US-12627757-B2 - Hand-grip location detection using ultrasound

Abstract

Techniques and apparatuses are described that implement hand-grip location detection using ultrasound. In particular, an ultrasonic sensor determines a location that a user's hand grips a user device. While gripping the user device, the hand creates an additional aperture area, which amplifies ultrasonic signals that are received by one or more transducers of the ultrasonic sensor that are proximate to the user's hand. By analyzing the amplitude (or power) of received ultrasonic signals, the ultrasonic sensor can detect if the user's hand is proximate to a particular transducer. In some implementations, the ultrasonic sensor utilizes speakers and/or microphones that are present within the user device. In this way, the ultrasonic sensor can have a relatively small footprint and fit within space-constrained devices.

Inventors

• Patrick M. Amihood
• Octavio Ponce Madrigal
• Anton Heistser

Assignees

• GOOGLE LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20210528

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A method for hand-grip location detection using ultrasound, the method comprising: transmitting an ultrasonic transmit signal using an ultrasonic sensor, the ultrasonic transmit signal propagating in an environment that is external to a device that includes the ultrasonic sensor; receiving, via a first transducer of the ultrasonic sensor, a first ultrasonic receive signal, the first ultrasonic receive signal comprising a first version of the ultrasonic transmit signal; receiving, via a second transducer of the ultrasonic sensor, a second ultrasonic receive signal, the second ultrasonic receive signal comprising a second version of the ultrasonic transmit signal; comparing a power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal to a power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal; and determining, based on the comparison, a location of a user's grip on the device that includes the ultrasonic sensor.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing comprises comparing a first peak power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal to a second peak power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal, the first peak power level and the second peak power level associated with ranges that are less than a range threshold.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the range threshold is 20 centimeters or less.
4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: the comparing comprises determining that the power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal is greater than the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal; and the determining of the location of the user's grip comprises determining that the location of the user's grip is closer to the first transducer than the second transducer.
5. 5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining that the power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal is greater than the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal comprises determining that the power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal is at least 3 decibels greater than the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: the comparing comprises determining that the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal is greater than the power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal; and the determining of the location of the user's grip comprises determining that the location of the user's grip is closer to the second transducer than the first transducer.
7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: the comparing comprises determining that the power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal is similar to the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal; and the determining of the location of the user's grip comprises determining that the location of the user's grip is located between the first transducer and the second transducer.
8. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determining that the power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal is similar to the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal comprises determining that a difference between a first peak power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal and a second peak power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal is 3 decibels or less.
9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: determining that the power levels of the first and second ultrasonic receive signals are higher than a threshold, wherein: the comparing comprises determining that the power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal is similar to the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal; and the determining of the location of the user's grip comprises determining that the user's grip includes a two-handed grip with a first hand proximate to the first transducer and a second hand proximate to the second transducer.
10. 10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, via a third transducer of the ultrasonic sensor, a third ultrasonic receive signal, the third ultrasonic receive signal comprising a third version of the ultrasonic transmit signal, wherein: the comparing comprises comparing the power levels of the first, second, and third ultrasonic receive signals.
11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein: the comparing comprises determining that the power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal and the power level of the third ultrasonic receive signal are greater than the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal; and the determining of the location of the user's grip comprises determining that the location of the user's grip is closer to the first transducer and the third transducer than the second transducer.
12. 12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein: the comparing comprises determining that the power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal is greater than the power levels of the first and third ultrasonic receive signals; and the determining of the location of the user's grip comprises determining that the location of the user's grip is closer to the second transducer than the first transducer or the third transducer.
13. 13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein: the comparing comprises determining that the power level of the third ultrasonic receive signal is greater than the power levels of the first and second ultrasonic receive signals; and the determining of the location of the user's grip comprises determining that the location of the user's grip is closer to the third transducer than the first transducer or the second transducer.
14. 14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining, based on the location of the user's grip, a location on a user interface of the device at which to present a prompt; and presenting the prompt at said determined location.
15. 15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: enabling or disabling one or more haptic sensors within the device based on the location of the user's grip.
16. 16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: changing an operation of one or more components within the device based on the location of the user's grip.
17. 17 . An apparatus comprising an ultrasonic sensor, the apparatus configured to: transmit an ultrasonic transmit signal using the ultrasonic sensor, the ultrasonic transmit signal propagating in an environment that is external to the apparatus; receive, via a first transducer of the ultrasonic sensor, a first ultrasonic receive signal, the first ultrasonic receive signal comprising a first version of the ultrasonic transmit signal; receive, via a second transducer of the ultrasonic sensor, a second ultrasonic receive signal, the second ultrasonic receive signal comprising a second version of the ultrasonic transmit signal; compare a power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal to a power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal; and determine, based on the comparison, a location of a user's grip on the apparatus.
18. 18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein: a plane bisects the apparatus in half to delineate a first half of the apparatus and a second half of the apparatus; the first transducer of the ultrasonic sensor is positioned within the first half of the apparatus; and the second transducer of the ultrasonic sensor is positioned within the second half of the apparatus.
19. 19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first transducer and the second transducer are positioned on a same planar surface of the apparatus.
20. 20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising: a display positioned on the same planar surface of the apparatus as the first transducer and the second transducer.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application is a national stage entry of International Application No. PCT/US2021/034985, filed May 28, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND A user's grip affects a degree to which the user can interact with an interface of a computing device. Some grips can make it easier to access a top or bottom portion of a display. Other grips can make it easier for a user to perform complex gestures, such as a two-finger pinch to zoom in or zoom out. Still other grips can result in the user accidentally occluding a radio-frequency antenna or camera. Furthermore, the user's grip can change over time. Without knowledge of how it is being held, the computing device is unable to implement features that can otherwise improve the user experience for a variety of different hand grips. SUMMARY Techniques and apparatuses are described that implement hand-grip location detection using ultrasound. In particular, an ultrasonic sensor determines a location that a user's hand grips a user device. While gripping the user device, the hand creates an additional aperture area, which amplifies ultrasonic signals that are received by one or more transducers of the ultrasonic sensor that are proximate to the user's hand. By analyzing the amplitude (or power) of received ultrasonic signals, the ultrasonic sensor can detect if the user's hand is proximate to a particular transducer. In some implementations, the ultrasonic sensor utilizes speakers and/or microphones that are present within the user device. In this way, the ultrasonic sensor can have a relatively small footprint and fit within space-constrained devices. Aspects described below include a method performed by an ultrasonic sensor for hand-grip location detection using ultrasound. The method includes transmitting an ultrasonic transmit signal using the ultrasonic sensor. The method also includes receiving, via a first transducer of the ultrasonic sensor, a first ultrasonic receive signal. The first ultrasonic receive signal comprises a first version of the ultrasonic transmit signal. The method additionally includes receiving, via a second transducer of the ultrasonic sensor, a second ultrasonic receive signal. The second ultrasonic receive signal comprises a second version of the ultrasonic transmit signal. The method further includes comparing a power level of the first ultrasonic receive signal to a power level of the second ultrasonic receive signal. Based on the comparison, the method further includes determining a location of a user's grip on a user device that includes the ultrasonic sensor. Aspects described below also include an apparatus comprising an ultrasonic sensor configured to perform any of the described methods. Aspects described below include a computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, responsive to execution by a processor, cause an ultrasonic sensor to perform any one of the described methods. Aspects described below also include a system with means for performing hand-grip location detection using ultrasound. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Apparatuses for and techniques implementing hand-grip location detection using ultrasound are described with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components: FIG. 1 illustrates an example environment in which hand-grip location detection using ultrasound can be implemented: FIG. 2 illustrates an example ultrasonic sensor as part of a user device: FIG. 3 illustrates an example ultrasonic sensor for hand-grip location detection: FIG. 4 illustrates an example scheme implemented by a hand-grip location detector for hand-grip location detection using ultrasound: FIG. 5 illustrates example positions of speakers and microphones of a user device: FIG. 6 illustrates an example grip and range-power profiles detected by an ultrasonic sensor performing hand-grip location detection using ultrasound: FIG. 7 illustrates another example grip and other range-power profiles detected by an ultrasonic sensor performance hand-grip location detection using ultrasound: FIG. 8 illustrates an additional example grip and additional range-power profiles detected by an ultrasonic sensor performing hand-grip location detection using ultrasound: FIG. 9 illustrates an example method for performing operations of an ultrasonic sensor capable of hand-grip location detection using ultrasound: and FIG. 10 illustrates an example computing system embodying, or in which techniques may be implemented that enable use of, an ultrasonic sensor capable of performing hand-grip location detection using ultrasound. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview A user's grip affects a degree to which the user can interact with an interface of a computing device. Some grips can make it easier to access a top or bottom portion of a display. Other grips can make it easier for a user to p