APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING 3D IMAGE

• US 20130169594A1
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yi, Kwon Ju, Park, Du Sik, Yoo, Byung In, Choi, Chang Kyu, Suh, Sung Joo
• Granted Patent: US 9,207,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling a 3-dimensional (3D) image using a virtual tool are provided. The apparatus may detect a user object that controls the 3D image, and determine a target virtual tool matching movement of the user object. In addition, the apparatus may display the determined target virtual tool along with the 3D image.

Claims

1. A 3-dimensional (3D) image control apparatus comprising:

a sensing unit to detect a user object that is configured to control a 3D image using a virtual tool;

a determining unit to determine a target virtual tool based on detection of the user object; and

a displaying unit to display the target virtual tool along with the 3D image.

2. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the displaying unit displays an execution tool of the virtual tool in a peripheral space adjoining the 3D image in such a manner that the user object does not reduce a stereoscopic effect of the 3D image.

3. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the displaying unit displays an execution tool of the virtual tool in a peripheral space adjoining the 3D image determined based on spatial coordinates of the user object obtained by the detection of the user object and based on spatial coordinates of the 3D image.

4. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit obtains spatial coordinates of the user object and a shape of the user object by detecting the user object.

5. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the determination unit determines movement of the user object based on the spatial coordinates and the shape of the user object obtained by the sensing unit.

6. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 5, wherein the determination unit determines an execution tool matching the movement of the user object among execution tools displayed around the 3D image, and determines the target virtual tool as a virtual tool that corresponds to the execution tool matching the movement of the user object.

7. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is disposed on at least one of a bezel of the displaying unit and a lower portion of the displaying unit.

8. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the displaying unit displays virtual tools comprising different attributes according to a type of the virtual tool set for the 3D image.

9. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit detects the user object using at least one of a camera, an ultrasonic scanner, a laser scanner, and a sensor array.

10. A 3-dimensional (3D) image control method comprising:

detecting a user object that is configured to control a 3D image using a virtual tool;

determining a target virtual tool based on detection of the user object; and

displaying, using a display apparatus, the target virtual tool along with the 3D image.

11. The 3D image control method of claim 10, wherein the displaying displays an execution tool of the virtual tool in a peripheral space adjoining the 3D image in such a manner that the user object does not reduce a stereoscopic effect of the 3D image.

12. The 3D image control method of claim 10, wherein the displaying displays an execution tool of the virtual tool in a peripheral space adjoining the 3D image determined based on spatial coordinates of the user object obtained by the detection of the user object and based on spatial coordinates of the 3D image.

13. The 3D image control method of claim 10, wherein the sensing obtains spatial coordinates of the user object and a shape of the user object by detecting the user object.

14. The 3D image control method of claim 13, wherein the determining determines movement of the user object based on the spatial coordinates and the shape of the user object.

15. The 3D image control method of claim 14, wherein the determining comprises:

determining an execution tool matching the movement of the user object among execution tools displayed around the 3D image; and

determining the target virtual tool as a virtual tool that corresponds to the execution tool matching the movement of the user object.

16. The 3D image control method of claim 10, wherein the displaying displays virtual tools comprising different attributes according to a type of the virtual tool set for the 3D image.

17. The 3D image control method of claim 10, wherein the sensing detects the user object using at least one of a camera, an ultrasonic scanner, a laser scanner, and a sensor array.

18. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program to cause a computer to implement the method of claim 10.

19. A 3-dimensional (3D) image control apparatus comprising:

a displaying unit to display a 3D image;

a sensing unit to detect a movement of a user object; and

a determining unit to determine a target virtual tool from among a plurality of virtual tools based on the movement of the user object detected by the sensing unit, wherein the plurality of virtual tools provide for control of the display of the 3D image.

20. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 19, wherein the displaying unit displays the target virtual tool, from among the plurality of virtual tools, concurrently with the 3D image.

21. The 3D image control apparatus of claim 19, wherein the sensing unit determines the movement of the user object based on spatial coordinates and a shape of the user object.

22. A 3-dimensional (3D) image control method comprising:

displaying a 3D image concurrently with a plurality of virtual tools for controlling the display of the 3D image; and

determining a peripheral space adjoining the 3D image in which each of the plurality of virtual tools can be displayed without reducing a stereoscopic effect of the 3D image,

wherein each of the plurality of virtual control tools are displayed, by a display apparatus, in the peripheral space adjoining the 3D image.