Apparatus, method, and medium for tracking gesture

• US 8,009,865 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Yeun-bae, Kim, Kyu-yong, Bang, Won-chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tabatabai; Abolfazl
• Application Number:
  US11/896,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20080107303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/107, 382/236, 382/104, 382/291, 348/154, 348/155, 348/169, 348/170, 348/171, 348/172, 348/77, 348/94, 348/143, 715/863
• US Class Current: 382/103
• 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 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus, method, and medium for tracking a gesture, wherein, after a user is positioned approximately, a specific part of the user'"'"'s body is tracked continuously. The gesture-tracking apparatus includes a positioning unit positioning a user appearing in an inputted image and a target-tracking unit tracking a first body part of the user.

Claims

1. A gesture-tracking apparatus comprising:

a positioning unit to position a user to appear in an inputted image and to position a first and second predetermined region with reference to the positioned user; and

a target-tracking unit to track a first body part existing in the first predetermined region of the user in the inputted image,

wherein the target-tracking unit comprises;

a laser-beam-generation unit to generate a laser beam;

a laser control unit to control the laser-beam generation unit to scan the first body part; and

a path-modification unit to modify a path of the laser beam so that the laser beam is directed to the first body part, and

wherein the laser control unit is adapted to control the path of the laser beam away from the second predetermined region, if when tracking the first body part the path of the laser beam is directed to the second predetermined region which includes a second body part.

2. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioning unit is adapted to position the user by using image processing.

3. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target-tracking unit further comprises at least one of:

a light-reception unit to receive light resulting from scattering of the laser beam directed to the first body part; and

a trajectory measurement unit to measure a movement trajectory of the first body part with reference to an intensity of the received light and the modified emission path.

4. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 3, wherein the laser control unit is adapted to determine that tracking of the first body part is not possible when the intensity of the received light is below a threshold.

5. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 4, wherein the positioning unit is adapted to position the user in the inputted image when tracking of the first body part is not possible.

6. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a gesture-recognition unit to recognize a gesture of the first body part by using the measured movement trajectory.

7. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a signal output unit to output a signal based on the recognized gesture.

8. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the path of the laser beam is parallel to an input direction of the image.

9. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser control unit is adapted to limit generation of the laser beam if when tracking the first body part the path of the laser beam is directed to the second predetermined region which includes the second body part.

10. The gesture-tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first body part comprises at least one body part having priority among body parts of the user.

11. The gesture tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser-beam generation unit generates laser beams along a circle with a predetermined radius.

12. The gesture tracking apparatus of claim 11, wherein the predetermined radius varies depending on the distance between the first body part and the gesture tracking apparatus.

13. The gesture tracking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the path-modification unit further comprises one or more reflection mirrors and one or more driving units to modify an angle of the one or more reflection mirrors to modify the path of the laser-beam.

14. A gesture-tracking method comprising:

positioning a user to appear in an inputted image using at least one processor;

positioning a first and second predetermined region with reference to the positioned user; and

tracking a first body part existing in the first predetermined region of the user in the inputted image;

generating a laser beam;

scanning the first body part using the generated laser beam;

modifying a path of the laser beam so that the laser beam is directed to the first body part; and

controlling the path of the laser beam away from the second predetermined region, if when tracking the first body part the path of the laser beam is directed to the second predetermined region which includes a second body part.

15. The gesture-tracking method of claim 14, wherein the positioning is based on image processing.

16. The gesture-tracking method of claim 14, wherein the tracking the first body part further comprises at least one of:

receiving light resulting from scattering of the laser beam directed to the first body part; and

measuring a movement trajectory of the first body part with reference to the intensity of the received light and the modified path.

17. The gesture-tracking method of claim 16, which further comprises determining that tracking of the first body part is not possible when the intensity of the received light is below a threshold.

18. The gesture-tracking method of claim 17, wherein the user is positioned when tracking of the first body part is not possible.

19. The gesture-tracking method claim 16, which further comprises recognizing a gesture of the first body part by using the measured movement trajectory.

20. The gesture-tracking method of claim 19, which further comprises outputting a signal based on the recognized gesture.

21. The gesture-tracking method of claim 14, wherein the path of the laser beam is parallel to an input direction of the image.

22. The gesture-tracking method of claim 14, which further comprises limiting generation of the laser beam if when tracking the first body part the path of the laser beam is directed to the second predetermined region which includes the second body part.

23. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that control at least one processor to implement the method of claim 14.

24. The gesture tracking method of claim 14, wherein the first body part comprises at least one body part having priority among body parts of the user.

25. A gesture tracking apparatus comprising:

a positioning unit to position a user, having a first body part and a second body part, to appear in an inputted image;

a target-tracking unit to track the first body part; and

a control unit to control a path-modification unit to modify a path of a laser beam so that the laser beam is directed toward the first body part and to control the path of the laser beam away from the second body part if when tracking the first body part the path of the laser beam is directed to the second body part.

26. The gesture tracking apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a light-reception unit to receive light resulting from scattering of the laser beam directed to the first body part; and

a trajectory measurement unit to measure a movement trajectory of the first body part with reference to an intensity of the received light and the modified emission path.