Computer having video controlled cursor system

• US 5,821,922 A
• Filed: 05/27/1997
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sellers, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US08/863,870
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/157, 345/156, 345/173, 345/7, 345/435, 382/312
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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 cursor control system for a computer includes a small video camera mounted above the keyboard portion of the computer and pivotable to selectively view (1) a central observation zone generally over the keyboard, (2) a horizontally offset observation zone to the left of the keyboard, or (3) a horizontally offset observation zone to the right of the keyboard. The image received by the video camera of a computer user'"'"'s hand placed within the selected observation zone is transmitted to cursor control circuitry which monitors the presence, configuration and movement of the hand. When the hand is placed in a first predetermined configuration and moved into and through the zone, the circuitry switches the computer from a keyboard typing mode to a cursor positioning mode, tracks the hand movement through the zone, and correspondingly moves the cursor on the computer display screen. When the hand is then placed in a predetermined second configuration the circuitry causes a cursor "pick" function to be generated in conjunction with the repositioned cursor. Finally, in response to placement of the hand in a third predetermined configuration the circuitry switches the computer from its cursor positioning mode back to its previous keyboard typing mode. The video controlled cursor positioning system is representatively illustrated in both a portable and desktop computer embodiment.

Claims

1. Computer apparatus comprising:

a keyboard having a top side portion and an observation zone positioned upwardly adjacent and extending along said top side portion;

a video camera positioned to monitor said observation zone; and

control circuitry, associated with said video camera and operative, in response to detection by said video camera of a control movement of a predetermined object through said observation zone, to create a control signal useable to move a cursor on a display screen in a manner corresponding to the detected control movement.

2. The computer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said keyboard is a portable computer keyboard.

3. The computer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said keyboard is a desktop computer system keyboard.

4. The computer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said predetermined object is a hand of a user of said computer apparatus.

5. The computer apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said object is selectively changeable to a plurality of different configurations, and

said control circuitry is further operative to differentiate between said different configurations of said object within said observation zone and alter said control signal in different manners correlated to each configuration.

6. The computer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said control circuitry is operative to alter said control signal in a manner switching said computer apparatus from a keyboard typing mode to a cursor control mode in response to the presence of said object in a cursor control activation configuration thereof in said observation zone.

7. The computer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said control circuitry is operative to alter said control signal in a manner using said cursor to select an area of said screen in response to the presence of said object in a pick configuration thereof in said observation zone.

8. The computer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said control circuitry is operative to alter said control signal in a manner switching said computer apparatus from a cursor control mode to a keyboard typing mode in response to the presence of said object in a deactivating configuration thereof in said observation zone.

9. The computer apparatus of claim 5 wherein said control circuitry is operative to alter said control signal in a manner switching said computer apparatus from a cursor control mode to a keyboard typing mode in response to the withdrawal of said object from said observation zone.

10. Computer apparatus comprising:

a keyboard;

a screen upon which a movable cursor may be displayed;

a video camera operable to monitor an observation zone; and

control circuitry associated with said video camera and operative in response to detection by said video camera of a control movement of a predetermined object through said observation zone, to create a control signal and use said control signal to move said cursor on said screen in a manner corresponding to the detected control movement,

said computer apparatus being a portable computer having a base housing on which said keyboard is carried, and a lid housing on which said screen is carried, said lid housing being supported on said base housing for movement relative thereto between open and closed positions,

said video camera being carried by said lid housing and being operable to monitor said observation zone when said lid housing is in said open position thereof, and

said observation zone being adjacent said keyboard.

11. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said predetermined object is a hand of a user of said computer apparatus.

12. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said observation zone is disposed generally above said keyboard.

13. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said observation zone is horizontally offset from said base housing.

14. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said video camera is supported on said lid housing for movement relative thereto in a manner selectively shifting said observation zone among (1) a central position disposed generally above said keyboard, (2) a left position leftwardly offset from said keyboard as viewed from the front thereof, and (3) a right position rightwardly offset from said keyboard as viewed from the front thereof.

15. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

said object is selectively changeable to a plurality of different configurations, and

said control circuitry is further operative to differentiate between said different configurations of said object within said observation zone and alter said control signal in different manners correlated to each configuration.

16. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said control circuitry is operative to alter said control signal in a manner switching said computer apparatus from a keyboard typing mode to a cursor control mode in response to the presence of said object in a cursor control activation configuration thereof in said observation zone.

17. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said control circuitry is operative to alter said control signal in a manner using said cursor to select an area of said screen in response to the presence of said object in a pick configuration thereof in said observation zone.

18. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said control circuitry is operative to alter said control signal in a manner switching said computer apparatus from a cursor control mode to a keyboard typing mode in response to the presence of said object in a deactivating configuration thereof in said observation zone.

19. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said control circuitry is operative to alter said control signal in a manner switching said computer apparatus from a cursor control mode to a keyboard typing mode in response to the withdrawal of said object from said observation zone.

20. The computer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said keyboard is a desktop computer system keyboard.

21. The computer apparatus of claim 20 wherein said video camera is supported on said keyboard in an elevated position relative thereto.

22. Computer apparatus comprising:

a keyboard having a top side portion and an observation zone positioned upwardly adjacent and extending along said top side portion;

a screen upon which a movable cursor may be displayed; and

cursor control means for receiving three dimensional images of an object moving through said observation zone and utilizing the received images to move said cursor along said screen in a manner correlated to the movement of the object through said observation zone.

23. The computer apparatus of claim 22 wherein said cursor control means include a video camera.

24. The computer apparatus of claim 22 wherein said cursor control means are further operative to differentiate different configurations of the object within the observation zone and responsively provide a plurality of different cursor control functions each keyed to a different one of said configurations.

25. The computer apparatus of claim 24 wherein said cursor control means include a video camera.