Image display apparatus and method for operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9250707-B2
Application number	US-201313828921-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Sep 24, 2012
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

An image display apparatus and a method for operating the same are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes recognizing, by the image display apparatus, a specific gesture made with a user's hand as a first gesture; and displaying, on a screen of the display, a menu at a position of the screen corresponding to the position of the user's hand according to the recognized first gesture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating an image display apparatus including a display, the method comprising:
displaying a broadcast image on a screen of the display;
recognizing, by a camera unit of the image display apparatus, a specific gesture made with a user's hand as a first gesture; and
displaying, on a screen of the display, the broadcast image and a menu at a position of the screen corresponding to the position of the user's hand according to the recognized first gesture,
wherein a position of the menu is varied according to the position of the user's hand,
wherein when the menu at a first position of the screen corresponding to a first position of the user's hand according to the recognized first gesture is expected to be overlapped with the broadcast image, an object indicating a second position for the menu to be displayed and prompting the user to move their hand to the second position is displayed on the screen, and
wherein when the menu is displayed at the second position of the screen corresponding to a moved position of the user's hand according to the recognized first gesture, the broadcast image and the menu at the second position are displayed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining, by a camera unit of the image display apparatus, an image of the user,
wherein the recognizing step recognizes the first gesture when the obtained image includes the user's hand and the user's face, and
wherein the displaying step displays the menu at the position of the screen corresponding to the position of the user's hand in the obtained image.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
when the user's hand moves to a new position after the first gesture is recognized, moving the entire menu or at least one of a plurality of items in the menu, to a new position on the screen,
the new position on the screen corresponding to the new position of the user's hand.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying contents on the screen,
wherein while the contents are being displayed on the screen, the step of displaying the menu displays the menu at an area of the screen where images of the contents being displayed change the least or less than a certain level or where an object being displayed in the contents is not present.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying contents on the screen,
wherein the displaying the menu comprises displaying a different menu according to a property of the displayed contents.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the menu includes a plurality of items, and
wherein the method further comprises:
designating the plurality of items to correspond to different fingers of the user's hand.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
focusing on, by the image display apparatus, one of a plurality of items in the displayed menu according to a finger gesture of the user.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
when a grip gesture by the user is received while the one item is focused on, selecting the one focused item in response to the grip gesture, and executing a function associated with the selected item.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
changing at least one of a size, brightness, and color of the displayed menu on the display according to a distance between the user's hand and the image display apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
when the user makes a rotation gesture by rotating the user's hand while the menu is displayed on the display, displaying another menu different from the displayed menu.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
upon a successive selection of a specific item in the displayed menu, displaying on the display a scroll bar associated with the specific item for advancing to a desired object using a gesture made by the user's hand.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
when the user makes a specific gesture with the other hand, recognizing the specific gesture made with the other hand as a second gesture; and
displaying, on the display, another menu different from the displayed menu based on the second gestured made with the other hand.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
when the user makes a specific gesture with the other hand, recognizing the specific gesture made with the other hand as a second gesture; and
moving the displayed menu on the display to a new position corresponding to a position of the other hand based on the second gesture made with the other hand.

14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
when a different user makes a specific gesture with the different user's hand while the menu is displayed on the screen, recognizing the specific gesture made with the different user's hand as a second gesture,
wherein the displayed menu is maintained at the same position on the screen irrespective of the recognized second gesture.

15. An image display apparatus comprising:
a broadcast receiver to receive a broadcast signal;
a display including a screen; and
a controller configured to:
display a broadcast image based on the received broadcast signal on a screen of the display,
recognize, by a camera unit of the image display apparatus, a specific gesture made with a user's hand as a first gesture, and
display, on the screen of the display, the broadcast image and a menu at a position of the screen corresponding to the position of the user's hand according to the recognized first gesture,
wherein a position of the menu is varied according to the position of the user's hand,
wherein when the menu at a first position of the screen corresponding to a first position of the user's hand according to the recognized first gesture is expected to be overlapped with the broadcast image, an object indicating a second position for the menu to be displayed and prompting the user to move their hand to the second position is displayed on the screen, and wherein when the menu is displayed at the second position of the screen corresponding to a moved position of the user's hand according to the recognized first gesture, the broadcast image and the menu at the second position are displayed.

16. The image display apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a camera unit configured to obtain an image of the user,
wherein the controller recognizes the first gesture when the obtained image includes the user's hand and the user's face, and
wherein the controller displays the menu at the position of the screen corresponding to the position of the user's hand in the obtained image.

17. The image display apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein when the controller displays contents on the screen, the displaying the menu at the position of the screen corresponding to the position of the user's hand according to the recognized first gesture includes displaying a different menu according to a property of the displayed contents.

18. The image display apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the menu includes a plurality of items, and
wherein the controller is further configured to designate the plurality of items to correspond to different fingers of the user's hand.

19. The image display apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to change at least one of a size, brightness, and color of the displayed menu on the display according to a distance between

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Choi Eunjung
• Choi Kwangsoo
• Park Sunghee

Classifications

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · 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

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G06F3/0482 Primary

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

• G06Q10/06398

  Performance of employee with respect to a job function · CPC title