Using video information to control cursor position

• US 6,738,041 B2
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Silber, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M.
• Application Number:
  US09/430,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/166, 345/168, 345/158, 382/103, 382/236
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A cursor control system for a processor-based system may receive input commands through a digital camera. Displacements of the camera along two transverse axes may correlate to displacements of a cursor image on a display screen associated with the processor-based system. Thus, the camera may be utilized for image capture operations and likewise for controlling the processor-based system'"'"'s cursor image. The camera may then function not only as a conventional camera but also as a pointing device.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a processor-based system comprising:

receiving a current video frame from a camera coupled to said system;

comparing the current video frame to an immediately preceding video frame; and

if the difference between the current video frame and the immediately preceding video frame exceeds a predetermined noise threshold, then generating a cursor control signal responsive to displacement of the camera.

2. The method of claim 1 including receiving a mouse click signal provided by the user through the camera.

3. The method of claim 1 including translating changes in the orientation of the camera along two transverse axes.

4. The method of claim 1 further including determining whether the orientation of the camera has changed by analyzing the video information.

5. The method of claim 4 including analyzing less than all the pixels captured by the camera to determine whether the orientation of the camera has changed.

6. The method of claim 1 including linking camera displacement in a given direction to displacement in the same direction of a cursor.

7. The method of claim 6 including translating the extent of movement of the camera with the extent of movement of the cursor.

8. An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:

receive a current video frame from a camera coupled to the system;

compare the current video frame to an immediately preceding video frame to determine a difference value; and

if the difference value exceeds a predetermined noise threshold, then generate a cursor control signal responsive to displacement of the camera.

9. The article of claim 8 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to receive a mouse click signal provided by the user through the camera.

10. The article of claim 8 further storing instructions that translate changes in the orientation of the camera along two transverse axes.

11. The article of claim 8 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to determine whether the camera orientation is changed by analyzing the video information.

12. The article of claim 11 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to analyze less than all the pixels captured by the camera to determine whether the camera orientation has changed.

13. The article of claim 8 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to link camera displacement in a given direction to displacement in the same direction of the cursor.

14. The antic of claim 13 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to correlate the extent of movement of the camera with the extent of movement of the cursor.

15. A processor-based system comprising:

a processor;

a storage coupled to said processor;

a camera coupled to said processor; and

software stored on said storage to generate a difference value derived, in part, from a comparison of a current video frame to an immediately preceding video frame to generate a cursor control signal responsive to displacement of said camera.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said camera includes a pushbutton, said pushbutton operating as a mouse select button.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said camera includes a base and a lens, and said camera lens is pivotable in three dimensions about said base.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said cursor control signal is generated as a result of the analysis of video information captured by said camera.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said software analyzes less than all of the pixels captioned by said camera.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the extent of movement of said camera controls the extent of cursor movement.