Face Orientation and Gesture Detection for Cursor Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gesture-based remote operation technologies for devices like televisions and personal computers face challenges in precision when using face or hand movement detection, especially on large screens, as large cursor movements are difficult to control accurately.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus and method that includes an operation detection unit to detect a user's face orientation and operations, and an area selection unit to select screen areas based on the face orientation during specific user gestures, allowing for precise remote operation by combining face and gesture detection for cursor control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If only face orientation or facial part movement is detected for remote operation, then the operation can be performed without keyboard, mouse, or remote controller, but the cursor movement on large screens (50-inches or more) becomes imprecise and difficult to control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremote operation capabilityVSAvoidcursor positioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines face orientation detection with hand gesture detection to control cursor movement. The face orientation provides coarse positioning while hand gestures provide fine adjustment, merging two detection methods to achieve both ease of operation and precision on large screens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the cursor control process into two stages: initial positioning using face orientation detection, and precise positioning using hand gesture detection. This segmentation allows each detection method to operate in its optimal range, resolving the precision issue on large screens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If only hand movements are detected for remote operation, then precise cursor movements are possible, but large movements of the cursor displayed on the screen become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecursor movement precisionVSAvoidlarge cursor movement capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges face orientation detection for large-scale cursor movement with hand gesture detection for precise cursor positioning. This combination allows users to easily move the cursor across large screens while maintaining precision for fine adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments cursor control into coarse movement (achieved through face orientation) and fine movement (achieved through hand gestures). This segmentation enables both large cursor movements and precise positioning to be accomplished effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10037078B2Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program

Publication Date: 2018.07.31 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

There is provided an information processing apparatus including an operation detection unit configured to detect an orientation of a user's face and operations performed by the user, and an area selection unit configured to, when the operation detection unit detects that the user has performed a first operation, select an area on a screen based on the orientation of the user's face during the first operation.