Information processor, processing method, and projection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9639212-B2
Application number	US-201414331701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2014
Priority date	Sep 25, 2013
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an information processor includes: a detector; a vector calculator; a determiner. The detector detects an object existing over a plurality of detection ranges set at distances different from one another from a reference surface and acquires representative points of the object based on detected position in the detection ranges. The vector calculator acquires a three-dimensional vector based on the representative points. The determiner determines an input operation by the object based on the three-dimensional vector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processor comprising one or more processors configured to at least:
acquire a first point of a first part of an object and a second point of a second part of the object measured by a distance sensor, the distance sensor being apart from a reference surface and the object, the first part of the object existing in a first detection range, the second part of the object existing in a second detection range, the first detection range being defined by first and second planes having respective pre-defined first and second distances from the reference surface, the second detection range being different than the first detection range and being defined by third and fourth planes having respective pre-defined third and fourth distances from the reference surface, and an image being displayed on the reference surface;
calculate a three-dimensional vector based on the first and the second points;
calculate input coordinates of the object based on the three-dimensional vector and at least one of the first detection range and the second detection range, wherein the object is determined to contact the reference surface at a position corresponding to the input coordinates; and
determine an input operation by the object based on the three-dimensional vector, the calculated input coordinates, and a position in the image corresponding to the input coordinates.

2. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the input operation based on an angle of the three-dimensional vector.

3. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a position of an operator operating the object based on an angle of the three-dimensional vector.

4. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein
the one or more processors are configured to determine at least two objects as a set corresponding to each other based on angles of the three-dimensional vectors when a plurality of objects is detected.

5. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the input operation based on one or both of the position of the input coordinates and a temporal change of the input coordinates.

6. The information processor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a projector configured to project the image to at least part of the reference surface.

7. The information processor according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
transform the determined input operation in accordance with a coordinate system of the projection unit.

8. The information processor according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to control the image to be projected by the projector according to the determined input operation.

9. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein the second distance and the third distance are the same.

10. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to calculate the position in the image corresponding to the input coordinates based on a transform between a coordinate system associated with the distance sensor and a coordinate system associated with the image.

11. A processing method comprising:
acquiring a first point of a first part of an object and a second point of a second part of the object measured by a distance sensor, the distance sensor being apart from a reference surface and the object, the first part of the object existing in a first detection range, the second part of the object existing in a second detection range, the first detection range being defined by first and second planes having respective pre-defined first and second distances from the reference surface, the second detection range being different than the first detection range and being defined by third and fourth planes having respective pre-defined third and fourth distances from the reference surface, and an image being displayed on the reference surface;
calculating a three-dimensional vector based on the first and the second points;
calculate input coordinates of the object based on the three-dimensional vector and at least one of the first detection range and the second detection range, wherein the object is determined to contact the reference surface at a position corresponding to the input coordinates; and
determining an input operation by the object based on the three-dimensional vector, the calculated input coordinates, and a position in the image corresponding to the input coordinates.

12. The processing method according to claim 11 , wherein the input operation is determined based on an angle of the three-dimensional vector.

13. The processing method according to claim 11 , wherein a position of an operator operating the object is determined based on an angle of the three-dimensional vector.

14. The processing method according to claim 11 , wherein
at least two objects are determined as a set corresponding to each other based on angles of the three-dimensional vectors when a plurality of objects is detected.

15. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising calculating the position in the image corresponding to the input coordinates based on a transform between a coordinate system associated with the distance sensor and a coordinate system associated with the image.

16. A projection system comprising:
a projector;
memory for storing computer readable program code; and
one or more processors in communication with the memory, the one or more processors being operative with the computer readable program code to at least:
acquire a first point of a first part of an object and a second point of a second part of the object measured by a distance sensor, the distance sensor being apart from a reference surface and the object, the first part of the object existing in a first detection range, the second part of the object existing in a second detection range, the first detection range being defined by first and second planes having respective pre-defined first and second distances from the reference surface, the second detection range being different than the first detection range and being defined by third and fourth planes having respective pre-defined third and fourth distances from the reference surface, and an image projected by the projector being displayed on the reference surface;
calculate a three-dimensional vector based on the first and the second points;
calculate input coordinates of the object based on the three-dimensional vector and at least one of the first detection range and the second detection range, wherein the object is determined to contact the reference surface at a position corresponding to the input coordinates; and
determine an input operation by the object based on the three-dimensional vector, the calculated input coordinates, and a position in the image corresponding to the input coordinates.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are operative with the computer readable code to determine the input operation based on an angle of the three-dimensional vector.

18. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are operative with the computer readable code to determine a position of an operator operating the object based on an angle of the three-dimensional vector.

19. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are operative w

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Watanabe Wataru
• Nonaka Ryosuke
• Baba Masahiro

Classifications

• G06F3/0425 Primary

  using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected (tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386) · CPC title

• G06F2203/04101

  2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup · CPC title