Selection device and method

• US 8,456,421 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMU Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IMU Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Ni, Tsang-Der, Hwang, Deng-Huei, Lou, Ruey-Der, Yu, Wen-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US12/506,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20100033431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/163, 345/169, 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A selection device for selecting an icon in an image area is provided including a motion-sensing unit and a processing unit. The motion-sensing unit senses a first motion and converts the first motion into a first signal. The processing unit converts the first signal into a first locus in the image area, determines a first area in the image area according to the first locus, and determines whether the icon is to be selected according to the first area and a second area where the icon is to be displayed in the image area.

Claims

1. A selection device for selecting an icon in an image area, comprising:

a motion-sensing unit sensing a first motion and converting the first motion into a first signal; and

a processing unit converting the first signal into a first trajectory in the image area, determining a first area in the image area according to the first trajectory, and determining whether the icon is to be selected according to the first area and a second area where the icon is to be displayed in the image area, wherein the first trajectory at least nearly encloses the first area.

2. A selection device according to claim 1, wherein the first motion is generated by at least one selected from a group consisting of a hand, an arm, a foot, a leg, a head, a neck, a shoulder and a waist.

3. A selection device for selecting an icon in an image area, comprising:

a selection unit having a first motion, converting the first motion into a first trajectory in the image area, determining a first area of the image area according to the first trajectory, and determining whether the icon is to be selected according to the first area and a second area where the icon is to be displayed in the image area, wherein the first trajectory at least nearly encloses the first area.

4. A selection device according to claim 3, wherein a definable position is defined within the image area and the selection unit comprises:

a motion-sensing unit converting the first motion into a first signal; and

a processing unit converting the first signal into the first trajectory of the definable position, determining the first area according to the first trajectory, and determining whether the icon is to be selected according to the first area and the second area.

5. A selection device according to claim 4, wherein the motion-sensing unit comprises:

a gyroscope sensing the first motion for producing the first signal.

6. A selection device according to claim 4, wherein the motion-sensing unit comprises:

a gyroscope having at least two sensing degrees of freedom and sensing the first motion for producing a first portion of the first signal; and

an accelerometer having at least two sensing degrees of freedom and sensing the first motion for producing a second portion of the first signal.

7. A selection device according to claim 4, wherein the processing unit includes one selected from a group consisting of a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor and a central processing unit.

8. A selection device according to claim 3, wherein:

the first motion is formed by a hand driving the selection unit; and

the first motion includes at least one of a three-dimensional motion and a two-dimensional motion.

9. A selection device according to claim 3, wherein:

the first trajectory includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a first arc having an arc angle, a combination of a second arc and a first line segment, and plural second line segments; and

the arc angle of the first arc is in a degree being one selected from a group consisting of 360°

, near 360°

, and beyond 360°

when the first trajectory is the first arc.

10. A selection device according to claim 3, wherein:

the first area includes a closed area; and

the selection unit causes the icon to be selected when in a specific condition, wherein the specific condition is one selected from a group consisting of;

a first condition that the first and the second areas are partially overlapping,

a second condition that the first and the second areas are entirely overlapping,

a third condition that the first area is entirely covering the second area,

a fourth condition that a centroid of the first area is within the second area,

a fifth condition that the first trajectory passes through the second area, and

a sixth condition that the first trajectory touches the second area.

11. A selection device according to claim 3, wherein:

the selection unit further has a second motion, analyzes an acceleration-deceleration distribution of the second motion, and determines whether a preset function of the icon is performed after the selection unit conforms a selected status of the icon; and

the second motion is one selected from a group consisting of movements of drawing a check mark, a letter “

X”

, a wavy line, a triangle, an arc and a circle.

12. A selection device according to claim 3, wherein:

the selection unit further has a second motion, converts the second motion into a second trajectory in the image area, and determines whether a preset function of the icon is performed according to the second trajectory after the selection unit confirms a selected status of the icon; and

the second trajectory is one selected from a group consisting of a check mark, a letter “

X” and

a circle-shaped mark.

13. A selection device according to claim 12, wherein:

the selection unit establishes a starting point in the image area and causes an image displayed in the image area to be scrolled by a third motion being a movement from the starting point towards a boundary of the image area.

14. A selection device according to claim 13, wherein:

the third motion is one selected from a group consisting of an upward, a downward, a leftward and a rightward instantaneous motions; and

the third motion is sensed by one of a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

15. A selection method for selecting an icon in an image area, comprising steps of:

converting a first motion into a first trajectory in the image area;

determining a first area in the image area according to the first trajectory; and

determining whether the icon is to be selected according to the first area and a second area where the icon is to be displayed in the image area, wherein the first trajectory at least nearly encloses the first area.

16. A selection method according to claim 15, further comprising steps of:

converting the first motion into a first signal; and

converting the first signal into the first trajectory.

17. A selection method according to claim 15, wherein a definable position is defined within the image area, the selection method further comprising steps of:

starting the first motion;

initializing a reference point of the first trajectory of the definable position;

correlating the definable position with a posture of the first motion; and

performing a calibration and a compensation of the reference point.

18. A selection method according to claim 15, further comprising a step of:

causing the icon to be selected when in a specific condition, wherein the specific condition is one selected from a group consisting of;

a first condition that the first and the second areas are partially overlapping,

a second condition that the first and the second areas are entirely overlapping,

a third condition that the first area is entirely covering the second area, and

a fourth condition that a centroid of the first area is within the second area.

19. A selection method according to claim 15, wherein after the icon is selected, the method further comprises steps of:

converting a second motion into a second trajectory in the image area; and

determining whether a preset function of the icon is performed according to the second trajectory.

20. A selection method according to claim 19, wherein after the preset function of the icon was performed, the method further comprises steps of:

converting a third motion into a third trajectory in the image area, wherein the third trajectory is a line segment near one of a horizontal and a vertical line segments having a direction and a starting point within the image area; and

causing an image displayed in the image area to be scrolled by a fourth motion according to the starting point and the direction of the line segment and a boundary of the image area.