Virtual input device and method for receiving user input using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209928-A1
Application number	US-201614995664-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2016
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A virtual input device using a projector and a method for receiving a user input using the same are provided. The virtual input device includes a first sensor configured to detect at least one user hand, a processor configured to determine a virtual input layout based on the detected at least one user hand, a projector configured to optically project the determined virtual input layout on a user input plane, and a second sensor configured to detect a user input through the projected virtual input layout.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A virtual input device comprising:
a first sensor configured to detect at least one user hand; a processor configured to determine a virtual input layout based on the detected at least one user hand; a projector configured to optically project the determined virtual input layout on a user input plane; and a second sensor configured to detect a user input through the projected virtual input layout.

2 . The virtual input device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor detects a number of user hands, and
wherein the processor determines to project the virtual input layout based on the number of the detected user hands.

3 . The virtual input device of claim 2 , wherein, if the number of the detected user hands is one, the processor determines to project a one-hand-support virtual input layout.

4 . The virtual input device of claim 3 , wherein the one-hand-support virtual input comprises one of a key pad layout, a joy-pad layout, and a tracking point layout.

5 . The virtual input device of claim 4 , wherein the key pad layout comprises a key pad layout based on 3-by-4 keys, and
wherein the key pad layout based on 3-by-4 keys comprises one of a Chunjiin input layout, a Naratgul input layout, a Sky Hangul input layout, and a 10-key layout with alphabet arranged.

6 . The virtual input device of claim 2 , wherein, if the number of the detected user hands is two, the processor determines to project a two-hand-support virtual input layout.

7 . The virtual input device of claim 6 , wherein the first sensor further detects whether each of the user hands is either a right hand or a left hand, and
wherein if the user hands comprise both a left hand and a right hand, the processor determines to project a keyboard layout as the two-hand-support virtual input layout.

8 . The virtual input device of claim 7 , wherein the first sensor further detects a spacing between the right hand and the left hand, and
wherein if the spacing is greater than a specific spacing, the processor determines to project a split keyboard layout as the keyboard layout.

9 . The virtual input device of claim 7 , wherein the keyboard layout comprises one of QWERTY keyboard, DVORAK keyboard, COLEMAK keyboard, QWERTZ keyboard, AZERTY keyboard, Hangul 2-set keyboard, Hangul 3-set keyboard, and Japanese industrial standard (JIS) keyboard.

10 . The virtual input device of claim 6 , wherein the first sensor further detects whether each of the user hands is either a right hand or a left hand, and
wherein if the user hands comprise either two right hands or two left hands, the processor determines to project a plurality of one-hand-support virtual input layouts as the two-hand-support virtual input layout.

11 . The virtual input device of claim 2 , wherein if the number of the detected user hands is greater than or equal to three, the processor determines to project the virtual input layout in a plurality.

12 . The virtual input device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are integrated.

13 . The virtual input device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor detects a size of the at least one user hand or a size of at least one finger of the at least one user hand, and
wherein the processor determines an area of a key included in the virtual input layout or a spacing between keys included therein, based on the detected size.

14 . The virtual input device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor detects a location of the at least one user hand, and
wherein the processor determines to project the virtual input layout on a location corresponding to the detected location.

15 . The virtual input device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor detects a gesture by the at least one user hand, and
wherein if the first sensor detects a specific gesture, the processor determines to project a virtual input layout corresponding to the specific gesture.

16 . The virtual input device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a memory configured to store a correspondence between the specific gesture and a virtual input layout corresponding to the specific gesture.

17 . The virtual input device of claim 1 , wherein the projector further projects content comprising the detected user input.

18 . A method for receiving a user input, the method comprising:
detecting at least one user hand; determining a virtual input layout based on the detected at least one user hand; optically projecting the determined virtual input layout on a user input plane; and detecting a user input through the projected virtual input layout.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting a number of user hands, and
wherein the determining comprises determining to project the virtual input layout based on the number of the detected user hands.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the determining comprises determining to project a one-hand-support virtual input layout if the number of the detected user hands is one.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the determining comprises determining to project a two-hand-support virtual input layout if the number of the detected user hands is two.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the detecting further comprises detecting whether each of the user hands is a right hand or a left hand, and
wherein the determining comprises determining to project a keyboard layout as the two-hand-support virtual input layout if the user hands comprise both a left hand and a right hand.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the detecting further comprises detecting a spacing between the right hand and the left hand, and
wherein the determining comprise determining to project a split keyboard layout as the keyboard layout if the spacing is greater than a specific spacing.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the detecting further comprises detecting whether each of the user hands is either a right hand or a left hand, and
wherein the determining comprises determining to project a plurality of one-hand-support virtual input layouts as the two-hand-support virtual input layout if the user hands comprise either two right hands or two left hands.

25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the determining comprises determining to project the virtual input layout in a plurality if the number of the detected user hands is greater than or equal to three.

26 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting a size of the at least one user hand or a size of at least one finger of the at least one user hand, and
wherein the determining comprises determining an area of a key included in the virtual input layout or a spacing between keys included therein, based on the detected size.

27 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting a location of the at least one user hand, and
wherein the determining comprises determining to project the virtual input layout on a location corresponding to the detected location.

28 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting a gesture by the at least one user hand, and
wherein the determining comprises determining to project a virtual input layout corresponding to the specific gesture if a specific gesture is detected.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kandur Raja Barath Raj
• Kim Wan Seok

Classifications

• G06F3/0426

  tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface (virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886) · CPC title

• G06F3/017 Primary

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title

• G06F3/0219

  Special purpose keyboards · CPC title

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title