INPUT METHOD AND APPARATUS OF PORTABLE DEVICE

• US 20140055343A1
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Jeonghun
• Granted Patent: US 9,448,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

An input apparatus for use in a portable device is provided. The input apparatus includes a camera for capturing an image; a storage unit which stores a key-hand mapping table for mapping segments of a hand to a plurality of keys, respectively, according to predetermined criteria; a display unit displaying the captured image during an input mode; and a control unit which activates the camera in the input mode, controls the display unit to display the captured image, assign the plural keys to the segments of the hand based on mapping information of the key-hand mapping table, detect an image change in one of the segments displayed on the display unit, and input the key mapped to the segment at which the image change is detected on the display unit.

Claims

1. An input apparatus for use in a portable device, comprising:

a camera for capturing an image;

a storage unit which stores a key-hand mapping table for mapping segments of a hand to a plurality of keys, respectively, according to predetermined criteria;

a display unit which displays, in an input mode, the captured image thereon; and

a control unit which activates the camera during the input mode, controls the display unit to display the captured image, assign the plural keys to the segments of the hand based on mapping information of the key-hand mapping table, detect an image change in one of the segments displayed on the display unit, and input the key mapped to the segment at which the image change is detected on the display unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a specific key map including the plural keys mapped to the segments of the hand over the captured image.

3. The d apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a character input mode screen having a virtual keypad region displaying the captured image and a character input region displaying the key input.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a pictogram corresponding to the specific key map.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to highlight the segment pointed by a thumb of the hand.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display the image captured during the input mode on a full screen and display a character input window on the full screen for displaying the key input.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit tracks a movement of an input object and processes a change in the image caused by the input object as the key input.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit recognizes a shape of the hand and performs one of switching from a first key map to a second key map, executing a specific function, and inputting a specific key according to the shape of the hand.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit detects a hand gesture and performs one of switching from a first key map to a second key map, executing a specific function, and inputting a specific key according to the detected hand gesture.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the segments are defined by finger phalanges, finger tips, and finger joints.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the key-hand mapping table comprises at least one of key maps for left and right hands.

12. An input method for use in a portable device, the method comprising:

activating a camera during an input mode;

displaying an image captured by the camera on a screen;

determining whether a hand is recognized from the image;

assigning a plurality of keys to segments of the hand based on predetermined criteria;

detecting an image change in one of the segments; and

inputting the key mapped to the segment at which the image change is detected.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying a specific key map including the plural keys mapped to the segments of the hand over the captured image.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying comprises displaying a pictogram corresponding to the specific key map.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the inputting step comprises:

tracking a movement of an input object and

processing a change in the image caused by the input object as the key input.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising highlighting the segment pointed by a thumb of the hand.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

recognizing a shape of the hand or a hand gesture; and

performing one of switching from a first key map to a second key map, executing a specific function, and inputting a specific key according to the shape of the hand or the hand gesture.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the segments are defined by finger phalanges, finger tips, and finger joints.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the key-hand mapping table comprises at least one of key maps for left and right hands.

20. An input method of a portable device, the method comprising:

capturing an image during an input mode;

recognizing a hand and segments of the hand of the captured image;

mapping keys to the segments according to predetermined criteria; and

detecting an input of a key mapped to the segment via an input object, the input of the key being activated in response to a change in the image at a particular segment pointed by the input object.