Real-time recognition of pointing information from video
First Claim
1. A method of operating a digital computer to recognize an occurrence of a predefined object in an image, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) receiving image data representing samples of said image at spaced locations in said image;
b) convolving said image data with a set of predefined functions to analyze the image data into occurrences of predefined elementary features; and
c) examining the occurrences of the predefined elementary features for an occurrence of a predefined combination of occurrences of said elementary features that is characteristic of the predefined object;
wherein said predefined elementary features include blobs, simples and complexes, wherein the blobs indicate regions of similar luminosity, simples indicate lines in said image, and complexes indicate terminated line segments in said image; and
wherein the image data are convolved with a first one of said functions to provide blob responses, the image data are convolved with a second one of said functions to provide ganglia responses indicating edges of objects, the ganglia responses are convolved to provide simple responses, and the simple responses and ganglia responses are combined to provide complex responses.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An occurrence of a predefined object in an image is recognized by receiving image data, convolving the image data with a set of predefined functions to analyze the image data into occurrences of predefined elementary features, and examining the occurrences for an occurrence of a predefined combination of the elementary features that is characteristic of the predefined object. Preferably the image data are convolved directly with a first predefined function to determine blob responses, and a second predefined function to determine ganglia responses indicating edges of objects. Then the ganglia responses are convolved with a third predefined function to determine simple responses indicating lines in the image, and the simple responses are combined with the ganglia responses to determine complex responses indicating terminated line segments in the image. A pointing finger, for example, is recognized from the combination of a blob response and a complex response. The method, for example, permits a data input terminal to recognize in real time the presence, position, and orientation of a pointing finger, to eliminate the need for data input devices such as "mice" or "joysticks." Therefore a user can direct an application program in the most natural way, without the distraction of manipulating a data input device.
321 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of operating a digital computer to recognize an occurrence of a predefined object in an image, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving image data representing samples of said image at spaced locations in said image; b) convolving said image data with a set of predefined functions to analyze the image data into occurrences of predefined elementary features; and c) examining the occurrences of the predefined elementary features for an occurrence of a predefined combination of occurrences of said elementary features that is characteristic of the predefined object; wherein said predefined elementary features include blobs, simples and complexes, wherein the blobs indicate regions of similar luminosity, simples indicate lines in said image, and complexes indicate terminated line segments in said image; and wherein the image data are convolved with a first one of said functions to provide blob responses, the image data are convolved with a second one of said functions to provide ganglia responses indicating edges of objects, the ganglia responses are convolved to provide simple responses, and the simple responses and ganglia responses are combined to provide complex responses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating a digital computer to recognize an occurrence of a predefined object in an image, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving image data representing samples of said image at spaced locations in said image; b) convolving said image data with a first predefined function to determine blob responses indicating regions of similar luminance in said image; c) convolving said image data with a second predefined function to determine ganglia responses indicating edges of objects; d) convolving said ganglia responses with a third predefined function to determine simple responses indicating lines in said image; e) combining the simple responses and the ganglia responses to determine complex responses indicating terminated line segments in said image; and f) examining combinations of blob responses and complex responses for an occurrence of a predefined combination that is characteristic of the predefined object. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of operating a digital computer to receive information from a human operator at a computer terminal in response to a pointing finger of the human operator, said method comprising the step of:
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a) scanning a region of space near said computer terminal to obtain image data representing samples of an image at spaced locations near said computer terminal; and b) analyzing said image data to recognize when the pointing finger is present in the image and to determine the position of the pointing finger in the image when the pointing finger is present, wherein said analyzing includes convolving said image data to resolve the image data into blobs characteristic of a fist of the human operator and complexes characteristic of the pointing finger, and examining the blobs and the complexes for a combination of a complex extending from a blob to recognize the presence of the pointing finger, and wherein said convolving said image data includes;
convolving said image data with a first predefined function to determine blob responses;
convolving said image data with a second predefined function to determine ganglia responses indicating edges of said finger;
convolving said ganglia responses with a third predefined function to determine simple responses; and
combining the simple responses and the ganglia responses to determine complex responses. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A data input terminal for a digital computer, said data input terminal comprising, in combination:
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a video display; a video camera mounted for scanning a region of space near said video display to provide a video signal representing an image of said region of space; an analog-to-digital converter receiving said video signal and providing digital samples of image data; and digital computing means for receiving said digital samples of image data and analyzing said image data to recognize when a pointing finger of a human operator is present in said image and to determine the location of the pointing finger in the image when the pointing finger is present; wherein said digital computing means includes means for convolving said image data to resolve the image data into blobs characteristic of a fist of the human operator and complexes characteristic of the pointing finger, and examining the blobs and the complexes for a combination f a complex extending from a blob to recognize the presence of the pointing finger, and wherein said means for convolving said image data includes means for convolving said image data with a first predefined function to determine blob responses, means for convolving said image data with a second predefined function to determine ganglia responses indicating edges of the pointing finger, means for convolving said ganglia responses with a third predefined function to determine simple responses, and means for combining the simple responses and the ganglia responses to determine complex responses. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification