Low cost interactive program control system and method

• US 6,831,664 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Pelletier, Daniel, Marmaropoulos, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/104,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 345/700, 345/716, 345/764, 345/763, 725/25, 725/60
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

An interactive control system and related apparatus uses disposable, low-cost control objects, such as cards or leaflets or three-dimensional visual shapes, for controlling and navigating through electronic “menu” programs of electronic equipment. The system incorporates visual detection equipment, of known type and function, that is capable of recognizing the color and locating the spatial orientation of a particularly shaped and colored control object. When the control object is displayed to a visual sensor of the visual detection equipment, an associated microprocessor converts the shape, color and spatial orientation of the control object into electronic signals for directing and controlling an external electronic program in a known manner. Because the control objects are passive and non-electronic, they can be made at very low cost and can be treated as disposable. In addition, printed matter can be included on their exposed surfaces to provide advertising and instructional material.

Claims

1. A low-cost interactive control system for navigating through external program menus of external electronic equipment, said system comprising:

electronic visual detection equipment for sighting and recognizing the color and location of particularly colored control objects;

at least one control object having a given shape and at least two side surfaces;

each one of said at least two side surfaces of said control object having a different dominant color thereon;

said electronic visual detection equipment being programmed to recognize the location of said control object in a coordinate grid pattern and to transmit predetermined electronic location signals for controlling an external program in correspondence with said recognized location of said object;

said electronic visual detection equipment further being programmed to recognize the color of the displayed surface of said control object and to transmit predetermined electronic color signals for controlling said audio visual program in correspondence with said recognized color.

2. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 1, wherein:

said electronic visual detection equipment is still further programmed to detect a change of color of the displayed surface of said control object and to transmit predetermined color change signals for controlling said external program in correspondence with said change of color.

3. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 1, wherein:

said electronic visual detection equipment is still further programmed to recognize the said given shape of said control object and to transmit predetermined electronic shape signals for controlling said external program in correspondence with said recognized shape.

4. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 1, wherein:

said electronic visual detection equipment is still further programmed to recognize the geometric spatial orientation of said control object and to transmit predetermined electronic orientation signals for controlling said external program in correspondence with said recognized geometric spatial orientation.

5. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 1, wherein:

the said shape of said control object is substantially symmetrical about an axis thereof.

6. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 1, wherein:

said control object is a substantially flat, planar card.

7. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 6, wherein:

said control object further has printed matter on at least one surface thereof.

8. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 1, wherein:

said control object is a substantially flat, multi-page leaflet having different dominant colors on at least three different pages.

9. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 8, wherein:

said control object further has printed matter on at least one page thereof.

10. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 1, wherein:

said control object is a three-dimensional figure having at least three side surfaces.

11. The low-cost interactive control system of claim 10, wherein:

said control object further has printed matter on at least one side surface thereof.

12. An improved method of navigating through external program menus of external electronic equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

compiling a first electronic list of shapes recognizable by electronic visual detection equipment;

compiling a second electronic list of electronic control signals for controlling external electronic equipment, each signal on said second list corresponding to one of said shapes on said first list;

exposing to electronic visual detection equipment an object having one of the said given shapes identified on said first electronic list of shapes, for recognition by said electronic visual detection equipment; and

,

transmitting to said external electronic equipment for control thereof, a signal from said second list of signals corresponding to the said one of said given shapes exposed to said visual detection equipment, in response to recognition by said electronic visual detection equipment of the said one of said given shapes exposed thereto.

13. The improved method of claim 12, comprising the further steps of

compiling a third electronic list of colors recognizable by electronic visual detection equipment;

compiling a fourth electronic list of electronic control signals for controlling external electronic equipment, each signal on said fourth list corresponding to one of said colors on said third list;

exposing to electronic visual detection equipment an object having one of the said given colors identified on said third electronic list of colors, for recognition by said electronic visual detection equipment; and

,

transmitting to said external electronic equipment for control thereof, a signal from said third list of colors corresponding to the said one of said given colors exposed to said visual detection equipment, in response to recognition by said electronic visual detection equipment of the said one of said given colors exposed thereto.

14. A low-cost interactive control system for navigating through program menus of electronic equipment, said system comprising:

electronic visual detection equipment including a lens for sighting and recognizing the color and location of particularly shaped and colored objects displayed to said lens;

at least one control object having a given shape and at least two side surfaces;

each one of said at least two side surfaces of said control object having a different dominant color displayed thereon;

said electronic visual detection equipment being programmed to recognize the location of said control object in a coordinate grid pattern and to transmit first predetermined electronic signals for controlling an external electronic program in correspondence with the detected location of said object; and

,

said electronic visual detection equipment further being programmed to recognize the detected color of the displayed surface of said control object and to transmit second predetermined signals for controlling said audio visual program in correspondence with said detected color.