METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TOUCHLESS CONTROL OF A CAMERA

• US 20070120996A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navisense
• Original Assignee: Navisense
• Inventors: BOILLOT, MARC
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/345
• 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: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A device (100) and a method (200) for operating a camera (130) based on touchless movements is provided. The device (100) includes a sensing unit (110) for detecting a touchless movement, and a controller (130) for handling one or more controls of the camera in accordance with the touchless movement. A virtual user interface is provided to allow a user to control a camera on a computer or a mobile device using touchless finger movements. Touchless controls are provided for zoom, pan, focus, aperture, balance, color, calibration, or tilt. A first touchless finger movement can select a control, and a second touchless finger movement can adjust the control.

Claims

7. A method for operating a camera, comprising the steps of:

detecting a touchless movement; and

controlling the camera in accordance with the touchless movement.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying an absolute location of an object producing the touchless movement; and

adjusting a control of the camera in accordance with the absolute location.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying a relative displacement of an object producing the touchless movement; and

adjusting a control of the camera in accordance with the relative displacement.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a control is a zoom, pan, focus, aperture, balance, color, calibration, or tilt.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a control is adjusted in accordance with a range of the touchless movement.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the touchless movement is at least one of a continuous movement, an accelerated movement, a graduated movement, or a stop movement.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting a touchless movement includes tracking a finger and adjusting a zoom of an image in accordance with a finger movement in at least one dimension.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting a touchless movement includes tracking a finger and adjusting a centering of an image in accordance with a finger movement in at least one dimension.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein a second touchless movement performs one of taking a picture, zooming, starting a recording, or stopping a recording

16. A mobile device, comprising

a camera for capturing pictures;

a sensing unit operatively coupled to the camera for detecting a touchless finger movement; and

a processor for controlling the camera in accordance with the touchless movement.

1. A device for operating a camera, comprising:

a sensing unit for detecting a touchless movement; and

a controller cooperatively coupled to the sensing unit for controlling the camera as a function of the touchless movement.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein controller tracks a finger movement and points a view of the camera in a direction of the finger movement.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a mobile phone, a portable music player, a security device, a laptop, or a video recorder.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts at least one of a zoom, pan, focus, aperture, balance, color, calibration, or tilt of the camera in accordance with the touchless movement.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a keyboard operatively coupled to the sensing unit, wherein the sensing unit creates a touchless sensing field above a keyboard typing area, such that a finger moving in the toucless sensing field controls the camera.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one of an ultrasonic device, a MEMS microphone, an acoustic microphone, an optical device, an infrared device, a laser device, or a charge coupled device (CCD).

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the processor identifies a first touchless finger movement for selecting a first camera control, and identifies a second touchless finger movement for adjusting the camera control.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the processor identifies a first touchless finger movement for zooming, and a second touchless finger movement for capturing a picture.

19. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the sensing unit automatically activates when a camera mode is selected.

20. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the processor focuses the camera on an object of the touchless movement.

18-1. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the processor identifies a first touchless finger movement for adjusting a lighting, and a second touchless finger movement for capturing a picture.