RU2108617C1 - Method and device for remote input of information into controlled entity - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: automatic control, computer and television engineering; robotics, telemechanics, three-dimensional and stereoscopic TV sets, interactive computer games for remote input of two- and three- dimensional information in computer, robot, manipulator TV set, or any other controlled entity. SUBSTANCE: method involves variation of spatial coordinates of contactless optical mouse carrying optical radiation sources, determination of spatial coordinates of optical radiation sources by using optical scanning, input of spatial coordinates of contactless optical mouse into controlled entity as information. Device implementing proposed method has stationary transceiving unit 2 and contactless optical mouse easily displaced in space. Stationary transceiver unit has stationary optical radiation source 4, scanning receiving system 5, microprocessor unit 6, microprocessor-unit-to-controlled- entity interface 7. EFFECT: improved reliability of signal detection at ranges approaching critical ones; simplified design and reduced size of transceiver unit. 11 cl, 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to automation, computer technology, television and can be used in robotics, telemechanics, surround and stereoscopic televisions, interactive computer games for remote input of two-dimensional or three-dimensional information into a computer, robot, manipulator, television or other controlled object.

 There is a method of entering information into a computer using a mechanical three-dimensional "mouse", based on a one-to-one correspondence between the entered information and the two-dimensional coordinates of the "mouse" (its position on the plane), and with the position of a special button that moves vertically [1]. However, the presence of a cable makes it difficult for the operator to enter information into the managed object. In addition, moving the button in the vertical direction is limited by the height of the mouse, which in turn limits the accuracy of inputting information determined by the vertical coordinate.

 A device for inputting information into a computer is known in which a connection between a “mouse” and a computer is established using infrared radiation [2]. This device does not use wired connections, however, information is entered, including moving the cursor only by pressing buttons, the number of which should be quite large. In this case, moving the cursor is possible not in an arbitrary direction, but only horizontally and vertically. This complicates the work with the “mouse” and limits the possibilities of its use.

 The closest in technical essence and the achieved effect are the methods of inputting information into the control object and the device for its implementation, which are accepted by us as a prototype, based on inputting the current values of the spatial coordinates of the "mouse" freely moving in space, containing a point source of acoustic or optical radiation, which excites an electric signal in at least three radiation receivers placed on a computer and spaced in space [3]. In this case, the current values of the spatial coordinates of the mouse are calculated based on parallax. This method of entering information does not require a wired connection and a control panel with a large number of buttons, however, it reduces the reliability of detecting a signal from a single emitter at ranges close to the limit, and is quite difficult to implement, since it requires three receivers of acoustic or optical radiation spaced apart in space . When using acoustic radiation, the range of the mouse is small, and when using optical radiation, the receivers should be made in the form of multi-element rulers. In addition, to obtain acceptable accuracy in determining the coordinates of the mouse, the radiation receivers (acoustic or optical) should be spaced as much as possible in space (actually, at distances comparable to the size of a computer monitor), which makes the device cumbersome enough. And finally, the method fundamentally does not allow the introduction of additional (except for the values of three coordinates) information, which narrows the functionality.

 The aim of the invention is to increase the reliability of detection of a signal from a single emitter at ranges close to the limit, as well as simplifying the design and reducing the size of the transceiver device for inputting information into the control object.

 Another objective of the invention is to expand the functionality of the method of entering information into the control object.

To implement the proposed method for remote input of information into the control object:
- change the spatial coordinates of the contactless optical "mouse" with sources of optical radiation fixed to it,
- determine using optical scanning the spatial coordinates of the sources of optical radiation,
- enter the spatial coordinates of the contactless optical "mouse" as information in the control object.

In contrast to the prototype in the implementation of the method:
- optical radiation sources are fixed relative to each other on a non-contact optical "mouse" so that the emitting region forms a flat geometric figure,
- form a projection of the optical radiation sources on the focal plane of the receiving scanning system,
- measure the parameters of the obtained projection,
- determine by the position of the geometric center of the projection of the flat geometric figure formed by the optical radiation sources, the coordinates of the contactless optical "mouse" in the plane (X, Y) parallel to the focal plane of the receiving scanning system, and
- according to the parameters of the projection of the geometric figure determine Z - the coordinate of the distance of the contactless optical "mouse".

 Unlike the prototype, the determination of the distance coordinate of the geometric center of a non-contact optical mouse is not based on calculating the parallax value of one radiation source, but by measuring the projection parameters of a flat geometric figure formed by radiation sources onto the focal plane of the receiving scanning system. As projection parameters, for example, the area, perimeter, coordinates of singular points, etc. can be used. Since the image of a radiating flat geometric figure is known, it is possible to calculate the position of its center and the distance between the receiving scanning system and a non-contact optical mouse using known methods [4] based on image analysis of the said radiating flat geometric figure.

 The invention is most easily realized when the optical radiation sources are mounted on a non-contact optical “mouse” in the form of a flat geometric figure having a circular shape, for example, in the form of a circle, ring or circle. In this case, the distance coordinate value of the contactless optical “mouse” is determined by the length of the major axis of the ellipse formed by the projection of a circle, ring or circle onto the focal plane of the receiving scanning system. Regardless of how the non-contact optical “mouse” is oriented in space, the aforementioned semi-major axis of the ellipse is equal to the radius of the projection of the circle, ring or circle formed by the radiation sources when these flat geometric figures are parallel to the focal plane of the receiving optical system. Then, knowing the focal length of the lens of the receiving optical system and the radius of the flat geometric figure, from the magnitude of the projection of this radius, you can calculate the distance between the receiving scanning system and the contactless optical "mouse".

 The length of the semimajor axis of the ellipse can be calculated as the maximum distance between the center of the ellipse and the point lying on the contour of the ellipse.

 When implementing the method of entering information into the control object to expand the functionality of the remote information input device, the absolute value of the angle of rotation of the contactless optical "mouse" relative to the plane (X, Y) passing through the geometric center of a circular circular geometric figure parallel to the focal length is determined by the size of the ellipse minor axis plane of the receiving scanning system, and use its value to enter additional information into the computer.

 The length of the minor axis of the ellipse can be calculated as the minimum distance between the center of the ellipse and the point lying on the contour of the ellipse.

 The method is implemented using a device for remote input of information into a control object, including a stationary transceiver unit and a non-contact optical mouse. The stationary transceiver unit contains a stationary source of optical radiation, a receiving scanning system with a lens, a microprocessor, an interface, communication between the microprocessor and the control object. Non-contact optical "mouse" contains sources of optical radiation mounted on it. The optical sources of the mouse and the receiving scanning system have an optical connection between them.

 In contrast to the prototype, not one is used, but a combination of optical radiation from a non-contact optical “mouse”, which are fixed on its base, forming a flat geometric figure.

 The optical radiation sources of a non-contact optical “mouse” can be mounted on a flat base, forming a circle, ring or circle.

 Sources of optical radiation can be either sources of intrinsic radiation or sources of reflected radiation.

A flat geometric figure formed by radiation sources can be made in the form of:
- reflector (a set of counterreflectors, for example, corner reflectors),
- in the form of a matrix of light emitting photodiodes,
- in the form of a matrix of semiconductor lasers.

 The receiving scanning system can be made in the form of an optical-mechanical scanning system with a radiation receiver.

To reduce the size of the transceiver unit, the receiving scanning system can be performed:
- based on a transmitting television tube sensitive in the infrared wavelength range,
- in the form of a matrix of semiconductor radiation detectors,
- in the form of a matrix of semiconductor radiation receivers based on charge-coupled devices (CCD).

 In FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a device that implements a method for remote input of information into a control object (computer); in FIG. 2 - options for the location of optical radiation sources on a non-contact optical "mouse"; in FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a non-contact optical mouse with active sources of optical radiation; in FIG. 4 - the formation of the projection of a flat geometric figure formed by the optical radiation sources of the "mouse" on the focal plane of the receiving scanning system.

 The method of remote input of information into the control object can be implemented using a device, a block diagram of which is presented in figure 1.

 A device for remote input of information into a control object, for example, into a computer 1, consists of a stationary transceiver unit 2 and a non-contact optical “mouse” 3.

 The stationary transceiver unit 2 contains a stationary source of optical radiation 4, a receiving scanning system 5, a microprocessor 6 and an interface 7 for communication with a computer 1.

 The receiving scanning system 5 comprises a lens 8 and a stationary optical radiation receiver (with a scanning system) 9.

 The non-contact optical "mouse" 3 (Fig. 2) contains a housing 10, on a flat panel 11 of which optical radiation sources 12 are fixed. The optical radiation sources 12 form a flat radiating region, which may take the form, for example, of a circle (Fig. 2, a ), ring (figure 2, b) or circle (figure 2, c).

 Sources of optical radiation 12 (Fig.3) can be sources of reflected radiation and made in the form of counterreflectors (passive "mouse") or sources of own radiation made in the form of light emitting diodes or semiconductor lasers (active "mouse").

 In FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an active non-contact optical “mouse” 3, which contains optical radiation sources 12 made in the form of a matrix of light emitting diodes, for example, type AL107G, a receiver of type ФД320 optical (for example, infrared) radiation 13, a power supply 14, made in in the form of a standard miniature accumulator or battery, and a pulse generator 15. The output of the optical radiation receiver 13 is electrically connected to the input of the pulse generator 15, the output of which, in turn, is electrically connected to the input of the source s optical radiation 12. The pulse generator 15 and the sources of optical radiation 12 is connected to a power source 14.

 Sources of optical radiation 12 and the input of the receiving scanning system 5 9Fig. 1) have an optical connection, the output of the receiving scanning system 5 is electrically connected to the input of the microprocessor 6, the output of the microprocessor 6 is electrically connected to the input of the interface 7, and the output of the interface 7 is electrically connected to the input of the computer 1.

 The stationary transceiver unit 2 is connected to an external power source (not shown). A stationary source of optical radiation 4 can be made on the basis of a light emitting diode, for example, an AL107G LED, emitting in the infrared region of the spectrum.

 The receiving scanning system 5 with a lens 8 and a stationary receiver of optical radiation 9 can be made as a single unit based on a matrix of radiation receivers on a CCD, for example, grade A-1157 with the number of horizontal and vertical elements respectively 500 and 582 and element dimensions 17 x 11 microns.

When implementing a method of entering information into a control object, for example, into a computer:
- optical radiation sources 12 are mounted on a non-contact optical "mouse" 3 in the form of a circle (figure 2, a), a ring (figure 2, b) or a circle (figure 2, c),
- change the spatial coordinates of the contactless optical "mouse" 3 with mounted on it optical radiation sources 12,
- determine using optical scanning the spatial coordinates of the sources of optical radiation 12 and the geometric center O ₁ (X ₀₁ , Y ₀₁ ) of the emitting region of the contactless optical "mouse" 3 (figure 4).

 At the time of determining the spatial coordinates of the optical radiation sources 12 of the passive non-contact “mouse” 3 (the coordinates can be determined both continuously and at predetermined points in time), the stationary optical radiation source 4 (FIG. 1) emits infrared radiation in the direction of the non-contact optical “mouse” 3. The radiation is reflected from passive optical radiation sources 12 made in the form of counterreflectors 12 towards the receiving scanning system 5, and the image of the source formed by the lens 8 s optical radiation 12 is projected onto made as sensitive to infrared radiation CCDs stationary receiver optical radiation 9 (Figure 1).

 When determining the spatial coordinates of the optical radiation sources 12 of the active non-contact optical "mouse" 3, the stationary source of optical radiation 4 emits infrared radiation in the direction of the non-contact optical "mouse" 3. This radiation is received by the optical radiation receiver 13 (Fig. 3), the signal of which is transmitted through a pulse generator 15 includes active sources of optical radiation 12 of the mouse 3. The radiation from the sources of optical radiation 12 of the mouse 3, focused by the lens 8 of the receiving scanning system 5, is projected onto the CCD matrix (Fig. 4), and then the operation of the device is carried out similarly to the operation of the device with passive optical radiation sources 12.

 In a stationary optical radiation receiver 9 (on a CCD), a projection of a flat geometric figure formed by optical radiation sources 12, for example, reflectors, onto the focal plane of the receiving scanning system 5 is formed (Fig. 4).

The signals from the stationary optical radiation receiver 9 (CCD matrices) are fed to a microprocessor 6, made, for example, on the basis of the Motorolla DSP56002 chip, which measures the parameters of the obtained projection, namely:
- based on the coordinates of the first (X ₁ , Y ₁ ) and last (X _N , Y _N ) from the illuminated elements of the CCD matrix (their row and column numbers) calculates the coordinates of the geometric center of the reflective image O (X _o , Y _o ) based on the formulas X _o = (X ₁ + X _N ) / 2, Y _o = (Y ₁ + Y _N ) / 2;
- determines in each i-th row of the CCD matrix the coordinates (X _i , Y _i ) of the first illuminated element and calculates the square of the distance R $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{i}}$ from this element to the geometric center of the image according to the formula R $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{i}}$ = (X _i -X _o ) ² + (Y _i -Y _o ) ² ;
- determines the maximum R $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{max}}$ and minimum R $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{min}}$ R values $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{i}}$ and assigns the values a = [R $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{max}}$ ] ^1/2 , b = [R $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{min}}$ ] ^1/2 , where a and b are the lengths of the major and minor semiaxes of the ellipse;
- using the thus obtained length of the major axis a, the known values of the focal length of the lens F and the radius of the reflector R according to the formula
L = (F • R) / a
calculates the distance from the receiving scanning system to the contactless optical "mouse"L;
- the magnitude of the minor axis of the ellipse b determines the absolute value of the angle of rotation of the contactless optical "mouse" 3 relative to the plane (X, Y) passing through the geometric center O _{1 of the} circular geometric shape parallel to the focal plane of the receiving scanning system 5.

 - through the interface 7 enters the spatial position of the contactless optical "mouse" 3 as information into the computer 1, while depending on the size of the minor axis b or the change in this value, an additional effect is applied to the controlled object (for example, the selected image fragment is rotated around a given axis by an angle proportional to b).

A different approach is also possible to determine the lengths of the major a and small b semiaxes of the ellipse. In this case, the microprocessor 6 performs the following operations:
- counts the number of CCD matrix elements whose illumination (which means the electric signal taken from them) is higher than a given threshold value and thus, based on the known area of the matrix element, finds the area S of the circle image;
- differentiates the signal and counts the number of CCD matrix elements for which the magnitude of the signal increment modulus exceeds a predetermined threshold value, i.e. the number of elements located at the border of the illuminated and unlit regions, and thus, the perimeter C of the image of circle 11 is calculated from the known characteristic size of the matrix element;
- using the known values of S, C and known formulas, calculates the lengths of the large a and small b semi-axes of the ellipse.

Since the perimeter of an ellipse is expressed through the elliptic integral E (ε), where ε = (a ² -b ² ) / a ² is the eccentricity, its calculation requires a significant expenditure of computer time. Therefore, it is advisable to use the interpolation of the dependence E (ε). .

The error in determining the horizontal X coordinate Δx can be estimated as follows. With a horizontal angle of view of φ = 70 ^{o, the} horizontal field of view at a distance of L = 3000 mm is A = 2 • L • tg (φ / 2) = 4200 mm. . This field of view is projected onto the array of CCD receivers, completely overlapping it. Since the matrix has 582 horizontal elements, the horizontal field of view is also divided into 582 discrete areas, within each of which the position of the element of the radiating panel is indistinguishable. The horizontal size of each of these regions is Δx = 4200 mm / 582 ≅ 7 mm, which determines the error in determining the horizontal X-coordinate. The error in determining the vertical Y-coordinate will be of the same order.

The error in determining the distance L from the receiving scanning system 5 to the non-contact optical “mouse” 3 when entering information into the controlled object can be estimated by the formula (1), differentiating which, we obtain:
ΔL = (L ² / RF) • Δa (2)
Where
ΔL is the error in determining the distance L, and Δa is the error in measuring the length of the semi-major axis of the ellipse, equal to the size of the element of the CCD matrix. For R = 50 mm and the same values of Δa, F, and L, we have ΔL ≅ 55 mm, which, although larger than Δx, is quite acceptable for most practical applications.

 Thus, from the foregoing, it follows that this invention will increase the reliability of detection of a signal from a single emitter at ranges close to the limiting, as well as reduce the size, simplify the design of the device for remote input of information into the control object by using one receiving scanning device and expand its functionality through the use of additional input channels of information.

It should be understood that the embodiment of the invention described above and shown in the drawings is only a possible preferred embodiment. Various variations of the invention may be used with respect to the execution of its individual components and the sequence
Sources of information
1. EP N 0403782, class G 06 K 11/18, G 06 F 3/033, G 06 K 11/06, published. 12/27/90.

 2. Application PCT N WO 89/05496, cl. G 06 K 11/06, F 06 F 3/033, G 06 F 3/02, published. 06/15/1989.

 3. EP N 526015 cl. G 06 K 11/18, published. 02/03/93.

 4. Katys G.P. Perception and analysis of optical information by an automatic system. - M.: Mechanical Engineering, 1986.

Claims (11)

 1. The method of remote input of information into the control object, in which the spatial coordinates of the contactless optical mouse are changed with optical radiation sources attached to it, the spatial coordinates of the optical radiation sources are determined using optical scanning, and the spatial coordinates of the contactless optical mouse are entered as information to the control object, characterized in that when implementing the method, the optical radiation sources fix each other relative to each other on a non-contact optical “mouse” in the form of a flat geometric figure, the projection of the optical radiation sources onto the focal plane of the receiving scanning system is formed, the parameters of the obtained projection are measured, the coordinates of the non-contact optical are determined by the position of the center of the geometric projection of the flat geometric figure formed by the optical radiation sources " mouse "in a plane parallel to the focal plane of the receiving scanning system, according to the parameters of the projection of the geometric figure o redelyayut coordinate-similarity contactless optical "mouse".  2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical radiation sources are mounted on a non-contact optical "mouse" in the form of a flat geometric figure of a round shape, and the distance coordinate values of the non-contact optical "mouse" are determined by the length of the semimajor axis of the ellipse formed by projections of a flat geometric figures of a circular shape on the focal plane of the receiving scanning system.  3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the absolute value of the angle of rotation of the contactless optical "mouse" relative to the plane passing through the geometric center of the circular geometric shape parallel to the input window of the scanning system is determined by the size of the minor axis of the ellipse.  4. A device for remote input of information into a control object, including a stationary transceiver unit and a contactless optical mouse "freely moving in space, while the stationary transceiver unit contains a stationary source of optical radiation, a receiving scanning system, a microprocessor, an interface for connecting the microprocessor to the control object, and non-contact optical “mouse” contains optical radiation sources mounted on it, connected to the input of the receiving scanning system by means of optical communication, the output of the receiving scanning system is electrically connected to the input of the microprocessor, the output of the microprocessor is electrically connected to the input of the interface, the output of which is electrically connected to the input of the control object, characterized in that the optical radiation sources mounted on a non-contact optical mouse are placed on a flat base and form a planar geometric figure.  5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the optical radiation sources are fixed on a flat base, forming a circle.  6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the optical radiation sources are fixed on a flat base, forming a ring.  7. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the optical radiation sources are fixed on a flat base, forming a circle.  8. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the optical radiation sources are sources of reflected radiation.  9. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the receiving scanning system is made in the form of a matrix of receivers on charge-coupled devices.  10. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the optical radiation sources are sources of their own radiation.  11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the optical radiation sources are infrared light emitting diodes.

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