Operation controlling apparatus

• US 9,538,115 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2016
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Maxell, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakade, Mayumi, Tanaka, Mayuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US15/231,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 148 Days
• Field of Search: 340/4.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45

Abstract

Operation controlling apparatus executing equipment operation controlling, including: an equipment management portion configured to manage control commands corresponding to plural number of control items; a video producing portion configured to produce videos corresponding to the plural number of control items; a video display portion configured to display video produced by the video producing portion laying on a control surface; a distance detector portion configured to detect distance from the video producing portion to the control surface; and a controller portion configured to control the video display portion, so that a size of the video to be displayed by the video display portion is within a size of the control surface, depending on the distance detected by the distance detector portion, and to make equipment of a control target execute the control command, which is managed by the equipment management portion, when execution of the control item is determined.

Claims

1. An operation controlling apparatus, for executing operation controlling for equipment, comprising:

a command management portion configured to manage control commands corresponding to a plural number of control items;

an image producing portion configured to produce images corresponding to the plural number of control items;

a display portion configured to display the image produced by the image producing portion on a movable surface;

a distance detector portion configured to detect distance between the image producing portion and the movable surface;

a motion detector portion configured to detect movement of the movable surface; and

a controller portion,

wherein a range in a predetermined distance from the image producing portion is divided into a plurality of areas,

wherein the controller portion is configured to manage correspondence between the plurality of the areas and predetermined numbers of the control items selected from the plurality of control items by an operator, and

wherein the controller portion determines the control item corresponding to the area that includes the distance detected by the distance detector portion when the motion detector portion detects a predetermined movement of the movable surface and executes the control command corresponding to the determined control item by using the command management portion.

2. The operation controlling apparatus, as described in the claim 1, wherein the correspondences between the plurality of the areas and predetermined numbers of the control items selected from the plurality of control items by the operator are configured to change.

3. The operation controlling apparatus, as described in the claim 1, wherein the distance detector portion and the motion detector portion includes a camera which detects distance and movement according to the image captured thereby.

4. The operation controlling apparatus, as described in the claim 1, wherein the display portion is a projector portion that projects the image on the movable surface.

5. The operation controlling apparatus, as described in the claim 1, wherein the display portion displays the image on a palm of an operator as the movable surface.