INTERACTIVE MULTI-DISPLAY CONTROL SYSTEMS

• US 20120262487A1
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huebner, Kenneth J.
• Original Assignee: Huebner, Kenneth J.
• Inventors: Huebner, Kenneth J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,179,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2356/00 Detection of the display position w.r.t. other display screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45

Abstract

An interactive video control system that can control multiple displays, such as a panel image and/or a projected image using motion gestures from a moveable controller. Further, a plurality of display images may be modified such that the images appear at least partially aligned and combined. The control system may be comprised of a moveable, handheld controller and console.

Claims

1. An interactive multiple display system, comprising:

a controller movable through space and including a first control module;

a first display that presents a first image;

a second display that presents a second image; and

a display console including a second control module operable to control the first and second displays, wherein the second control module modifies the first image when the controller is aimed towards the first display and the second control module modifies the second image when the controller is aimed towards the second display.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein when the first image is modified, the second control module generates and coordinates a first audio effect related to the first image, and when the second image is modified, the second control module generates and coordinates a second audio effect related to the second image.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein when the first image is modified, the second control module generates and coordinates a first haptic effect related to the first image, and when the second image is modified, the second control module generates and coordinates a second haptic effect related to the second image.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second display images are modified such that an at least partially aligned and combined image is formed.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second display images are modified such that at least partially aligned and separated images are formed.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a projector that generates a third image.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a light detect adapter operatively connected to at least one light sensor, wherein at least the first or the second control module determines the position of the controller in space.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a light detect adapter operatively connected to at least one light sensor and the console includes a light emit adapter operatively connected to at least one light emitter, wherein at least the first or the second control module determines the position of the controller in space.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first light emitter that illuminates a first position marker substantially nearby or overlapping the first display; and

a second light emitter that illuminates a second position marker substantially nearby or overlapping the second display.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the system includes an at least one passive marker that is located substantially nearby or overlapping at least the first or the second display.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a light emit adapter operatively connected to at least one light emitter and the console includes a light detect adapter operatively connected to at least one light sensor, wherein at least the first or the second control module determines the position of the controller in space.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein the first control module detects that the first image is a panel image and clips the third image such that at least a portion of the third image does not appear on the first image.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein at least one position marker is illuminated with invisible light.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein at least one position marker has an anisotropic shape or pattern.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller includes at least one light sensor operatively connected to the first control module, wherein at least the first or the second control module determines the position of the controller in space based upon at least the sensed first or second position marker.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one position marker has an anisotropic shape or pattern such that a controller rotation angle about the at least one position marker may be determined.

17. An interactive multiple display system, comprising:

a controller movable through space and including a first control module;

a first display that presents a first image;

a second display that presents a second image; and

a display console including a second control module, wherein the first control module controls the first display and the second control module controls the second display, wherein the first control module modifies the first image when the controller is aimed toward the first display, and the second control module modifies the second image when the controller is aimed toward the second display.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the controller includes a controller projector that presents the first image.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein when the controller is aimed away from the vicinity of the second display, the controller projector presents the first image as an at least partially lighted image on a projection surface.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein when the controller is aimed towards the vicinity of the second display, the controller projector presents the first image as a substantially unlit or dimmed image on a projection surface.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein when the first image overlaps the second image, the system clips the first image such that an at least portion of the first image does not appear on the second image.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein when the first image is modified, the system generates a first audio effect, and when the second image is modified, the system generates a second audio effect.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the second display is a panel display.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the first and second images are modified such that an at least partially aligned and combined image is formed.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the first and second images are modified such that at least partially aligned and separated images are formed.

26. The system of claim 17 wherein the controller includes a light detect adapter operatively connected to at least one light sensor.

27. The system of claim 17 wherein the console includes a light emit adapter operatively connected to at least one light emitter.

28. A method of controlling multiple image displays, the method comprising:

illuminating a first position marker substantially near or overlapping a first display including a first image using a light emitter;

detecting the first position marker using a light sensor that generates a first light view signal;

receiving the first light view signal at a control module, the view signal being indicative of the first position of a controller to the first display;

modifying the first image in accordance to the first position of the controller;

illuminating a second position marker substantially near or overlapping a second display using a light emitter;

detecting the second position marker using the light sensor and generating a second light view signal;

receiving the second light view signal at the control module, the second view signal being indicative of the second position of a controller to the second display; and

modifying the second image in accordance to the second position of the controller.

29. A method of controlling multiple image displays, the method comprising:

illuminating a position marker substantially nearby or overlapping a first display using a light emitter;

detecting a position of a controller relative to the position marker using a light sensor;

transmitting a view signal from the light sensor to a control module, the view signal being indicative of the position of the controller relative to the first display;

determining if the controller is aimed towards the vicinity of the first display; and

generating a second image on a projection surface when the controller is aimed away from the vicinity of the first display.