Camera based man machine interfaces

• US 6,766,036 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2000
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gesture Technology Partners, LLC
• Original Assignee: Timothy R. Pryor
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, Tom Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/612,225
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/104, 382/181, 348/169
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2435 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8023 the game being played by multiple players at a common site, e.g. in an arena, theatre, shopping mall using a large public display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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 3/017 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: G06F 3/0325 : using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 : using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10021 : Stereoscopic video; Stereoscopic image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 : Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 : Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 : using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 : from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 : using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/143 : Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 : Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

Disclosed herein are new forms of computer inputs particularly using TV Cameras, and providing affordable methods and apparatus for data communication with respect to people and computers using optically inputted information from specialized datum'"'"'s on objects and/or natural features of objects. Particular embodiments capable of fast and reliable acquisition of features and tracking of motion are disclosed, together with numerous applications in various fields of endeavor.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a functional device of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one member integral with the vehicle with which a person physically interacts to enter a control command for the device,

providing a TV Camera to view said member and obtain an image of at least a portion thereof,

processing said image using a computer,

from said processed image, obtaining information concerning said member, and

determining from said information a desired control function for the device resulting from a physical interaction of said person with said member.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein information concerning a datum on said member is determined.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said datum is at least partially covered by said person to effect said control function.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said datum is at least partially un-covered by said person to effect said control function.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said member is moved by said person to effect said control function.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the position of said member is used to indicate said control function.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said member is associated with a steering wheel of said vehicle.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said member is an air outlet.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said member is a rotary device.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said member is a sliding device.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said member is a switch.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said member is a lever.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said function is selected from a group comprising audio, temperature, ventilation, or transmission functions of the vehicle.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said function is controlled based on the time of interaction with said member.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein additional members are viewed by said camera in order to control additional functions.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein said camera is programmed to exclusively view certain regions in a field of view thereof containing one or more of said members.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein one or more regions are viewed more frequently as a function of control commands.

18. A method according to claim 1, including the additional step of determining a location or movement of a person or portion thereof.

19. A method according to claim 1, including the additional step of providing an LED light source for illumination of said member.