Aerial image input terminal

Abstract

To provide an aerial image input terminal in which multiple icons and their arrangement are perceived three-dimensionally (3D) using an aerial imaging system that images flat (2D) images in the air.SOLUTION: An aerial image input terminal 10 includes an image display unit 11 having a display surface 11a for displaying an image, and a 3D plate 12 that enables the image to be formed as a real image on an image forming surface 13 in the air. The image includes multiple icons movably arranged along a circular path, an angle θ1 between the 3D plate 12 and the image forming surface 13 is between 30° and 60°, and gloss effects applied to the multiple icons and their sizes are predetermined conditions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerial video input terminal.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, various devices (aerial displays) that display images in the air using retroreflective members and the like have been proposed. Since the image displayed in the aerial display can be operated without contact, it is utilized in medical sites, restaurants, etc. from the viewpoints of preventing infectious diseases and hygiene.

[0003] As an example, an aerial display has been proposed in which a plurality of icons are displayed in the air, and an operation assigned to the icon is executed when the user touches the aerial image (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the icons displayed on the conventional aerial display are viewed two-dimensionally on a plane, and their movement is only scrollable in the left-right or up-down directions.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an aerial video input terminal in which a plurality of icons and their arrangements are perceived three-dimensionally using an aerial imaging system that forms a two-dimensional video in the air.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To achieve the above object, the aerial video input terminal of the present invention A video display unit having a display surface for displaying an image, a 3D plate capable of forming the image as a real image on an aerial imaging surface, wherein the image includes a plurality of icons arranged to be movable along an annular path, the angle formed between the 3D plate and the imaging surface is 30° to 60°, and satisfies the following condition (1) or the following condition (2). Condition (1): In the image, the plurality of icons are subjected to a stronger gloss effect from the rear one to the front one. Condition (2): In the image, a gloss effect is uniformly applied throughout, and the plurality of icons increase in size from the rear one to the front one.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, by setting the angle formed between the 3D plate capable of forming an image in the air and the aerial imaging surface within the predetermined range, and setting the gloss effect applied to the plurality of icons arranged to be movable along an annular path and the size of the icons to the predetermined conditions, it is possible to provide an aerial video input terminal in which a plurality of icons and their arrangements are perceived three-dimensionally using an aerial imaging system that forms a planar (two-dimensional) image in the air.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The aerial video input terminal of the present invention will be described with examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the following examples. In the following FIGS. 1 to 5, the same parts may be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted. Also, in the drawings, for convenience of explanation, the structure of each part may be appropriately simplified and shown, and the dimensional ratios of each part may be different from the actual ones and may be shown schematically.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the aerial video input terminal of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the aerial video input terminal 10 of this example includes a video display unit 11, a 3D plate 12, a sensor 14, and a housing 15. The housing 15 is in the shape of a hollow rectangular parallelepiped and has a rectangular upper opening. In the aerial video input terminal 10 of this example, the presence or absence of the sensor 14 and the housing 15 is arbitrary, and the aerial video input terminal 10 may not include them.

[0012] The video display unit 11 has a display surface 11a for displaying video. As the video display unit 11, for example, a conventionally known video display device such as a liquid crystal display can be used.

[0013] The 3D plate 12 enables the video to be imaged as a real image on the aerial imaging surface 13. The 3D plate 12 is, for example, a flat plate formed of a glass material having a two-layer mirror structure arranged perpendicular to each other or a resin material having translucency, and is arranged at the upper opening of the housing 15. As the 3D plate 12, a commercially available product may be used. Examples of the commercially available product include the ASKA3D plate manufactured by Askanet Co., Ltd.

[0014] The angle θ1 formed between the 3D plate 12 and the imaging surface 13 is 30° to 60°, and for example, it may be 40° to 50°, or 45°. Also, the angle θ2 formed between the video display unit 11 and the 3D plate 12 is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be about the same as the angle θ1. Although not shown, the video display unit 11 is fixed inside the housing 15 so that the angle θ2 has a desired magnitude.

[0015] Next, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, an example of the video displayed on the display surface 11a of the video display unit 11 will be described. FIGS. 2 to 4 are examples when the aerial video input terminal of the present invention is used as an input terminal for ordering conveyor-belt sushi. Note that due to the function of the 3D plate 12 described above, the video is to be aerial-imaged as a real image on the imaging surface 13.

[0016] The video includes a plurality (eight in this example) of icons 16a to 16h arranged to be movable along an annular path. The direction in which the plurality of icons 16a to 16h can move (rotate) may be clockwise, counterclockwise, or both. FIG. 2 shows an example in which each of the plurality of icons 16a to 16h has the same size. Note that FIG. 2(A) shows an example in which the entire annular path fits within the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11, and the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11 displays the entire set of all the icons included in the plurality of icons 16a to 16h. Further, in FIG. 2(B), as a result of the annular path extending across the entire width of the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11, approximately half of the leftmost icon 16g and the rightmost icon 16c do not fit within the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11, and the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11 displays the entire set of icons 16a, 16b, 16d, 16e, 16f, and 16h, and a part of icons 16c and 16g. And in FIG. 2(C), as a result of the annular path protruding beyond the width of the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11, the entire leftmost icon 16g and the entire rightmost icon 16c do not fit within the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11, and the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11 displays the entire set of icons 16a, 16b, 16d, 16e, 16f, and 16h.

[0017] Although not shown in the drawings, in the examples shown in FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C), the plurality of icons 16a to 16h are given a stronger gloss effect from the ones on the back side to the ones on the front side. Specifically, the weakest gloss effect is applied to the icon 16e at the farthest back, stronger gloss effects are applied to the icons 16f and 16d located adjacent to it on the left and right, even stronger gloss effects are applied to the icons 16g and 16c located adjacent to them on the left and right, even stronger gloss effects are applied to the icons 16h and 16b in front of the right and left hands of them, and the strongest gloss effect is applied to the icon 16a at the frontmost. In this way, the angle θ1 formed by the 3D plate 12 and the imaging surface 13 is within the aforementioned predetermined range, and each icon displayed on the imaging surface 13 is given the gloss effect as described above, so that the icons on the front side are visually recognized as brighter and the icons on the back side are visually recognized as darker, thereby making it possible to give the feeling of depth to the video. As a result, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide the aerial video input terminal 10 in which the plurality of icons 16a to 16h and their arrangement are perceived three-dimensionally using the aerial imaging system that forms a planar (two-dimensional) video in the air. As shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), if all or part of all the icons included in the plurality of icons 16a to 16h are displayed on the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11, as shown in FIG. 2(C), the effect of three-dimensionally perceiving the plurality of icons 16a to 16h and their arrangement can be enhanced more than when all of some of the icons are not displayed. For the gloss effect, conventionally known gloss processing techniques can be used. As an example of the gloss effect, there is a technique of expanding the range of brightness that can be expressed by remapping the luminance using HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the display where white bleeding and black crush have occurred.

[0018] In the mode where a stronger gloss effect is applied to the plurality of icons 16a to 16h shown in FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) from the ones on the back side to the ones on the front side, similar to the mode shown in FIG. 3 described later, the plurality of icons 16a to 16h may be getting larger from the ones on the back side to the ones on the front side. By making the front-side icons that are more brightly visible larger and the back-side icons that are less brightly visible smaller, the effect that the plurality of icons 16a to 16h and their arrangement are perceived three-dimensionally (stereoscopically) can be further enhanced.

[0019] The mode shown in FIGS. 3(A) to 3(C) is the same as the mode in FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) except that the plurality of icons 16a to 16h are getting larger from the ones on the back side to the ones on the front side. That is, the innermost icon 16e is the smallest, the icons 16f and 16d located adjacent to its left and right are larger than it, the icons 16g and 16c located adjacent to the left and right of those are even larger than them, the icons 16h and 16b in front of its right hand and left hand are even larger than them, and the outermost icon 16a is the largest. However, although not shown in the drawings, in the mode shown in FIGS. 3(A) to 3(C), a gloss effect is uniformly applied to the entire display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11.

[0020] Even in the mode where a gloss effect is uniformly applied to the entire display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11 shown in FIGS. 3(A) to 3(C), since the plurality of icons 16a to 16h are getting larger from the ones on the back side to the ones on the front side, the front-side icons are more brightly visible and the back-side icons are less brightly visible, so that a sense of depth can be felt in the video. It is possible to provide an aerial video input terminal 10 in which the plurality of icons 16a to 16h and their arrangement are perceived three-dimensionally (stereoscopically) using an aerial imaging system that forms a planar (two-dimensional) video in the air.

[0021] Techniques for making a plurality of icons 16a to 16h movable (rotatable) in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and techniques for changing the sizes of the plurality of icons 16a to 16h as they move (rotate) in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 may use conventionally known video display technologies. The moving (rotating) speed of the plurality of icons 16a to 16h may be appropriately determined so as not to interfere with their selection operations described later.

[0022] FIG. 4 is an example in which the video displayed on the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11 includes icons 17a and 17b other than the plurality of icons 16a to 16h. Thus, the video displayed on the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11 may include icons separate from the plurality of icons 16a to 16h arranged to be movable along an annular path. In FIG. 4, two of the separate icons are shown, but the number can be appropriately increased or decreased.

[0023] In the video displayed on the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11, the display content of the background image other than the icons is not particularly limited. However, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, if the background image is made black, the plurality of icons 16a to 16h will stand out more and be more visible, and the effect of perceiving them and their arrangement three-dimensionally can be enhanced.

[0024] As described above, FIGS. 2 to 4 are examples when the aerial video input terminal of the present invention is used as an input terminal for ordering conveyor-belt sushi. In these examples, when the finger of a customer (viewer) in a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant touches any of the plurality of icons 16a to 16h, an ordering operation for the corresponding menu (tuna, salmon, squid, etc.) is executed. The sensor 14 is used to detect whether a finger has touched any of the plurality of icons 16a to 16h.

[0025] As the sensor 14, for example, a distance measuring sensor including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit can be used. The light emitting unit scans the imaging surface 13 with an infrared laser. The distance measuring sensor can detect the position of a finger on the imaging surface 13 based on the time and angle from when the infrared laser is irradiated from the light emitting unit until the reflected infrared laser is received by the light receiving unit after being reflected by the finger located on the imaging surface 13. Note that, in the aerial video input terminal of the present invention, the means for detecting the position of a finger is not limited to the means using the sensor 14, and any conventionally known means may be used.

[0026] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the video displayed on the display surface 11a of the video display unit 11 will be further described with examples. FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B) show a state in which one of the plurality of icons, i.e., icon 16a1 or 16a2, is moving (rotating) along the circular path 20. Note that in FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B), the circular path 20 and the like are illustrated for convenience of explanation, but in actuality, they are not actually displayed. In actuality, on the display surface 11a (imaging surface 13) of the video display unit 11, only the plurality of icons are displayed except for the background image.

[0027] In this example, if the icon 16a1 shown in FIG. 5(A) is deformed so as to shrink inside the circular path 20 and expand outside the circular path 20 like the icon 16a2 shown in FIG. 5(B), the effect of the plurality of icons and their arrangement being perceived three-dimensionally can be further enhanced. That is, the icon 16a1 is inscribed in a cone 23 having a vertex 22 at a corresponding position with respect to the center 21 of a circle having a larger diameter than the circular path 20 that shares the circular path 20 and the center 21 where it is arranged. By performing a deformation to shrink inside the circular path 20 and expand outside the circular path 20 to obtain the icon 16a2, the effect of the plurality of icons and their arrangement being perceived three-dimensionally can be further enhanced. The diameter of the circle where the vertex 22 of the cone 23 is located may be appropriately adjusted so that the deformed icon 16a2 is easily perceived three-dimensionally.

[0028] The aerial video input terminal of the present invention is not limited to an input terminal for ordering conveyor-belt sushi. It can be widely used in various fields involving operations of selecting any one from a plurality of options, such as ordering various menus in other restaurants, selecting characters or items in video games, etc. For the technology of executing the operations assigned to each icon, conventionally known technologies can be used. Note that the aerial video input terminal of the present invention may have a control unit that controls the display of video on the display surface 11a of the video display unit 11, communication with the sensor 14, execution of the operations assigned to each icon, etc., arranged inside the housing 15.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0029] 10 Aerial video input terminal 11 Video display unit 11a Display surface 12 3D plate 13 Imaging surface 14 Sensor 15 Housing 16a~16h, 17a, 17b Icons 20 Annular orbit 21 Center 22 Vertex 23 Cone

Claims

1. A video display unit having a display surface for displaying a video, and a 3D plate capable of forming a real image of the video on an imaging surface in the air, wherein the video includes a plurality of icons arranged to be movable along an annular path, the angle formed between the 3D plate and the imaging surface is 30° to 60°, An aerial video input terminal satisfying the following condition (1) or the following condition (2). Condition (1): In the video, a stronger gloss effect is applied to the plurality of icons from the one on the back side to the one on the front side. Condition (2): In the video, a gloss effect is uniformly applied throughout, and the plurality of icons increase in size from the one on the back side to the one on the front side.

2. The aerial video input terminal according to claim 1, wherein the video display unit displays all or part of all the icons included in the plurality of icons.

3. Each of the plurality of icons has its inner side reduced and its outer side expanded from the annular path so as to be inscribed in a cone having a vertex at a position facing the center on a circle having a diameter larger than that of the annular path centered on the annular path in which it is arranged. The aerial video input terminal according to claim 1 or 2.

Images