Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-18
2003-04-08
Chang, Kent (Department: 2673)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Cursor mark position control device
C345S156000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06545663
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method for controlling the position of an object to be displayed in virtual reality on a display device of a graphics unit by way of a human-machine interface, with one or more stationary electronic cameras recording one or more unique marking symbols located on a side of the object facing the camera(s), and the images being evaluated with a computer in accordance with image-processing methods to yield the spatial position of the object, which is transmitted to the graphics unit, the associated object being correspondingly displayed, in the predetermined position of the object, as virtual reality on the display device.
The invention further relates to an input device for executing the method.
The human manipulation of the spatial position of objects is significant for numerous technical fields. It is fairly difficult, however, for a person to simultaneously control such an object, e.g., an excavator, in several degrees of freedom. Nevertheless, a great need exists for this option, especially in computer graphics. Here, the user wishes to view simulated, i.e., virtual, objects in selected views on the monitor, and select or alter the desired view as simply as possible.
In the most extreme case, this means that three translational and three rotary degrees of freedom must be controlled simultaneously. To facilitate the mastering of this task, an individual requires a user-friendly human-machine interface. The interface should resolve complex behavior patterns of the person into control signals for the computer. In principle, any system that can detect the position and orientation of the human hand in and around all three spatial directions through measurements is suited for this task.
In this connection, an input device of a human-machine interface is known as “Space Mouse” (registered trademark). This input device is used to control three rotational and three translational degrees of freedom for 3-D computer graphics; the device has a cover, which is flexibly mounted to a base plate and can be pushed and rotated by hand in/around a desired spatial direction. The deflections are measured, and can be interpreted as movement commands. This device is already in widespread use in the sense of a speed control in computer graphics.
This input device, however, only permits deflections of a few millimeters or degrees. It is therefore suited as a control device for translational and rotational speeds, but not for positions and angles. Its use is limited to a small working area, and the user must familiarize himself with the device and practice using it.
Exoskeletons and hand controllers have been developed for controlling positions and orientations. Exoskeletons and hand controllers are extremely complex mechanical structures, and are therefore not considered for applications in which the movements of the operator's hand are limited by mechanical parts.
The so-called Data Glove (or Power Glove) is an input device used in applications in the area of cyberspace and virtual reality. It comprises a glove that is provided with sensors and is connected via cables to a computer. The computer is programmed to react to finger and wrist movements. Thus, in a graphic computer simulation, virtual objects can be recorded and manipulated by a virtual hand. Gross hand movements (arm movements) are not detected, however. The Data Glove is thus not suitable for solving the problem.
Another known device is the so-called joystick, which is primarily used in games and simulations. It is a small, easy-to-handle input device comprising a movable, manually-operated control lever. The joystick serves in controlling objects in different directions. Usually, two degrees of freedom can be controlled, similarly to the computer mouse connected to more modern computers. Due to special designs, rotating the handle permits the control of a further degree of freedom. Generally, the available degrees of freedom are insufficient. Even in the applications in which they suffice, however, joystick operation stipulates a familiarization phase, similarly to the “Space Mouse” (registered trademark).
Tracking systems (by the Polhemus company) are also known; in these systems, a transmitter creates a magnetic field, and the receiver derives the transmitter's position and orientation from the magnetic field. While electromagnetic trackers ascertain the position and the orientation, and would therefore be suitable for taking measurements, the receiver, which the operator holds in his hand, must be connected to the electronic evaluation unit by way of an awkward cable or a radio device. Furthermore, iron parts skew the measurement result. Finally, these systems are very expensive.
In an interactive method known from WO 98/13746, a person carrying a sword is a virtual object, which is displayed in a graphics unit and battles a likewise virtual opponent. In this case, characteristic parts of the person's body (elbows, shoulders, knees, hips) are marked, as is the sword; these markings serve in establishing the location of corresponding points in the creation of the virtual image.
In this known method, the human-machine interface is formed by a plurality of stationary, electronic cameras, which record numerous unique marking symbols located on the side of the object—namely, the person with the sword—facing the cameras. The images are then evaluated with a computer according to image-processing methods, the result being the spatial position of the person and sword, which is transmitted to the graphics unit. There, the associated person and sword are correspondingly displayed as virtual reality on the display device of the unit.
The person is thus not an operator holding a sword as an input medium. This setup is therefore not a human-machine interface that is actively operated by an operator's hand. Instead, the sword-bearing person observed by the camera is virtually simulated in his entirety on the display device of the graphics unit, because the device known from WO 98/13746 is intended to lead a match with a likewise virtual opponent in a computer-controlled game or computer-controlled exercise.
EP 0 813 040 A2 discloses a system for virtual modeling of a physical system with movable and immovable parts. Here, at least two video cameras are used to detect identification symbols of objects. These detected identification symbols are associated with objects displayed on a monitor, so a modeled virtual reality of the physical system appears on the monitor. No input of position information with the aid of an input medium guided by an operator's hand is provided in this system, however.
WO 98/00774 discloses a special embodiment of a scanner platform that is equipped with an optical detector, e.g., a video camera, and is intended to recognize identifications on physical objects, such as products, that are manually guided, in a first region, across a glass plate serving as a spatial reference. The video camera, which is disposed in a second region, namely beneath the glass plate acting as a spatial reference element, tracks the optical identifications of the objects guided across the glass plate, detects their signals and inputs them as input signals into a computer for evaluation and later display on a monitor. The object is only tracked in three degrees of freedom, namely relative to the position in the plane of the reference element and the orientation around the vertical.
It is the object of the invention to disclose a method and an input device for controlling the position of an object that is graphically displayed in virtual reality, with which an observation of markings of the virtually-displayed object by electronic cameras allows the position of the virtually-displayed object to be manually controlled by the operator without limitations of his hand movements, that is, neither by mechanical parts nor cables, permitting the most intuitive possible use.
According to the invention, which relates to a method of the type mentioned at the outset, this object is accomplished in that the s
Arbter Klaus
Hirzinger Gerd
Landzettel Klaus
Browdy and Neimark , P.L.L.C.
Chang Kent
Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft -und Raumfahrt e.V.
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