Generating Position Information Using a Video Camera

• US 20080001918A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Feng-Hsiung, Gao, Rui
• Granted Patent: US 8,013,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0308 comprising a plurality of distinctive and separately oriented light emitters or reflectors associated to the pointing device, e.g. remote cursor controller with distinct and separately oriented LEDs at the tip whose radiations are captured by a photo-detector associated to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A position determination module is described which receives image information from a video camera. The position determination module identifies at least one reference field in the image information to provide identified reference information. The position determination module then generates position information based on the identified reference information. The position information is associated with a position of the reference field with respect the video camera. In one implementation, the video camera is stationary and the reference field is coupled to a user-manipulated device. In another implementation, the reference field is coupled to a stationary display device and the video camera is coupled to a movable user-manipulated device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an application, comprising:

receiving image information from a video camera, the image information capturing a scene which includes at least part of a display device, wherein the video camera is associated with a user-manipulated device;

identifying at least one reference field in the image information to provide identified reference information, wherein the reference field is associated with the display device;

generating position information based on the identified reference information, the position information expressing a position of the video camera relative to said at least one reference field; and

controlling an application based on the generated position information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the image information comprises receiving the image information in response to the user pointing the video camera in relation to a particular object being presented by the display device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one reference field comprises plural reference fields arranged at respective positions with respect to the display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one reference field comprises a defined pattern of plural reference elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one reference field comprises at least one light emitting element.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling of the application involves determining an object that the user is pointing at with the user-manipulated device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving inertial sensor information from an inertial sensor, and using the inertial sensor information to supplement the reference information in generating the position information.

8. One or more computer readable media containing machine-executable instructions for implementing the receiving, identifying, generating, and controlling of claim 1.

9. An apparatus including logic configured to implement the receiving, identifying, generating, and controlling of claim 1.

10. A system for providing position information, comprising:

a user-manipulated device, the user-manipulated device including a video camera associated therewith;

a display device for presenting objects generated by an application;

at least one reference field placed at a defined position relative to the display device; and

a position determination module configured to;

receive image information from the video camera, the image information capturing a scene which includes at least part of the display device;

identify said at least one reference field in the image information to provide identified reference information; and

generate position information based on the identified reference information, the position information expressing a position of the video camera relative to said at least one reference field.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said at least one reference field comprises plural reference fields arranged at respective positions with respect to the display device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said at least one reference field comprises a defined pattern of plural reference elements.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said at least one reference field comprises at least one light emitting element.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising an inertial sensor for providing inertial information, wherein the position determination module is configured to use the inertial sensor information to supplement the reference information in generating the position information.

15. A method for controlling an application, comprising:

receiving image information from a video camera, the image information capturing a scene which includes at least part of a user-manipulated device that a user is pointing at an object;

identifying at least one reference field in the image information to provide identified reference information, wherein the reference field is associated with the user-manipulated device;

generating position information based on the identified reference information; and

determining the object that the user is pointing at based on the position information; and

controlling an application based on the determining.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the object that the user is pointing at is presented by a display device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said at least one reference field comprises a defined pattern of plural reference elements associated with the user-manipulated device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving inertial sensor information from an inertial sensor, and using the inertial sensor information to supplement the reference information in generating the position information.

19. One or more computer readable media containing machine-executable instructions for implementing the receiving, identifying, generating, determining, and controlling of claim 15.

20. An apparatus including logic configured to implement the receiving, identifying, generating, determining, and controlling of claim 15.