Visual user interface for use in controlling the interaction of a device with a spatial region

• US 6,624,846 B1
• Filed: 07/18/1997
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
• Original Assignee: Interval Research Corporation
• Inventors: Lassiter, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, JACQUELINE B
• Application Number:
  US08/896,928
• Time in Patent Office: 2,258 Days
• Field of Search: 348/218, 348/211, 348/15, 348/36, 348/37, 348/38, 348/39, 348/552, 348/727, 348/33, 348/211.9, 348/211.4, 348/211.7, 348/211.8, 348/14.05, 348/218.1, 352/69, 358/450, 345/349, 345/434, 345/327, 345/328
• US Class Current: 348/211.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators

Abstract

An improved visual user interface enables control of the interaction of a device with a spatial region. The visual user interface includes a display of a control space and a display of a target space. The content of the displayed target space can be a representation of some or all of the spatial region. The content of the displayed control space and displayed target space can also be established such that the displayed target space provides context for the displayed control space. The device is operated in accordance with the state of the displayed control space. The visual user interface enables a user to change the display of the control space, thereby controlling the operation of the device. Such a visual user interface in which a target scene provides context for a control scene can, for example, facilitate perception by a video camera operator of a current filmed scene in the context of the current filmed scene'"'"'s surroundings, thereby enhancing the camera operator'"'"'s ability to engage in critical and sophisticated camera work with great precision. The visual user interface can also include a space for making annotations regarding the interaction of the device with the spatial region, thereby enabling such annotations to easily be made contemporaneously with control of the device, so that a single person can perform both functions well. Additionally, the annotation capability can be implemented in a way that enables the user to handwrite the annotations, thus facilitating a wide range of expression in creating annotations and avoiding the problems associated with voice annotation systems.

Claims

1. A visual user interface for use in controlling the interaction of a device with a spatial region, comprising:

means for displaying a target space and a control space, wherein an overlapping portion of the control space is within the target space, the content of the overlapping portion of the control space being substantially the same as the content of the target space that would otherwise be present at the location of the overlapping portion of the control space, such that the content of the target space provides context for at least the overlapping portion of the control space; and

means for enabling a user to change the state of the display of the control space, wherein the device is controlled in response to the state of the display of the control space;

wherein the target space comprises a moving video image of a target area defined by the boundaries within which the device is capable of interacting with the spatial region and the overlapping portion of the control space comprises a moving video image of the portion of the target space with which the device is interacting at any given time;

wherein the target space comprises an area too large to be displayed at one time by the visual user interface and wherein the means for displaying is configured to display a portion of the target space at any given time and to change the portion displayed, if needed, in response to movement of the control space relative to the target space by the user, so as to display a portion of the target space that includes the overlapping portion of the control space, even if the control space is moved by the user to an area within the target space that lies outside the portion of the target space originally displayed by the visual user interface.

2. A visual user interface as in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a video camera, the target space comprises a target scene, and the control space comprises a control scene;

and wherein the control scene comprises a scene currently being filmed.

3. A visual user interface as in claim 1, wherein the means for enabling a user to change the state of the control space is adapted to enable the user to change the size of the control space with respect to the target space.

4. A visual user interface as in claim 1, wherein the means for enabling a user to change the state of the control space is adapted to enable the user to change the shape of the control space with respect to the target space.

5. A visual user interface as in claim 1, wherein the means for enabling a user to change the state of the control space is adapted to enable the user to change the angular orientation of the control space with respect to the target space.

6. A visual user interface as in claim 1, wherein the means for enabling a user to change the state of the control space is adapted to enable the user to change the location of the control space with respect to the target space.