INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SPECIFYING POINT IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE

• US 20080316203A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Naoki, Sandor, Christian
• Application Number:
  US12/125,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements

Abstract

An information processing method includes measuring a line-of-sight direction of a user as a first direction, specifying a first point based on the first direction, calculating a three-dimensional position of the first point, setting a first plane based on the three-dimensional position of the first position, measuring a line-of-sight direction of the user after the setting of the first plane as a second direction, specifying a second point included in the first plane based on the second direction, and calculating a three-dimensional position of the second point.

Claims

1. An information processing method comprising:

measuring a line-of-sight direction of a user as a first direction;

specifying a first point based on the first direction;

calculating a three-dimensional position of the first point;

setting a first plane based on the three-dimensional position of the first point;

measuring a line-of-sight direction of the user after the setting of the first plane as a second direction;

specifying a second point included in the first plane based on the second direction; and

calculating a three-dimensional position of the second point.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein in the specifying of the first point, an intersection of the first direction and a predetermined object is specified as the first point.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein in the setting of the first plane, a plane that includes the first point and is perpendicular to a predetermined surface is specified as the first plane.

4. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the line-of-sight direction of the user is specified by a device that is operated by the user.

5. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein the calculating of the three-dimensional position of the first point comprises:

reading a three-dimensional model in an environment where the device is operated, from a storage unit; and

calculating the three-dimensional position of the first point based on the three-dimensional model and the first direction.

6. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying an image viewed from the second point.

7. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring a real image captured by an imaging unit;

generating a virtual image representing the first plane;

combining the captured real image and the virtual image; and

displaying the combined image.

8. The information processing method according to claim 7, further comprising changing a form of displaying the combined image in an area where a real object exists between the first plane and the imaging unit.

9. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a depth in information of the line-of-sight indicating the line-of-sight direction; and

wherein the calculating of the three-dimensional position of the first point is performed based on the line-of-sight direction and the depth.

10. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying auxiliary information indicating a height of the first point in specifying the first point.

11. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying an overhead view in specifying the first point.

12. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising specifying a length in line-of-sight information indicating the line-of-sight direction.

13. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for instructing a computer to implement the information processing method according to claim 1.

14. An information processing method comprising:

displaying a real space captured by an imaging apparatus on a display apparatus;

specifying a direction from a view point toward an object as a first line-of-sight direction using the displayed image;

specifying an intersection of the first line-of-sight direction and a three-dimensional model in a scene stored in a storage unit as a first point;

calculating a three-dimensional position of the first point based on the three-dimensional model;

setting a first plane based on the three-dimensional position of the first point;

displaying the real space captured by the imaging apparatus on the display apparatus;

specifying a direction from a view point toward the object as a second line-of-sight direction using the displayed image;

specifying an intersection of the second line-of-sight direction and the first plane as a second point; and

calculating a three-dimensional position of the second point.

15. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for instructing a computer to implement the information processing method according to claim 14.

16. An information processing method comprising:

displaying a real space captured by an imaging apparatus on a display apparatus;

specifying a direction from a view point toward an object as a first line-of-sight direction using the displayed image;

measuring a depth in the first line-of-sight direction;

specifying a first point using the first line-of-sight direction and the depth;

calculating a three-dimensional position of the first point based on a position of the imaging apparatus, the first line-of-sight direction, and the depth;

setting a first plane based on the three-dimensional position of the first point;

displaying the real space captured by the imaging apparatus on the display apparatus;

specifying a direction to connect with an object as a second line-of-sight direction using the displayed image;

specifying a second point based on an intersection of the second line-of-sight direction and the first plane; and

calculating a three-dimensional position of the second point.

17. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for instructing a computer to implement the information processing method according to claim 16.

18. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a measurement unit configured to measure a line-of-sight direction of a user;

a first specification unit configured to specify a first point based on the first direction measured by the measurement unit;

a first calculation unit configured to calculate a three-dimensional position of the first point;

a setting unit configured to set a first plane based on the three-dimensional position of the first point;

a second specification unit configured to specify a second point included in the first plane based on a second direction measured by the measurement unit after the setting of the first plane; and

a second calculation unit configured to calculate a three-dimensional position of the second point.

19. An information processing apparatus having an imaging apparatus, a display apparatus, and a storage unit storing a three-dimensional model in a scene, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a direction specification unit configured to specify a direction from a view point toward an object as a first line-of-sight direction using an image formed by capturing a real space with the imaging apparatus and displayed on the display apparatus;

a first point specification unit configured to specify an intersection of the first line-of-sight direction and the three-dimensional model as a first point;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a three-dimensional position of the first point based on the three-dimensional model;

a setting unit configured to set a first plane based on the three-dimensional position of the first point;

a second point specification unit configured to specify a second point as an intersection of the first plane and a second line-of-sight direction specified by the direction specification unit after the setting of the first plane; and

a calculation unit configured to calculate a three-dimensional position of the second point.

20. An information processing apparatus having an imaging apparatus, and a display apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a direction specification unit configured to specify a direction from a view point toward an object as a first line-of-sight direction using an image formed by capturing a real space with the imaging apparatus and displayed on the display apparatus;

a measurement unit configured to measure a depth in the first line-of-sight direction;

a first point specification unit configured to specify a first point based on the first line-of-sight direction and the depth;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a three-dimensional position of the first point based on a position of the imaging apparatus, the first line-of-sight direction, and the depth;

a setting unit configured to set a first plane based on the three-dimensional position of the first point;

a second point specification unit configured to specify a second point as an intersection of the first plane and a second line-of-sight direction specified by the direction specification unit after the setting of the first plane; and

a calculation unit configured to calculate a three-dimensional position of the second point.