Method and device for touchless control of a camera

• US 7,620,316 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Navisense
• Original Assignee: Navisense
• Inventors: Boillot, Marc Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, KENNETH
• Application Number:
  US11/562,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 396/419, 396/428, 396/429, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/211.8, 348/211.9, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A device (100) and a method (200) for operating a camera (130) based on touchless movements is provided. The device (100) includes a sensing unit (110) for detecting a touchless movement, and a controller (130) for handling one or more controls of the camera in accordance with the touchless movement. A virtual user interface is provided to allow a user to control a camera on a computer or a mobile device using touchless finger movements. Touchless controls are provided for zoom, pan, focus, aperture, balance, color, calibration, or tilt. A first touchless finger movement can select a control, and a second touchless finger movement can adjust the control.

Claims

1. A device for operating a camera, comprising:

a sensing unit for

projecting a touchless sensing space in a field of view of the camera,

displaying or projecting an image within the same field of view, and

detecting a touchless movement directed to a displayed object in the image; and

a controller cooperatively coupled to the sensing unit for

identifying the displayed object, and

controlling a camera representation of the displayed object as a function of the touchless movement.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein controller tracks a finger movement and points the field of view of the camera in a direction of the finger movement.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a mobile phone mobile communication device or a portable music player that projects the images on a surface.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts at least one of a zoom, pan, focus, aperture, balance, color, calibration, or tilt of the object in accordance with the touchless movement.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit creates a touchless sensing field above a keyboard typing area, such that a finger moving in the touchless sensing field controls the object.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises at least one of an ultrasonic device, a MEMS microphone, an acoustic microphone, an optical device, an infrared device, a laser device, or a charge coupled device (CCD).

7. A method for operating a camera, comprising the steps of:

projecting a touchless sensing space in a field of view of the camera;

displaying or projecting an image to produce a projected image;

detecting a touchless movement that is directed to a displayed object in the projected image; and

controlling the object in accordance with the touchless movement.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying a location of the object in the image from the touchless movement; and

adjusting a control of the camera in accordance with the absolute location,

wherein the projected image is separate from the touchless sensing space.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying a location of the object in the image from the touchless movement; and

adjusting a control of the camera in accordance with the relative displacement,

wherein the projected image is in the touchless sensing space.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the control is a zoom, pan, focus, aperture, balance, color, calibration, or tilt.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the control is adjusted in accordance with a range of the touchless movement.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the touchless movement is at least one of a continuous movement, an accelerated movement, a graduated movement, or a stop movement.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting a touchless movement includes tracking a finger and adjusting a zoom of an image in accordance with a finger movement in at least one dimension.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting a touchless movement includes tracking a finger and adjusting a centering of an image in accordance with a finger movement in at least one dimension.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein a second touchless movement performs one of taking a picture, zooming, starting a recording, or stopping a recording.

16. A mobile phone, comprising

a camera for capturing pictures and projecting images;

a sensing unit operatively coupled to the camera for projecting a touchless sensing space within a field of view of the camera and detecting a touchless finger movement that identifies an object in a picture or a projected image within the field of view; and

a processor for controlling the object in the field of view of the camera in accordance with the touchless finger movement.

17. The mobile phone of claim 16, wherein the processor identifies a first touchless finger movement for selecting a first camera control, and identifies a second touchless finger movement for adjusting the camera control.

18. The mobile phone of claim 16, wherein the processor identifies a first touchless finger movement for zooming the object.

19. The mobile phone of claim 16, wherein the sensing unit automatically activates when a camera mode is selected.

20. The mobile phone of claim 16, wherein the processor focuses the camera on the object of the touchless movement.