Camera-Based Pointing System for Portable Computers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable computers with pointing functions rely on touch panels, increasing manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A pointing system utilizing a built-in webcam and an additional infrared image sensor, without a touch panel, to recognize hand postures and perform cursor control and click operations by capturing and processing images from multiple sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a touch panel is employed to implement pointing functions, then the pointing function is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the touch panel component from the system and replaces it with a camera-based pointing system. The processing unit analyzes hand posture images captured by the camera to control the cursor, eliminating the need for a touch panel while maintaining pointing functionality. This reduces manufacturing cost and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical touch panel system with an optical imaging system. Instead of using a physical touch surface with sensors, the system uses a camera to capture images and process hand posture data to control the cursor, substituting mechanical interaction with optical detection and image processing.
2Ease of operation
If a touch panel is employed to implement pointing functions, then the pointing function is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the touch panel from the system structure and replaces it with a camera-based solution. The processing unit directly processes hand posture images to control the cursor, simplifying the system structure while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive hand gesture control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the portable computer's built-in camera to capture hand posture images, eliminating the need for separate touch panel hardware. The processing unit automatically processes these images to control the cursor, making the system self-sufficient and reducing overall complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If image recognition technology is used to implement pointing functions without a touch panel, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the measurement precision of hand posture recognition must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-stores multiple hand posture templates in the processing unit, including various gestures for different operations (e.g., open hand for cursor control, fist for click, two fingers for right-click). This preliminary preparation enables accurate and rapid recognition of user intentions without requiring complex real-time analysis, maintaining precision while reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of hand posture recognition from continuous coordinate analysis to discrete gesture classification. By recognizing specific predefined gestures (open hand, fist, two fingers) rather than analyzing continuous hand position and orientation parameters, the system achieves accurate control with simpler processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables cost-effective implementation of pointing functions in portable computers by eliminating the need for touch panels, allowing for efficient cursor control and click operations through image recognition technology.
Implementation Method 1
The first image sensor is configured to capture a first image
Implementation Method 2
a second image sensor and an infrared light source are further provided
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a pointing system including a first image sensor, a second image sensor and a processing unit. The first image sensor is configured to capture a first image. The processing unit is configured to recognize a predetermined hand posture according to the first image and to identify a click event according to a second image captured by the second image sensor when the predetermined hand posture is recognized.