INFORMATION DISPLAY SYSTEM AND PROGRAM, AND OPTICAL INPUT SYSTEM, PROJECTION-TYPE IMAGES AND DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20120044140A1
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: KOYAMA, Tadahisa, Ishimoto, Kazuo, Watanabe, Toru, Yoneda, Miwa
• Application Number:
  US13/211,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20120044140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An information display system includes a pointing device and a control apparatus for detecting the locus of tip of the pointing device. The pointing device includes a light emitting part for irradiating the radiated light that radiates with the tip of the pointing device as the center on a predetermined plane. A camera captures images of a region including the radiated light on the predetermined plane. A radiated light detector detects the radiated light from the images captured by the camera. An estimation unit estimates the position of the tip of the pointing device from the radiated light detected by the radiated light detector.

Claims

1. An information display system including a pointing device and a control apparatus for detecting a locus of tip of the pointing device, the pointing device including:

a light emitting part configured to irradiate radiation light that radiates with the tip of the pointing device on a predetermined plane as a center,

the control apparatus including;

an image pickup unit configured to pick up a region including the radiation light on the predetermined plane;

a detector configured to detect the radiation light from an image picked up by the image pickup unit; and

an estimation unit configured to estimate the position of the tip of the pointing device from the radiation light detected by the detector.

2. An information display system according to claim 1, wherein the pointing device has a slit that forms radiation light such that an intersection point of at least two line segments extending radially with the tip thereof as a center agrees with the tip of the pointing device.

3. An information display system according to claim 1, wherein the estimation unit detects a rotation of the pointing device, based on a comparison of the radiation light made among a plurality of images picked up by the image pickup unit.

4. An information display system according to claim 1, wherein the estimation unit estimates an angle of the pointing device relative to the predetermined plane, based on matching between an outer shape of the radiation light and form patterns stored beforehand.

5. An information display system according to claim 1, wherein the estimation unit estimates the distance between the predetermined plane and the tip of the pointing device, based on a comparison of the radiation light among a plurality of images picked up by the image pickup unit.

7. An information display system according to claim 1, further including:

a drawing unit configured to produce an image, where the locus of tip thereof is drawn, by referencing the position of the tip estimated for a plurality of images picked up by the image pickup unit; and

an output unit configured to output the drawn image to an image display apparatus.

8. An information display system according to claim 7, wherein the control apparatus constitutes a part of a projection-type display apparatus, and

the projection-type display apparatus is configured to project and display the image outputted from the output unit on the predetermined plane.

6. An information display system including a pointing device and a control apparatus for detecting a locus of tip of the pointing device, the pointing device including:

a first light-emitting part configured to form a first irradiation region along a direction of the tip thereof;

a second light-emitting part configured to form a second irradiation region in such a manner as to surround the first irradiation region; and

a switch configured to turn on and off either one of the first light-emitting part and the second light-emitting part,

the control apparatus including;

an image pickup unit configured to pick up images of the first irradiation region and the second irradiation region on a predetermined plane;

a detector configured to detect the first irradiation region and the second irradiation region from an image picked up by the image pickup unit;

an estimation unit configured to estimate the position of the tip of the pointing device from a position or shape of the first irradiation region or the second irradiation region; and

a notification unit configured to convey an operation of the switch to an external device when the first irradiation region or the second irradiation has been detected.

9. An optical input system, comprising:

an image pickup unit configured to pick up an image of a luminous body itself in an input device carrying the luminous body and reflected light of light irradiated from the luminous body to a display surface; and

a determining unit configured to compare a barycentric position of light of the luminous body itself with that of the reflected light in an image captured by said image pickup unit, and configured to determine that the input device and the display surface are in contact with each other when the barycentric positions thereof are associated with each other and determine that the input device and the display surface are not in contact with each other when the barycentric positions thereof are not associated with each other.

10. An optical system according to claim 9, further comprising an input control unit configured to set an operation mode to a non-contact input mode when a decision result by said determining unit indicates that the barycentric position of light of the luminous body itself and that of the reflected light are farther than a preset distance, and configured to set the operation mode to a contact mode, otherwise.

11. An optical system according to claim 9, further comprising an input control unit configured to output coordinates corresponding to the barycentric position of the reflected light to a controller, when a decision result by said determining unit indicates that the barycentric position of light of the luminous body itself and that of the reflected light are farther than a preset distance, and configured to output coordinates corresponding to either one of the barycentric position of the luminous body itself and that of the reflected light to the controller, otherwise.

12. An optical system according to claim 9, wherein the input device is formed like a pen, and power supply of the luminous body is turned on or off by removing or attaching a cap to a rear end of the pen.

13. A projection-type image display apparatus equipped with an optical input system according to claim 9, the apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to output coordinates outputted from the optical input system, to an image processing apparatus and configured to receive an input of image data after drawing data has been superposed on the coordinates by the image processing apparatus; and

a projection unit configured to project the image data on the display surface.

14. A program embedded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by a control apparatus in an information display system including the control apparatus for detecting a locus of indication point relative to a predetermined plane, the program comprising:

a detecting module operative to detect coordinates of the indication point from an image where a region containing the indication point on the predetermined plane is captured;

a drawing module operative to draw the locus of the indication point and produce an image where a predetermined icon is drawn near the indication point; and

an outputting module operative to output the produced image to an image display apparatus.

15. An information displaying program according claim 14, further comprising a module operative to determine a direction, where the locus of the indication point is drawn, and select a display position of the predetermined icon from a direction different from said direction where the locus of the indication point is drawn.

16. An information displaying program according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined icon is a menu icon that displays a predetermined menu screen when clicked.

17. An information displaying program according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined icon is a toggle switch icon where setting of line of the locus is changed for every click.

18. An information displaying program according to claim 14, wherein the information display system includes a pointing device structured to indicate the indication point, and

wherein when the indication point of the pointing device is separated away from the predetermined plane, said drawing module draws the icon.

19. An information displaying program according to claim 14, wherein the information display system includes a pointing device structured to indicate the indication point, and

wherein said drawing module draws the icon in such a manner that visibility of the icon when the indication point of the pointing device is separated away from the predetermined plane is higher than that when the indication point of the pointing device is in contact with the predetermined plane.

20. An information display system including a control apparatus for detecting a locus of indication point relative to a predetermined plane, the control apparatus including;

a detector configured to detect coordinates of the indication point from an image where a region containing the indication point on the predetermined plane is captured;

a drawing unit configured to draw the locus of the indication point and produce an image where a predetermined icon is drawn near the indication point; and

an output unit configured to output the produced image to an image display apparatus.