Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Jennifer Silva

Kenneth Mark Karakotsios

Timothy Thomas Gray

Dong Zhou

David Allen Fotland

Robert King Myers

David Wayne Stafford

Matthew Keith Miller

Edward Ackley Falk

Matthew Miller

Approaches discussed herein enable a computing device, such as a phone or tablet computer, to automatically recalibrate cameras used to capture three-dimensional images. A proximity sensor can be used to determine the distance to an object at approximately the time that three-dimensional image data is captured that includes a representation of the object. The apparent distance to the object, from the disparity of the three-dimensional image data, can be compared against the detected distance as measured by the proximity sensor. The difference between the detected and apparent distance, or the corresponding disparity values, can be used to determine a relative misalignment among the cameras, when then can be used to update the appropriate calibration parameters.

Stereo camera calibration using proximity data

A computing device can obtain information about how the device is held, moved, and/or used by a hand of a user holding the device. The information can be obtained utilizing one or more sensors of the device independently or working in conjunction. For example, an orientation sensor can determine whether a left hand or a right hand is likely rotating, tilting, and/or moving, and thus holding, the device. In another example, a camera and/or a hover sensor can obtain information about a finger position of the user's hand to determine whether the hand is likely a left hand or a right hand. In a further example, a touch sensor can determine a shape of an imprint of a portion of the user's hand to determine which hand is likely holding the device. Based on which hand is holding the device, the device can improve one or more computing tasks.

Determining which hand is holding a device

The amount of power and processing capacity needed to process gesture input for a computing device is reduced by splitting the management of sensors, used to detect the input, among different processing components. A relatively high power processor system can monitor the sensors and determine the presence of gestures when the device is in an active state. When the device, or at least the processor system, enters a sleep mode, sensor management is transferred to a microcontroller connected to at least a portion of the sensors, such that the microcontroller can analyze the sensor data to determine the likelihood of a wake action being performed. In response to detecting a wake action, the microcontroller can contact a component such as a power management component to place the processor system in an active state, and enable the processor system to resume management of the sensors.

Gesture detection management for an electronic device

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Jennifer Silva