detecting a peak amplitude event associated with each of the channels, and wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a direction associated with the horizontal gesture based on the order of the peak amplitude events associated with the channels. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the controller is a microcontroller. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the microcontroller is an eight bit or sixteen bit microcontroller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The electronic device of claim 15 further comprising: a communication subsystem coupled to the controller and for communicating with a host electronic device, and wherein the controller is further configured to: when the analysis on the received electromagnetic radiation indicates the predetermined gesture, output a code to the host electronic device that is unique to the predetermined gesture.