Interactive system capable of improving image processing

• US 9,024,880 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Egis Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Hsin-Chia, Lu, Chih-Hung, Lin, Cho-Yi, Chao, Tzu-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDIN, SHAHEDA A
• Application Number:
  US12/775,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20100220210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 345/164, 345/156, 345/419, 345/173, 821/03, 821/64, 822/86, 822/91, 715/700, 715/702, 715/716, 715/773, 382/103, 382/164, 382/286, 382/291
• US Class Current: 345/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics

Abstract

An interactive system capable of improving image processing includes a reference device, a processing module and a controller. The reference device is used for transmitting and/or reflecting light signals within a predetermined spectrum. The processing module includes an image sensor, an estimation unit and a transmission interface. The image sensor is used for sensing an image so as to generate pixel signals; the estimation unit is used for determining static parameters of at least one image object according to the pixel signals; and the transmission interface is used for serially outputting the static parameters of the at least one image object. The controller is used for controlling operation of the interactive system according to the static parameters of the at least one image object outputted from the transmission interface. The image sensor, the estimation unit, and the transmission interface can all be formed on the same substrate.

Claims

1. An interactive system capable of improving image processing comprising:

a processing module comprising;

an image sensor for sensing an image so as to generate pixel signals;

an estimation unit for determining static parameters of at least one image object according to the pixel signals, the at least one image object representing a set of pixel signals having similar colors, wherein the static parameters represents a coordinate of the at least one image object, an area of the at least one image object, an orientation of the at least one image object, colors of the at least one image object, endpoints of the at least one image object, a length to width ratio of the at least one image object, and/or a boundary of the at least one image object; and

a transmission interface for serially outputting the static parameters of the at least one image object; and

a controller for controlling operation of the interactive system according to the static parameters of the at least one image object outputted from the transmission interface, wherein the estimation unit is a chip independent of the controller.

2. The interactive system of the claim 1 wherein the image sensor, the estimation unit, and the transmission interface are formed on a substrate.

3. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the transmission interface is an I²C interface.

4. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the transmission interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

5. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the transmission interface is a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART).

6. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor is a CMOS sensor.

7. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor is a charge-coupled device (CCD).

8. An interactive system capable of improving image processing comprising:

a reference device for transmitting and/or reflecting light signals within a predetermined spectrum;

a processing module comprising;

an image sensor for sensing the light signals so as to generate pixel signals;

an estimation unit for determining static parameters of at least one image object according to the pixel signals, the at least one image object representing a set of pixel signals having similar colors, wherein the static parameters represents a coordinate of the at least one image object, an area of the at least one image object, an orientation of the at least one image object, colors of the at least one image object, endpoints of the at least one image object, a length to width ratio of the at least one image object, and/or a boundary of the at least one image object; and

a transmission interface for serially outputting the static parameters of the at least one image object; and

a controller for controlling operation of the interactive system according to the static parameters of the at least one image object outputted from the transmission interface, wherein the estimation unit is a chip independent of the controller.

9. The interactive system of the claim 8 wherein the image sensor, the estimation unit, and the transmission interface are formed on a substrate.

10. The interactive system of claim 8 wherein the reference device comprises a filter for filtering original light signals so as to filter out light signals outside the predetermined spectrum.

11. The interactive system of claim 8 wherein the transmission interface is an I²C interface.

12. The interactive system of claim 8 wherein the transmission interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

13. The interactive system of claim 8 wherein the transmission interface is a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART).

14. The interactive system of claim 8 wherein the image sensor is a CMOS sensor.

15. The interactive system of claim 8 wherein the image sensor is a charge-coupled device (CCD).

16. An interactive method capable of improving image processing and applied to an interactive system comprising a processing module and a controller, the interactive method comprising:

transmitting and/or reflecting light signals within a predetermined spectrum;

sensing the light signals so as to generate pixel signals;

determining static parameters of at least one image object according to the pixel signals by an estimation unit of the processing module, the at least one image object representing a set of pixel signals having similar colors, wherein the static parameters represents a coordinate of the at least one image object, an area of the at least one image object, an orientation of the at least one image object, colors of the at least one image object, endpoints of the at least one image object, a length to width ratio of the at least one image object, and/or a boundary of the at least one image object;

serially outputting the static parameters of the at least one image object; and

controlling operation of the interactive system according to the static parameters of the at least one image object by the controller, wherein the estimation unit is a chip independent of the controller.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising filtering original light signals so as to filter out light signals outside the predetermined spectrum.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the static parameters comprise a coordinate of the at least one image object, an area of the at least one image object, an orientation of the at least one image object, colors of the at least one image object, endpoints of the at least one image object, a length to width ratio of the at least one image object, and/or a boundary of the at least one image object.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein determining the static parameters of the at least one image object according to the pixel signals comprises determining a center of gravity of the at least one image object according to a following equation: