Interaction interface for controlling an application

• US 7,777,899 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GestureTek Incorporated (Winning Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Hildreth, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): PUNNOOSE, ROY M
• Application Number:
  US12/142,430
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 356/614, 250/559.29, 250/559.38
• US Class Current: 356/614
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/03 by measuring coordinates of points
• 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
• 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: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

In emitting and extinguishing periods, emitting and extinguishing projected electromagnetic radiation is alternated, the emitted projected electromagnetic radiation defining a radiation region adjacent to a housing. Sensed electromagnetic radiation within respective fields of view of first and second sensors is detected, the sensed electromagnetic radiation including ambient electromagnetic radiation detected during the emitting and the extinguishing periods, and projected electromagnetic radiation reflected off an object in the radiation region during the emitting period. Indicia of a position of the object with respect to the housing is output.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a housing;

an emitter configured to respectively alternate between, in emitting and extinguishing periods, emitting and extinguishing projected electromagnetic radiation, the emitted projected electromagnetic radiation defining a radiation region adjacent to the housing;

first and second sensors configured to detect sensed electromagnetic radiation within respective fields of view, the sensed electromagnetic radiation including ambient electromagnetic radiation detected during the emitting and the extinguishing periods, and projected electromagnetic radiation reflected off an object in the radiation region during the emitting period; and

an interface configured to output indicia of a position of the object with respect to the housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the emitter comprises multiple emitters, and

the electromagnetic radiation projected by the multiple emitters collectively defines the radiation region.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the multiple emitters are linearly disposed.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein:

the first and second sensors further comprise first and second lenses, respectively, and

a first line defined by the linearly disposed multiple emitters is parallel to a second line connecting centers of the first and second lenses.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the multiple emitters are equidistant from each other.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein:

the first and second sensors further comprise first and second lenses, respectively, and

optical axes of the first and second lenses intersect a line defined by the linearly disposed multiple emitters, at an angle.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the housing comprises first and second flanges, and the first and second lenses are respectively recessed in the first and second flanges.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an emitter opening formed in the housing; and

first and second sensor openings formed in the housing,

wherein;

the emitter is recessed into the emitter opening, and

the first and second sensors are respectively recessed into the first and second sensor openings.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein:

the emitters and first and second sensors are fully recessed within the housing.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein, in the emitting period, the emitter is configured to project electromagnetic radiation approximating a planar region.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the planar region comprises a uniform thickness.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein, in the emitting period, the emitter is configured to project electromagnetic radiation above the housing.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the projected electromagnetic radiation comprises infrared radiation.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises two- or three-dimensional coordinates representing the position of the object relative to the housing.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises absolute coordinates representing the position of the object with respect to the Earth.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second sensors are each configured to capture first and second images, and

the indicia comprises image data derived from the first and second images.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises a two- or three-dimensional description of motion of the object.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control a timing of the emitting and extinguishing periods.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein:

each sensor is further configured to;

capture an image of a portion of the radiation region within the field of view, and crop the image; and

during the emitting period, projected electromagnetic radiation reflected off the object in the radiation region is detected within each cropped image.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the radiation region is no wider than the housing.

21. The device of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to define a region of interest within the radiation region.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the indicia of the position comprise include two- or three-dimensional coordinates representing the position of the object relative to the defined region of interest.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the indicia of the position of the object is expressed as a percentage of a height of the region of interest and a percentage of a width of the region of interest.

24. A computer-implemented method comprising:

alternating between, in emitting and extinguishing periods, emitting and extinguishing projected electromagnetic radiation, the emitted projected electromagnetic radiation defining a radiation region adjacent to a housing;

detecting sensed electromagnetic radiation within respective fields of view of first and second sensors, the sensed electromagnetic radiation including ambient electromagnetic radiation detected during the emitting and the extinguishing periods, and projected electromagnetic radiation reflected off an object in the radiation region during the emitting period; and

outputting indicia of a position of the object with respect to the housing.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform a method comprising:

alternating between, in emitting and extinguishing periods, emitting and extinguishing projected electromagnetic radiation, the emitted projected electromagnetic radiation defining a radiation region adjacent to a housing;

detecting sensed electromagnetic radiation within respective fields of view of first and second sensors, the sensed electromagnetic radiation including ambient electromagnetic radiation detected during the emitting and the extinguishing periods, and projected electromagnetic radiation reflected off an object in the radiation region during the emitting period; and

outputting indicia of a position of the object with respect to the housing.