Web Camera Device and Operating Method thereof

• US 20120127325A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Inventors: LAI, Kun-Hui
• Application Number:
  US13/018,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20120127325A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• 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: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body

Abstract

A web camera device includes a web camera and a micro processing unit (MCU). The web camera is operable to capture an image of a user. The MCU is electrically connected to the web camera and includes a distance calculating module and a comparing module. The distance calculating module is operable to receive a distance between the user and the web camera based on the calculating of the image. The comparing module is operable to compare the distance with a predetermined distance range, wherein when the distance is beyond the predetermined distance range, the comparing module outputs a warning signal for alarm the user to keep a proper distance from the display. An operating method of the web camera device is disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A web camera device comprising:

a web camera for capturing an image of a user; and

a micro processing unit electrically connected to the web camera, wherein the micro processing unit comprises;

a distance calculating module for obtaining a distance between the user and the web camera based on the calculating of the image;

a comparing module for comparing the distance with a predetermined distance range, wherein when the distance is beyond the predetermined distance range, the comparing module outputs a warning signal.

2. The web camera device according to claim 1, wherein the micro processing unit further comprises an identifying module for identifying a head image of the user from the image, and the distance calculating module calculates the distance between the user and the web camera based on the head image.

3. The web camera device according to claim 1, wherein the web camera captures the image through an automatic focusing process so that the distance calculating module calculates the distance between the user and the web camera based on a focal length generated from the automatic focusing process by the web camera.

4. The web camera device according to claim 2, wherein the web camera captures the image through an automatic focusing process so that the distance calculating module calculates the distance between the user and the web camera based on a focal length generated from the automatic focusing process by the web camera.

5. The web camera device according to claim 1, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a computer font controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the size of the computer font outputted from the computer system based on the computer font controlling signal.

6. The web camera device according to claim 2, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a computer font controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the size of the computer font outputted from the computer system based on the computer font controlling signal.

7. The web camera device according to claim 3, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a computer font controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the size of the computer font outputted from the computer system based on the computer font controlling signal.

8. The web camera device according to claim 4, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a computer font controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the size of the

9. The web camera device according to claim 1, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a brightness controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the brightness outputted from the computer system based on the brightness controlling signal.

10. The web camera device according to claim 2, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a brightness controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the brightness outputted from the computer system based on the brightness controlling signal.

11. The web camera device according to claim 3, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a brightness controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the brightness outputted from the computer system based on the brightness controlling signal.

12. The web camera device according to claim 4, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a brightness controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the brightness outputted from the computer system based on the brightness controlling signal.

13. The web camera device according to claim 6, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a brightness controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the brightness outputted from the computer system based on the brightness controlling signal.

14. The web camera device according to claim 7, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a brightness controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the brightness outputted from the computer system based on the brightness controlling signal.

15. The web camera device according to claim 8, wherein the micro processing unit outputs a brightness controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the brightness outputted from the computer system based on the brightness controlling signal.

16. An operating method of a web camera device comprising the steps of:

capturing an image of a user by a web camera;

obtaining a distance between the user and the web camera by processing the image;

determining whether the distance is beyond a predetermined distance range; and

outputting a warning signal when the distance is beyond the predetermined distance range.

17. The operating method according to claim 16, wherein the step of processing the image comprises the step of:

identifying a head image of the user from the image, and calculating the distance between the user and the web camera based on the head image.

18. The operating method according to claim 16, wherein the step of capturing the image of the user comprises the step of:

capturing the image through an automatic focusing process by the web camera;

wherein the step of processing the image comprises the step of;

calculating the distance between the user and the web camera based on a focal length generated from the automatic focusing process by the web camera.

19. The operating method according to claim 16, wherein after the step of processing the image, the method further comprises the step of:

outputting a computer font controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the size of the computer font outputted from the computer system based on the computer font controlling signal.

20. The operating method according to claim 16, wherein after the step of processing the image, the method further comprises the step of:

outputting a brightness controlling signal to a computer system based on the distance so that the computer system sets the brightness outputted from the computer system based on the brightness controlling signal.