JP2003076495A - Virtual input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a virtual input device with excellent portability and operability. SOLUTION: This virtual input device draws an image on a screen 2 with a projection part 3 and an operation key in the virtual input device is selected by touching an indicating means 5 such as an indicating rod or a finger. This selection is determined by a CPU 1 from the image data of a recognition camera 4 focusing on the screen 2 whether the indicating means 5 or the finger is focused or not, and thus the selected operation key is identified.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a virtual input device used as an input device in an information terminal device, a mobile phone or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a keyboard and a mouse are known as input devices in an information terminal device such as a PC, and the keyboard is mainly used for inputting characters. This input device has a panel in which a plurality of keys are arranged, and information is input by pressing the keys. In addition, in a mobile phone, numeric buttons are arranged on a panel, characters are assigned to those buttons, and characters are input by pressing the key a plurality of times.

[0003]

However, the input device in the conventional information terminal device is arranged in the vicinity of the display device connected through the signal line, and the input is made while observing the display device. Although the size of the input device can be selected relatively freely considering the relationship with the device, it is possible to improve the operability, but on the other hand,
Poor portability. On the other hand, a mobile phone having excellent portability is becoming the next-generation Internet browsing device today, but it is inferior in operability because a character is input by pressing a key of the same number many times.

An object of the present invention is to provide a virtual input device excellent in portability and operability.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a virtual input device for operating an electric device based on input information from the input device, and a projection for virtually creating an image of the input device. Section, a recognition camera focusing on this image, and a CPU that analyzes the image data from the recognition camera including the instruction means that is in contact with a part of the image and specifies the selection section by the instruction means. It is characterized by

In the virtual input device according to the present invention, the image of the input device is virtually drawn by the projection unit, and when a predetermined position of the image is touched by the pointing means, the image data of the recognition camera focused on the image. Since the CPU identifies the selection unit by the instruction means, unlike the input device in the conventional information terminal device, it is not necessary to connect to the display device through the signal line, and the entire size is reduced to improve portability. Moreover, unlike the conventional mobile phone, it is not necessary to press the same button many times to select a character, and the handleability and operability can be improved.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a virtual input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The virtual input device includes a projection unit 3 that displays an image based on the image data from the CPU 1 on a predetermined screen 2, and a recognition camera 4 that focuses the image on the screen 2 and takes the image data into the CPU 1. The CPU 1 takes in image data including an indicating means 5 such as an indicating stick from the screen 2 by the recognition camera 4, and identifies a key operated by an analysis process which will be described in detail later.

2 and 3 are enlarged views showing a main part of an image of the virtual input device displayed on the screen 2. As shown in FIG. The virtual input device projected on the screen 2 from the projection unit 3 has operation keys 6 such as a switch A and operation keys 7 such as a switch B. First, the recognition camera 4 focuses on the image on the screen 2, captures the image, and inputs it to the CPU 1.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the operation key 6 on the screen 2 is operated by touching it with the tip of the indicating means 5. The same applies when a finger is used as the indicating means 5. At this time, the recognition camera 4 photographs both the operation keys 6 and 7 and the instruction means 5, but since the recognition camera 4 is focused on the screen 2, the tip of the instruction means 5 is away from the screen 2. , The outline of the tip of the pointing means 5 is out of focus. In other words, it looks visually blurred. However, when the tip of the pointing means 5 contacts the screen 2, the recognition camera 4 comes into focus.

When the pointing means 5 acquired by the recognition camera 4 is in focus, the boundary portion is clearly displayed as a line when viewed from a pixel, and when it is out of focus, the boundary portion The color is blurred. When viewed on a pixel-by-pixel basis, the gradation of color becomes like a gradation, and the boundary is not a line but a broadly blurred state.

4 and 5 show the indicating means 5 at this time.
3 is a front view of a pixel obtained by enlarging the image of the tip of FIG.
Shows the case where it is not in focus, and FIG. 4 shows the case where it is in focus. There is one color for one pixel pit, and the color tone can be displayed numerically. As shown in FIG. 3, when it is out of focus, it can be seen that the number of color tones gradually decreases in the contour portion of the indicating means 5 to form a gradation. On the other hand, when the image is in focus as shown in FIG. 5, the number of color tones does not decrease stepwise but changes rapidly.

In FIG. 8, the operation key selected by contacting the tip of the indicating means 5 by utilizing the above-mentioned color tone change is selected by the CPU 1
6 is a flowchart showing the operation when the analysis processing is performed to identify the object. First, in step S1, the image data of the screen 2 by the recognition camera 4 is scanned by the CPU 1 in the X and Y directions, and in step S2 the result is stored as the gradation of the color for each pixel. When the indicating means 5 is scanned in the X direction, the gradation transition when the focus is not achieved is as shown in FIG. That is, when the horizontal axis is the X direction and the vertical axis is the color gradation, the color gradation changes stepwise several times. On the other hand, the gradation transition when the focus is achieved is as shown in FIG. That is, when the horizontal axis is the X direction and the vertical axis is the color gradation, the color gradation only changes once.

Next, in step S3, it is determined whether or not there is gradation in the gradation of this color. If there is gradation, the instructing means 5 causes the screen 2 to display in step S4.
On the other hand, when there is no gradation, it is determined that the instruction means 5 is in contact with the screen 2 in step S5. When it is determined that the indicating means 5 is in contact with the screen 2, the X direction and the Y direction described above are obtained.
The tip position of the instruction means 5 is determined by combining the direction gradation change portion and the image data projected from the projection portion 3, and it is determined that the operation key 6 at that position has been operated.

In this way, the image of the input device is virtually drawn by the projection unit 3 on the desk, wall, or dedicated screen 2, and the operation keys in this image are touched by the instructing means 5, and this selection is made on the screen 2. Since the CPU 1 determines whether the instructing means 5 is in focus from the image data of the recognition camera 4 in which the selected key is in focus, and the selected key is confirmed, it is like an input device in a conventional information terminal device. In addition, it is not necessary to connect to the display device via a signal line, so that portability can be improved and handling becomes easy. Further, since the size of the virtual input device can be set to a certain degree, the operability can be improved.

Moreover, the analysis by the CPU is performed by the recognition camera 4
To analyze the image data by the color tone change and specify the selection unit by the instructing means. More specifically, the image data by the recognition camera 4 is analyzed from the color tone change,
When there is no gradation of color gradation at the boundary of the instructing means, the changing part of the color gradation is specified as the selecting section by the instructing means, so that the selecting section of the image by the instructing means is determined with high accuracy. be able to.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a virtual input device according to another embodiment of the present invention, which is applied to a mobile phone input device. As in the case of the previous embodiment, the projection unit 3 that virtually draws the image of the input device on a suitable plane of the mobile phone and the recognition camera 4 that focuses on this image.
And a CPU for analyzing image data from the recognition camera 4 is arranged in the main body. When input is required, the image of the keyboard 8 is projected from the projection unit 3 onto a flat surface such as a desk or an appropriate screen, and the operation key of the image of the keyboard 8 is brought into contact with an instruction means such as a fingertip for input.

As in the case of the previous embodiment, this contact uses the recognition camera 4 focused on the keyboard 8, and as described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 8, the image data from the recognition camera 4 is used to detect a fingertip or the like. The CPU analyzes whether or not the pointing means is in focus, and specifies the operation key selected by the pointing means from the image data of the virtual input device. In the analysis by the CPU, the image data by the recognition camera 4 is analyzed from the gradation change of the color as in the previous embodiment, and the selection unit by the instructing unit is specified.
More specifically, the image data from the recognition camera 4 is analyzed from the color gradation change, and when there is no color gradation gradation at the boundary of the instruction means, the color gradation change part is selected by the instruction means. I am trying to identify as.

According to the mobile phone having such a structure, the key panel 9 in which the numeric buttons are arranged, the display section 10,
Since it is only necessary to have the first power switch, it is not necessary to allocate letters to number buttons and press the same button many times as in the past, and it is possible to realize a compact mobile phone by saving space. it can. The image of the keyboard 8 used for inputting on the mobile phone may be displayed on the bag or on the desk when necessary, and characters are not forcibly assigned to the numeric keys. Therefore, it is convenient because it is possible to draw out the image of the keyboard 8 that is familiar to an ordinary information terminal device and input the image using the keyboard 8.

The virtual input device described above can be used not only as an information terminal device and a mobile phone, but also as an input device for a panel key of a microwave oven or the like.

[0020]

As described above, the virtual input device of the present invention does not need to be connected to the display device via the signal line like the input device in the conventional information terminal device, and the whole is made compact and portable. Since it is displayed on the screen, it is not necessary to repeatedly press a button to select a character, unlike a mobile phone, so that the handleability and operability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a virtual input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing another state of the screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a pixel showing a gradation change of color when the instruction unit shown in FIG. 3 is out of focus.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a pixel showing a gradation change of color when the instruction unit shown in FIG. 3 is in focus.

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram showing a change in color gradation when the screen is scanned in the X-axis direction when the instructing means shown in FIG. 3 is out of focus.

FIG. 7 is a characteristic diagram showing a change in color gradation when the screen is scanned in the X-axis direction when the instructing means shown in FIG. 3 is in focus.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation of the virtual input device shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view when this device is applied to a mobile phone.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 CPU 2 screen 3 Projector 4 recognition camera 5 Instruction means

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 5B020 CC06 CC12 DD04 FF55                 5B068 AA05 BD02 BE15 CC06 CC12                       CC19 EE03                 5B087 AA06 AA09 AB02 BC03 BC12                       BC13 BC32 CC09 CC33 DE02                       DG02

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A virtual input device that operates an electric device based on input information from the input device, a projection unit that virtually creates an image of the input device, a recognition camera that focuses the image, and A virtual input device comprising: a CPU that analyzes image data from the recognition camera including an instruction unit that contacts a part of an image and specifies a selection unit by the instruction unit. 2. The CP according to claim 1, wherein
The virtual input device U is configured to analyze the image data from the recognition camera from the change in color gradation and to specify the selection unit by the instruction means. 3. The one according to claim 1, wherein the CP
U analyzes the image data obtained by the recognition camera from the change of color gradation, and when there is no gradation of color gradation at the boundary of the instruction means, the change part of color gradation is used as a selection section by the instruction means. A virtual input device characterized by being configured to specify.