OPERATION METHOD FOR MULTI-MONITOR AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM USING THE SAME

• US 20200133389A1
• Filed: 05/12/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiu, Sheng-Lin, Yang, Chao-Kuang, Lee, An-Cheng, Hung, Ying-Shih, Wu, Cheng-Tse
• Granted Patent: US 11,106,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04801 Cursor retrieval aid, i.e. visual aspect modification, blinking, colour changes, enlargement or other visual cues, for helping user do find the cursor in graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• 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: G06T 2207/20081 Training; Learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits

Abstract

The invention provides an operation method for multi-monitor applicable to an electronic system including a plurality of monitors. The operation method for multi-monitor includes capturing a current image including a user by using a camera, calculating a current gaze direction of the user according to the current image, and determining a target monitor according to the current gaze direction of the user. After the target monitor is determined, the operation method for multi-monitor further includes moving an object to a display area of the target monitor. In addition to the operation method for multi-monitor, an electronic system using the operation method is also provided.

Claims

1. An operation method for multi-monitor applicable to an electronic system including a plurality of monitors and a camera, the operation method for multi-monitor comprises:

acquiring calibration data of the monitors, wherein the calibration data comprises a gaze range of each monitor watched;

calculating a current gaze direction according to a current image captured by the camera;

selecting a target monitor among the monitors according to the calibration data and the current gaze direction, wherein the gaze range of the target monitor watched comprises the current gaze direction; and

moving an object to a display area of the target monitor.

2. The operation method for multi-monitor according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring the calibration data of the monitors comprises:

sending a prompt message for watching a plurality of corners of one of the monitors, and capturing a plurality of calibration images by using the camera in correspondence to the prompt message;

calculating a plurality of gaze directions corresponding to the corners according to the calibration images; and

calculating the gaze range of said one of the monitors watched according to the gaze directions.

3. The operation method for multi-monitor according to claim 1, wherein the current image comprises a head image, wherein the step of calculating the current gaze direction according to the current image captured by the camera comprises:

inputting the current image into a machine learning model to identify a plurality of feature points of the head image and calculate a head turning angle; and

determining the current gaze direction according to the head turning angle.

4. The operation method for multi-monitor according to claim 1, wherein the gaze ranges of the monitors watched do not overlap one another.

5. The operation method for multi-monitor according to claim 1, wherein the object comprises one of a cursor, a file, a folder and a window or a combination thereof.

6. An electronic system, comprising:

a plurality of monitors;

a storage device, configured to record calibration data of the monitors, wherein the calibration data comprises a gaze range of each monitor watched;

a camera, configured to capture a current image; and

a processor, coupled to the monitors, the storage device and the camera, and configured to;

calculate a current gaze direction according to the current image;

select a target monitor among the monitors according to the calibration data and the current gaze direction, wherein the gaze range of the target monitor watched comprises the current gaze direction; and

move an object to a display area of the target monitor.

7. The electronic system according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to acquire the calibration data, wherein when acquiring the calibration data, the processor is further configured to:

send a prompt message for watching a plurality of corners of one of the monitors, and acquire a plurality of calibration images by using the camera in correspondence to the prompt message;

calculate a plurality of gaze directions corresponding to the corners according to the calibration images; and

calculating the gaze range of said one of the monitors watched according to the gaze directions.

8. The electronic system according to claim 6, wherein the current image comprises a head image, wherein when calculating the current gaze direction according to the current image, the processor is further configured to:

input the current image into a machine learning model to identify a plurality of feature points of the head image and calculate a head turning angle; and

determine the current gaze direction according to the head turning angle.

9. The electronic system according to claim 6, wherein the object comprises one of a cursor, a file, a folder and a window or a combination thereof.

10. An operation method for multi-monitor applicable to an electronic system including a plurality of monitors and a plurality of cameras, wherein the monitors correspond to the cameras, and the operation method for multi-monitor comprises:

capturing a plurality of current images by using the cameras, respectively;

calculating a plurality of included angles between a current gaze direction and a lens direction of the cameras according to the current images;

selecting a target monitor among the monitors according to the included angles, wherein an included angle between the lens direction of the camera corresponding to the target monitor and the current gaze direction is a smallest included angle among the included angles; and

moving an object to a display area of the target monitor.