Vision pointer method and apparatus
First Claim
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1. A pointing device for pointing to a location on an information display observed by a user observing the information display, the pointing device comprising:
- a position determiner for determining a position of the user in response to a visual image of the user and for producing a position signal in response thereto, wherein the user has an at least first and second identifiable visual characteristics and said position determining means comprises an image processor for determining a position of the first identifiable visual characteristic relative to a position of the second identifiable visual characteristic and for producing the position signal in response thereto; and
a pointer signal generator for providing a pointer signal for moving a pointer on the information display in response to the position signal.
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Abstract
A system has an information display and a camera for visually observing an observer of the information display. The information display and camera may be part of personal computer equipped for video conferences. The observer controls movement of a pointer on the information display by changing positions. The pointer may be moved by corresponding rotation or movement of visually identifiable characteristic, such as a facial feature of the observer. The movement of the pointer may be independent of the area of the information display being viewed by the observer. Furthermore, the observer may control the information on the display by modifying a changeable visual characteristic. A closure of a left eye causes generation of a first control signal while closure of a right eye causes generation of a second control signal.
63 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A pointing device for pointing to a location on an information display observed by a user observing the information display, the pointing device comprising:
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a position determiner for determining a position of the user in response to a visual image of the user and for producing a position signal in response thereto, wherein the user has an at least first and second identifiable visual characteristics and said position determining means comprises an image processor for determining a position of the first identifiable visual characteristic relative to a position of the second identifiable visual characteristic and for producing the position signal in response thereto; and
a pointer signal generator for providing a pointer signal for moving a pointer on the information display in response to the position signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
said image processor determines the changeable visual characteristic as being in either the first or second state, and further wherein the position signal is generated in response to determination of the first state and inhibited in response to determination of the second state. -
3. The pointing device according to claim 2 wherein the user has at least one eye capable of being opened or closed and the changeable visual characteristic corresponds to the at least one eye, and the first state corresponds to the at least one eye being opened and the second state corresponds to the at least one eye being closed.
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4. The pointing device according to claim 2 wherein the user has two eyes, each eye capable of being opened or closed, and the changeable visual characteristic corresponds to the two eyes, and the first state corresponds to at least one of the two eyes being opened and the second state corresponds to both eyes being closed, and further wherein a third state corresponds to one eye being opened and the other eye being closed and
said image processor further determines the state of the changeable visual characteristic and the pointing device further comprises a control signal generator for generating a control signal in response to the third state for controlling information on the information display. -
5. The pointing device according to claim 1 wherein the user has a face having a nose and the first identifiable visual characteristic corresponds to the face and the second identifiable visual characteristic corresponds to the nose wherein
said image processor produces the position signal comprising an up signal when the nose of the user is positioned upward relative to the face, a down signal when the nose of the user is positioned downward relative to the face, a left signal when the nose of the user is positioned towards a left side relative to the face, and a right signal when the nose of the user is positioned towards a right side relative to the face, and whereby the pointer moves up, down, left, and/or right in response to the position signal having a corresponding up, down, left and/or right signal. -
6. The pointing device according to claim 1 wherein
said pointer signal moves the cursor to an absolute position on the information display in response to the determined position of the first identifiable characteristic relative to the position of the second identifiable visual characteristic by said image processor. -
7. The pointing device according to claim 1 included within a computer system, the computer system further comprising
voice recognizer for processing voice inputs from the user and adapted to operate in conjunction with said pointing device to provide a user interface responsive to visual and sound inputs from the user.
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8. A display control device for controlling information on an information display observed by a user, the display control device comprising:
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an image processor coupled to a video camera for capturing an image of the user having at least one changeable visual characteristic capable of changing between a first visually identifiable state and at least a second visually identifiable state, said image processor for determining the changeable visual characteristic as being in either the first or second state; and
a control signal generator coupled to said image processor for generating an information control signal in response to the first state, wherein the changeable visual characteristic is substantially independent of a direction of movement of the user and the information control signal controls information presented on the information display and further wherein the user has two eyes and the changeable visual characteristic corresponds to the two eyes, and the first state corresponds to one of the two eyes being open and the second state corresponds to both eves being open or both eves being closed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
a position determining means coupled to the video camera for determining a position of the user in response to the image of the user and for producing a position signal in response thereto; and
a pointer signal generator means for providing a pointer signal for moving a pointer on the information display in response to the position signal.
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10. The display control device according to claim 9 wherein the image of the user is further capable of a third visually identifiable state wherein
said image processor further determines the visual characteristic as having the third state and producing the information control signal in response thereto; - and
said position determining means is responsive to said image processor for inhibiting changes in the position signal in response to the third state.
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11. The display control device according to claim 10 wherein the user has two eyes and the third state of changeable visual characteristic corresponds to the two eyes being closed.
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12. The display control device according to claim 8 included within a computer system, the computer system further comprising
voice recognizer for processing voice inputs from the user and adapted to operate in conjunction with said display control device to provide a user interface responsive to visual and sound inputs from the user. -
13. The display control device according to claim 8 wherein the two eyes of the user include a left eye and a right eye and the information control signal includes a first control signal in response to only the right eye being closed and the left eye being open, and a second control signal different from the first control signal in response to the left eye being closed and the right eye being open.
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14. A pointing device for pointing to a location on an information display observed by a user having at least one changeable visual characteristic capable of changing between a first visually identifiable state and at least a second visually identifiable state, the pointing device comprising:
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a position determiner for determining a position of the user in response to a visual image of the user and for producing a position signal in response thereto; and
havingan image processor responsive to the visual image for producing the position signal and for determining the changeable visual characteristic of the visual image as being in either the first or second state, wherein the position signal is generated in response to determination of the first state and inhibited in response to determination of the second state; and
a pointer signal generator means for providing a pointer signal for moving a pointer on the information display in response to the position signal, wherein the user has two eyes, each eye capable of being opened or closed, and the changeable visual characteristic corresponds to the two eyes, and the first state corresponds to at least one of the two eyes being opened and the second state corresponds to both eyes being closed, and further wherein a third state corresponds to one eye being opened and the other eye being closed and said image processor further determines the third state of the changeable visual characteristic and the pointing device further comprises a control signal generator for generating a control signal in response to the third state for controlling information on the information display. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
an image processor for determining a position of the first identifiable visual characteristic relative to a position of the second identifiable visual characteristic and for producing the position signal in response thereto. -
16. The pointing device according to claim 15 wherein the user has a face having a nose and the first identifiable visual characteristic corresponds to the face and the second identifiable visual characteristic corresponds to the nose wherein
said image processor produces the position signal comprising an up signal when the nose of the user is positioned upward relative to the face, a down signal when the nose of the user is positioned downward relative to the face, a left signal when the nose of the user is positioned towards a left side relative to the face, and a right signal when the nose of the user is positioned towards a right side relative to the face, and whereby the pointer moves up, down, left, and/or right in response to the position signal having a corresponding up, down, left and/or right signal. -
17. The pointing device according to claim 14 included within a computer system, the computer system further comprising
voice recognition means for processing voice inputs from the user and adapted to operate in conjunction with said pointing device to provide a user interface responsive to visual and sound inputs from the user.
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18. A display control device for controlling information on an information display observed by a user, the display control device comprising:
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an image processor coupled to a video camera for capturing an image of the user having at least one changeable visual characteristic capable of changing between a first visually identifiable state and at least a second visually identifiable state, said image processor for determining the changeable visual characteristic as being in either the first or second state;
a control signal generator coupled to said image processor for generating an information control signal in response to the first state, whereby the information control signal controls information presented on the information display;
a position determiner coupled to the video camera for determining a position of the user in response to the image of the user and for producing a position signal in response thereto; and
a pointer signal generator means for providing a pointer signal for moving a pointer on the information display in response to the position signal, wherein the image of the user is further capable of a third visually identifiable state wherein said image processor further determines the visual characteristic as having the third state and producing the information control signal in response thereto; and
said position determining means is responsive to said image processor for inhibiting changes in the position signal in response to the third state.- View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
voice recognizer for processing voice inputs from the user and adapted to operate in conjunction with said display control device to provide a user interface responsive to visual and sound inputs from the user.
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23. A pointing device for pointing to a location on an information display observed by a user having at least one changeable visual characteristic capable of changing between a first visually identifiable state and at least a second visually identifiable state, the pointing device comprising:
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a position determining means for determining a position of the user in response to a visual image of the user and for producing a position signal in response thereto; and
havingan image processor responsive to the visual image for producing the position signal and for determining the changeable visual characteristic of the visual image as being in either the first or second state, wherein the position signal is generated in response to determination of the first state and inhibited in response to determination of the second state; and
a pointer signal generator means for providing a pointer signal for moving a pointer on the information display in response to the position signal, wherein the user has an at least first and second identifiable visual characteristics and said position determining means comprises an image processor for determining a position of the first identifiable visual characteristic relative to a position of the second identifiable visual characteristic and for producing the position signal in response thereto and further wherein the user has a face having a nose and the first identifiable visual characteristic corresponds to the face and the second identifiable visual characteristic corresponds to the nose wherein said image processor produces the position signal comprising an up signal when the nose of the user is positioned upward relative to the face, a down signal when the nose of the user is positioned downward relative to the face, a left signal when the nose of the user is positioned towards a left side relative to the face, and a right signal when the nose of the user is positioned towards a right side relative to the face, and whereby the pointer moves up, down, left, and/or right in response to the position signal having a corresponding up, down, left and/or right signal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
said image processor further determines the third state of the changeable visual characteristic and the pointing device further comprises a control signal generator for generating a control signal in response to the third state for controlling information on the information display. -
26. The pointing device according to claim 23 included within a computer system, the computer system further comprising
voice recognizer for processing voice inputs from the user and adapted to operate in conjunction with said pointing device to provide a user interface responsive to visual and sound inputs from the user.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeMichael J. Deluca
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Original AssigneeMichael J. Deluca
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InventorsDeLuca, Michael Joseph
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Primary Examiner(s)CHOW, DOON Y
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Application NumberUS09/067,877Time in Patent Office1,078 DaysField of Search345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/145US Class Current345/158CPC Class CodesG06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrange...G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements usin...
