WO2019096535A1

WO2019096535A1 - A household appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2019096535A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/078572
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mehmet SUTCUOGLU; Ahmet Ihsan Yuce; Oner Hatipoglu; Yagiz TEZEL; Ahmet SOZEN; Yusuf KUYUMCU
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2017-11-17
Filing date: 2018-10-18
Publication date: 2019-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 2020-05-17
Also published as: TR201718174A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a household appliance controlled by means of a virtual interface reflected on a surface, in which the virtual interface may be used even on inclined surfaces, comprising a control unit (4) calibrating the image generated by the projector (2) and the image detected by the sensor (3).

Description

A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a household appliance controlled by means of a virtual interface reflected on a surface.

Prior Art

With the recent advances in technology, what was imagined as science-fiction in the past are becoming a part of our daily lives. One of the best examples of this is virtual interfaces controlled by means of gestures. Virtual interfaces enable providing users control panels with various configuration without requiring a physical input component. A user can thus place and arrange said interface according to his/her intentions. Virtual interfaces basically comprise a projector enabling forming an interface image, and a sensor enabling detecting motions within the area of said image. However, the calibration between the sensor and the projector may be distorted due to reasons such as an inclined reflection surface or post-assembly impacts, loosening and the like. This may cause undesired conditions such as a user giving commands other than the intended command.

State of the art international patent application no. WO2010/135478 mentions a control system comprising a projector and a camera.

None of the state of the art documents include a solution such as the one in the present invention.

Brief Description of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to realize a household appliance controlled by means of a virtual interface reflected on a surface.

Another aim of the present invention is to realize a household appliance in which a virtual interface can be used even on inclined surfaces.

A further aim of the present invention is to realize a household appliance having a virtual interface capable of self-calibration.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The household appliance realized to achieve the aims of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1: is a view of an embodiment of the household appliance.

The elements in the figures are numbered individually and the correspondence of these numbers are given hereinafter.

Household appliance
Projector
Sensor
Control unit

In its most basic form, the household appliance (1) controlled by means of a virtual interface reflected on a surface, comprises

at least one projector (2) for reflecting on a surface one or more images representative of one or more control interfaces enabling controlling one or more appliances,
at least one sensor (3) configured to enable detection of the image or the images reflected at least by the projector (2), the motions which may be performed on said images, and the objects present on the surface on which said image is reflected, and
at least one control unit (4) configured to form an image to be reflected by the projector (2), to receive data from the sensor (3), to process said received data, and to control said projector (2) and one or more appliances according to said processed data.

The household appliance (1) of the invention comprises at least one projector (2) for reflecting on a surface one or more images representative of one or more control interfaces enabling controlling one or more appliances. The image reflected by the projector (2) may be an image representing the elements including, but not limited to, the controlling elements such as push buttons, switches, adjusting rods, rotary switch, and the like. The projector (2) can also reflect an image representing a component enabling informing a user, including components such as a gauge, display or a lamp. The sensor (3) enables detection of the motions which may be performed on the images reflected by the projector (2), or the objects present on the surface on which said image is reflected. Thus, a user pushing a button, sliding an adjustment rod or rotating an adjustment member on a representative interface, can be detected. The control unit (4) receives data detected by the sensor (3) and processes said data. The nature of the motions of a user on an image reflected by the projector (2) can thus be determined.

In an embodiment of the invention, the projector (2) is placed on an adjustment mechanism suitable for changing its distance to the surface on which the image is reflected. The dimensions of the image reflected by the projector (2) can be changed thanks to said adjustment mechanism. In this embodiment, also the sensor (3) can be placed on an adjustment mechanism suitable for changing its distance to the surface on which the image is reflected, thereby enabling keeping at least a portion of the reflected image within the detection area of the sensor.

In the household appliance (1) of the invention, the control unit (4) enables calibrating the image generated by the projector (2) and the image detected by the sensor (3). The calibration process is important to ensure that the positions of the motions performed on a reflected image, or the positions on an image of the objects already present on said image, are identical to the positions detected by the sensor (3). Even a deflection of a few millimeters in calibration may lead to a failure in detecting the exact intention of a user, such as the user pushing a button other than the intended.

In an embodiment of the invention, the control unit (4) adds a calibration image into the image to be reflected by the projector (2). Said calibration image comprises at least one shape, at least one of the angle or dimensions of which is predetermined. The sensor (3) detects said image and transmits it to the control unit (4). The control unit (4) identifies the calibration image by processing said image transmitted by the sensor (3), and determines the extent of distortion of said calibration image with respect to the intended calibration image. Since the distortion on the calibration image is almost identical to the distortion on the entire image reflected by the projector (2), the control unit (4) is able to correct the image received by the sensor (3) by rendering it through transformations correcting the distortion detected on the calibration image. For example, the calibration image may be assumed as a square with specified side lengths. In this embodiment, if in the image detected by the sensor the calibration image (3) is a trapezoid, then it can be deducted that the reflection surface is inclined. In addition, it can also be determined whether the reflected image is larger or smaller than desired by measuring the side lengths of the calibration image in the image detected by the sensor (3). The household appliance (1) of the invention is thus capable of self-calibration.

In another embodiment of the invention, a user can manually indicate at least one or a plurality of the reflection boundaries of the projector (2) and the detection boundaries of the sensor (3). In this embodiment, a user performs one or a plurality of hand gestures such as drawing a frame, indicating the corners or indicating the edges by his/her hands. The control unit (4) detects said hand gestures by processing the image provided by the sensor (3), and in accordance with said hand gestures, may delimit one or a plurality of the reflection area of the projector (2) and the area to be monitored within the image detected by the sensor (3). In this embodiment, the projector (2) can be prevented from reflecting image on an area beyond a determined area. In addition, it is also enabled to process the data on only a certain portion of the image provided by the sensor (3), thereby reducing the processing power required by the control unit (4).

In another embodiment of the invention, at least one marker is used to indicate at least one or a plurality of the reflection boundaries of the projector (2) and the detection boundaries of the sensor (3). In this embodiment, a user places at least one marker whose at least one physical feature such as shape, size, color, pattern or texture is predetermined, so as to designate the boundaries of the area on which the image is to be reflected by the projector (2) and/or the portion to be monitored of the image detected by the sensor (3). The control unit (4) detects the position of said markers by processing the image provided by the sensor (3), and in accordance with the area delimited by said markers, may delimit one or a plurality of the reflection area of the projector (2) and the area to be monitored within the image detected by the sensor (3). In this embodiment, the projector (2) can be prevented from reflecting image on an area beyond a determined area. In addition, it is also enabled to process the data on only a certain portion of the image provided by the sensor (3), thereby reducing the processing power required by the control unit (4). In this embodiment the markers used create a reference within the image detected by the sensor (3), thereby enabling the control unit (4) to determine the distortions likely to occur on said image. Thus, the control unit (4) is capable of correcting said image received by the sensor (3) by rendering it through transformations to correct said distortions.

The interface of the household appliance (1) of the invention can be used on all kinds of surfaces including even inclined surfaces thanks to being able to calibrate the image generated by the projector (2) and the image detected by the sensor (3).

The household appliance (1) of the invention can connect to separate appliances via a wired or wireless communication interface, thereby enabling the user to control said appliances by means of the virtual interface provided by the household appliance (1). The household appliance (1) of the invention enables generating separate control interfaces for separate appliances or appliance combinations desired to be controlled.

Claims

A household appliance (1) controlled by means of a virtual interface reflected on a surface, comprising

- at least one projector (2) for reflecting on a surface one or more images representative of one or more control interfaces enabling controlling one or more appliances,

- at least one sensor (3) configured to enable detection of the image or the images reflected at least by the projector (2), the motions which may be performed on said images, and the objects present on the surface on which said image is reflected, and

- at least one control unit (4) configured to form an image to be reflected by the projector (2), to receive data from the sensor (3), to process said received data, and to control said projector (2) and one or more appliances according to said processed data, characterized by

- the control unit (4) calibrating the image generated by the projector (2) and the image detected by the sensor (3).
A household appliance (1) according to claim 1, comprising a control unit (4) configured to add into the image to be reflected by the projector (2), a calibration image comprising at least one shape, wherein at least one of the angle or dimensions of the shape is predetermined,

- to identify the calibration image by processing the image transmitted by the sensor (3), and

- to calculate the extent of distortion of said calibration image with respect to the formed calibration image.
A household appliance (1) according to claim 2, comprising a control unit (4) configured to correct the image received by the sensor (3) by rendering it through transformations to correct a detected distortion on a calibration image.
A household appliance (1) according to claim 1, comprising a control unit (4) configured to detect hand gestures by a user by processing the image provided by the sensor (3).
A household appliance (1) according to claim 4, comprising a control unit (4) configured to delimit in accordance with hand gestures of a user, one or a plurality of the reflection area of the projector (2) and the area to be monitored within the image detected by the sensor (3).
A household appliance (1) according to claim 1, comprising at least one marker to indicate at least one or a plurality of the reflection boundaries of the projector (2) and the detection boundaries of the sensor (3).
A household appliance (1) according to claim 6, comprising at least one marker at least one of whose physical properties such as shape, size, color, pattern or texture is predetermined.
A household appliance (1) according to claim 7, comprising a control unit (4) configured to process the image provided by the sensor (3), to identify the position of said markers, and to delimit in accordance with the area delimited by said markers, one or a plurality of the reflection area of the projector (2) and the area to be monitored within the image detected by the sensor (3).
A household appliance (1) according to claim 8, comprising a control unit (4) configured to detect the reference formed by said markers within the image detected by the sensor (3), to identify the distortions likely to occur on said image, and to render the image received by the sensor (3) through transformations to correct said distortions.
A household appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by being capable of connecting to separate appliances via a wired or wireless communication interface, thereby enabling a user to control said appliances by means of the virtual interface provided by the household appliance (1).
A household appliance (1) according to claim 10, comprising a control unit (4) enabling generating separate control interfaces for separate appliances or appliance combinations desired to be controlled.