Color Calibration for Object Tracking in Gesture Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional gaming systems lack effective color calibration methods for tracking objects, leading to inaccurate object tracking due to environmental factors and color variations, which affects the reliability of gesture-based input systems.

Innovation Solution

A method for calibrating a tracking system by determining trackable colors using a computing device that causes an object to assume predefined colors, identifies pixels corresponding to these colors, and separates object colors from environment colors to determine usable colors for accurate tracking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional tracking systems are used without color calibration, then the system operation is simple, but the object tracking accuracy deteriorates due to environmental factors and color variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject tracking accuracyVSAvoidcalibration system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs color calibration before actual object tracking begins. The processor determines trackable colors by analyzing environment colors and object colors in advance, establishing a calibration lookup table that maps object colors to trackable colors. This preliminary calibration action ensures accurate tracking without requiring complex continuous adjustments during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The calibration lookup table serves as an intermediary data structure between the raw color data from the image sensor and the trackable color information needed for object identification. This intermediary component translates environment-affected color measurements into corrected object color representations, enabling accurate tracking while maintaining simple system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If color calibration is performed to distinguish object colors from environment colors, then object tracking reliability improves, but the calibration process time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegesture recognition reliabilityVSAvoidcalibration time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs partial color calibration by sampling a limited set of predefined colors (trackable colors) rather than analyzing the entire color spectrum. The processor identifies environment colors and object colors at specific color points, creating a manageable calibration lookup table that provides sufficient reliability for gesture recognition without requiring exhaustive color analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a simplified representation (copy) of the color calibration data in the form of a lookup table that maps object colors to trackable colors. This copied calibration information can be quickly referenced during gesture recognition without reperforming the complex color analysis, reducing the time cost of repeated calibration operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If the object is caused to assume predefined colors for calibration, then color identification accuracy improves, but the object operation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor identification accuracyVSAvoidobject control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the color parameter of the tracked object to a set of predefined trackable colors during calibration. The processor controls the object to assume these specific colors (such as red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, magenta) which are easily distinguishable from environment colors. This parameter change approach simplifies color identification while maintaining ease of operation through straightforward color switching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2435957B1Color calibration for object tracking
Publication Date: 2021.07.28 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP2435957B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2435957B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2435957B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To calibrate a tracking system a computing device locates an object in one or more images taken by an optical sensor. The computing device determines environment colors included in the image, the environment colors being colors in the one or more images that are not emitted by the object. The computing device determines one or more trackable colors that, if assumed by the object, will enable the computing device to track the object.