DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20120229377A1
• Filed: 03/09/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Im, Soungmin, KIM, Taehyeong, Kim, Sangki
• Granted Patent: US 9,104,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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

Abstract

Provided are a display device and a method for controlling the same. The display device comprises a display unit, and a controller configured to perform predetermined functions according to a distance with a external object in response to an identical gesture made by the external object.

Claims

1. -18. (canceled)

19. A display device comprising;

a display unit configured to display contents; and

a controller configured to control the display unit, to assign a control right to an external object, and to perform at least one predetermined function according to a depth relationship between the external object and a camera associated with the display device in response to a gesture made by the external object.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein when the depth relationship indicates that a depth between the external object and the camera falls within a first depth range, the controller recognizes a gesture of the external object within the first depth range as an operation for controlling a function of the display device and performs the function according to the gesture of the external object.

21. The display device of claim 19, wherein when the depth relationship indicates that a depth between the external object and the camera falls within a second depth range, the controller sets a selection ready mode of the external object.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein once the selection ready mode of the external object has been set and when the depth relationship indicates that the depth between the external object and the camera falls within a first depth range which is smaller than the second depth range with respect to the camera, the controller recognizes a gesture of the external object within the first depth range as an operation for controlling a function of the display device and performs the function according to the gesture of the external object.

23. The display device of claim 22, wherein when the external object moves from the first depth range to the second depth range after the gesture of the external object makes a selection of the function within the first depth range, any gesture of the external object within the moved second depth range further controls the selected function.

24. The display device of claim 21, wherein in the selection ready mode, a cursor on the display unit is not movable according to a gesture of the external object.

25. The display device of claim 19, wherein when the depth relationship indicates that the depth between the external object and the camera falls within a third depth range, the controller moves a cursor on the display unit according to a movement of the external object.

26. The display device of claim 19, wherein the camera is integrated into the display device or is an external device.

27. The display device of claim 19, wherein the controller performs a first function when the depth relationship indicates that a depth between the external object and the camera falls within a first depth range,

the controller performs a second function when the depth relationship indicates that the depth between the external object and the camera falls within a second depth range longer than the first depth range, and

the controller performs a third function when the depth relationship indicates that the depth between the external object and the camera falls within a third depth range longer than the second depth range.

28. The display device of claim 27, wherein the second function includes a function of changing an image of a predetermined area corresponding to a location of a cursor displayed on the display unit.

29. The display device of claim 28, wherein the predetermined area is an area corresponding to a concentric circle having a predetermined diameter with the location of the cursor as a center.

30. The display device of claim 19, wherein the controller performs at least one predetermined function according to a ratio of the depth relationship and a push length, where the push length is a length corresponding to a push gesture of the external object.

31. A display device comprising:

a controller configured to provide a predetermined feedback for a gesture of an external object,

wherein the predetermined feedback varies according to a depth relationship between a camera and the external object and is provided using at least one of a visual sense, an acoustic sense, and a tactile sense.

32. The display device of claim 31, wherein the predetermined feedback includes an indicator which changes depending on a current depth relationship between the camera and the external object.

33. The display device of claim 32, wherein a space in front of the display device includes an on-touch region, a touch-ready region, and a point-move region, and

the indicator indicates whether the external object is located in the on-touch region, the touch-ready region, or the point-move region.

34. The display device of claim 31, wherein the camera is integrated into the display device or is an external device.

35. A method for controlling a display device including a display unit and a controller, the method comprising:

assigning, by the controller, a control right to an external object positioned adjacent to the display unit; and

performing, by the controller, at least one predetermined function according to a depth relationship between the external object and a camera associated with the display device in response to a gesture made by the external object.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the performing step includes:

when the depth relationship indicates that a depth between the external object and the camera falls within a first depth range, recognizing a gesture of the external object within the first depth range as an operation for controlling a function of the display device, and

performing the function according to the gesture of the external object, and

when the depth relationship indicates that the depth between the external object and the camera falls within a second depth range, setting a selection ready mode of the external object.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the performing step includes:

when the depth relationship indicates that the depth between the external object and the camera falls within a third depth range, moving, by the controller, a cursor on the display unit according to a movement of the external object.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the performing step includes:

performing a first function when the depth relationship indicates that a depth between the external object and the camera falls within a first depth range,

performing a second function when the depth relationship indicates that the depth between the external object and the camera falls within a second depth range longer than the first depth range, and

performing a third function when the depth relationship indicates that the depth between the external object and the camera falls within a third depth range longer than the second depth range.

37. -40. (canceled)

43. -48. (canceled)