Image processing device, image processing system, computer control method, and information storage medium

• US 7,944,476 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ito, Junpei, Kato, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, SATHYANARAYA V
• Application Number:
  US11/759,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.16
• US Class Current: 348/208.16
• 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: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

To enable a prompt switching operation by a user. An image processing device connected to an image capturing section has a process execution section for executing any of a plurality of processes, obtains area specification data for specifying an area where the user is shown in the image, based on a difference between the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section images, and switches a process to be carried out by the process execution section, depending on the position of an edge of the area specified by the area specification data obtained.

Claims

1. An image processing device connected to image capturing section for sequentially capturing images of a user, comprising:

process execution section for carrying out any of a plurality of processes to be carried out based on at least one of the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section;

area specification data acquisition section for obtaining area specification data for specifying a position of an edge of the user shown in the image, based on a difference between the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section; and

process switching section for switching a process to be carried out by the process execution section, depending on a distance between one side of the image and the position of the edge of the user specified by the area specification data obtained by the area specification data acquisition section.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the area specification data acquisition section includes

position coordinate storage section for storing, as the area specification data, position coordinates of a plurality of control points set on an edge of the area, and

position coordinate update section for updating the position coordinates of each of the control points based on a difference between the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the process switching section

includes first determination section for determining whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied, based on the distance between the upper side of the image and the position of the edge of the area specified by the area specification data, and

switches the process to be carried out by the process execution section, based on a result of the determination by the first determination section.

4. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the process switching section

includes second determination section for determining whether or not the edge of the user specified by the area specification data is generated at the left or right side of the image, and

switches the process to be carried out by the process execution section, based on a result of the determination by the second determination section.

5. A method for controlling a computer connected to image capturing section for sequentially capturing images of a user, comprising:

a process execution step of carrying out one of a plurality of processes to be carried out based on at least one of the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section;

an area specification data acquisition step of obtaining area specification data for specifying a position of the user is shown in the image, based on a difference between the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section; and

a process switching step of switching a process to be carried out at the process execution step, depending on a distance between one side of the image and the position of the edge of the user specified by the area specification data obtained at the area specification data acquisition step.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer connected to image capturing section for sequentially capturing images of a user to function as:

process execution section for carrying out any of a plurality of processes to be carried out based on at least one of the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section;

area specification data acquisition section for obtaining area specification data for specifying a position of an edge of the user shown in the image, based on a difference between the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section; and

process switching section for switching a process to be carried out by the process execution section, depending on a distance between one side of the image and the position of the edge of the user specified by the area specification data obtained by the area specification data acquisition section.

7. An image processing system, comprising:

image capturing section for sequentially capturing images of a user; and

an image processing device,

wherein

the image processing device includes

process execution section for carrying out any of a plurality of processes to be carried out based on at least one of the images sequentially captured by the image capturing section,

captured image portion determination section for determining which portion of the user'"'"'s body is shown in each of the sequentially captured images, and

process switching section for switching a process to be carried out by the process execution section, depending on the portion determined by the captured image portion determination section, wherein

the image capturing section includes an image capturing direction adjustment mechanism for adjusting an image capturing direction, and

the captured image portion determination section

includes image capturing direction detection section for detecting an image capturing direction of the image capturing section, which is adjusted by the image capturing direction adjustment mechanism, and

determines which portion of the user'"'"'s body is shown in the captured image, depending on the image capturing direction detected by the image capturing direction detection section.

8. An image processing device connected to image capturing section, comprising

process execution section for carrying out any of a plurality of processes;

area specification data acquisition section for obtaining area specification data for specifying a position of an edge of a user shown in an image, based on a difference between images sequentially captured by the image capturing section; and

process switching section for switching a process to be carried out by the process execution section, depending on a distance between one side of the image and the position of the edge of the user specified by the area specification data obtained by the area specification data acquisition section.

9. A control method for a computer connected to image capturing section means, comprising:

a process execution step of executing any of a plurality of processes;

an area specification data acquisition step of obtaining area specification data for specifying a position of an edge of a user shown in an image, based on a difference between images sequentially captured by the image capturing section; and

a process switching step of switching a process to be carried out at the process execution step, depending on a distance between one side of the image and the position of the edge of the user specified by the area specification data obtained at the area specification data acquisition step.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer connected to image capturing section to function as:

process execution section for carrying out any of a plurality of processes;

area specification data acquisition section for obtaining area specification data for specifying a position of an edge of a user shown in an image, based on a difference between images sequentially captured by the image capturing section; and

process switching section for switching a process to be carried out by the process execution section, depending on a distance between one side of the image and the position of the edge of the area specified by the area specification data obtained by the area specification data acquisition section.

11. An image processing system comprising:

image capturing section; and

image processing device, wherein

the image processing device includes

process execution section for carrying out any of a plurality of processes;

area specification data acquisition section for obtaining area specification data for specifying a position of an edge of a user shown in an image, based on a difference between images sequentially captured by the image capturing section; and

process switching section for switching a process to be carried out by the process execution section, depending on a distance between one side of the image and the position of the edge of the user specified by the area specification data obtained by the area specification data acquisition section.