METHOD UTILIZED IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL POINTING SYSTEM

• US 20120105321A1
• Filed: 10/24/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Guo-Zhen, Tseng, Hung-Wei, Huang, Yi-Pai, Tung, Shuan-Yu, Ma, Ming-Ching
• Granted Patent: US 8,773,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

A method utilized in a three-dimensional pointing system is provided according to the present invention. The three-dimensional pointing system includes a pointing device, a sensor array, and a display panel, wherein the sensor array is embedded within the display panel. The pointing device projects a pointer onto the display panel to form a projection image, and the sensor array accordingly generates a sensed image which includes the projection image. The method determines at least one space status information based on the sensed image.

Claims

1. A method utilized in a three-dimensional pointing system, the three-dimensional system having a pointing device, a display panel and a sensor array, the sensor array being embedded within the display panel, the method comprising:

utilizing the pointing device for projecting a pointer onto the display panel to form a projection image;

utilizing the sensor array for generating a sensed image which comprises the projection image, wherein the sensed image has a plurality of pixels;

calculating a plurality of first sensed values respectively corresponding to a plurality of first sensing areas within the sensed image; and

determining first dimensional information and second dimensional information of at least one space status information according to the first sensed values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the first sensed values respectively corresponding to the first sensing areas within the sensed image comprises:

calculating a sum of a plurality of brightness values of a plurality of pixels included in each of the first sensing area, and accordingly generating a first sensed value corresponding to each of the first sensing area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining the first dimensional information and the second dimensional information comprises:

determining a maximum value among the first sensed values;

determining a specific pixel that has a maximum brightness value within a specific first area corresponding to the maximum value; and

determining the first dimensional information and the second dimensional information according to position information corresponding to the specific pixel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a second sensing area within the sensed image according to the first dimensional information and the second dimensional information; and

adjusting a size of the second sensing area, and determining third dimensional information of the at least one space status information according to a variation of a second sensed value within the second sensing area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining the third dimensional information comprises:

generating the second sensed value corresponding to an initial size of the second sensing area according to brightness values of a plurality of pixels within the second sensing area with the initial size;

adjusting the initial size of the second sensing area for obtaining a current size of the second sensing area; and

performing third dimensional information generating operation, comprising;

generating the second sensed value corresponding to the current size of the second sensing area according to brightness values of a plurality of pixels within the second sensing area with the current size;

when a difference between the second sensed value corresponding to the current size of the second sensing area and a second sensed value corresponding to a previous size of the second sensing area is smaller than a threshold value, determining the third dimensional information according to the current size of the second sensing area; and

when the difference between the second sensed value corresponding to the current size of the second sensing area and the second sensed value corresponding to the previous size of the second sensing area is not smaller than the threshold value, updating the current size of the second sensing area, and performing the third dimensional information generating operation again.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of generating the second sensed value corresponding to the initial size of the second sensing area comprises:

generating the second sensed value corresponding to the initial size of the second sensing area by calculating a sum of the brightness values of the pixels within the second sensing area with the initial size; and

the step of generating the second sensed value corresponding to the current size of the second sensing area comprises;

generating the second sensed value corresponding to the current size of the second sensing area by calculating a sum of the brightness values of the pixels within the second sensing area with the current size.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a plurality of third sensing areas with a rotation relationship according to the first dimensional information and the second dimensional information;

generating a plurality of third sensed values respectively corresponding to the third sensing areas; and

determining rotation information of the at least one space status information according to the third sensed values.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining the third sensing areas with the rotation relationship according to the first dimensional information and the second dimensional information comprises:

providing a look-up table which stores a plurality of pixel permutation patterns respectively mapped to a plurality of different rotation angles; and

in the sensed image, determining the third sensing areas respectively corresponding to the different rotation angles according to the look-up table, the first dimensional information and the second dimensional information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of generating the third sensed values respectively corresponding to the third sensing areas comprises:

calculating a sum of brightness values of a plurality of pixels included in each of the third sensing areas as a third sensed value of each of the third sensing areas; and

the step of determining the rotation information of the at least one space status information according to the third sensed value comprises;

determining a maximum value among the third sensed values, wherein the maximum value corresponds to a specific third sensing area; and

determining the rotation information according to a rotation angle corresponding to the specific third sensing area.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining tilt information of the at least one space status information according to a geometric ratio corresponding to the projection image within the sensed image.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

referring to the tilt information for determining if a step of determining other space status information is performed.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of determining the tilt information comprises:

calculating a first ratio value of a length corresponding to a first axis of the pointer to a length corresponding to a second axis of the pointer;

calculating a second ratio value of a length corresponding to a first axis of the projection image to a length corresponding to a second axis of the projection image; and

determining the tilt information according to a relationship between the first ratio value and the second ratio value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining the tilt information according to the relationship between the first ratio value and the second ratio value comprises:

selecting a look-up table according to the first ratio value, wherein the look-up table stores a plurality of predetermined second ratio values respectively mapped to a plurality of tilt angles; and

determining a specific tilt angle from the look-up table according to the second ratio value and the predetermined second ratio values; and

determining the tilt information according to the specific tilt angle.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointer has an asymmetric pattern.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the asymmetric pattern is one of a plurality of patterns respectively shown in FIG. 10-FIG. 14.