Abstract:
A contactless operating device for a digital equipment and method for the same are provided. The contactless operating device includes a computer, a projecting piece, a pointer, and an image-capturing piece. The computer provides a basic picture, and the projecting piece projects the basic picture onto an image zone. Further, the pointer forms a mark onto the image zone for providing a reference picture, and the image-capturing piece connected to the computer captures the reference picture from the image zone. The computer operates the digital device in accordance with a comparison between the basic picture and the reference picture.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an operating device for a digital equipment and a method for the same, and more particularly to a contactless operating device for a digital equipment and a method for the same. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    As the digital technology develops, many varied types of digital equipments are improved and provided, which has a great assistance in information transmission. For example, the projecting device for providing digital images is widely used in commercial and academic venue. In fact, the use of projector and portable computer pairs is almost inevitable in presenting situations. 
         [0003]    However, the speaker is not always allowed to operate the portable computer directly when presenting, and one of the possible reasons is because of the restriction from the conference facility. Therefore, the slides transition or other special function control must be implemented by assistances of other persons, which is very inconvenient for the speaker, and will make the presentation discontinuous and fractured. In order to overcome the mentioned deficiencies, how to operate the digital equipments, such as the portable computer or the projector, with a more convenient manner or a contactless manner, has become an important issue in this field. 
         [0004]    In order to overcome the drawbacks in the prior art, a contactless operating device for a digital equipment and a method for the same are provided. The particular design in the present invention not only solves the problems described above, but also is easy to be implemented. Thus, the invention has the utility for the industry. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a contactless operating device for a digital device. The contactless operating device includes a computer, a projecting piece, a pointer, and an image-capturing piece. The computer provides a basic picture, and the projecting piece projects the basic picture onto an image zone. Further, the pointer forms a mark onto the image zone for providing a reference picture, and the image-capturing piece connected to the computer captures the reference picture from the image zone. The computer operates the digital device in accordance with a comparison between the basic picture and the reference picture. 
         [0006]    Preferably, the computer is one selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, and a pocket personal computer. 
         [0007]    Preferably, the projecting piece is one selected from a group consisting of a single beam projector, an LCD projector, a CRT projector, a digital projector, and a DLP projector. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the pointer is one selected from a group consisting of a laser point, a finger, a stick, and a cursor of the computer. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the image-capturing piece is one selected from a group consisting of a web camera, a dome camera, and a digital camera. 
         [0010]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a contactless operating method for a digital device. The contactless operating method includes steps of projecting a basic picture onto an image zone, providing a mark onto the image zone, sequentially capturing at least two reference pictures from the image zone, and operating the digital device in accordance with a first comparison between the basic picture and one of the reference picture, or a second comparison between the at least two reference pictures. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the basic pictures and one of the reference pictures are compared to locate the mark. 
         [0012]    Preferably, at least two reference pictures are compared to locate the mark. 
         [0013]    In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a contactless operating devices provided. The contactless operating devices includes a projecting piece and an image-capturing piece. The projecting piece projects a basic picture on an image zone, and the image-capturing piece sequentially captures at least two reference pictures from the image zone, and operates the projecting piece in accordance with a first comparison between the basic picture and one of the reference pictures, or a second comparison between the at least two reference pictures. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the contactless operating device further comprises a signal-emitting piece emitting a signal onto the image zone. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the emitting piece is a laser point. 
         [0016]    Preferably, the contactless operating device further comprises a pointer forming a mark onto the image zone. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the pointer is one selected from a finger and a stick. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the projecting piece is one selected from a group consisting of a single beam projector, an LCD projector, a CRT projector, a digital projector, and a DLP projector. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the image-capturing piece is one selected from a group consisting of a web camera, a dome camera, and a digital camera. 
         [0020]    The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed descriptions and accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an illustrating diagram showing a contactless operating device for a digital equipment according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2(   a ) is an illustrating diagram showing a basic picture according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2(   b ) is an illustrating diagram showing a reference picture having a light signal thereon according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3(   a ) is an illustrating diagram showing a basic picture according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3(   b ) is an illustrating diagram showing a reference picture having a pointer thereon according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is an illustrating diagram showing a contactless operating device for a digital equipment according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is an illustrating diagram showing a contactless operating device for a digital equipment according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0028]    The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for the purposes of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. 
         [0029]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is an illustrating diagram showing the contactless operating device for a digital equipment according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The contactless operating device showed in  FIG. 1  includes an image zone  11 , a projecting piece  12 , a laser pointer  13 , an image-capturing piece  14  and a computer  15 . The projecting piece  12  could be a single beam projector, an LCD projector, a CRT projector, a digital projector or a DLP projector. The laser pointer  13  could be a laser pointer, and the image-capturing piece  14  could be a web camera, a dome camera or a digital camera. Finally, the computer  15  could be a personal computer, a notebook computer, a table computer, a pocket personal computer or any other portable computer. 
         [0030]    If the computer  15  is a notebook computer, the picture transmitted from the notebook computer to the projecting piece  12  are basic pictures, wherein the basic pictures could be screens of such as Microsoft Windows Operating System or Microsoft PowerPoint. The basic pictures will be projected onto the image zone  11  via the projecting piece  12 , and the image-capturing piece  14  will then capture all the images falling within the image zone  11 . The images captured by the image-capturing piece  14  are reference pictures, and then the reference pictures will be transmitted from the image-capturing piece  14  to the computer  15 . In most cases, a speaker (who is not showed in  FIG. 1 ) usually uses a signal emitted from a laser pointer  13  (such as a laser point) to point and illustrate the context of the basic pictures showed in the image zone  11 , which forms the difference between the basic and the reference picture. Consequently, the computer  15  will compare and analyze the difference between the basic and the reference picture, and use the difference as a control signal to operate a digital equipment. Using the difference between pictures to operate the digital equipment is the core feature of the present invention. 
         [0031]    Please refer to  FIG. 2(   a ), which is an illustrating diagram showing a basic picture according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2(   b ), which is an illustrating diagram showing a reference picture having a light signal thereon according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. There includes a basic picture  20 , a reference picture  21 , at least one image zone  11  and a laser pointer  13  in  FIGS. 2(   a ) and  2 ( b ), wherein the light signal emitted from the laser pointer  13  is located in coordinates (x, y). Therefore, the images in coordinates (x, y) will be different between the basic picture  20  and the reference picture  21 , which is caused by the light signal emitted from the laser pointer  13 . In point of the computer  15 , the operation of the digital equipment is implemented according to the difference between pictures. Nevertheless, in point of the speaker, the operation of the digital equipment is implemented according to the different modes of light signals. 
         [0032]    There are several modes of light signals provide in the present invention, which will be further described as follows. Although each light signals mode produces a corresponding mode of images difference, it will not be introduced in detail. 
         [0033]    The first mode of light signals is single-click on a specific location of the image zone. The light signal is flashed once on the specific location of the image zone, such as in the “play” icon existing on screens of Windows Media Player or the “open” icon existing on screens of Microsoft Words. The computer  15  could operate the digital equipment according to the comparison between the basic picture  20  and the reference picture  21 . 
         [0034]    The second mode of light signals is single-click on any other location of the image zone. For example, when presenting by Microsoft PowerPoint, the light signal could be flashed once on any other position of the basic picture  20  formed on the image zone, besides the functional icons, and the computer will perform slides transition to next one. 
         [0035]    The third mode of light signals is double-click on the image zone. This double-click mode of light signals will function like double-click mode of mouse on the computer. For example, when a light signal is flashed twice on a specific position of the basic picture  20 , such as on a functional icon or a document icon, the computer  15  will continuously compare the basic pictures  20  and the reference pictures  21  to confirm the light signal positions and if the mode of light signals is double-click mode. If the confirmation result is positive, the computer  15  will implement the specific function that the icon shows or open the document accordingly. 
         [0036]    As described above, upon the different modes of light signals formed onto the image zone  11 , the user could operate the digital equipment with a contact-less manner. It is to be noted that the described modes of light signals are considered to be the preferred embodiments, and the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is believed that there should be other embodiments existing. However, no matter which kind of light signal modes is applied, the operating principle will not go beyond the above principle disclosed according to the present invention. 
         [0037]    It also needs to be noted that there are at least two comparison and analysis methods when comparing and analyzing the differences between the basic picture  20  and the reference picture  21  by the computer  15 . The first analysis method is that since the basic picture  20  is provided by the computer  15 , the computer  15  could access the basic picture  20  from the intrinsic data directly, and compare them with the reference picture  21  transmitted from the image-capturing piece  14 . Consequently, the computer could confirm the differences between the basic picture  20  and the reference picture  21 , and operate at least one digital equipment accordingly. The second analysis method is that the computer  15  compares a plurality of reference pictures  21  that are received from the image-capturing piece  14  in sequence, and confirms the difference therebetween to operate at least one digital equipment accordingly. However, no matter which method is applied, the comparison need not be limited between the basic picture  20  and the reference picture  21 , or two reference pictures received in sequence. The computer  15  could compare a plurality of basic pictures and a plurality of reference pictures, or compare a plurality of reference pictures received in different times, or compare not in sequence depend on the need in practice. 
         [0038]    In the situation that the laser pointer  13  is a point having no light signals, the present invention still can work. Please refer to  FIG. 3(   a ), which is an illustrating diagram showing a basic picture according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 3(   b ), which is an illustrating diagram showing a reference picture having a pointer thereon according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. There are a basic picture  20 , a reference picture  21 , an image zone  11  and a pointer  31  showed in  FIGS. 3(   a ) and  3 ( b ), wherein the pointer  31  could be a finger or a stick. In the second preferred embodiment, the pointer  31  is a finger that located on the coordinates (x, y) of the reference picture  21 , and hence the respective locations of coordinates (x, y) on the basic picture and the reference picture will be different. The speaker could operate at least one digital equipment according to the specific signal provided by the pointer, and the working principle is the same as what has described above. 
         [0039]    Further, as the multimedia technology develops, the projector that can store presenting data and show slides without further devices has been provided. This is to say, the speaker no longer needs the computer  15  when presenting. Accordingly, a unit having the function of comparing the basic with the reference pictures to confirm the differences therebetween, could be incorporated within the image-capturing piece. The contactless operating method according to the present invention could be implemented only by simple combination of the projecting piece and the image-capturing piece. Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is an illustrating diagram showing the contactless operating device for a digital equipment according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. There are an image zone  11 , a projecting piece  12 , a laser pointer  13  and an image-capturing piece  14  showed in  FIG. 4 , and the projecting piece  12  could be a single beam projector, a LCD projector, a CRT projector, a digital projector or a DLP projector. However, no matter what kind of projecting piece is adapted, the adapted projecting piece could show slides independently without being connected to an additional computer. Moreover, the laser point  13  could be other signal-emitting pieces, and the image-capturing piece  14  could be a web camera, a dome camera or a digital camera. Because the image-capturing piece  14  already has the function of comparing the basic picture  20  with the reference picture  21  in order to confirm the differences therebetween, the speaker could operate the digital equipment with a contactless manner by simply combining the projecting piece  12  and the image-capturing piece  14 . 
         [0040]    Based on the working principle mentioned above, the following preferred embodiment could be further provided, where the technical scheme provided in the present invention is applied to multimedia equipment. Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is an illustrating diagram showing the contactless operating device for a digital equipment according to the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention. There are an image zone  11 , a projecting piece  12 , a laser pointer  13 , an image-capturing piece  14 , a computer  15  and a multimedia equipment  50 . The projecting piece  12  could be a single beam projector, a LCD projector, a CRT projector, a digital projector or a DLP projector. The laser pointer  13  could be other signal-emitting piece, and the image-capturing piece  14  could be a web camera, a dome camera or a digital camera. The computer  15  could be a personal computer a notebook computer, a table computer, a pocket personal computer or any other portable computer. The multimedia equipment  50  could be a loudspeaker, a DVD player, a plate television or a large-sized flat screen. The main working principle of the fourth preferred embodiment is the same as that described above, and if necessary, the user even could operate more than one multimedia equipment according to the contactless operating device of the present invention. 
         [0041]    While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.