Vehicle operating system using motion capture

{
  "publication_number": "US9547373B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Vehicle operating system using motion capture",
  "abstract": "Vehicle operating systems for operating a vehicle having a driving seat for a vehicle driver and at least one passenger seat for passengers are described. The vehicle operating system may include one or more camera devices for shooting images of hand actions of the driver or images of hand actions of a passenger, and a storage device for storing operating signals corresponding to hand actions. A processing device may be configured to select the driver or the passengers as a gesture command operator, and to control the camera device to shoot hand action images of the selected gesture command operator. The command system may also be configured to convert the shot hand action images into corresponding operating signals according to hand action indicia stored in the storage device. The operating signals may be sent to execution devices, that execute the corresponding operations.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A vehicle operating system for operating a vehicle including a driving seat for a vehicle driver and at least one passenger seat for passengers, the vehicle operating system comprising: camera devices for capturing at least one of images of gestures of the driver and images of gestures of a passenger; a storage device for storing operating signals corresponding to gesture actions; a processing device configured to: control the camera devices to capture gesture action images of the driver and passenger simultaneously or substantially simultaneously, convert the captured gesture action images into corresponding operating signals according to the operating signals corresponding to the gesture actions stored in the storage device, determine a first operational signal is from a gesture action image for the driver and determine a second operational signal is from a gesture action image for the passenger, the first and second operational signals both for operating a same component of the vehicle, determine whether the first operation signal is consistent with the second operation signal, select the first operational signal as the operating signal and discard the second operational signal by virtue of the first operational signal being from the driver in response to the determination that first operation signal is not consistent with the second operation signal, and send out the operating signals; and execution devices configured to receive the operating signals sent by the processing device, and to execute operations corresponding to the operating signals.",
    "2. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein the same component being operated by first and second operational signals is not an in-vehicle camera.",
    "3. The vehicle operating system of claim 2, wherein the same component being operated by first and second operational signals is not an in-vehicle camera includes an in vehicle air-conditioning system.",
    "4. The vehicle operating system of claim 3, wherein the first operational signal is for navigating one or more options for the component.",
    "5. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein the first operational signal is for selecting an operational mode for the component.",
    "6. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein the camera devices are configured to capture an image from a body locating point of a corresponding gesture command operator to a hand of the gesture command operator, and wherein the processing device is configured to check whether the gesture image and the body locating point image are image-continuous, and if so, the gesture actions are converted into the operating signals.",
    "7. The vehicle operating system of claim 6, wherein the body locating point comprises an arm, head or breast of the gesture command operator.",
    "8. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein each of the camera devices comprises a camera and a driving device for the camera, and the driving device configured for driving the camera to move or rotate.",
    "9. The vehicle operating system of claim 8, wherein the driving device comprises a motor and a gear set.",
    "10. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein one of the camera devices is arranged in front of the driving seat.",
    "11. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein one of the camera devices is arranged at a different location providing a view of the back seat.",
    "12. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein the execution devices comprise at least one of a multimedia system, a door switch, a refill opening switch, Bluetooth equipment, a light switch and an air-conditioning system.",
    "13. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein, the execution devices comprise a center console provided with at least one touch screen, the touch screen at least extends from the front part between the driving seat and the front passenger seat to the front part of the front passenger seat, a touch screen operating interface is displayed on the touch screen, and the center console can control the touch screen operating interface to move on the touch screen according to an operating signal.",
    "14. The vehicle operating system of claim 1, wherein, each operating signal corresponds to a two-step hand action, a first step of the hand action is used for selecting an execution device, and a second step of the hand action is used for instructing the selected execution device to carry out a specific operation.",
    "15. An electric vehicle, comprising: a driving seat for a vehicle driver; at least one passenger seat for passengers; and a vehicle operating system including: camera devices for capturing gesture action images of the driver and passenger simultaneously or substantially simultaneously; a storage device for storing operating signals corresponding to gesture actions; a processing device configured to: control the camera devices to capture gesture action images of the driver and passenger simultaneously or substantially simultaneously, convert the captured gesture action images into corresponding operating signals based at least in part on a comparison between the gesture action images and parameters associated with the gesture actions, determine a first operational signal is from a gesture action image for the driver and determine a second operational signal is from a gesture action image for the passenger, the first and second operational signals both for operating a same component of the vehicle, determine whether the first operation signal is consistent with the second operation signal, select the first operational signal as the operating signal and discard the second operational signal by virtue of the first operational signal being from the driver in response to the determination that first operation signal is not consistent with the second operation signal, and send the operating signals; and an execution device configured to receive the operating signals sent by the processing device, and to execute operations corresponding to the operating signals.",
    "16. A method for operating a vehicle including a driving seat for a vehicle driver and at least one passenger seat for passengers, the method comprising: storing operating signals corresponding to gesture actions; controlling the camera devices to capture gesture action images of the driver and passenger simultaneously or substantially simultaneously; converting the captured gesture action images into corresponding operating signals according to the operating signals corresponding to the gesture actions stored in the storage device; determining a first operational signal is from a gesture action image for the driver and determine a second operational signal is from a gesture action image for the passenger, the first and second operational signals both for operating a same component of the vehicle; determining whether the first operation signal is consistent with the second operation signal; and selecting the first operational signal as the operating signal and discard the second operational signal by virtue of the first operational signal being from the driver in response to the determination that first operation signal is not consistent with the second operation signal.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, wherein the same component being operated by first and second operational signals is not an in-vehicle camera.",
    "18. The method of claim 16, wherein the same component being operated by first and second operational signals is not an in-vehicle camera includes an in vehicle air-conditioning system.",
    "19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first operational signal is for navigating one or more options for the component.",
    "20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first operational signal is for selecting an operational mode for the component."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to vehicle operating systems using image and/or gesture capture techniques, related methods and vehicles using such systems.\n\nWhen operating a traditional vehicle, turning on or off an air-conditioning system, turning on or off a multimedia system, or the like, is typically achieved by directly touching buttons or screen selections. However, if a driver uses such operating methods while driving the vehicle, the operations can prove inconvenient, contribute to driver distraction, and have an overall adverse effect on safe operation of the vehicle.\n\nExemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may address at least some of the above-noted problems. For example, according to first aspects of the disclosure, vehicle operating systems, related vehicle operating methods and vehicles using such vehicle operating systems, may provide a relatively safe, reliable and convenient operating atmosphere, with reduced driver distraction and less focused attention requirements.\n\nIn embodiments, a vehicle operating system (for operating a vehicle including a driving seat for a vehicle driver and at least one passenger seat for passengers) is provided. The vehicle operating system may include one or more camera devices for capturing and/or “shooting” images of gestures, such as head, arm, hand and/or finger actions and the like, of the driver and/or images of gestures of a passenger. Embodiments may include a storage device for storing operating signals corresponding to gestures and/or indicia of a plurality of gestures, such as shape, motion, etc.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 3/017",
    "B60K 2360/1438",
    "B60K 2360/146",
    "B60K 2360/21",
    "B60K 35/10",
    "B60K 35/22",
    "B60R 2300/105",
    "B60R 2300/207",
    "B60R 2300/303",
    "B60R 2300/8006",
    "G06F 2203/012",
    "G06F 3/011",
    "G06F 3/012",
    "G06F 3/0304",
    "G06F 3/04883",
    "G06V 20/597",
    "G06V 40/28",
    "H04N 23/69",
    "H04N 23/90"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60K 35/10",
    "B60K 35/22",
    "G06F 3/01",
    "G06F 3/03",
    "G06F 3/0488",
    "H04N 7/14"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Thunder Power Hong Kong Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jen-Chieh Hsiao",
    "Yong-Syuan Chen"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-10-15",
  "publication_date": "2017-01-17",
  "grant_date": "2017-01-17",
  "priority_date": "2015-03-16",
  "application_number": "US-201514883621-A",
  "family_id": "55524209",
  "cited_by_count": 8,
  "citations": [
    "US20100274480A1",
    "US20120163657A1",
    "US8983718B2",
    "US20140223384A1",
    "US20150022664A1",
    "US20140089864A1",
    "US20160086391A1",
    "US20140306826A1",
    "US20150168174A1",
    "US20140145933A1",
    "US20150367859A1",
    "US20140277936A1",
    "US20140282271A1",
    "US8818716B1",
    "US20140309849A1",
    "US20150141043A1",
    "US20150054933A1",
    "US20160048725A1"
  ]
}