Coded data generation or conversion – Bodily actuated code generator
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-09
2001-04-24
Horabik, Michael (Department: 2635)
Coded data generation or conversion
Bodily actuated code generator
C345S156000, C345S168000, C345S173000, C345S420000, C382S100000, C382S107000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222465
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a method and apparatus for inputting commands to a computer using hand gestures. More particularly, the present invention relates to a video based computer interface in which a user's hand gestures and hand motions are used to control virtual objects, to select various commands, and to draw three dimensional curves and surfaces in a virtual computer environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of computer control and interface devices exist for inputting commands to a computer. Such devices may for example take the form of a computer mouse, joystick or trackball, wherein a user manipulates the interface device to perform a particular operation such as to select a specific entry from a menu of options, perform a “click”or “point” function, etc. A significant problem associated with such interface devices is that a surface area is needed for placement of the device and, in the case of a mouse, to accommodate device movement and manipulation. In addition, such interface devices are generally connected by a cable to a computer CPU with the cable typically draped across the user's desk, causing obstruction of the user's work area. Moreover, because interface device manipulation for performing operations is not consistent with common communication movements, such as the use of a pointing finger hand gesture to select a menu entry, as opposed to maneuvering a mouse until the cursor rests on the desired menu entry, a user must become comfortable and familiar with the operation of the particular interface device before proficiency in use may be attained.
The drawbacks of traditional two-dimensional input devices are particularly exacerbated in computer-based three dimensional object manipulation applications. In such applications, a virtual three dimensional environment is typically displayed to the user with one or more displayed virtual objects positioned within the virtual environment. The user may delete, move and otherwise change the objects in the virtual environment or create new objects. Other functions may be performed in the virtual environment such, for example as, drawing curves. Traditional input devices are extremely difficult to use in such a virtual environment because traditional devices control only two degrees of freedom, and thus a combination of several input devices or a sequence of operations is required to control three or more degrees of freedom as is necessary in three dimensional applications. Such a combination control scheme is cumbersome, unintuitive and requires significant training on the user's part.
It would thus be desirable to provide a computer interface that enables common and intuitive hand gestures and hand motions to be used for interacting with a three dimensional virtual environment. It would further be desirable to provide a system and method for creating, manipulating, changing, and deleting virtual objects in the virtual environment using hand gestures. It would also be desirable to provide a system and method for drawing free-form shapes in the virtual environment using hand gestures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and method for manipulating virtual objects in a virtual environment, for drawing curves and ribbons in the virtual environment, and for selecting and executing commands for creating, deleting, moving, changing, and resizing virtual objects in the virtual environment using intuitive hand gestures and motions. The system includes a control unit for controlling operation of the system, a display for displaying a virtual environment to a user, and a video gesture recognition (hereinafter “VGR”) subsystem for identifying and interpreting motions and gestures of a user's hand made by the user within an identification zone monitored by the VGR subsystem.
The inventive system operates in one of several different selectable modes of operation. The user may select a particular mode for the system by presenting an activation gesture to the VGR subsystem to cause the control unit to display a main menu with several menu commands corresponding to different system modes. The user may then present a selection gesture to identify a particular desired command from the main menu and then repeat the activation gesture to cause the control unit to execute the selected command. The modes of operation include a gripper mode, a drawing mode, an object mode, a view mode, and a clear mode.
In the gripper mode, when the user presents a gripping hand gesture to the VGR subsystem, the control unit generates a pair of gripping elements in the virtual environment corresponding to two gripping fingers of the user's hand. The user may then use the gripping elements to grasp, manipulate, and release a virtual object within the virtual environment.
In the drawing mode, the user selects a curve or ribbon drawing command from a drawing sub-menu. The user then presents the selection gesture to the VGR subsystem and subsequently draws a free-form curve or ribbon in the virtual environment by moving his hand while maintaining the selection gesture.
In the object mode, the user may use the selection and activation gestures to select and execute commands from an object submenu to create a new virtual object, to delete an existing virtual object, to change a virtual object's characteristics, and to resize a virtual object.
In the view mode, the user may dynamically manipulate the orientation and position of a view through which the virtual environment is displayed on the display by presenting the gripping gesture to the VGR subsystem and moving the hand and the gripping fingers within the identification zone.
When the user selects the clear mode, the control system eliminates all virtual objects, curves and/or ribbons from the virtual environment and resets the orientation and position of the virtual environment view to its original setting.
The user may terminate each of the above-described modes and cause the control system to re-display the main menu by presenting the activation gesture to the VGR subsystem. Thus, the system of the present invention enables the user to manipulate virtual objects, to draw free-form curves and ribbons and to invoke various command sets and commands in the virtual environment by presenting particular predefined hand gestures and/or hand movements to the VGR subsystem.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.
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Kumar Senthil
Segen Jakub
Horabik Michael
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Wong Albert K.
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