Identifying a Target Object Using Optical Occlusion

• US 20130142387A1
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gomez, Luis Ricardo Prada, Chi, Liang-Yu (Tom), Ryskamp, Robert Allen
• Granted Patent: US 8,724,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• 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: 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
• 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

Abstract

Methods are apparatuses are described for identifying a target object using optical occlusion. A head-mounted display perceives a characteristic of a reference object. The head-mounted display detects a change of the perceived characteristic of the reference object and makes a determination that a detected object caused the change of the perceived characteristic. In response to making the determination, the head-mounted display identifies the detected object as the target object.

Claims

1. A method, carried out by a head-mounted display, for identifying a target object, the method comprising:

perceiving, via a sensor coupled to the head-mounted display, a characteristic of a reference object;

detecting, via the sensor, a change to the perceived characteristic of the reference object;

making a determination that a detected object caused the change to the perceived characteristic; and

in response to making the determination, identifying the detected object as the target object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the head-mounted display comprises a processor and a data storage having instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the head-mounted display to carry out the method.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a camera coupled to the head-mounted display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is one of a shape, a color, a size, an area, and a location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference object is a body part selected from the group consisting of an arm, a hand, a finger, a leg, a foot, and a toe.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the change to the perceived characteristic comprises determining that the change has persisted for a minimum threshold of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the detected object as the target object comprises (i) presenting a prompt via the head-mounted display requesting a confirmation that the detected object is the target object, and (ii) receiving the confirmation via a user interface of the head-mounted display.

8. A head-mounted display comprising:

a sensor;

a processor; and

data storage having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by the processor, cause the head-mounted display to carry out functions including;

perceiving, via the sensor, a characteristic of a reference object;

detecting, via the sensor, a change to the perceived characteristic of the reference object;

making a determination that a detected object caused the change to the perceived characteristic; and

in response to making the determination, identifying the detected object as a target object.

9. The head-mounted display of claim 8, wherein the sensor is a camera coupled to the head-mounted display.

10. The head-mounted display of claim 8, wherein the characteristic one of a shape, a color, a size, an area, and a location.

11. The head-mounted display of claim 8, wherein the reference object is a body part selected from the group consisting of an arm, a hand, a finger, a leg, a foot, and a toe.

12. The head-mounted display of claim 8, wherein the instructions for detecting the change of the perceived characteristic comprise instructions for determining that the change has persisted for a minimum threshold of time.

13. The head-mounted display of claim 8, wherein the instructions for identifying the detected object as the target object comprise instructions for (i) presenting a prompt via the head-mounted display requesting a confirmation that the detected object is the target object, and (ii) receiving the confirmation via a user interface of the head-mounted display.

14. A head-mounted display comprising:

a sensor;

a processor; and

data storage having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by the processor, cause the head-mounted display to carry out functions including;

perceiving, via the sensor, a characteristic of a detected object;

detecting, via the sensor, a change to the perceived characteristic of the detected object;

making a determination that a reference object caused the change of the perceived characteristic; and

in response to making the determination, identifying the detected object as a target object.

15. The head-mounted display of claim 14, wherein the sensor is a camera connected to the head-mounted display.

16. The head-mounted display of claim 14, wherein the characteristic is one of a shape, a color, a size, an area, and a location.

17. The head-mounted display of claim 14, wherein the reference object is a body part selected from the group consisting of an arm, a hand, a finger, a leg, a foot, and a toe.

18. The head-mounted display of claim 14, wherein the instructions for detecting the change of the perceived characteristic comprise instructions for determining that the change has persisted for a minimum threshold of time.

19. The head-mounted display of claim 14, wherein the instructions for detecting the change of the perceived characteristic comprise instructions for sending an indication of the perceived characteristic to an entity in communication with the head-mounted display.

20. The head-mounted display of claim 14, wherein the instructions for identifying the detected object as the target object comprise instructions for (i) presenting a prompt via the head-mounted display requesting a confirmation that the detected object is the target object, and (ii) receiving the confirmation via a user interface of the head-mounted display.