Method of application menu selection and activation using image cognition

• US RE43,184 E1
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin-Soo, Kim, Hyeon-June
• Primary Examiner(s): Repko, Jason M
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAKHJAVAN, SHERVIN K
• Application Number:
  US13/027,619
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 348/14.05, 348/77, 348/114, 348/115, 348/169, 348/211.1, 348/211.2, 348/211.4, 725/19, 725/59
• US Class Current: 382/103
• 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

Abstract

A method for selecting and activating a particular menu displayed in a client'"'"'s region of a monitor screen by use of an image cognition is disclosed. Using an image-capturing device such as a camera attached to a system, a user'"'"'s image is recognized at real time and displayed on an initial screen of a monitor. The user makes a direct hand motion while viewing his own image displayed on the initial screen, and when a desired menu icon is designated among a variety of menu icons arrayed on the initial screen, the system guides the user'"'"'s hand image to the corresponding menu icon for its selection. When the user makes a particular body motion to activate the selected menu, the system recognizes the motion for thereby activating the selected menu.

Claims

1. An application menu selecting and activating method using image cognition, comprising the steps of:

recognizing a pattern position of a particular portion of a captured image on a screen using a pattern cognition function executed per predetermined time period;

selecting a menu when the recognized pattern position is within a certain predetermined pattern region on the screen, the predetermined pattern region containing the menu; and

activating the selected menu, wherein the activating the selected menu is performed after the recognized pattern position is positioned within the predetermined pattern region for a predetermined period of time.

2. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1, wherein a user'"'"'s image is captured and displayed on a client'"'"'s region of the screen as the captured image prior to the recognizing of the pattern position.

3. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 2, wherein the user'"'"'s image is displayed on a predetermined position in the client'"'"'s region.

4. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1, wherein the pattern is a user'"'"'s hand.

5. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1, wherein the pattern is a ring wearable by the user.

6. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1, wherein the pattern is an indication rod.

7. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 6, wherein the indication rod comprises:

a body grabbable by the user;

a first pattern portion formed on a side end of the body;

a second pattern portion disposed at an outer end of the first pattern portion and guidable through the first pattern portion; and

a button for guiding the second pattern portion into and out of the first pattern portion.

8. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1, wherein the pattern is an indication rod having two different patterns.

9. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1 or 7, wherein the recognizing of the pattern position is performed on the ground of one of the two different patterns, and the activating of the menu is performed on the ground of the other of the two different patterns.

10. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the menu is performed when a background color of the pattern is converted in accordance with conversion of a user'"'"'s pattern position.

11. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1, wherein the activating of the menu is performed when a user'"'"'s particular body motion is executed.

12. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 1, wherein the activating of the menu is performed after a particular pattern is positioned within the predetermined pattern region for a predetermined time period.

13. An application menu selecting and activating method using image cognition, comprising the steps of:

determining a pattern position on a screen by scanning a predetermined pattern region on the screen;

selecting a menu in the pattern region in which the pattern is positioned; and

activating the selected menu.

14. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 13, wherein the pattern is a user'"'"'s hand.

15. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 13, wherein the pattern is a ring wearable by the user.

16. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 13, wherein the pattern is an indication rod.

17. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 13, wherein the pattern is an indication rod having two different patterns.

18. The application menu selecting and activating method of claim 13 or 17, wherein the recognizing of the pattern position is performed on the ground of one of the two different patterns, and the activating of the menu is performed on the ground of the other of the two different patterns.

19. An application menu selecting and activating apparatus using image cognition, comprising:

a camera for capturing an image; and

a display means for displaying the image received from the camera on a screen, for designatingwherein particular regions of the screen are designated for displaying, respectively, a plurality of predetermined menus, and for selectingwherein a menu from the plurality of predetermined menus is selected when a particular pattern of a portion of the image is positioned on its corresponding region, and wherein the menu is selected after the particular pattern is positioned within the corresponding region for a predetermined period of time.

20. An application menu selecting and activating method using image cognition, comprising the steps of:

recognizing a user'"'"'s image in real time;

displaying the user'"'"'s image on a client region of a display screen;

recognizing a pattern position of a particular portion of the recognized user'"'"'s image by a pattern cognition per predetermined time period;

selecting a menu when the recognized pattern position is within a certain predetermined pattern region containing a predetermined menus menu; and

activating the selected menu, wherein the activating the selected menu is performed after the recognized pattern position is positioned within the predetermined pattern region for a predetermined period of time.

21. An application menu selecting and activating method using image cognition, comprising the steps of:

displaying the user'"'"'s image on a client region of a display screen;

determining a pattern position on a screen by scanning a predetermined pattern region;

selecting a menu in the pattern region in which the pattern is positioned; and

activating the selected menu.

22. An application menu selecting and activating apparatus using image cognition, comprising:

a camera for capturing a user'"'"'s image in real time;

display means for displaying the user'"'"'s image received from the camera on a client region and for designating a particular region of the externally applied image;

means for selecting a required menu when a pattern is positioned on a corresponding region; and

a means for activating the selected menu.