System and method for detecting changes in an environment

• US 20060262188A1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eyeclick Limited
• Original Assignee: Eyeclick Limited
• Inventors: Elyada, Oded, Segal, Avi, Almos, Ariel
• Application Number:
  US11/133,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20060262188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85

Abstract

A system capable of detecting changes within an environment in which a known image is displayed. The system includes a computing platform executing a software application being configured for comparing at least a portion of an image captured from the environment to at least a portion of the known image to thereby detect changes in the environment.

Claims

1. An interactive system for translating a change to an environment into input data, the system comprising:

(a) an image display device configured for displaying an image within the environment;

(b) an image capture device configured for capturing image information from the environment; and

(c) a computing platform executing a software application being configured for;

(i) comparing at least a portion of said image as displayed by said image display device and said at least a portion of said image as captured by said image capture device to thereby determine the change to the environment; and

(ii) translating the change into input data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the change within the environment is caused by introduction of an object into the environment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said image displayed by said image display device is a static image.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said image displayed by said image display device is a dynamic image.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing platform stores information regarding said image displayed by said image display device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein step (i) is effected by comparing pixel color value.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said computing platform is capable of predicting said pixel color value of said image captured by said image capture device according to the environment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said image displayed by said image display device is a static or a dynamic image.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said image displayed by said image display device is displayed by projection onto a surface present in the environment.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said image displayed by said image display device is displayed by a monitor present within the environment.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said computing platform stores information regarding said image displayed by said image display device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein step (i) is effected by a silhouetting algorithm.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein step (i) discounts shadowing caused by said object.

14. A method of translating a change to an environment having an image displayed therein into input data, the method comprising:

(a) capturing an image of the image displayed within the environment to thereby generate a captured image; and

(b) computationally comparing at least a portion of said captured image to said at least a portion of the image displayed to thereby determine the change to the environment; and

(c) translating the change into input data.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising computationally correcting said captured image according to at least one physical parameter characterizing the environment prior to step (b).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said at least one physical parameter is lighting conditions.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein step (b) is effected by comparing a color value of pixels of said at least a portion of said captured image to said color value of said pixels of said at least a portion of the image displayed.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the image displayed within the environment is a static image.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the image displayed within the environment is a dynamic image.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the image displayed within the environment is a projected image.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the change to the environment is caused by introduction of an object to the environment.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein step (b) is further for characterizing a shape and optionally movement of said object within the environment.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein step (b) is effected by a silhouetting algorithm.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein step (b) discounts shadowing caused by said object.

25. A system capable of detecting changes within an environment in which a known image is displayed, the system comprising a computing platform executing a software application being configured for comparing at least a portion of an image captured from the environment to said at least a portion of the known image to thereby detect changes in the environment.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the change within the environment is caused by introduction of an object into the environment.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the known image is a static image.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the known image is a dynamic image.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said computing platform stores information regarding the known image.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein said comparing said at least a portion of said image captured from the environment to said at least a portion of the known image is effected by comparing pixel color value.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said computing platform is capable of predicting said color value of said pixels of said image captured from the environment according to the environment.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the known image includes a displayed picture or video.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said displayed picture or video is displayed by projection onto a surface of the environment.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein said displayed picture or video is displayed by a monitor placed within the environment.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein said computing platform stores information regarding said displayed picture or video.