METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRESENTING A VIRTUAL TOUCHSCREEN

• US 20130265240A1
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Friedman, Lee G.
• Application Number:
  US13/441,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20130265240A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for generating a virtual touchscreen according to a first relative position between a plurality of member parts of a user and according to a second relative position of at least one member part of the user and a body surface of the user, tracking a location of the user, and positioning the virtual touchscreen according to the location of the user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising;

presenting a virtual touchscreen at a presentation device;

receiving from a sensor a plurality of signals comprising image information and depth information associated with member parts of a user;

generating first calibration data from the plurality of signals to identify a plurality of dimensions of the virtual touchscreen; and

generating second calibration data from the plurality of signals to identify an operating distance between the user and the virtual touchscreen.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises one of an imaging sensor, a depth sensor, or both.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the image information depicts first and second member parts of the user to identify first and second positions on the virtual touchscreen.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

determining from one of the image information, the depth information, or both a relative position of first and second member parts of the user;

generating the first calibration data according to the relative position to identify the plurality of dimensions of the virtual touchscreen; and

reconfigure the virtual touchscreen according to the plurality of dimensions.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

detecting that the first and second member parts are substantially held in the relative position for a period of time exceeding a threshold; and

generating the first calibration data responsive to the detection.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising presenting at the presentation device an image of the user in combination with the virtual touchscreen.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

processing the plurality of signals to determine dimensional characteristics of the member parts of the user;

generating a default virtual touchscreen according to the dimensional characteristics of the member parts of the user; and

presenting the default virtual touchscreen at the presentation device to initiate a calibration process.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

determining from one of the image information, the depth information, or both a relative position of a first member part and a body surface of the user; and

generating the second calibration data according to the relative position to identify the operating distance between the user and the virtual touchscreen; and

repositioning the virtual touchscreen according to a detected location of the user and the operating distance.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

detecting that the first member part is substantially held in the relative position for a period of time exceeding a threshold; and

generating the second calibration data responsive to the detection.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

updating the virtual touchscreen according to the first calibration data and the second calibration data to generate an updated virtual touchscreen;

tracking a location of the user; and

synchronizing the updated virtual touchscreen with the tracked location of the user.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

receiving from the sensor a second plurality of signals associated with the user;

detecting from the second plurality of signals a member part of the user in motion; and

presenting at the presentation device an indicator of the member part only when the member part approaches the updated virtual touchscreen within a perimeter of the updated virtual touchscreen.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

determining a relative position between the member part and the updated touchscreen; and

updating the indicator according to the relative position to signify a measure of proximity to the updated touchscreen.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein updating the indicator is achieved according to one of presenting a shadow of the indicator converging with the indicator as the member part approaches the updated touchscreen, changing the transparency of at least a portion of the indicator as the member part approaches the updated touchscreen, changing a color of at least a portion of the indicator as the member part approaches the updated touchscreen, or combinations thereof.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the indicator comprises one of an image of the member part, or a graphical representation of the member part.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

detecting a command caused by a movement of the member part; and

causing an update of a presentation at the presentation device according to the detected command.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor responsive to executing the computer instructions performs operations comprising:

storing the first and the second calibration data in a profile associated with the user;

receiving from the sensor a plurality of signals;

identifying from the second plurality of signals biometric characteristics of an object;

detecting that the biometric characteristics of the object substantially match a biometric signature of the user; and

associating a customized virtual touchscreen configured according to the first and second calibration data and a location of the user responsive to detecting the substantial match between the biometric characteristics of the object and the biometric signature of the user.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

generating first calibration data from a plurality of signals to identify a plurality of dimensions of a virtual touchscreen;

generating second calibration data from the plurality of signals to identify an operating distance between the user and the virtual touchscreen;

generating an updated virtual touchscreen according to the first and second calibration data;

tracking a location of the user; and

positioning the updated virtual touchscreen according to the location of the user.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein generating the updated virtual touchscreen includes operations comprising:

resizing the virtual touchscreen according to the plurality of dimensions; and

repositioning the virtual touchscreen according to the operating distance.

19. A method, comprising:

generating, by a system comprising at least one processor, a virtual touchscreen according to a first relative position between a plurality of member parts of a user and according to a second relative position of at least one member part of the user and a body surface of the user;

tracking, by the system, a location of the user; and

positioning, by the system, the virtual touchscreen according to the location of the user.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising:

determining, by the system, from the first relative position a plurality of dimensions of the virtual touchscreen;

determining, by the system, from the second relative position an operating distance between the user and the virtual touchscreen;

resizing, by the system, the virtual touchscreen according to the plurality of dimensions; and

repositioning, by the system, the virtual touchscreen from the user according to the operating distance.