Touchless Interface Control with Time-Controlled 3D-Point Fading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touchless user-interface control methods for electronic displays suffer from instability and lack of smooth user experience, particularly in detecting touchless control inputs and providing reliable feedback.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing two depth cameras to define spatial input areas with boundaries, detect input objects, determine 3D-points, and perform time-controlled fading of these points to ensure precise and smooth interaction, using a touchless control pointer for cursor movements and gestures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single depth camera is used for touchless input detection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and reliability of touchless control input detection deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines data from multiple depth cameras (first and second depth cameras) to capture 3D points of the input object. By merging the detection results from multiple cameras, the system achieves higher measurement precision and reliability for touchless control input detection, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and measurement precision.
2Speed
If the touchless control pointer moves quickly across spatial boundaries, then the response speed is improved, but discontinuities and errors in detection increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring the touchless control pointer's position relative to spatial boundaries and proactively managing the fading of 3D points before discontinuities occur. This allows the system to maintain detection stability even during quick pointer movements across boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements time-controlled fading to ensure continuous and smooth transitions of the touchless control pointer across spatial boundaries. By controlling the fading duration and timing, the system maintains detection continuity and reliability, preventing discontinuities and errors during rapid movements.
3Speed
If 3D-points are abruptly faded out when leaving spatial input areas, then the device responsiveness is improved, but user experience smoothness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic time-controlled fading where the fading duration and rate are adjusted based on the pointer's movement characteristics and position. This dynamic approach maintains device responsiveness while ensuring smooth transitions that enhance user experience, resolving the contradiction between responsiveness and smoothness.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented touchless user-interface control method for an electronic display, comprising: defining a first spatial input area associated with a first depth camera for the recognition of touchless input, the first spatial input area having a first spatial boundary; defining a second spatial input area associated with a second depth camera for the recognition of touchless input, the second spatial input area having a second spatial boundary; detecting, using the first and the second depth camera, an input object and determining a set of 3D-points corresponding to the input object; wherein the set of 3D-points includes a first subset of 3D-points which is based on data captured by the first depth camera, and a second subset of 3D-points which is based on data captured by the second depth camera; determining a touchless control pointer based on the positions of the 3D-points; performing time-controlled fading wherein one or both of the subsets of 3D-points is faded out or faded in within a period of time depending on successive positions of the touchless control pointer relative to the first and second spatial boundaries.