Patents by Inventor Gregory Nelson Snook

Gregory Nelson Snook has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9824480
    Abstract: In applications that display a representation of a user, it may be reasonable to insert a pre-canned animation rather than animating a user's captured motion. For example, in a tennis swing, the ball toss and take back in a serve could be a pre-canned animation, whereas the actual forward swing may be mapped from the user's gestures. An animation of a user's gestures can be chained together into sequences with pre-canned animations, where animation blending techniques can provide for a smoother transition between the animation types. Techniques for blending animations, that may comprise determining boundaries and transition points between pre-canned animations and animations based on captured motion, may improve animation efficiency. Gesture history, including joint position, velocity, and acceleration, can be used to determine user intent, seed parameters for subsequent animations and game control, and determine the subsequent gestures to initiate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook
  • Publication number: 20170069125
    Abstract: In applications that display a representation of a user, it may be reasonable to insert a pre-canned animation rather than animating a user's captured motion. For example, in a tennis swing, the ball toss and take back in a serve could be a pre-canned animation, whereas the actual forward swing may be mapped from the user's gestures. An animation of a user's gestures can be chained together into sequences with pre-canned animations, where animation blending techniques can provide for a smoother transition between the animation types. Techniques for blending animations, that may comprise determining boundaries and transition points between pre-canned animations and animations based on captured motion, may improve animation efficiency. Gesture history, including joint position, velocity, and acceleration, can be used to determine user intent, seed parameters for subsequent animations and game control, and determine the subsequent gestures to initiate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook
  • Patent number: 9519828
    Abstract: A system may receive image data and capture motion with respect to a target in a physical space and recognize a gesture from the captured motion. It may be desirable to isolate aspects of captured motion to differentiate random and extraneous motions. For example, a gesture may comprise motion of a user's right arm, and it may be desirable to isolate the motion of the user's right arm and exclude an interpretation of any other motion. Thus, the isolated aspect may be the focus of the received data for gesture recognition. Alternately, the isolated aspects may be an aspect of the captured motion that is removed from consideration when identifying a gesture from the captured motion. For example, gesture filters may be modified to correspond to the user's natural lean to eliminate the effect the lean has on the registry of a motion with a gesture filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Nelson Snook, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Kevin Geisner
  • Patent number: 9377857
    Abstract: A capture device may capture a user's motion and a display device may display a model that maps to the user's motion, including gestures that are applicable for control. A user may be unfamiliar with a system that maps the user's motions or not know what gestures are applicable for an executing application. A user may not understand or know how to perform gestures that are applicable for the executing application. Providing visual feedback representing instructional gesture data to the user can teach the user how to properly gesture. The visual feedback may be provided in any number of suitable ways. For example, visual feedback may be provided via ghosted images, player avatars, or skeletal representations. The system can process prerecorded or live content for displaying visual feedback representing instructional gesture data. The feedback can portray the deltas between the user's actual position and the ideal gesture position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook, Darren Bennett
  • Patent number: 9298263
    Abstract: A capture device may capture a user's motion and a display device may display a model that maps to the user's motion, including gestures that are applicable for control. A user may be unfamiliar with a system that maps the user's motions or not know what gestures are applicable for an executing application. A user may not understand or know how to perform gestures that are applicable for the executing application. Providing visual feedback representing instructional gesture data to the user can teach the user how to properly gesture. The visual feedback may be provided in any number of suitable ways. For example, visual feedback may be provided via ghosted images, player avatars, or skeletal representations. The system can process prerecorded or live content for displaying visual feedback representing instructional gesture data. The feedback can portray the deltas between the user's actual position and the ideal gesture position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook, Darren Bennett
  • Publication number: 20150110354
    Abstract: A system may receive image data and capture motion with respect to a target in a physical space and recognize a gesture from the captured motion. It may be desirable to isolate aspects of captured motion to differentiate random and extraneous motions. For example, a gesture may comprise motion of a user's right arm, and it may be desirable to isolate the motion of the user's right arm and exclude an interpretation of any other motion. Thus, the isolated aspect may be the focus of the received data for gesture recognition. Alternately, the isolated aspects may be an aspect of the captured motion that is removed from consideration when identifying a gesture from the captured motion. For example, gesture filters may be modified to correspond to the user's natural lean to eliminate the effect the lean has on the registry of a motion with a gesture filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Gregory Nelson Snook, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Kevin Geisner
  • Patent number: 8988437
    Abstract: In applications that display a representation of a user, it may be reasonable to insert a pre-canned animation rather than animating a user's captured motion. For example, in a tennis swing, the ball toss and take back in a serve could be a pre-canned animation, whereas the actual forward swing may be mapped from the user's gestures. An animation of a user's gestures can be chained together into sequences with pre-canned animations, where animation blending techniques can provide for a smoother transition between the animation types. Techniques for blending animations, that may comprise determining boundaries and transition points between pre-canned animations and animations based on captured motion, may improve animation efficiency. Gesture history, including joint position, velocity, and acceleration, can be used to determine user intent, seed parameters for subsequent animations and game control, and determine the subsequent gestures to initiate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook
  • Patent number: 8942428
    Abstract: A system may receive image data and capture motion with respect to a target in a physical space and recognize a gesture from the captured motion. It may be desirable to isolate aspects of captured motion to differentiate random and extraneous motions. For example, a gesture may comprise motion of a user's right arm, and it may be desirable to isolate the motion of the user's right arm and exclude an interpretation of any other motion. Thus, the isolated aspect may be the focus of the received data for gesture recognition. Alternately, the isolated aspects may be an aspect of the captured motion that is removed from consideration when identifying a gesture from the captured motion. For example, gesture filters may be modified to correspond to the user's natural lean to eliminate the effect the lean has on the registry of a motion with a gesture filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Nelson Snook, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Kevin Geisner
  • Patent number: 8451278
    Abstract: It may be desirable to apply corrective data to aspects of captured image or the user-performed gesture for display of a visual representation that corresponds to the corrective data. The captured motion may be any motion in the physical space that is captured by the capture device, such as a camera. Aspects of a skeletal or mesh model of a person, that is generated based on the image data captured by the capture device, may be modified prior to animation. The modification may be made to the model generated from image data that represents a target or a target's motion, including user gestures, in the physical space. For example, certain joints of a skeletal model may be readjusted or realigned. A model of a target may be modified by applying differential correction, magnetism principles, binary snapping, confining virtual movement to defined spaces, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook, Kudo Tsunoda, Darren Alexander Bennett
  • Publication number: 20120293518
    Abstract: It may be desirable to apply corrective data to aspects of captured image or the user-performed gesture for display of a visual representation that corresponds to the corrective data. The captured motion may be any motion in the physical space that is captured by the capture device, such as a camera. Aspects of a skeletal or mesh model of a person, that is generated based on the image data captured by the capture device, may be modified prior to animation. The modification may be made to the model generated from image data that represents a target or a target's motion, including user gestures, in the physical space. For example, certain joints of a skeletal model may be readjusted or realigned. A model of a target may be modified by applying differential correction, magnetism principles, binary snapping, confining virtual movement to defined spaces, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook, Kudo Tsunoda, Darren Alexander Bennett
  • Patent number: 8253746
    Abstract: It may be desirable to apply corrective data to aspects of captured image or the user-performed gesture for display of a visual representation that corresponds to the corrective data. The captured motion may be any motion in the physical space that is captured by the capture device, such as a camera. Aspects of a skeletal or mesh model of a person, that is generated based on the image data captured by the capture device, may be modified prior to animation. The modification may be made to the model generated from image data that represents a target or a target's motion, including user gestures, in the physical space. For example, certain joints of a skeletal model may be readjusted or realigned. A model of a target may be modified by applying differential correction, magnetism principles, binary snapping, confining virtual movement to defined spaces, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook, Kudo Tsunoda, Darren Alexander Bennett
  • Publication number: 20110109617
    Abstract: An image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device. The image may then be analyzed to identify one or more targets within the scene. When a target is identified, vertices may be generated. A mesh model may then be created by drawing lines that may connect the vertices. Additionally, a depth value may also be calculated for each vertex. The depth values of the vertices may then be used to extrude the mesh model such that the mesh model may represent the target in the three-dimensional virtual world. A colorization scheme, a texture, lighting effects, or the like, may be also applied to the mesh model to convey the depth the virtual object may have in the virtual world.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Nelson Snook, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Kevin Geisner
  • Publication number: 20110035666
    Abstract: A capture device may capture a user's motion and a display device may display a model that maps to the user's motion, including gestures that are applicable for control. A user may be unfamiliar with a system that maps the user's motions or not know what gestures are applicable for an executing application. A user may not understand or know how to perform gestures that are applicable for the executing application. Providing visual feedback representing instructional gesture data to the user can teach the user how to properly gesture. The visual feedback may be provided in any number of suitable ways. For example, visual feedback may be provided via ghosted images, player avatars, or skeletal representations. The system can process prerecorded or live content for displaying visual feedback representing instructional gesture data. The feedback can portray the deltas between the user's actual position and the ideal gesture position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook, Darren Bennett
  • Publication number: 20100281432
    Abstract: A capture device may capture a user's motion and a display device may display a model that maps to the user's motion, including gestures that are applicable for control. A user may be unfamiliar with a system that maps the user's motions or not know what gestures are applicable for an executing application. A user may not understand or know how to perform gestures that are applicable for the executing application. Providing visual feedback representing instructional gesture data to the user can teach the user how to properly gesture. The visual feedback may be provided in any number of suitable ways. For example, visual feedback may be provided via ghosted images, player avatars, or skeletal representations. The system can process prerecorded or live content for displaying visual feedback representing instructional gesture data. The feedback can portray the deltas between the user's actual position and the ideal gesture position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook, Darren Bennett
  • Publication number: 20100278393
    Abstract: A system may receive image data and capture motion with respect to a target in a physical space and recognize a gesture from the captured motion. It may be desirable to isolate aspects of captured motion to differentiate random and extraneous motions. For example, a gesture may comprise motion of a user's right arm, and it may be desirable to isolate the motion of the user's right arm and exclude an interpretation of any other motion. Thus, the isolated aspect may be the focus of the received data for gesture recognition. Alternately, the isolated aspects may be an aspect of the captured motion that is removed from consideration when identifying a gesture from the captured motion. For example, gesture filters may be modified to correspond to the user's natural lean to eliminate the effect the lean has on the registry of a motion with a gesture filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Nelson Snook, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Kevin Geisner
  • Publication number: 20100277489
    Abstract: It may be desirable to apply corrective data to aspects of captured image or the user-performed gesture for display of a visual representation that corresponds to the corrective data. The captured motion may be any motion in the physical space that is captured by the capture device, such as a camera. Aspects of a skeletal or mesh model of a person, that is generated based on the image data captured by the capture device, may be modified prior to animation. The modification may be made to the model generated from image data that represents a target or a target's motion, including user gestures, in the physical space. For example, certain joints of a skeletal model may be readjusted or realigned. A model of a target may be modified by applying differential correction, magnetism principles, binary snapping, confining virtual movement to defined spaces, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook, Kudo Tsunoda, Darren Alexander Bennett
  • Publication number: 20100238182
    Abstract: In applications that display a representation of a user, it may be reasonable to insert a pre-canned animation rather than animating a user's captured motion. For example, in a tennis swing, the ball toss and take back in a serve could be a pre-canned animation, whereas the actual forward swing may be mapped from the user's gestures. An animation of a user's gestures can be chained together into sequences with pre-canned animations, where animation blending techniques can provide for a smoother transition between the animation types. Techniques for blending animations, that may comprise determining boundaries and transition points between pre-canned animations and animations based on captured motion, may improve animation efficiency. Gesture history, including joint position, velocity, and acceleration, can be used to determine user intent, seed parameters for subsequent animations and game control, and determine the subsequent gestures to initiate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Geisner, Relja Markovic, Stephen Gilchrist Latta, Gregory Nelson Snook