Method and apparatus for implementing a camera mouse

• US 6,783,069 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Petrie, Glen W., Karlsson, Sven, Hecht, David L., Flores, L. Noah
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US09/498,609
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/435, 235/439, 235/472.01, 382/312, 382/313
• US Class Current: 235/454
• 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 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037

Abstract

A mouse incorporating a camera captures an image of embedded data from a substrate under the mouse. The embedded data in the image is decoded to determine address or location information coded in the embedded data. Based on the decoded information and other user input signals, such as mouse button selection signals, the computer executes operations. The mouse also has a display controlled by the computer for providing visual feedback to a user. The display might generate an image of the substrate area under the mouse, making it appear to the user as if they are looking through the mouse directly onto the substrate. The display may also generate visual feedback regarding operations occurring in the computer, such as selection or other computer operations.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capturing information about a visible object in a first image disposed on a substrate, comprising:

means for providing a viewing area for assisting a user in positioning the apparatus over an image region of the first image disposed on the substrate;

the image region including the visible object and coded embedded data indicating information about the visible object;

the coded embedded data forming a uniform background for the visible object; and

means for capturing the coded embedded data from the image region, said embedded data including an orientation of the substrate and a location of the coded embedded data on the substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for decoding the coded embedded data to develop a code indicating a relative position of the apparatus and the substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the viewing area comprises a semi-transparent mirror.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the viewing area comprises a display for displaying a second image based on the coded embedded data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second image comprises information registered with the image region.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second image comprises a representation of the image region.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second image comprises information related to the visible object in the first image based on a user selection.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for capturing coded embedded data comprises a camera.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for providing user input signals.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for creating signals indicating relative movement of the apparatus and substrate.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising illumination means for illuminating the substrate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coded embedded data is a glyph code.

13. A method for capturing information from a substrate comprising:

positioning an apparatus over an image region of a first image disposed on the substrate using a viewing area of the apparatus;

the image region including a visible object and coded embedded data indicating information about the visible object;

the coded embedded data forming a uniform background for the visible object; and

capturing the coded embedded data from the image region using the apparatus, said embedded data including an orientation of the substrate and a location of the coded embedded data on the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising

decoding the coded embedded data to develop a code indicating a relative position of the apparatus and the substrate.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the viewing area comprises a semi-transparent mirror.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying on a display attached to the apparatus a second image based on the coded embedded data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second image comprises information registered with the image region.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second image comprises a representation of the image region.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second image comprises information about the visible object in the first image based on a user selection.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the apparatus includes a camera for capturing the coded embedded data.

21. The method of claim 13, further including providing user input signals.

22. The method of claim 13, further including creating signals indicating relative movement of the apparatus and substrate.

23. The method of claim 13, further including illuminating the substrate.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the coded embedded data is a glyph code.

25. A manually moveable apparatus for interacting with an image disposed on a substrate and for communicating with a data store including information about the image;

the apparatus comprising;

image capture means for capturing an image region of the image on the substrate;

the image region including an object visible to a user and coded embedded data indicating identification information about the visible object;

the coded embedded data forming a uniform background for the visible object;

a display for displaying the image region captured by the image capture means;

signal generation means for a user to generate an operation signal indicating a request to perform an operation related to the visible object; and

communication means for sending the operation signal and the identification information to a processor;

the processor using the identification information to retrieve second information about the visible object from the data store;

the processor further using the operation signal to determine the operation to perform using the second information;

the processor further using the second information about the visible object to display an output image on the display as feedback to the user in response to generating the operation signal.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 further including illumination means for illuminating the image region of the image on the substrate.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the processor is included in the manually moveable apparatus, and wherein the apparatus further comprises decoding means for decoding the coded embedded data to produce the identification information about the visible object.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the processor includes at least first and second processors;

the first processor being included in the handheld apparatus, and wherein the apparatus further comprises decoding means for decoding the coded embedded data to produce the identification information about the visible object; and

the second processor being included in a computer system separate from the manually moveable apparatus;

the computer system including decoding means for decoding the coded embedded data to produce the identification information about the visible object;

the second processor retrieving the second information about the visible object from the data store and using the second information to determine the operation to perform.