Abstract:
The method and apparatus for human interface with a computer is a system for providing control signals to a computer comprising a tube-like member adapted to reside on a finger of a computer user having a distinct knuckle surface color and a distinct palm surface color, a camera operatively connected to the computer and adapted to view the member, and a means for converting a member surface color viewed by the camera into a control signal for the computer

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the user of a computer to provide input to the computer. The method and apparatus replace or supplement inputs traditionally provided by a computer mouse.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    At the present time, human interface with most personal computers (PCs) is provided through the use of a keyboard and a mouse. A typical mouse is hardwired to the PC and requires that the computer user physically manipulate the mouse in order to input control signals to the PC. Movement of the mouse over the flat planar surface of a mouse pad may be used to move a cursor icon about the PC screen. Once the cursor icon is in a desired location on the PC screen, the user may “click” one or more of a plurality of buttons provided on the mouse to select an item at the screen location. Although a mouse is fairly simple to use, it requires a fairly sizeable clean flat surface for proper functioning. In some cases, mouse operation is hindered by the lack of a clean flat surface for a mouse pad in the vicinity of the computer. Further complication may arise if the range of mouse motion over the mouse pad required for operation of the computer exceeds the range of motion of the user. Such a situation may occur, when, for example, the user is disabled or is a child. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus that can provide the functionality of a mouse (i.e. cursor movement and “clicking”) without the need for a clean flat surface near the computer or the need for extensive motion by the user.  
           [0003]    Keyboards are also typically hardwired to the PC and are designed to receive press down input from the computer user&#39;s fingers. Although keyboards may be used to rapidly input textual information, they require well developed user dexterity and understanding. Thus, the proper use of keyboards may be quite challenging for disabled persons or children. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus that can provide the functionality of a keyboard (i.e. input of textual information) without the need for highly developed user dexterity.  
           [0004]    In the most basic sense, both a mouse and a keyboard provide the same functionality, they receive and transmit a user selection. User selection may be indicated by any change initiated by the user, such as pressing a keyboard key or clicking a mouse button. Accordingly, a candidate for replacement of either of these devices must also be able to receive and transmit a user selection by detecting a change initiated by the user.  
           [0005]    Over the past decade, advances in computer based color recognition and hand gesture recognition have been used to provide substitutes for a computer mouse and keyboard. Color recognition may be used to signal a user selection by detecting the user&#39;s change of a color displayed to a camera connected to the computer. Hand gesture recognition may be used to signal a user selection by detecting a change in the user&#39;s hand position as viewed by a camera connected to the computer. Examples of color recognition and hand gesture recognition systems, including some that use such recognition for control of a cursor on a screen, are provided in the following patents, each of which is incorporated by reference herein: (Color recognition: U.S. Pat. Nos.  4 , 488 , 245 ;  4 , 590 , 469 ;  4 , 678 , 338 ;  4 , 797 , 738 ;  4 , 917 , 500 ;  4 , 954 , 972 ;  5 , 012 , 431 ;  5 , 027 , 195 ;  5 , 117 , 101 ; and  5 , 136 , 519 ) (Gesture recognition: U.S. Pat. Nos.  4 , 988 , 981 ;  5 , 291 , 563 ;  5 , 423 , 554 ;  5 , 454 , 043 ;  5 , 594 , 469 ;  5 , 798 , 758 ; and  6 , 128 , 003 ). The gesture recognition systems that use only one camera are of most relevance to the various embodiments of the present invention, which also employ a single camera.  
           [0006]    Although both color recognition and gesture recognition have been used generically to record user control signals, the systems employing these techniques have typically been complicated and/or finicky, requiring the use of a relatively high resolution camera for optimum results. The complexity of the systems has been necessitated by the need to make certain that true color and gesture changes are being recorded. A system that incorrectly detected color or gesture changes would not be suitable for control of a computer, as the user would be frustrated quickly by the registration of erroneous control signals. Accordingly, there is a need for a system that uses color recognition and/or gesture recognition and that accurately records user input, but is less complicated than known systems and can operate with a lower resolution camera, such as a commonly available web cam.  
           [0007]    Applicant has determined that the foregoing needs may be met by a system that utilizes a combination of color recognition, gesture (i.e. hand shape) recognition, and/or hand motion recognition to reduce the likelihood of the registration of erroneous user input signals, while at the same time permitting the use of a lower resolution camera, such as a web cam. The use of color recognition, gesture recognition, and/or motion recognition in combination provides redundancy that may be used for improved user input detection, decreased camera resolution, or some combination of both.  
         OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing control signals to a computer using color recognition and gesture recognition techniques.  
           [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing control signals to a computer using color recognition, gesture recognition, and motion recognition techniques.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing control signals to a computer using a relatively low resolution camera.  
           [0011]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing control signals to a computer with improved user input detection.  
           [0012]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing control signals to a computer that may be used by disabled persons and/or children.  
           [0013]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth, in part, in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description and/or from the practice of the invention.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    In response to the foregoing challenges, Applicant has developed an innovative system for providing control signals to a computer, the system comprising a tube-like member adapted to reside on a finger of a computer user, the member having a distinct knuckle surface color and a distinct palm surface color, a camera operatively connected to the computer and adapted to view the member, and a means for converting a member surface color viewed by the camera into a control signal for the computer.  
           [0015]    Applicant has also developed an innovative system for providing control signals to a computer, the system comprising a member adapted to reside on a finger of a hand of a computer user, the member having a distinct knuckle surface color and a distinct palm surface color, a camera operatively connected to the computer and adapted to view the member, and means for converting a user hand position and a member surface color viewed by the camera into a control signal for the computer.  
           [0016]    Applicant has also developed an innovative apparatus for providing control signals to a computer, the apparatus being adapted to reside on the finger of a computer user and comprising a knuckle surface having a first color, and a palm surface having a second color.  
           [0017]    Applicant has also developed an innovative method of providing control signals to a computer using a camera and a tube-like member having three distinctly colored surfaces, the method comprising the steps of placing the tube-like member on one of a plurality of fingers on a hand of a computer user, placing the tube-like member and the hand in the camera field of view, selectively varying positions of the tube-like member and at least one finger without the tube-like member, detecting a change in the color of the tube-like member colored surface in the camera field of view, detecting a change in the shape of the hand in the camera field of view, and generating a computer control signal responsive to the detection of a change in (a) the color of the tube-like member colored surface and (b) the shape of the hand.  
           [0018]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference, and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate certain embodiments of the invention, and together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    The invention will now be described in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numerals designate like elements and wherein:  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a computer control signal input system arranged in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a tube-like member that may be used with the system shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    FIGS.  3 - 6  are pictorial views of various hand, finger, and tube-like member positions that may be assumed during practice of an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method embodiment of the invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a pictorial view of a tube-like member formed by a cut-out finger puppet that may be used with the system shown in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]    With reference to FIG. 1, a computer control signal input system arranged in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention is shown. The input system includes a hollow tube-like member  200  mounted on the index finger  110  of the hand  100  of a user. The user hand  100  is located in front of a computer  300 . The computer  300  includes a monitor  310  having a viewable screen  312 , a camera  320  having a lens  322 , and a hardware device  330  having a processor, memory and other commonly known components of a PC. The monitor  310  and the camera  320  are operatively connected to the hardware device  330  by cables.  
         [0026]    With reference to FIG. 2, the tube-like member  200  may include a knuckle side surface  210 , and palm side surface  220 , and a tip surface  230 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the knuckle, palm and tip surfaces are provided with a different and distinct color. The tube-like member  200  may be hollow and have an opening  202  at one end adapted to receive a finger of the user. Preferably, the tube-like member  200  is fitted to stay securely on the user&#39;s finger without rotating, while at the same time being comfortable to the user. When inserted on the user&#39;s finger properly, the knuckle side surface  210  of the member  200  should be substantially aligned with the knuckle side of the user&#39;s hand and the palm side surface  220  of the member should be substantially aligned with the palm side of the user&#39;s hand.  
         [0027]    In alternative embodiments of the invention, the tube-like member  200  may be provided with only two distinct colors located on the knuckle side and the palm side of the member, respectively. The tip color of a tube-like member  200  with only two distinct colors may be provided by the color of the user&#39;s fingertip. In still other alternative embodiments, an example of which is shown in FIG. 8, the tube-like member  200  may be provided in the form of a finger puppet, having human or animal like features. The finger puppet may be cut out from paper or cardboard stock and glued, stapled, taped, or otherwise fashioned together to form a tube-like structure.  
         [0028]    The camera  320  may be any commonly available camera for use with a PC, such as a web cam. The camera  320  is shown in a position atop of the monitor  310 , however, it is appreciated that the camera could be located in other places in the general vicinity of the monitor. The horizontal polarity on the lens  322  of the camera may be reversed so that it also acts as a mirror for the user. The mirrored surface of the lens  322  may allow the user to see her hand positions as they are viewed by the camera  320 .  
         [0029]    The hardware device  330  may include one or more programs stored in memory that convert color changes and hand gesture changes viewed by the camera  320  into control signals.  
         [0030]    The input system may be operated as follows to provide control signals to the computer  300 . With reference to FIG. 1, in a first step, the tube-like member  200  may be placed on one of a plurality of fingers  110  on the hand  100  of the computer user. The tube-like member  200  is aligned such that the knuckle side  210  of the member is on the knuckle side of the user&#39;s hand, and the palm side  220  of the member is on the palm side of the user&#39;s hand. Next, the user&#39;s hand  100 , including the tube-like member  200  is placed in the field of view of the camera  320 . The hand  100  may be in any of the positions shown in FIGS.  3 - 6  to initiate the process. It is assumed in this embodiment that the initiation position will be that shown in FIG. 4. The color recognition aspect of the computer program stored in the hardware device  330  may be used to locate the tube-like member  200 , which should have a distinctive color. The location of the tube-like member  200  in the camera  320  field of view enables the system to locate and focus in on the general location of the hand  100  as well, because the hand is naturally near the tube-like member. In this manner, the color recognition aspect of this embodiment of the invention supplements the gesture recognition aspect by enabling the system to locate the hand for gesture recognition.  
         [0031]    Pursuant to the steps illustrated in FIG. 7, the hardware device  330  uses the camera  320  to recognize the shape of the hand. Shape recognition (which may utilize recognition of the hand color as well) is used to distinguish between the open hand position (shown if FIG. 4), the pointing position (FIG. 3), and the closed hand position (FIG. 5). Movement of the hand  100  may also be detected to assist in distinguishing the hand from a flesh colored background, such a the user&#39;s face.  
         [0032]    Thereafter, the position of the hand  100  and the tube-like member  200  may be selectively varied to any of the positions shown in FIGS.  3 - 6 , as well as others. The camera sends the visual information regarding the hand  100  and the tube-like member  200  to the hardware device  330 . Differences in the color of the displayed surface of the tube-like member  200  and the shape of the hand  100  are detected by the hardware device  330  and used for the generation of a computer control signal. The hardware device  330  detection of a change in the shape of the hand (gesture change) may be used to supplement the color change information for the computer control signal generation. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the generation of the computer control signals is responsive to the detection of a combination of change in (a) the color of the tube-like member colored surface and (b) the shape of the hand.  
         [0033]    Various hand  100  and tube-like member  200  positions may be used to signal various computer commands, such as cursor movement, clicking, double clicking, scrolling, etc. For example, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hand  100  and tube-like member  200  position shown in FIG. 6 (with the tube pointed at the camera so that the tube tip color is viewed) may be used to control cursor movement over the monitor screen  312 . By communicating with the computer&#39;s operating system the cursor is controlled by hand positions and motion. The hand  100  and tube-like member  200  position shown in FIG. 5 may be used to signal a “click.” When the hand and tube are in the position shown in FIG. 6, slight changes in the pointing direction of the index finger may be used to move the cursor about the monitor screen, to write on-screen, or to “finger” paint on-screen. The use of software such as Graffiti™ used in Palm OS™ may allow the user to convert hand writing into typed text.  
         [0034]    Unlike other gesture recognition applications, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, control signals are computed in response to the pointing finger&#39;s exposed colors, the luminance level of the tip and whether or not it is accompanied by neighboring fingers when in a pointing position. The system will not rely on differential keying, glob recognition, electronic sensors, or more than one camera. In addition, when pointed the top of the finger tube provides a precise reference point to use for drawing, painting and writing applications with accuracy well beyond that of a computer mouse or gesture recognition systems used for virtual reality games.  
         [0035]    It is to be understood that the description and drawings represent the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and are, as such, a representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention. It is further understood that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly limited by nothing other than the appended claims.