IMAGE INPUT SYSTEM

• US 20110083106A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: HAMAGISHI, Goro
• Application Number:
  US12/897,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20110083106A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/836
• 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: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/183 On-screen display [OSD] information, e.g. subtitles or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

An image input system includes: a display device that displays a three-dimensional image; a plurality of cameras; a controller that controls the display device and the plurality of cameras, wherein the controller causes the display device to display the three-dimensional image that includes a plurality of icons, the controller performs analysis processing on the plurality of images picked up by the plurality of cameras to obtain and output analysis information that contains three-dimensional position information regarding a most protruding part at a side of the user, the plurality of icons includes icons of which positions in a depth direction in the three-dimensional image are not the same, and each icon can be identified from the other icons or can be selected out of the icons of which the positions in the depth direction are not the same.

Claims

1. An image input system comprising:

a display device that displays a three-dimensional image that includes a plurality of icons for operation;

a plurality of cameras that picks up a plurality of images of a user who faces the three-dimensional image at different visual angles; and

a controller that controls the display device and the plurality of cameras, the controller causes the display device to display the three-dimensional image, the controller performs analysis processing on the plurality of images picked up by the plurality of cameras to obtain and output analysis information that contains three-dimensional position information regarding a most protruding part at a side of the user, the part protruding toward the three-dimensional image;

wherein the plurality of icons includes icons of which positions in a depth direction in the three-dimensional image are not the same, each icon can be identified from the other icons or can be selected out of the icons of which the positions in the depth direction are not the same by using the three-dimensional position information that contains position information in the depth direction.

2. The image input system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of icons is arranged in such a manner that the icons do not overlap one another in a planar direction along a screen of the display device.

3. The image input system according to claim 2, wherein, among the plurality of icons, a first function is assigned to an icon, or a group of icons, that is relatively high in the depth direction and thus is displayed at a position that is relatively close to the user;

a second function is assigned to another icon, or another group of icons, that is lower in the depth direction than the icon or the group of icons mentioned first; and

the second function is less frequently used than the first function.

4. The image input system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of icons has an overlapping part in the planar direction along the screen of the display device;

and, in addition, the icons are disposed one over another as layers in the depth direction.

5. The image input system according to claim 1, wherein a function that is assigned to the selected icon is executed when a change in mode of the most protruding part at the user'"'"'s side toward the three-dimensional image from a first mode to a second mode, which is different from the first mode, is detected.

6. The image input system according to claim 1, wherein the controller causes the display device to display a cursor at a position based on the three-dimensional position information in the three-dimensional image.

7. The image input system according to claim 6, wherein a color tone of the cursor or a shape of the cursor changes depending on the position in the depth direction.

8. The image input system according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of the cursors is displayed in the three-dimensional image.

9. The image input system according to claim 1, wherein the selected icon is displayed in a relatively highlighted manner in comparison with the other icons.

10. The image input system according to claim 1, wherein the most protruding part at the user'"'"'s side toward the three-dimensional image is a hand of the user;

and the mode of the hand, which includes the first mode and the second mode, includes spreading a palm of the hand, clenching a fist, and pointing a finger.