Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Ganymed Stanek

Philippe Rene Morin

Luca Rigazio

A non-contact gesture sensor is mounted within a vehicle for vehicle occupants to enter control commands by using hand gestures. The effects of vehicle motion and vibration are stabilized by an electronic circuit that includes an inertial motion sensor (IMU) in rigidly fixed relation to the gesture sensor. An adaptive filter processes the gesture sensor signal and the IMU sensor signal by modeling the arm and hand as a semi-rigid articulated body using a transfer function that relates accelerations measured by the IMU with vehicle motion-induced accelerations of the hand. The filter calculates a noise-reduced gesture signal by subtracting out the motion-induced accelerations and measurement noise. The filter also outputs a confidence measure that controls a threshold circuit that inhibits use of the filtered gesture signal when confidence in the filter's system estimation is low.

3D gesture stabilization for robust input control in mobile environments

A plurality of augmented batteries each have internal communication circuitry and current monitoring circuitry allowing them to communicate current usage signatures with one another. Based on analysis of those respective signatures each augmented battery determines if it is 'paired' with other batteries, by virtue of being installed in the same device. The augmented batteries use knowledge of pairing to control how they collectively behave to provide augmented functionality, such as alerting the user regarding the charge level within the batteries.

Pairing method based on electric current synchronicity for augmented batteries

The augmented battery includes an internal motion sensor, charge condition monitor, annunciator and optional wireless communicator. When the augmented battery is installed in a device, it provides augmented capabilities not present in the device when using conventional batteries. The augmented capabilities include responding to implicit commands from the user (by simply lifting the device containing the augmented battery) and explicit commands (such as intentional motion or tapping gestures) by providing audible or vibrational response indicating the charge conditions of the cell within the battery. Wireless communication allows the augmented battery to interact with external devices, such as battery health monitor display devices and also with the device into which the battery is installed, giving the device new augmented functionality.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Ganymed Stanek