Pointing device and method

• US 20090167679A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft International Holdings BV (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Klier, Zvi, Marder, Mattias, Katz, Sagi, Yahav, Giora
• Granted Patent: US 8,149,210 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 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for identifying a pointing organ or a pointing device in a field of imaging of a 3-D imaging system and for calculating a line of pointing relative to this organ or device are disclosed. The method and system may be used to enable a user to communicate with computer programs, such as computer games, 3-D design programs and the like. The method and system may further employ a trigger-like mechanism to identify a movement of a user that may be interpreted as trigger activation.

Claims

1. A system for intuitively pointing at a scene on a screen the system comprising:

a 3-D imaging system capable of identifying at least a first and a second points on a pointing object in the field-of-imaging (FOI) of said imaging system; and

a computation system capable of calculating a pointing line extending from said first point through said second point towards said screen and to calculate an imaginary point on said screen at which said pointing line hits said screen.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said 3-D imaging system uses at least one of the methods comprising:

Time of Flight (TOF) 3-D imaging and stereoscopic triangulation 3-D imaging.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said TOF imaging system uses at least one of 3-D imaging based on collected light, 3-D based on time-of-flight and 3-D imaging based on phase shift to calculate depth of points in the FOI.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said pointing object is one of a pointing organ, a passive pointing device and an active pointing device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said pointing organ is a hand having at least one pointing finger fully extended out.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said pointing device is shaped substantially as a pistol.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said pointing device comprises also a trigger-like mechanism.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein said pointing device further comprises a reflective area adapted to be disclosed to said imaging system when said trigger-like mechanism is activated.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein said pointing device further comprises a light source adapted to be disclosed to said imaging system when said trigger-like mechanism is activated.

8. A method for intuitively pointing at a screen and activating programs, comprising:

identifying a pointing object in a field of imaging of a 3-D imaging camera;

identifying a first point and a second point on said pointing object, said first point is located substantially close to the rear end of said pointing object and said second point is located substantially close to the front end of said pointing object;

calculating a pointing line, said line extends from said first point, through said second point towards said screen;

identifying a hit point on said pointing line on said screen; and

providing data of the location of said hit point on said screen.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising identifying activation of a trigger part.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said trigger part is one of a trigger organ and a trigger mechanism.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising presenting graphical image on said screen to point said pointing line at which.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising presenting a cursor on said screen at the hit point.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said calculating is based further on location information of visual indicator of trigger activation.