Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Player-actuated control structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-14
2001-09-04
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Player-actuated control structure
C345S215000, C434S367000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283860
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates a method for enabling a user to select a particular option from a set of selectable options, the method including the steps of:
displaying the set of selectable options at respective option positions;
while allowing the user to physically point at the particular option, taking an image of the user;
ascertaning from the image whether the user points at the particular option; and
if such is the case, concluding that the user has selected the particular option.
The invention further relates to a system for enabling a user to select a particular option from a set of selectable options, the system including:
a video screen for displaying the set of selectable options at respective option positions;
a camera for taking an image of the user;
an ascertaining unit for ascertaining from the image whether the user points at the particular option; and
a concluding unit for concluding that the user has selected the particular option, in the case that the ascertaining means have ascertained that the user points at the particular option.
Such a method and system are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,263. The known system has a projector to project a video image having one or more selectable options, there called buttons, onto a projection screen. The system comprises a camera that records an image of the image projected on the screen. Furthermore, the system is arranged to compare the camera recorded image with the original image fed to the projector. A user standing next to the projected image interacts with the system by covering the particular selectable option with an object that causes a different light reflection than the projection screen. The object may be the user's hand or a dedicated pointing device like a pen or a ruler. When comparing the camera image with the original image, the covering of the particular option is noticed and an action corresponding with that option is executed by the system. This may be the projection of a next video image in a series of images forming a presentation. In this known system, the camera needs to record the projected video image and the user at the same time in a single frame. This restricts the movements of the user who must remain in the vicinity of the projection screen. Furthermore, the user must cover in the projected image the particular option to indicate the selection of this option. This also requires the user's presence close to that option. Furthermore, the user must take care not to accidentally cover this option or another option on the screen with part of his or her body and must avoid blocking the sight of the camera on the option or options on the screen. So for interaction with the known system, the area in which the user can move and the position of the selectable options are restricted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of the kind set forth with an improved way of determining the pointing by the user. This object is achieved according to the invention in a method further including based on the image determining a feature position of a body feature of the user in 3 dimensional space and wherein the step of ascertaining from the image whether the user has pointed at the particular option is executed on the basis of the feature position of the body feature and the option position of the particular option. Because the determining whether the user points to the particular option is based on an image of the user alone, so without requiring the selectable options to be in that image, the user is given a larger freedom of moving around when compared with the known method. The establishment of the feature position of the body feature of the user in 3 dimensions makes it possible to determine whether or not the user points at the particular option while this option is not in the image. Pointing at an option in the 3 dimensional space, without being required to operate some input device, is a very natural and intuitive way for a user to express a choice. This is especially advantageous for a user who is not familiar with operating a computer. Furthermore, the absence of a dedicated input device and other moving device make the method attractive for application in public places since there is no risk that these devices would be taken away or damaged.
As such, it is known to control an application on the basis of the image of a user person. Patent publication WO 96/30856 describes a system in which the user controls the graphics, e.g. an animated character, on a screen to which the user is looking, by moving one or more body parts. The system is equipped with a camera that takes an image of the user. The silhouette of the user in that image is analyzed and the position and movement of a body part in one or more specific regions in the image are used as input for controlling the graphics. The poses that the user may assume are simply recognizable in the silhouette and do not include pointing towards a presented option. The system analyzes the image of the user in 2 dimensions, only as a silhouette, and no determining of positions of the user's body in 3 dimensions is undertaken. So important differences between this method and the method according to the invention are:
the style of interaction is different: in the known method poses that cause a particular silhouette result in a corresponding command and action in the application whereby there is no natural correspondence between the pose and the resulting action, while the present invention provides for natural pointing to an option that is to be selected;
in the known method, the poses and the position of the body are restricted in order to assure that the silhouette of the respective body parts are in the corresponding regions of the image, while the present invention is very liberal in the position and poses the user may assume;
in the known method the analysis of the poses of the user is carried out in the 2 dimensions of the image only, while in the present invention the poses of the body are determined in the 3 dimensional space in which the user interacts thus providing an interface that is very intuitive to the user since it conforms to the human sense of the world.
The method according to the invention can be employed in various applications where a user interacts with a system. It is used to enter commands into the system, while no separate input device is necessary. Examples are information retrieval systems in community buildings, like libraries, art galleries and museums, and shopping systems in public shopping areas, like shopping malls, warehouse shops and department stores. Further applications include public service facilities, such as fast-food providers where the user can point at a desired food item, and private in-home uses, such as interaction with a home-theater system.
In an embodiment of the method according to the invention the set of selectable objects is displayed on a video screen facing the user. Displaying the selectable options on a screen provides for a flexible way of displaying these options to the user. The displaying can then easily be adapted to the current user who is making a selection: the height of the displayed options can be matched with the height of the user standing in front of the screen and the size of the displayed options on the screen can be adapted to the distance at which the user is standing from the screen. Furthermore, a system employing this method can easily be maintained since modifying the set of selectable options on the screen is easier and less expensive then modifying a hardware setup of the set of selectable options.
In an embodiment of the method according to the invention the body feature is the pointing end of an arm of the user. Allowing the user to point with one or more fingers or with a hand provides for a very natural, intuitive way of pointing. The end of the pointing arm, i.e. the fingers or the hand is recognizable from the image and the position can be calculated.
An embodiment of the method according to t
Lyons Damian M.
Murphy Thomas G.
Paradiso John
Philips Electronics North America Corp.
Thorne Gregory L.
Vo Peter
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