Gesture input device

• US 10,429,942 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Shinohara, Masayuki, Tanoue, Yasuhiro, Kitamura, Norikazu, Kurata, Gouo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sarma, Abhishek
• Application Number:
  US15/985,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20180373341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/29 Holographic features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/211 producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0011 the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 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

Abstract

An input device includes: a movement detector that detects a user movement; and an image projector that forms a zone image in a space to present a region where the movement detector detects movement; and the image projector includes a first light source; and a first light guide plate which includes a light emitting surface and directs light entering from the first light source so that the light exits from the light emitting surface and forms an image in a space.

Claims

1. A gesture input device comprising:

a movement detection unit that detects a user movement;

an image projection unit that forms a zone image in space to present a region whereat the movement detection unit detects movement;

a determination unit that assesses whether or not the movement detected by the movement detection unit is an input action representing a predetermined input; and

an assessment result presentation unit that presents an assessment result from the determination unit, wherein

the image projection unit comprises;

a first light source; and

a first light guide plate comprising a light emitting surface and that directs light entering from the first light source so that the light exits from the light emitting surface and forms the zone image in space,

the assessment result presentation unit comprises;

a plurality of second light sources; and

a second light guide plate configured to direct light entering from the plurality of second light sources so that the light exits therefrom and forms an image in space, and

when the movement detected by the movement detection unit is an input action representing a predetermined input, the assessment result presentation unit activates a second light source among the plurality of second light sources corresponding to said input action to cause a different image corresponding to the input action to be formed in space.

2. The gesture input device according to claim 1, wherein the second light guide plate and the first light guide plate are stacked.

3. The gesture input device according to claim 1, wherein the direction from which light is incident on the second light guide plate is different for the plurality of second light sources.

4. The gesture input device according to claim 1, wherein the direction from which light is incident on the second light guide plate is the same for the plurality of second light sources and the second light sources are mutually isolated.