Information input/output system and information input/output method

• US 7,069,516 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2000
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rekimoto, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuong, Truc T.
• Application Number:
  US09/739,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,017 Days
• Field of Search: 345182-184, 345/769, 345/757, 345/783, 345/805, 345/806, 345/831, 715/552, 715/530, 715/757, 715/783, 715/805, 715/802, 715/850, 715/852
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

A digital object is manipulated by way of a physical object. As a digital space on a computer is deeply fused with a physical real space, it becomes possible to input user commands not only by way of native user input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard but also various physical objects that are scattered in the real world and draw out a digital object by way of a physical object. As a result, computers can be operated in a more intuitive and easy way and become attractive to the users.

Claims

1. An information input/output system to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said system comprising:

one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space;

a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces;

an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces;

a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space; and

one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, said visual marker including identification information and position information for said physical objects;

said environment type computer being adapted to execute;

a processing operation of recognizing the identification information and the position information of each of said physical objects by indentifying the visual marker on the surface of each of said physical objects;

a processing operation of recognizing a digital object dropped to a site on the surface of each of said physical objects; and

a processing operation of forming link information for linking the digital object to the dropped site on the surface for each of said physical objects.

2. The information input/output system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said physical objects is a portable computer capable of being moved in said information space and exchanging digital objects with other computers.

3. The information input/output system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said physical objects is a portable computer capable of being moved in said information space and exchanging digital objects with other computers;

and

said environment type computer can expand a mouse/cursor operation on the installed portable computer onto said operation surfaces.

4. The information input/output system according to claim 1, wherein

said imaging means can identify the position indicated by an optical pointer for indicating a specific position by irradiating a beam of light with a predetermined wavelength;

and

the user is allowed to indicate a position in said information space by means of coordinates and the optical pointer.

5. The information input/output system according to claim 1, wherein said environment type computer executes a processing operation of calling the linked digital object and/or displaying the digital object to the user in response to a user operation applied to the site of forming the link information on the surface of each of the physical objects on the basis of the image picked up by said imaging means.

6. An information input/output system to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said system comprising:

one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space;

a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces;

an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces;

a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space;

one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, said visual marker including identification information and position information for said physical objects; and

a portable ID recognition device adapted to recognize/identify the visual marker on the surface of each of said physical objects.

7. The information input/output system according to claim 6, wherein

said environmental type computer is adapted to execute;

a processing operation of receiving the identification information of the source object and that of the destination object from said ID recognition device; and

a processing operation of applying an action specified on the basis of the combination of the type of the source object and that of the destination object.

8. The information input/output system according to claim 6, wherein

at least one of said physical objects is a portable computer capable of being moved in said information space and exchanging digital objects with other computers.

9. An information input/output system to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said system comprising:

one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space;

a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces;

an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces;

a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space; and

one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, said visual marker including identification information and position information for said physical objects;

at least one of said physical objects being a virtual camera having a virtual imaging direction as specified by the position information contained in the visual marker.

10. The information input/output system according to claim 9, wherein

said environment type computer is adapted to execute;

a processing operation of recognizing/identifying said virtual camera and identifying the position information and the virtual imaging direction;

a processing operation of generating a virtual picked up image according to the position information and the virtual imaging direction; and

a processing operation of displaying the virtual picked up image to the user.

11. The information input/output system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said physical objects is a portable computer that can move in said information space and exchange digital objects with another computer.

12. An information input/output system to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said system comprising:

one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space;

a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces;

an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces;

a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space;

one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, said visual marker including identification information and position information for said physical objects; and

an optical pointer adapted to point a specific position by irradiating a beam of light with a predetermined wavelength, wherein said imaging means is capable of identifying the position pointed to by said optical pointer.

13. The information input/output system according to claim 12, wherein said environment type computer executes on the basis of the image picked up by said imaging means;

a processing operation of recognizing the user operation on said operation surfaces, using said optical pointer; and

a processing operation of controlling the display of the digital object by said display means according to the result of the recognition.

14. An information input/output system to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said system comprising:

one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space;

a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces;

an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces;

a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space;

one or more than one portable computers capable of exchanging digital objects with other computers;

one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, said visual marker including identification information and position information for said physical objects; and

a portable ID recognition device adapted to recognize the visual marker on the surface of each of said physical objects and being capable of holding or releasing the recognized identification information.

15. The information input/output system according to claim 14, wherein said environment type computer executes;

a processing operation of obtaining a digital object corresponding to the held identification information in response to the holding operation of said ID recognition device; and

a processing operation of transferring a digital object corresponding to the held identification information to a nearby physical object in response to the releasing operation of said ID recognition device.

16. An information input/output system to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said system comprising:

one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space;

a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces;

an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces;

a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space;

one or more than one portable computers capable of exchanging digital objects with other computers; and

one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, said visual marker including identification information and position information for said physical objects;

said environment type computer being adapted to allow mouse/cursor operations on said portable computers to extend to said operation surfaces and display a rubber band as visual feedback according to the area on said operation surfaces as defined by means of said mouse/cursor.

17. The information input/output system according to claim 16, wherein said environment type computer is adapted to pick up an image of the area defined by the rubber band by means of said imaging means and take the picked up image in said information space as digital object.

18. The information input/output system according to claim 16, wherein another object can apply a process or a method it possesses to the rubber-banded original digital object in response to an action of said original object of being dropped on said another object.

19. The information input/output system according to claim 18, wherein said another object is a physical object possessing a process or a method for printing a document.

20. The information input/output system according to claim 18, wherein said another object is a name card possessing a process or a method for mailing a document to the mail address corresponding to the name on it.

21. An information input/output method to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said method comprising:

providing an information input/output system having one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space, a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces, an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces, a stationary environment type computer in said information space and one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, said visual marker including identification information and position information for said physical objects;

a step of firstly recognizing the identification information and the position information of each of said physical objects from the visual marker including on the surface of each of said physical objects;

a step of secondly recognizing the digital object dropped to a site on the surface of each of said physical objects; and

a step of forming link information for linking the digital object to the dropped site on the surface for each of said physical objects.

22. The information input/output method according to claim 21, wherein

at least one of said physical objects is a portable computer capable of being moved in said information space and exchanging digital objects with other computers;

and

said environment type computer can expand a mouse/cursor operation on the installed portable computer onto said operation surfaces in said second recognition step.

23. The information input/output method according to claim 21, wherein said imaging means can identify the position indicated by an optical pointer for indicating a specific position by irradiating a beam of light with a predetermined wavelength;

and

the user is allowed to indicate a position in said information space by means of coordinates and the optical pointer.

24. The information input/output method according to claim 21, further comprising:

a step of calling the linked digital object and/or displaying the digital object to the user in response to a user operation applied to the site of forming the link information on the surface of each of the physical objects.

25. An information input/output method to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said method comprising:

providing an information input/output system having one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space, a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces, an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces, a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space, one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, where the visual marker includes identification information and position information for the physical objects; and

a portable ID recognition device adapted to recognize/identify the visual marker on the surface of each of said physical objects;

a step of receiving the identification information of the source object and that of the destination object from said ID recognition device; and

a step of applying an action specified on the basis of the combination of the type of the source object and that of the destination object.

26. An information input/output method to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said method comprising:

providing an information input/output system having one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space, a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces, an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces, a stationary environment type computer in said information space and one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, where the visual marker includes identification information and position information for the physical objects, at least one of said physical objects being a virtual camera having a virtual imaging direction as specified by the position information contained in the visual marker;

a step of recognizing/identifying said virtual camera and identifying the position information and the virtual imaging direction;

a step of generating a virtual picked up image according to the position information and the virtual imaging direction; and

a step of displaying the virtual picked up image to the user.

27. An information input/output method to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said method comprising:

providing an information input/output system having one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space, a display means for displaying an imaging on said operation surfaces, an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces, a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space, one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, where the visual marker includes identification information and position information for the physical objects, and an optical pointer adapted to point a specific position by irradiating a beam of light with a predetermined wavelength, said imaging means being capable of identifying the position pointed by said optical pointer;

a step of recognizing the user operation on said operation surfaces, using said optical pointer; and

a step of controlling the display of the digital object by said display means according to the result of the recognition.

28. An information input/output method to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said method comprising:

providing an information input/output system having one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space, a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces, an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces, a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space and one or more than one portable computer capable of exchanging digital objects with other computers, one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, where the visual marker includes identification information and position information for the physical objects, and a portable ID recognition device adapted to recognize the visual marker on the surface of each of said physical objects and being capable of holding or releasing the recognized identification information;

a step of obtaining a digital object corresponding to the held identification information in response to the holding operation of said ID recognition device; and

a step of transferring a digital object corresponding to the identification information to a nearby physical object in response to the releasing operation of said ID recognition device.

29. An information input/output method to be used for user operations relating to an object in an information space realized by expanding a digital space of a computer into the real world, said method comprising:

providing an information input/output system having one or more than one operation surfaces arranged in said information space, a display means for displaying an image on said operation surfaces, an imaging means for picking up an image of said operation surfaces, a stationary environment type computer arranged in said information space, one or more than one portable computers capable of exchanging digital objects with other computers and one or more than one physical objects mounted on said operation surfaces and containing a visually identifiable visual marker on the surface thereof, where the visual marker includes identification information and position information for the physical objects;

a step of allowing mouse/cursor operations on said portable computers to extend to said operation surfaces; and

a step of displaying a rubber band as visual feedback according to the scope on said operation surfaces as defined by means of said mouse/cursor.

30. The information input/output method according to claim 29, further comprising:

a step of picking up an image of the scope defined by the rubber band by means of said imaging means and taking the picked up image in said information space as digital object.

31. The information input/output method according to claim 29, further comprising:

a step of applying a process or a method possessed by said another object to the rubber-banded original digital object in response to an action of said original object of being dropped on said another object.

32. The information input/output method according to claim 31, wherein said another object is a physical object possessing a process or a method for printing a document.

33. The information input/output method according to claim 31, wherein said another object is name card possessing a process or a method for mailing a document to the mail address corresponding to the name on it.