Apparatus and method for sensing 3D object

• US 9,229,556 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Je-Han, Bae, Hyung-Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Long D
• Application Number:
  US13/860,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20130271407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus and method for sensing a three-dimensional (3D) object. The apparatus includes a display unit including a first sensing space in which a sensitivity with respect to a proximity touch is higher than a threshold value and a second sensing space in which a sensitivity with respect to the proximity touch is lower than the threshold value, on a stereoscopic space on which at least one 3D object is disposed and a controller for moving predetermined 3D objects in a predetermined direction if a proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, detecting coordinates of a 3D object corresponding to a proximity touch generated on the first sensing space if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space, and performing a function corresponding to the 3D object.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing a three-dimensional (3D) object, the apparatus comprising:

a display unit comprising a first sensing space in which a sensitivity with respect to a proximity touch is higher than a threshold value and a second sensing space in which a sensitivity with respect to the proximity touch is lower than the threshold value, on a stereoscopic space on which at least one 3D object is disposed; and

a controller configured to;

move predetermined 3D objects in a predetermined direction if the proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space and the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved,

detect coordinates of the 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch generated on the first sensing space if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space,

perform a function corresponding to the 3D object, and

when the controller is unable to detect the coordinates of the 3D object, determine candidate 3D objects, and detect the 3D object among the candidate 3D objects according to a motion of the proximity touch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic space comprises a front stereoscopic space corresponding to a Z-axis direction of the display unit and a rear stereoscopic space corresponding to a −

Z-axis direction of the display unit, and

wherein the front stereoscopic space of the display unit comprises the first sensing space comprising a predetermined space in the Z-axis direction from the display unit on which at least one proximity sensors are disposed and the second sensing space comprising a predetermined space in the Z-axis direction from a maximum Z value of the first sensing space.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, the controller moves and displays the at least one 3D object disposed on the stereoscopic space along a moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated, and

if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space, the controller stops moving the at least one 3D object and detects coordinates of one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the at least one 3D object.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein to allow a user'"'"'s hand or pen which generates the proximity touch to meet the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the at least one 3D object on the first sensing space, the controller adjusts a movement amount of the at least one 3D object which are moved on the second sensing space by using the following equation:

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, the controller detects a Z value of X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch to detect a moving direction of the proximity touch, and if the proximity touch is generated on the first sensing space, the controller detects X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch to detect coordinates of the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, if the proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, the controller selects the candidate 3D objects from among the at least one 3D object disposed on the stereoscopic space,

the controller moves and displays all the 3D objects along a moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated,

the controller reduces a number of the candidate 3D objects as a distance between the generation position of the proximity touch and the first sensing space decreases, and

the controller detects coordinates of the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the candidate 3D objects if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller selects, as the candidate 3D objects, the 3D objects which exist in a predetermined range around X, Y, and Z coordinates of the generation position of the proximity touch.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein as the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and approaches the first sensing space, an accuracy of coordinates of the proximity touch is increased, such that the controller narrows a predetermined range for detecting the candidate 3D objects, thus reducing the number of candidate 3D objects.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein to allow a user'"'"'s hand or pen which generates the proximity touch to meet the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the candidate 3D objects on the first sensing space, the controller adjusts a movement amount of the candidate 3D objects by using the following equation:

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, if the proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, the controller selects the candidate 3D objects from among the at least one 3D object disposed on the stereoscopic space,

if the 3D object disposed on the rear stereoscopic space of the display unit exists among the selected candidate 3D objects, the controller moves and displays the rear candidate 3D object in an opposite direction to the moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated,

as a distance between the generation position of the proximity touch and the first sensing space decreases, the controller reduces a number of the candidate 3D objects, and

if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space, the controller detects coordinates of one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the candidate 3D objects.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller selects, as the candidate 3D objects, the 3D objects which exist in a predetermined range around X, Y, and Z coordinates of the generation position of the proximity touch.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein as the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and approaches the first sensing space, an accuracy of coordinates of the proximity touch is increased, such that the controller narrows a predetermined range for detecting the candidate 3D objects, thus reducing the number of candidate 3D objects.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein if the candidate 3D objects are moved and displayed in the opposite direction to the moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated, the controller increases a transparency for the 3D object having a larger value than a Z value of X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch among the initially selected candidate 3D objects or does not display the 3D object.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein to allow a user'"'"'s hand or pen which generates the proximity touch to meet the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the candidate 3D objects on the first sensing space, the controller adjusts a movement amount of the candidate 3D objects by using the following equation:

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the proximity touch is generated on a front stereoscopic space of the display unit, the controller moves and displays the at least one 3D object disposed on the stereoscopic space along the moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated, and

if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated as a contact touch on the display unit, the controller stops moving the at least one 3D object and detects coordinates of one 3D object corresponding to the contact touch among the at least one 3D object.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein if the proximity touch is generated on a front stereoscopic space of the display unit, the controller detects a Z value of X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch to detect the moving direction of the proximity touch, and

if a contact touch is generated on the display unit, the controller detects X, Y, and Z coordinates of the contact touch to detect coordinates of the one 3D object corresponding to the contact touch.

17. A method for sensing a three-dimensional (3D) object, the method comprising:

moving predetermined 3D objects in a predetermined direction, if a proximity touch is generated on a second sensing space in which a sensitivity with respect to the proximity touch is lower than a threshold value, on a stereoscopic space on which at least one 3D object is disposed;

detecting coordinates of the 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch generated on a first sensing space in which a sensitivity with respect to the proximity touch is higher than the threshold value, if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space; and

performing a function corresponding to the 3D object,

wherein, when the coordinates of the 3D object cannot be detected, the detecting of the coordinates comprises determining candidate 3D objects and detecting the 3D object among the candidate 3D objects according to a motion of the proximity touch.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the stereoscopic space comprises a front stereoscopic space corresponding to a Z-axis direction of the display unit and a rear stereoscopic space corresponding to a −

Z-axis direction of the display unit, and

wherein the front stereoscopic space of the display unit comprises the first sensing space comprising a predetermined space in the Z-axis direction from the display unit on which at least one proximity sensors are disposed and the second sensing space comprising a predetermined space in the Z-axis direction from a maximum Z value of the first sensing space.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

if the proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, moving and displaying the at least one 3D object disposed on the stereoscopic space along a moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated, and

if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space, stopping movement of the at least one 3D object and detecting coordinates of one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the at least one 3D object.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

if the proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, detecting a Z value of X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch to detect a moving direction of the proximity touch, and

if the proximity touch is generated on the first sensing space, detecting X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch to detect coordinates of the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising, to allow a user'"'"'s hand or pen which generates the proximity touch to meet the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the at least one 3D object on the first sensing space, adjusting a movement amount of the at least one 3D object which are moved on the second sensing space by using the following equation:

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

if a proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, selecting the candidate 3D objects from among the at least one 3D object disposed on the stereoscopic space,

moving and displaying all the 3D objects along a moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated,

reducing a number of the candidate 3D objects as a distance between the generation position of the proximity touch and the first sensing space decreases, and

detecting coordinates of the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the candidate 3D objects if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising selecting, as the candidate 3D objects, the 3D objects which exist in a predetermined range around X, Y, and Z coordinates of the generation position of the proximity touch.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein as the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and approaches the first sensing space, an accuracy of coordinates of the proximity touch is increased, thus narrowing a predetermined range for detecting the candidate 3D objects and reducing and the number of candidate 3D objects.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising, to allow a user'"'"'s hand or pen which generates the proximity touch to meet the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the candidate 3D objects on the first sensing space, adjusting a movement amount of the candidate 3D objects by using the following equation:

26. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

if the proximity touch is generated on the second sensing space, selecting the candidate 3D objects from among the at least one 3D object disposed on the stereoscopic space,

if the 3D object disposed on the rear stereoscopic space of the display unit exists among the selected candidate 3D objects, moving and displaying the candidate 3D object in an opposite direction to the moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated,

as a distance between the generation position of the proximity touch and the first sensing space decreases, reducing a number of the candidate 3D objects, and

if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated on the first sensing space, detecting coordinates of one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the candidate 3D objects.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising selecting, as the candidate 3D objects, the 3D objects which exist in a predetermined range around X, Y, and Z coordinates of the generation position of the proximity touch.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein as the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and approaches the first sensing space, an accuracy of coordinates of the proximity touch is increased, thus narrowing a predetermined range for detecting the candidate 3D objects and reducing the number of candidate 3D objects.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining whether the 3D object having a larger value than a Z value of X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch exists among initially selected candidate 3D objects, when the candidate 3D objects are moved and displayed in the opposite direction to the moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated; and

increasing a transparency for the 3D object having the larger value than the Z value of the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch or not displaying the 3D object, if the initially selected candidate 3D objects include the 3D object.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising, to allow a user'"'"'s hand or pen which generates the proximity touch to meet the one 3D object corresponding to the proximity touch among the candidate 3D objects on the first sensing space, adjusting a movement amount of the candidate 3D objects by using the following equation:

31. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

if the proximity touch is generated on a front stereoscopic space of the display unit, moving and displaying the at least one 3D object disposed on the stereoscopic space along the moving direction in which the proximity touch is generated, and

if the proximity touch generated on the second sensing space is moved and generated as a contact touch on the display unit, stopping movement of the at least one 3D object and detecting coordinates of one 3D object corresponding to the contact touch among the at least one 3D object.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

if the proximity touch is generated on a front stereoscopic space of the display unit, detecting a Z value of X, Y, and Z coordinates of the proximity touch to detect the moving direction of the proximity touch, and

if a contact touch is generated on the display unit, detecting X, Y, and Z coordinates of the contact touch to detect coordinates of the one 3D object corresponding to the contact touch.