Patent ID: 8144121
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for controlling an electronic appliance having a display, comprising: a video camera configured to photograph an operator who is in front of the display and operates the electronic appliance; a mirror image converter configured to convert an image provided by the video camera into a mirror image; an operational image generator configured to generate an operational image containing a plurality of control buttons for controlling the electronic appliance, each control button being assigned to different control operations of the electronic appliance; a mixer configured to mix the operational image with the mirror image into a mixed image to be displayed on the display; a detector configured to have a plurality of detection zones corresponding to the plurality of control buttons respectively for the image provided by the video camera and generate a detection signal characterized by first detectable amounts indicating whether the operator displayed on the display overlays an item on any of the plurality of detection zones based on images of the detection zones and second detectable amounts indicating whether the operator operates any of the control buttons corresponding to detection zones on which the item is overlaid based on the images of the detection zones; and a controller configured to group the plurality of detection zones into a plurality of simultaneously displayed segments on the display, each segment having a plurality of detection zones, set an order of priority for detection zones included in each segment, and if it is determined on the basis of the first detectable amounts that a plurality of detection zones in the plurality of segments are overlaid with the item by the operator displayed on the display, obtain a plurality of first detectable amounts from detection zones each having a highest priority in each segment and generate a control signal for controlling the electronic appliance according to a control button corresponding to a detection zone that has generated a second detectable amount among the detection zones each having a highest priority in each segment.