POSITION-OF-INTEREST DETECTION DEVICE, POSITION-OF-INTEREST DETECTION METHOD, AND POSITION-OF-INTEREST DETECTION PROGRAM

• US 20150145762A1
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shimura, Tomoya
• Granted Patent: US 9,778,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

A distance calculation unit acquires a first position information indicating a position of a part of a body of each user indicated in an image captured by an imaging device. A user information analysis unit detects an operation region where a user can operate by using a part of a body, based on the first position information, and that identifies as an operator candidate a user having the part of the body indicated by the first position information in case that the detection of the operation region was possible. The user information analysis unit, of operator candidates, identifies as an operator a user including a part of the body in the operation region, and identifies as a user who cannot perform operation a user other than a user identified as the operator of the operator candidates. Because of the above, it is possible to increase operability.

Claims

1. A position-of-interest detection device comprising:

a position detection unit configured to acquire position information indicating a position of a part of a body of each user indicated in an image captured by an imaging device; and

a user information analysis unit configured to detect an operation region where a user can operate by using a part of a body, based on the position information, and identify as at least one operator candidate at least one user having the part of the body indicated by the position information in case that the detection of the operation region was possible,

wherein the user information analysis unit, of the at least one operator candidate, is configured to identify as an operator a first user including the part of the body in the operation region, and identify as at least one user who cannot perform operation at least one second user other than the first.

2. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 1,

wherein, in case that the part of the body is included in the operation region, the user information analysis unit is configured to detect user information that includes information indicating a shape of the part of the body of the first user, the position-of-interest detection device comprising a control unit configured to execute processing corresponding user information detected by the user information analysis unit.

3. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the user information analysis unit is configured to detect the operation region by a prescribed operation specified by the first user.

4. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the user information analysis unit, by the first user specifying a first vertex in a display region of a display device within the field of view of the first user and making an operation of specifying a second vertex diagonally opposite the first vertex, is configured to detect the operation region.

5. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 1,

wherein position-of-interest detection device comprises a position-of-interest detection unit configured to associate a size of an operation region detected by the user information analysis unit in case that the first user is viewed from a display device with a size of an operated region in a display region of the display device and calculate, based on the association, a corresponding position within an operated region from the position of the part of the body of the first user within the operation region.

6. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 5, wherein the position detection unit is configured to use, as the part of the body, a hand.

7. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 1,

the position-of-interest detection device comprises a display unit configured to display the image captured by the imaging device, and

the imaging device is installed at a position higher than that of the display unit.

8. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 1, wherein the user information analysis unit is configured to use the operation region which broadens from the operator toward the position-of-interest detection device.

9. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 1, wherein the user information analysis unit, based on a position of at least one of an eye and a face of the operator and the operated region in a display region of a display device, is configured to detect the operation region.

10. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 1, the position-of-interest detection device comprises a position-of-interest detection unit configured to calculate a position indicated by the part of the body of the operator that is a position within an operated region in a display region of a display device, based on reference position information representing a position of at least one of an eye and a face of the operator and instruction position information indicating a position of the part of the body of the operator.

15. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 3,

wherein the user information analysis unit, by the first user specifying a first vertex in a display region of a display device within the field of view of the first user and making an operation of specifying a second vertex diagonally opposite the first vertex, is configured to detect the operation region.

16. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 15,

wherein position-of-interest detection device comprises a position-of-interest detection unit configured to associate a size of an operation region detected by the user information analysis unit in case that the first user is viewed from a display device with a size of an operated region in a display region of the display device and calculate, based on the association, a corresponding position within an operated region from the position of the part of the body of the first user within the operation region.

17. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 9,

wherein position-of-interest detection device comprises a position-of-interest detection unit configured to associate a size of an operation region detected by the user information analysis unit in case that the first user is viewed from a display device with a size of an operated region in a display region of the display device and calculate, based on the association, a corresponding position within an operated region from the position of the part of the body of the first user within the operation region.

18. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 10,

wherein, in case that the part of the body is included in the operation region, the user information analysis unit is configured to detect user information that includes information indicating a shape of the part of the body of the first user, the position-of-interest detection device comprising a control unit configured to execute processing corresponding user information detected by the user information analysis unit.

19. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 15,

wherein, in case that the part of the body is included in the operation region, the user information analysis unit is configured to detect user information that includes information indicating a shape of the part of the body of the first user, the position-of-interest detection device comprising a control unit configured to execute processing corresponding user information detected by the user information analysis unit.

20. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 19,

wherein position-of-interest detection device comprises a position-of-interest detection unit configured to associate a size of an operation region detected by the user information analysis unit in case that the first user is viewed from a display device with a size of an operated region in a display region of the display device and calculate, based on the association, a corresponding position within an operated region from the position of the part of the body of the first user within the operation region.

21. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 9,

wherein, in case that the part of the body is included in the operation region, the user information analysis unit is configured to detect user information that includes information indicating a shape of the part of the body of the first user, the position-of-interest detection device comprising a control unit configured to execute processing corresponding user information detected by the user information analysis unit.

22. The position-of-interest detection device according to claim 21,

wherein position-of-interest detection device comprises a position-of-interest detection unit configured to associate a size of an operation region detected by the user information analysis unit in case that the first user is viewed from a display device with a size of an operated region in a display region of the display device and calculate, based on the association, a corresponding position within an operated region from the position of the part of the body of the first user within the operation region.

11-14. -14. (canceled)

23. A position-of-interest detection method comprising:

acquiring position information indicating a position of a part of a body of each user indicated in an image captured by an imaging device; and

detecting an operation region where a user can operate by using a part of a body, based on the position information; and

identifying as at least one operator candidate at least one user having the part of the body indicated by the position information in case that the detection of the operation region was possible;

identifying, of the at least one operator candidate, as an operator a first user including the part of the body in the operation region; and

identifying as at least one user who cannot perform operation at least one second user other than the first user.

24. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a position-of-interest detection program executing:

acquiring position information indicating a position of a part of a body of each user indicated in an image captured by an imaging device; and

detecting an operation region where a user can operate by using a part of a body, based on the position information; and

identifying as at least one operator candidate at least one user having the part of the body indicated by the position information in case that the detection of the operation region was possible;

identifying, of the at least one operator candidate, as an operator a first user including the part of the body in the operation region; and

identifying as at least one user who cannot perform operation at least one second user other than the first user.