User interface apparatus and operation range presenting method

• US 6,266,061 B1
• Filed: 01/20/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Morishita, Akira, Numazaki, Shunichi, Doi, Miwako, Umeki, Naoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/009,696
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 345/358, 345/157, 345/158, 345/168, 345/173, 345/179, 345/180, 345/184, 345/156, 382/190, 382/199, 382/201, 382/203, 382/312
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883

Abstract

A user interface apparatus for performing input by image processing of an input image includes a unit for switching a mode for performing pointing and other modes on the basis of a result of the image processing of the input image. A user interface apparatus for performing input by image processing of an input image includes a unit for switching at least a cursor move mode, a select mode, and a double click mode on the basis of a result of the image processing of the input image. A user interface apparatus for performing input by image processing includes a unit for checking whether an object of image processing is in a proper range within which the image processing is possible, and a unit for presenting at least one of predetermined visual information and audio information, if it is determined that the object is outside the proper range. For example, the cursor is made smaller and/or lighter in color or made larger if the object is farther or closer, respectively, than the proper range, and the left or the right side of the cursor is deformed if the object falls outside the proper range to the left or the right.

Claims

1. A user interface apparatus comprising:

a first device configured to input a reflected image as an input image; and

a second device configured to perform input by image processing of said input image,

wherein said second device comprises a designating unit configured to designate a recognition engine configured to recognize and extract at least one respective variation in said input image to implement a corresponding action associated with a result of image processing of said input image,

said first device comprises a performing unit configured to perform predetermined image processing on the basis of the designated recognition engine, and

a sending unit configured to send back the input image and a result of the image processing to said second device, and

each of said first and second devices further comprises a requesting unit configured to request, when information necessary for image processing suited to a predetermined recognition engine in the device is activated first, the other device to deactivate identical information, and

a deactivating unit configured to deactivate information necessary for image processing suited to a predetermined recognition engine when requested to deactivate the information by the other device.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first device further comprises a requesting unit configured to request said second device to transfer information necessary for image processing suited to a necessary recognition engine, if said first device does not have an image processing unit suited to the recognition engine, and

said second device further comprises a transferring unit configured to transfer the requested information to said first device.

3. An instruction input method using a user interface apparatus including a first device configured to input a reflected image as an input image and a second device configured to perform input by image processing of said input image, comprising the steps of:

allowing said second device to designate a recognition engine configured to recognize and extract at least one respective variation in said input image to implement a corresponding action associated with a result of image processing of said input image,

allowing said first device to perform predetermined image processing on the basis of the designated recognition engine, and send back the input image and a result of the image processing to said second device, and

allowing each of said first and second devices to request, when information necessary to image processing suited to a predetermined recognition engine in the one of the first and second device is activated first, the other device to deactivate identical information and to deactivate information necessary for image processing suited to a predetermined recognition engine when requested to deactivate the information by the other device.

4. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing an instruction to be input using a user interface apparatus including a first device for inputting a reflected image and a second device for performing input by image processing of an input image, the computer readable program means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to allow said second device to designate a recognition engine configured to recognize and extract at least one respective variation in said input image to implement a corresponding action associated with a result of image processing of said input image;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to allow said first device to perform predetermined image processing an the basis of the designated recognition method and send back the input image and a result of the image processing to said second device; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to allow each of said first and second devices to request, when information necessary for image processing suited to a predetermined recognition engine in one of the first and second devices is activated first, the other device to deactivate identical information, and to deactivate information necessary for image processing suited to a predetermined recognition engine when requested to deactivate the information by the other device.