Depth Image Motion Detection for Intuitive Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing computing applications, such as games and multimedia systems, often require users to learn complex controls like controllers or keyboards, which can create a barrier and may not directly correspond to actual actions, making user interaction less intuitive.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses depth images to track user or object motion, allowing users to manipulate game characters or application elements by moving their body or objects, rather than relying on traditional controls, by creating a reference image and updating it with new depth images to detect and group motion data for updating applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional controls like controllers, keyboards, or mice are used, then application functionality can be achieved, but user interaction becomes complex and requires learning curves

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of user interactionVSAvoidcontrol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical control systems (controllers, keyboards, mice) with a depth-based motion detection system that uses optical fields and image processing to capture and interpret user movements naturally, eliminating the need for physical control devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a virtual copy of the user's physical movements by capturing depth images and translating real-world motion into corresponding in-game or application actions, allowing natural movement to directly control the digital environment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional controls are used to manipulate game characters, then application control is achieved, but the controls do not correspond to actual actions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaction correspondenceVSAvoidintuitiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the user's body into distinct depth-based regions and tracks movements of specific body parts independently, allowing precise mapping of natural actions to corresponding in-game character actions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter space from traditional 2D screen coordinates to 3D depth-based spatial coordinates, enabling more intuitive mapping between physical movement and digital action by incorporating depth information

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8588517B2Motion detection using depth images

Publication Date: 2013.11.19 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A sensor system creates a sequence of depth images that are used to detect and track motion of objects within range of the sensor system. A reference image is created and updated based on a moving average (or other function) of a set of depth images. A new depth images is compared to the reference image to create a motion image, which is an image file (or other data structure) with data representing motion. The new depth image is also used to update the reference image. The data in the motion image is grouped and associated with one or more objects being tracked. The tracking of the objects is updated by the grouped data in the motion image. The new positions of the objects are used to update an application.