KR20090062324A - An apparatus and method using equalization and xor comparision of images in the virtual touch screen system - Google Patents

Abstract

A virtual touch screen system performing the effect of a touch screen image is touched without the touch screen device and an operation method are provided to perform feedback control based on color by receiving the image of the user as color by using visible ray. An image storage/output unit outputs outputted image. The output image acquisition unit obtains the outputted image. The storage image/acquired image equalization unit equalizes the storage image and acquired image. The equalization storage image/equalization acquired image XOR comparison unit performs the XOR comparison between the acquired image and the equalized storage image. The user action analysis unit analyzes the operation of the user the XOR comparison result to the natural disposition. The feedback process unit performs the feedback process the action analyzed result to the natural disposition in the output image.

Description

An Apparatus and Method using Equalization and XOR Comparision of Images in the Virtual Touch Screen System}

The present invention relates to a virtual touch screen device and a method for performing an effect of a touch screen by a user touching an image without the touch screen device.

A system that can interact with a user by directly touching the screen without a hardware touchscreen device is called a "virtual touchscreen." The virtual touch screen detects a user's movement and feeds it back to the output image to perform a virtual touch screen function. The user mainly touches (closes or crosses) a virtual object (button or interactive object) in the output image. The user controls the output image.

The prior art related to the virtual touch screen is a method of using an image camera in a situation where the user and the screen are separated, a method of separating the output image on the screen and the user's image by using a light source having a different wavelength, a user and an image using an image shutter There is a way to separate them.

First, "Video image based control system" (US Pat. No. 5,534,917), "Image processing method for game-like game and game method using the same" (Korea Patent 10-0607046), "User input device and method for interaction with graphic images" (US Patent 7,071,914 and the like are technologies for recognizing an image of a user using an image camera. However, all of these technologies can be used only in an environment where the user and the screen are separated. In other words, the CCD camera mounted in the direction of the user on the screen captures the user's image and recognizes the movement, and the user interacts with the computer by moving his or her hands and feet in the air while looking at himself combined with a virtual object on the screen. There is a problem that must be done. Sony's EyeToy is a representative product that uses technology that separates users from the screen. If the user applies an image camera using a conventional technique in an environment in which the user directly touches the virtual object on the screen, the image of howling of the image causing the movement of the object itself to react again by misrecognizing the movement of the virtual object as the user's movement ( howling phenomenon occurs

Secondly, there is an "interactive video display system" (Korean Patent Application No. 10-2003-7015990), which prevents howling of an image even when the user directly touches a virtual object on a screen. This other light source (infrared light source and infrared camera) is used to separate the output image on the screen and the user's image. However, to do this, the light source (infrared lamp) with different wavelengths irradiated to the user must maintain a constant angle and distance, and when the sunlight shines around the system, the accuracy is significantly reduced due to the interference of light, and the user's image is monochromatic. In addition to processing, there is a disadvantage that the image sensor unit consisting of an infrared light source and an infrared camera becomes complicated and large in size.

Third, there is a "virtual touch screen system and operation method using an image shutter" (Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0089848), the technology is howling of the image even in the environment where the user directly touches the virtual object on the screen ( In order to prevent howling, the video shutter blocks the output image of the beam project at the moment the camera captures the user's image and receives only the user's image. There is a limitation to operate only on the screen using the beam projector.

The core technology of the virtual touch screen system is to exclude the output image on the screen from the image input through the video camera in order to prevent howling of the image in the environment where the user directly touches the virtual object on the screen. This technology extracts and extracts only images.

Conventional virtual touch screen technology has to use additional special equipment such as an infrared camera, an infrared light source or an image shutter to separate the output image from the user image. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for operating a virtual touch screen which is cheaper and more effective than a conventional virtual screen device by separating an image of a user without using additional special equipment such as an infrared camera or an infrared light source or an image shutter.

In order to solve the problems of the related art, the present invention outputs and stores an image to separate and extracts an output image and a user image giving feedback to the output image. This is a method of extracting a user image by using an XOR (Exclusive OR) comparison method. However, in general, there is a general difference between the original image of the system and the image obtained through the camera after outputting the original image. The brightness, saturation and color are different depending on the processing method of the output system, and the image is inevitably affected by the output environment.The original image saved by the system and the image recorded by the camera after outputting Is the difference. Therefore, the comparison is not easy due to this difference in XOR comparison of images for separating and extracting user images. In the present invention, in order to easily compare the image stored in the system (hereinafter referred to as the "stored image") and the image obtained by outputting the image (hereinafter referred to as the "acquired image") and output the image at the same time It includes a feature that converts the stored image and the acquired image taken by the camera to a certain quality level image (in this case, the image of the specific quality level is called an equalization image). In other words, if the user's image cannot be extracted when the XOR comparison between the stored image and the acquired image is simply performed, the stored image and the acquired image are converted to the equalized stored image and the equalized acquired image, respectively. 'Means to correct the distortion of the acquired image, and convert the stored image and the acquired image into an image having a certain level of saturation, brightness, color, and resolution.

Accordingly, the present invention is characterized in that the stored image stored at the time of output and the image obtained from the output image is converted into an equalized image, and the user image is extracted by comparing the equalized stored image and the acquired image by XOR.

FIG. 1 illustrates a virtual touch screen system to which a virtual touch screen operating method using image equalization and XOR comparison is applied. In particular, the output unit is an embodiment of a beam project.

As shown in the figure, the virtual touch screen system using the image equalization and XOR comparison method is composed of an output unit 12, an input unit 13, a processing unit 14, a virtual object 16, and a user 17.

The output unit 12 serves to output an image transmitted from the processing unit. For example, a beam projector, a monitor, a TV, an electric signboard, etc. (if the output unit is a monitor, the monitor is located at the position of the screen in FIG. Is installed). The input unit 13 is configured to detect an intended signal (user movement, color, etc.) of the user and input it to the processing unit, and is configured as an image camera capable of inputting an image. The processor 14 analyzes the information received from the input unit in accordance with a predetermined process to determine the user's intention, and delivers the image reflecting the result to the output unit. The virtual object 16 is a static or dynamic object such as a button, an icon, a ball, or a character, and refers to all objects that have been programmed in advance according to a user's intention. The user encompasses all physical entities (eg, infrared pointers, indicators, hands, feet, etc.) that can act on virtual objects on the screen, such as tool animals, including human bodies with specific intentions.

The virtual touch screen system to which the virtual touch screen operating method using image equalization and XOR comparison is applied is a correction value that can be referred to when converting the stored image stored at the same time as the output and the acquired image acquired from the input unit into the equalized image (saturation correction). 'Initialization means' for generating brightness correction, color correction, distortion correction, resolution correction, etc .; Processing unit that stores the image to be output, and at the same time transfer the image to the output unit outputs the received image output unit pass "image storage and output means'; ' Output image acquisition means' for capturing the output image from the input unit and acquiring it; ' Storage image and acquisition image equalization means' for equalizing the stored image and the acquired image by receiving the acquired image acquired by the input unit from the processor; An equalizing stored image and equalized acquired image XOR comparison means for performing XOR comparison between the equalized stored image and the equalized acquired image in the processing unit ; 'User action analysis means' for analyzing a user's action based on the result of XOR comparison in the processor; And a 'feedback processing means' for performing feedback processing on the output image based on the result analyzed by the processing unit.

Initialization means is a test image storage and output means for outputting the test image at the same time while storing the processing; 'Output test image acquisition means' for photographing and outputting the output test image from the input unit; 'Comparison means of the storage test image and the acquired test image' to compare the stored test image and the acquired image received through the input unit in the processing unit; It consists of 'equalization correction value generating means' which generates equalization correction value based on the comparison result between stored test image and acquired test image.

Further, the stored image and the acquired image equalization means may include 'acquired image distortion correction means' for correcting the distortion of the image acquired by the input unit; 'Resolution equalization means' for equalizing the resolution of the stored image and the acquired image; And 'histogram equalization means' for equalizing brightness, saturation, and color of the stored image and the acquired image.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a virtual touch screen operating method using image equalization and XOR comparison.

The virtual touch screen operation method using image equalization and XOR comparison is a correction value (saturation correction, brightness correction, color reference) for converting the stored image stored at the same time as the output from the processing unit and the acquired image acquired from the input unit to the equalization image, respectively. Correction, distortion correction, resolution correction, etc.) (initial stage 1) , the processor stores the image to be output, and simultaneously delivers the image to the output, the output unit stores the image and outputs the output image Step (second step) , the output image acquisition step (third step) to capture the output image obtained by the input unit, the storage image receiving the acquired image obtained by the input unit from the processing unit equalized the stored image and the acquired image respectively And an equalization step of obtaining the acquired image (step 4) , an equalization storing for performing XOR comparison between the equalized stored image and the equalized acquired image in the processing unit. Image and Equalization Acquisition Image XOR comparison step (step 5) , user action analysis step (step 6) to analyze the user's action based on the XOR comparison result in the processing unit, feedback processing to process the feedback on the output image based on the analysis result It consists of a step (seventh step) . After that, the process proceeds to the image storing and outputting stage (second stage), and the feedback processed image is outputted, and the second to seventh stages are repeatedly performed. Meanwhile, steps 2-7 may be performed without an initialization step. If there is no initialization step, the stored image and the acquired image equalization step (step 4) equalize the stored image and the acquired image at a predetermined quality level in advance. If there is an initialization step, the stored image and the acquired image are converted into an equalized image based on the correction value generated in the initialization step.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an initialization step in detail in a virtual touch screen operating method using image equalization and XOR comparison.

In the initialization step, a correction value (brightness correction, saturation correction, color correction, distortion correction, and resolution correction, etc.) referred to in the stored image and the acquired image equalization step is performed. Looking at the initialization step in detail, a test image storage and output step (step 1-1) for simultaneously outputting the test image from the processing unit and storing the test image , an output test image acquisition step for obtaining the output test image from the input unit (first 1- Step 2) , comparing the stored test image and the acquired test image obtained through the input unit with the stored test image and the acquired test image comparing step (step 1-3) , based on the comparison result of the stored test image and the acquired test image And an equalization correction value generation step (steps 1-4) for generating an equalization correction value .

4 is a flowchart illustrating the stored image and the acquired image equalization step (fourth step) in detail. The stored image and the acquired image equalization step include the acquired image distortion correction step (step 4-1) for correcting the distortion of the image acquired by the input unit, and the resolution equalization step of equalizing the resolution of the stored image and the acquired image (Step 4-2) phase), smoothed to equalize the lightness, saturation, and color of the recorded image and the acquired image (histogram equalization ) step (step 4-3) .

Compared with the prior art, the virtual touch screen apparatus and method using the XOR comparison method of input / output images have the following remarkable effects.

First, since the user's movement is not detected by using light sources having different wavelengths (eg, infrared rays), there is no limit on the distance between the image input unit and the screen.

Second, since the user's image can be input in color because general light is used instead of light sources with different wavelengths, color-based feedback control is possible (in the case of using an infrared camera, the control is based on the user's image). However, the present invention can take a colorized image, so it is possible to control by the color of a specific part of the image).

Third, no additional equipment (e.g. infrared light source, infrared camera) is required, which significantly reduces the cost and size of system construction, and significantly reduces the incidence of failure and maintenance costs.

An embodiment of the virtual touch screen operation method using the equalization and the XOR comparison method is as follows.

First, as an initialization step, the processing unit of the virtual screen device stores the test image, and delivers the test image to the output unit. The input unit acquires the output test image and transfers it to the processing unit. The processing unit compares the pre-stored image with the acquired image received through the input unit. The processor generates and stores a correction value for correcting the stored image and the acquired image as an equalized image having a specific quality level based on the comparison result.

After the initialization step, the processor stores the image to be output and simultaneously delivers the image to the output. The output unit then outputs an image. The user takes an action (such as touching a specific area of the output image by using a body such as a hand or a foot, or pointing to a specific area with a laser point, etc.) on the output image. At this time, the input unit obtains an output image including the user's action and delivers it to the processor. The processor receives the acquired image acquired by the input unit and converts the stored image and the acquired image into an equalized image. In this case, the correction value generated in the initialization step may be used. The equalized images perform XOR comparisons and analyze user actions. The analysis of the user action is to extract the area where the user's action is taken from the output image to determine what feedback to give to the output image. The processor processes the feedback by analyzing a user action and determining a output image by performing a predetermined procedure based on the result value. That is, if the feedback effect of outputting three soccer balls and the user's foot touching the soccer ball is set, the user touches the soccer ball and the user's foot position is left, and if the specific soccer ball is placed at the foot coordinate, the soccer ball is popped. To output the video.

5 is a system configuration diagram according to an embodiment of the virtual touch screen system using the point 48 of the laser pointer 47 rather than the user's body. If the point of the laser pointer is at a specific location on the screen, and this location is within the range of the specific object 46, the system recognizes that the point has touched the specific object. At this time, different control may be performed depending on the color of the point. For example, it may be controlled to output an image in which a ball bursts when a red point touches a specific object and output an image in which the ball bounces out when a blue point touches a specific object. That is, various controls are possible not only by form or shape but also by color.

6 illustrates a system configuration according to an embodiment of a virtual touch screen system employing a rear screen. Compared with the system configuration of FIG. 1, there is only a difference between the front screen and the rear screen, and the operation method of the virtual touch screen system using image equalization and XOR comparison is the same.

1 is a configuration diagram of a virtual touch screen system to which a virtual touch screen operating method using image equalization and an XOR method is applied.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a virtual touch screen using image equalization and an XOR method.

3 is a detailed procedure of an initialization step of a virtual touch screen operation method using an image equalization and XOR method.

FIG. 4 is a detailed procedure for equalizing a stored image and an acquired image in a virtual touch screen operating method using image equalization and an XOR method.

5 is a system configuration diagram according to an embodiment of a virtual touch screen system using a laser pointer.

6 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration according to an embodiment of a virtual touch screen system employing a rear screen.

Claims (12)

In the virtual touch screen system using image equalization and XOR comparison, Image storage and output means for storing and outputting an image to be output; Output image acquisition means for photographing the output image and acquiring it; Storage image and obtained image equalization means for equalizing the stored image (stored image) and the acquired image (acquired image), respectively; An equalized stored image and an equalized acquired image XOR comparing means for performing XOR comparison between the equalized stored image (equalized stored image) and the equalized acquired image (equalized acquired image); User action analysis means for analyzing a user's action based on the XOR comparison result of the equalized stored image and the equalized acquired image; And feedback processing means for performing feedback processing on the output image based on a result of analyzing the action of the user. 2. The virtual touch screen system using image equalization and XOR comparison. The method of claim 1, And an initialization means for generating an equalization correction value. The virtual touch screen system using image equalization and XOR comparison. The method of claim 2, The initialization means is Test image storage and output means for storing and outputting a test image to be output; Output test image acquisition means for photographing and obtaining the output test image; Means for comparing the stored test image and the acquired test image for comparing the stored test image (stored test image) with the acquired test image (acquired test image); Equalization correction value generating means for generating an equalization correction value based on the comparison result between the stored test image and the acquired test image; Virtual touch screen system using an image equalization and XOR comparison. The method of claim 3, wherein The equalization correction value is a correction value for any one or more of brightness, saturation, hue, distortion, and resolution, and the equalization correction value is used by the image equalization and XOR comparison, wherein the equalization correction value is used by the stored image and the acquired image equalization means. Virtual touchscreen system. The method according to claim 1 or 4, The stored image and the acquired image equalization means Acquired image distortion correction means for correcting distortion of the acquired image; Resolution equalization means for equalizing the resolution of the stored image and the acquired image; And a histogram equalization means for equalizing any one or more of brightness, saturation, and color of the stored image and the acquired image. 13. The virtual touch screen system using image equalization and XOR comparison. The method of claim 5, wherein The action of the user is any one of the user's body or the point or pointer of the laser pointer, The output of the image is output using any one of a beam projector, a monitor, a TV, an electronic sign, The virtual touch screen system using the image equalization and XOR comparison, characterized in that the acquisition of the output image is an image camera. In the virtual touch screen operation method using image equalization and XOR comparison, An image storing and outputting step of storing and outputting an image to be output; An output image acquisition step of photographing the output image and acquiring it; A stored image and an acquired image equalization step of equalizing the stored image (stored image) and the acquired image (acquired image), respectively; An equalization storage image and an equalization acquisition image XOR comparison step of performing an XOR comparison between the equalized storage image (equalization storage image) and the equalized acquisition image (equalization acquisition image); A user action analysis step of analyzing a user action based on the XOR comparison result of the equalized stored image and the equalized acquired image; And a feedback processing step of performing feedback processing on the output image based on the result of analyzing the action of the user. 2. The method of claim 7, wherein And an initialization step of generating an equalization correction value before the image storing and outputting step. The method of claim 8, The initialization step Storing and outputting a test image for storing and outputting a test image to be output; An output test image acquisition step of photographing and obtaining the output test image; A step of comparing the stored test image and the acquired test image comparing the stored test image (stored test image) and the acquired test image (acquired test image); An equalization correction value generating step of generating an equalization correction value based on a comparison result of the stored test image and the acquired test image. The virtual touch screen operating method using image equalization and XOR comparison. The method of claim 9, The equalization correction value is a correction value for any one or more of brightness, saturation, hue, distortion, and resolution, and the equalization correction value is used in the image equalization and XOR comparison, wherein the equalization correction value is used in the stored image and acquired image equalization steps. How to operate the virtual touch screen. The method according to claim 7 or 10, The stored image and the acquired image equalization step An acquired image distortion correction step for correcting a distortion of the acquired image; A resolution equalization step of equalizing the resolution of the stored image and the acquired image; And a smoothing (histogram equalization) step for equalizing any one or more of brightness, saturation and color of the stored image and the acquired image. The method of claim 11, The action of the user is any one of the user's body or the point or pointer of the laser pointer, The output of the image is output using any one of a beam projector, a monitor, a TV, an electronic sign, A virtual touch screen operating method using image equalization and XOR comparison, characterized in that the acquisition of the output image is an image camera.

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