Infrared Derived User Presence and Associated Remote Control

• US 20100066821A1
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Rosener, Douglas K., Brown, William O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,363,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/77
• 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 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for reporting user presence associated with orientation and proximity of a user to a display device are disclosed. In one example, image data associated with a head mounted device and one or more infrared light sources is captured and processed to identify the presence of infrared light source objects. A detection status is output based on the presence of infrared light source objects, and the detection status is translated to an associated user presence state.

Claims

1. A system for determining a user capacity to view a visual communication on a display device comprising:

a display device;

an infrared image capturing device;

a first infrared light source capable of being captured by the infrared image capturing device;

a second infrared light source capable of being captured by the infrared image capturing device;

an image processing module to determine a presence of a first infrared light source object image and a second infrared light source object image in a captured image output from the infrared image capturing device; and

a user status determination module to translate an image processing module output to a user status indicating a user capacity to view a visual communication on the display device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image processing module outputs a determination that neither the first infrared light source object image nor the second infrared light source object image is present, both the first infrared light source object image and the second infrared light source object image are present, or either the first infrared light source object image or the second infrared light source object image is present.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user status comprises one or more selected from the following:

a near status, a far status, a facing the display device status, a not facing the display device status, or a calculated distance from the display device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third infrared light source and a fourth infrared light source, wherein the first infrared light source, the second infrared light source, the third infrared light source, and the fourth infrared light source are disposed at a head mounted device such that the first infrared light source and the second infrared light source emit infrared light in a first direction, the third infrared light source emits infrared light in a second direction opposite the first direction, and the fourth infrared light source emits infrared light in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device controller to scale a visual communication size output on the display device responsive to the user status.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first infrared light source and the second infrared light source are infrared light emitting diodes and the infrared image capturing device is an infrared light detector.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first infrared light source and the second infrared light source are disposed at a head mounted device and the infrared image capturing device is disposed in proximity to the display device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first infrared light source and the second infrared light source are disposed in proximity to the display device and the infrared image capturing device is disposed at a head mounted device.

9. A method for determining a user capacity to view a visual communication comprising:

capturing image data associated with a head mounted device;

processing the image data to determine a presence of a first infrared light source image and a second infrared light source image;

outputting a detection status comprising no object image detected, both the first infrared light source image and the second infrared light source image detected, or one of the first infrared light source image and the second infrared light source image detected; and

translating the detection status to an associated user presence state.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the associated user presence state comprises one or more selected from the following:

a near status, a far status, a facing a display device status, a not facing a display device status, or a calculated distance from a display device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising calculating distance data associated with a distance between the head mounted device and a display device, and further comprising translating the distance data to an associated user presence state.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising scaling a visual communication size output on the display device responsive to the distance between the head mounted device and the display device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

processing the image data to identify a transmitted unique identifier; and

processing the transmitted unique identifier to identify a valid source.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting the associated user presence state to a presence server.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising outputting an audio signal responsive to the detection status comprising one of the first infrared light source image and the second infrared light source image detected.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising scaling a visual communication size output on a display device responsive to receiving a user input action at the head mounted device.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising initiating a user authentication process responsive to the associated user presence state.

18. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for determining a user capacity to view a visual communication comprising:

capturing image data associated with a head mounted device;

processing the image data to determine a presence of a first infrared light source image and a second infrared light source image;

outputting a detection status comprising no object image detected, both the first infrared light source image and the second infrared light source image detected, or one of the first infrared light source image and the second infrared light source image detected; and

translating the detection status to an associated user presence state.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the associated user presence state comprises one or more selected from the following:

a near status, a far status, a facing a display device status, a not facing a display device status, or a calculated distance from a display device.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

calculating distance data associated with a distance between the head mounted device and a display device; and

translating the distance data to an associated user presence state.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises scaling a visual communication size output on the display device responsive to the distance between the head mounted device and the display device.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

processing the image data to identify a transmitted unique identifier; and

processing the transmitted unique identifier to identify a valid source.

23. A method for determining a user capacity to view a visual communication comprising:

capturing a light input to a photodetector;

processing the light input to detect the presence of an IR light source;

outputting a detection status indicating whether the light source is detected; and

translating the detection status to an associated user presence state.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the associated user presence state comprises a facing a display device status or a not facing a display device status.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

processing the light input to identify a transmitted unique identifier; and

processing the transmitted unique identifier to identify a valid source.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising performing an out-of-band channel security verification using the detection status, wherein an in-band channel comprises an RF link or a wired link.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising distinguishing the IR light source from a second IR light source using collision avoidance.

28. A method for operating a head mounted device as a controller comprising:

providing a head mounted device with an IR light source and an RF transceiver;

transmitting from the head mounted device a desired function to a target device using the IR light source;

receiving data at the RF transceiver from the target device responsive to transmitting from the head mounted device a desired function using the IR light source.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising transmitting from the head mounted device an identifier to the target device using the IR light source.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising pairing the head mounted device with the target device responsive to receiving data at the RF transceiver from the target device.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the target device is selected from a plurality of potential target devices.