Gesture control for printing presses

• US 9,898,690 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag
• Original Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag
• Inventors: Berg, Winfried, Hauck, Dieter, Koenig, Edelbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Wallace, John
• Application Number:
  US14/087,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20140146360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/0009 Central control units
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/0036 Devices for scanning or checking the printed matter for quality control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/005 only locally

Abstract

A device controls at least one of a machine, a color measurement device or an inspection system of the graphic arts industry. The device contains a control console that has at least one screen for displaying at least one of machine information, color information or image information. The control console includes a plurality of sensors for detecting gestures of an operator who operates the machine, the color measurement device or the inspection system via the control console.

Claims

1. A device for controlling at least one of a machine, a color measurement device or an inspection system in a graphic arts industry, the device comprising:

a control console having a plurality of screen devices for displaying at least one of machine information, color information, or image information, said control console further having a plurality of sensors for recognizing gestures of an operator who operates at least one of the machine, the color measurement device or the inspection system via said control console, said control console further having a roofing and said sensors being mounted on a left-side of said roofing and on a right side of said roofing and having different fields of view, a content of at least one of said screen devices being transmitted to at least one further one of said screen devices by registered gestures of operating staff; and

a color inspection light providing standardized illumination disposed in said roofing and at least one of said sensors is integrated into said color inspection light.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control console contains a support for receiving a sheet-shaped printing material, said support disposed underneath said plurality of screen devices, and at least one of said sensors is disposed such that said sensor is capable of recognizing gestures the operator makes with his fingers on a surface of the sheet-shaped printing material that rests on said support.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

said sensors are cameras; and

said control console further has a computer that evaluates pictures taken by said cameras and evaluates the pictures such that eye movements of the operator are registered and are factored in when displaying the machine information, the color information or the image information on said screen devices.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is capable of simultaneously recognizing the gestures of multiple operators.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control console has a screen template selectable by gesture on at least one of said screen devices, said screen template being transmittable to at least two further ones of said screen devices.

6. The device according to claim 1,

further comprising at least one infrared LED mounted to said control console;

and

wherein said computer evaluates reflections and shadows of said infrared LED as detected by said cameras and evaluates the reflections and shadows such that movements of a hand of the operator are detected and factored in when displaying the machine information, the color information or the image information on said screen.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sensors further include capacitive sensors and said computer evaluates changes in an electrical field measured by said capacitive sensors and evaluates the changes such that movements of a hand of the operator are detected and factored in when displaying the machine information, the color information or the image information on said screen.