Operating input device for reducing input error

• US 20080231608A1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nagata, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,363,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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

Abstract

An operating input device is provided in which input errors can be prevented. A finger area image is extracted from an image captured by a camera. A fingertip area is extracted from a difference image generated between the finger area image and a shifted image. A fingertip position is detected from the fingertip area based on a center of mass. A semitransparent fingertip image is superimposed on the menu image. Manual operation buttons coinciding with fingertip positions are displayed in an emphasized manner. An actual position of a finger press is shifted to coincide with a manual operation button position and the manual operation button is considered to be pressed.

Claims

1. An input device receiving a first signal from a touch panel indicating an actual input position of a finger press and a second signal from an imaging device for capturing an image of the finger on the touch panel, the first and second signal used to reduce input errors based on visual feedback provided on a display, the input device comprising:

a finger area extraction unit for extracting a finger area image from an image captured by the imaging device;

a fingertip position detection unit for detecting a fingertip position based on the finger area image; and

an image synthesis unit for synthesizing the finger area image and superimposing the finger area image on a menu image, the finger area image and the menu image displayed such that both the finger area image and the menu image are viewable on the display,

wherein the fingertip position detection unit obtains a fingertip area image as a difference between the finger area image and a shifted image obtained by shifting the finger area image toward the base of fingers and extracts a fingertip position relative to the fingertip area image.

2. The operating input device of claim 1,

wherein the fingertip position detection unit carries out a contraction computation on the fingertip area image to delete portions of the fingertip area image that do not correspond to a fingertip.

3. The operating input device of claim 1,

wherein the fingertip position detection unit smoothes the fingertip area image to delete portions thereof that do not correspond to a fingertip.

4. The operating input device of claim 1,

wherein the fingertip position detection unit detects the fingertip position based on a center of mass of the fingertip area image.

5. The operating input device of claim 4,

wherein the fingertip position detection unit detects the fingertip position based on a position associated with the fingertip area image that is shifted by a predetermined distance from the center of mass toward the base of fingers.

6. The operating input device of claim 1,

wherein the captured image is captured by the imaging device from a backside of the touch panel, the fingertip position detection unit establishing as a reference point for the fingertip position, coordinates of a lightest pixel in the fingertip area image.

7. An operating input device receiving a first signal from a touch panel indicating an actual input position of a finger press and a second signal from an imaging device for capturing an image of a finger on the touch panel, the operating input device providing operating input associated with a menu displayed on a display device based on the first signal from the touch panel, the operating input device comprising:

a finger area extraction unit for extracting a finger area image from an image captured by the imaging device;

a fingertip position detection unit for detecting a fingertip position based on the finger area image; and

an image synthesis unit for synthesizing the finger area image and superimposing the finger area image on a menu image, the finger area image and the menu image displayed such that both the finger area image and the menu image are viewable on the display,

wherein when a predetermined correspondence is present between the fingertip position and a manual operation button in the menu image, the manual operation button is displayed in an emphasized manner.

8. The operating input device of claim 7,

wherein the predetermined correspondence includes a predetermined distance between the manual operation button and the fingertip position closest thereto.

9. The operating input device of claim 7,

wherein the manual operation button is displayed in an emphasized manner only if configured to accept input.

10. The operating input device of claim 7,

wherein the fingertip position is superimposed on the finger area image and the menu image.

11. The operating input device of claim 7,

wherein the emphasized manner includes one of:

changing a color of the manual operation button;

changing a font of text associated with the manual operation button;

changing a width of a frame of the manual operation button;

changing a state of a three-dimensional display of the manual operation button;

changing a size of at least a portion the manual operation button;

causing the manual operation button to blink; and

changing the brightness of manual operation buttons in accordance with the distance between the manual operation button and a fingertip.

12. An operating input device receiving a first signal from a touch panel for indicating an actual input position of a finger press and a second signal from an imaging device for capturing an image of a finger on the touch panel, the operating input device providing operating input associated with a menu displayed on a display device based on the first signal from the touch panel, the operating input device comprising:

a finger area extraction unit for extracting a finger area image from an image captured by the imaging device;

a fingertip position detection unit for detecting a fingertip position based on the finger area image; and

an image synthesis unit for synthesizing the finger area image and superimposing the finger area image on a menu image, the finger area image and the menu image displayed such that both the finger area image and the menu image are viewable on the display,

wherein when the finger press is detected, first coordinates associated with the actual input position are corrected to correspond to second coordinates associated with the fingertip position in proximity to the actual input position.

13. The operating input device of claim 12,

wherein the proximity includes a predetermined distance and the first coordinates are corrected when the first coordinates are less than or equal to the predetermined distance from the second coordinates.

14. The operating input device of claim 13,

wherein when the fingertip position is in proximity to a manual operation button displayed in association with the menu image, the manual operation button is displayed in an emphasized manner and when the finger press is detected, processing is carried out with the manual operation button considered to have been operated.

15. An operating input device receiving a first signal from a touch panel for indicating an actual input position of a finger press and a second signal from an imaging device for capturing an image of a finger on the touch panel, the operating input device providing operating input associated with a menu displayed on a display device based on the first signal from the touch panel, the operating input device comprising:

a finger area extraction unit for extracting a finger area image from an image captured by the imaging device;

a fingertip position detection unit for detecting a fingertip position based on the finger area image; and

an image synthesis unit for synthesizing the finger area image and superimposing the finger area image on a menu image, the finger area image and the menu image displayed such that both the finger area image and the menu image are viewable on the display,

wherein when the distance between a manual operation button and the fingertip position is within a predetermined range and when the finger press is detected, processing is carried out with the manual operation button considered to have been operated.