Adaptive cursor sizing

• US 8,773,355 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Perez, Kathryn Stone, Poot, Rudy Jacobus
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, EMILY J
• Application Number:
  US12/405,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for controlling a computing environment with one or more gestures by sizing a virtual screen centered on a user, and by adapting the response of the computing environment to gestures made by a user and modes of use exhibited by a user. The virtual screen may be sized using depth, aspects of the user such as height and/or user profile information such as age and ability. Modes of use by a user may also be considered in determining the size of the virtual screen and the control of the system, the modes being based on profile information and/or information from a capture device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

analyzing a depth data to locate a person in the depth data;

determining a distance of the person from a capture device used to generate the depth data or a display device communicatively coupled to the capture device, and a size of the person within the depth data;

determining, based on the distance and the size of the person, at least one of a size, shape or location of a physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated;

determining motions of the person within the determined physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated;

analyzing a second depth data to locate the person in the second depth data;

determining a second distance of the person from the capture device used to generate the depth data or the display device communicatively coupled to the capture device, and a second size of the person within the depth data, the person having changed physical locations between the second depth data and the depth data;

determining, based on the second distance and the second size of the person, at least one of a size, shape or location of a second physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated, the second physical area differing from the first physical area; and

determining second motions of the person within the second physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting an audiovisual display based on at least one of the distance or the size of the person.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a cursor on the audiovisual display tracks the person'"'"'s motions, and wherein the tracking by the cursor is adjusted according to at least one of the person'"'"'s playing history, typical mode of play, or profile information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance is measured using a depth camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the size and shape of the physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated is determined based on additional information obtained from a lookup table.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one of size, shape, or location of the physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated further comprises:

identifying a profile associated with the person, the profile comprising stored information about the person including size or facial recognition or voice recognition, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein information stored in the profile further comprises at least one of one or more aspects of the person'"'"'s playing history, age, or the person'"'"'s typical mode of play.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein an audiovisual display is adjusted according to stored profile information of the person.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated is centered on, and has dimensions corresponding to at least one of the person, an appendage of the person, or an object associated with the person.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining motions by the person is performed based on a precision of the person'"'"'s motions.

11. A computer readable storage device having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

analyzing a depth data to locate a person in the depth data;

determining a distance and a size of the person;

determining, based on the distance and the size of the person, at least one of a size, shape or location of a physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated;

determining motions of the person within the determined physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated;

analyzing a second depth data to locate the person in the second depth data;

determining a second distance of the person from the capture device used to generate the depth data or the display device communicatively coupled to the capture device, and a second size of the person within the depth data, the person having changed physical locations between the second depth data and the depth data;

determining, based on the second distance and the second size of the person, at least one of a size, shape or location of a second physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated, the second physical area differing from the first physical area; and

determining second motions of the person within the second physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated.

12. The computer readable storage device of claim 11, further having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed on the computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

adjusting an audiovisual display or a cursor or both based on at least one of the distance or the size of the person.

13. The computer readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the size of the person comprises at least one of height, or arm length.

14. The computer readable storage device of claim 11, wherein determining the at least one of size, shape or location of the physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated comprises determining a portion of the person to center the screen on, and identifying a profile associated with the person, wherein the profile comprises stored information about the person including size or facial recognition or voice recognition, or any combination thereof, wherein the physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated is centered on and has dimensions corresponding to at least one of the person, an appendage of the person or an object associated with the person.

15. The computer readable storage device of claim 14, further having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed on the computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

adjusting an audiovisual display according to stored profile information of the person.

16. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor when the system is operational, the memory bearing processor-executable instructions that, when executed upon the processor, cause the system to at least;

analyze an image captured with a detector to locate a person in the image;

determine a distance and a size of the person within the image;

determine, based on the distance and the size of the person, at least one of a size, shape or location of a physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated;

determine motions of the person within the determined physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated;

analyzing a second depth data to locate the person in the second depth data;

determining a second distance of the person from the capture device used to generate the depth data or the display device communicatively coupled to the capture device, and a second size of the person within the depth data, the person having changed physical locations between the second depth data and the depth data;

determining, based on the second distance and the second size of the person, at least one of a size, shape or location of a second physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated, the second physical area differing from the first physical area; and

determining second motions of the person within the second physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the detector comprises a depth camera.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions that, when executed on the processor, cause the system to at least determine the at least one of size, shape or location of the physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated further cause the system to at least:

determine the at least one of size, shape or location of the physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated by identifying a profile associated with the person, the profile comprising stored information about the person including size or age, or facial recognition or voice recognition, or any combination thereof.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the physical area in which the person'"'"'s movements are evaluated has dimensions corresponding to at least one of the person, an appendage of the person or an object associated with the person.