Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015253939-A1
Application number	US-201514601485-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2015
Priority date	Mar 7, 2014
Publication date	Sep 10, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a line-of-sight position acquisition unit configured to acquire a line-of-sight position of a user, a state control unit configured to perform a transition to an active state in response to a first operation performed by the user, the active state being capable of selecting an object by the user through a line of sight of the user, and a processing unit configured to determine an object corresponding to the acquired line-of-sight position as a selected object in response to a second operation performed by the user subsequent to the first operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
a line-of-sight position acquisition unit configured to acquire a line-of-sight position of a user; a state control unit configured to perform a transition to an active state in response to a first operation performed by the user, the active state being capable of selecting an object by the user through a line of sight of the user; and a processing unit configured to determine an object corresponding to the acquired line-of-sight position as a selected object in response to a second operation performed by the user subsequent to the first operation.

2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first operation is performed by a user and includes an operation for allowing an operation device to perform a transition from a state of not being operated to a state of being operated, the operation device being configured to obtain a binary detection value corresponding to the state of being operated and the state of not being operated, and wherein the state control unit, in an inactive state incapable of selecting an object by the user through a line of sight of the user, performs a transition to the active state upon detection of a detection value based on the first operation.

3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first operation allows the operation device to perform a transition from the state of not being operated to the state of being operated, wherein the second operation is performed by the user and allows the operation device in the state of being operated to perform a transition to the state of not being operated, wherein the state control unit performs a transition to the active state upon detection of a first detection value of the operation device corresponding to the state of being operated, and wherein the processing unit determines an object corresponding to the line-of-sight position as a selected object upon detection of a second detection value of the operation device corresponding to the state of not being operated after the active state is set.

4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first operation and the second operation allow the operation device to perform a transition from the state of not being operated to the state of being operated and then perform a transition from the state of being operated to the state of not being operated, wherein the state control unit performs a transition to the active state upon detection of a combination of a first detection value of the operation device corresponding to the state of being operated and a second detection value of the operation device corresponding to the state of not being operated, and wherein the processing unit determines an object corresponding to the line-of-sight position as a selected object upon detection of the combination of the first detection value and the second detection value after the active state is set.

5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first operation is a selection start operation performed on an operation device from which an at least ternary detection value is obtained, the at least ternary detection value being defined as respectively corresponding to a state of not being operated, a state of being subjected to the selection start operation of an object, and a state of being subjected to a selection determination operation of an object, and wherein the state control unit, in an inactive state incapable of selecting an object by the user through a line of sight of the user, performs a transition to the active state upon detection of a third detection value of the operation device corresponding to the state of being subjected to the selection start operation.

6 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the second operation is the selection determination operation performed on the operation device, and wherein the processing unit determines an object corresponding to the line-of-sight position as a selected object upon detection of a fourth detection value of the operation device corresponding to the state of being subjected to the selection determination operation after the active state is set.

7 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the state control unit performs a transition from the active state to the inactive state upon detection of a second detection value of the operation device corresponding to the state of not being operated after the active state is set.

8 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing unit adjusts a parameter relating to the determined object based on a third operation performed by the user subsequent to the second operation, the third operation being used to adjust a parameter corresponding to the selected object.

9 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the third operation is performed on an operation device in which the first operation and the second operation are performed, and wherein the processing unit adjusts the parameter based on a fifth detection value of the operation device corresponding to the third operation.

10 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 ,
wherein the operation device is a rotary-type selector including a mechanism for obtaining a binary detection value or a mechanism for obtaining an at least ternary detection value and a mechanism for obtaining a detection value in response to a rotary operation, wherein the first operation and the second operation are operations performed by the user on the mechanism for obtaining a binary detection value or the mechanism for obtaining an at least ternary detection value of the rotary-type selector, and wherein the third operation is a rotary operation on the mechanism for obtaining a detection value in response to the rotary operation of the rotary-type selector.

11 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the line-of-sight position acquisition unit acquires the line-of-sight position of the user in the active state.

12 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the state control unit prevents an object from being displayed on a display screen in an inactive state incapable of selecting the object by the user through the line of sight of the user, and performs a transition to the active state by allowing the object to be displayed on the display screen.

13 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 ,
wherein the state control unit, in the inactive state, allows a guidance object to be displayed at a position of the display screen on which the object is displayed in the active state, the guidance object indicating that the object is likely to be displayed.

14 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing unit prevents the selected object from being determined when there is no object corresponding to the acquired line-of-sight position, and wherein, when the selected object is prevented from being determined, the state control unit performs a transition from the active state to an inactive state incapable of selecting an object by the user through the line of sight of the user.

15 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the state control unit performs a transition from an active state to an inactive state when an object determined as the selected object is an object as

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Yasuda Ryouhei
• Noda Takuro

Classifications

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0482 Primary

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title