Patent Application
20140085245
As computing devices offer increased processing capacity and functionality, users are able to provide input in an expanding variety of ways. For example, a user might be able to control a computing device by performing a motion or gesture at a distance from the computing device, where that gesture is performed using a hand or finger of the user. For certain devices, the gesture is determined using images captured by a camera that is able to view the user, enabling the device to determine motion performed by that user. In some cases, however, at least a portion of the user will not be within the field of view of the camera, which can prevent the device from successfully determining the motion or gesture being performed. While capacitive touch approaches can sense the presence of a finger very close to a touch screen of the device, there is still a large dead zone outside the field of view of the camera that prevents the location or movement of a finger of the user from being determined.
Various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, in which:
a), 2(b), and 2(c) illustrate views of an example camera array that can be utilized in accordance with various embodiments;
a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), 3(e), and 3(f) illustrate example images that can be captured using a camera array in accordance with various embodiments;
a) and 4(b) illustrate portions of an example process for operating a camera array in accordance with various embodiments;
a), 5(b), 5(c), and 5(d) illustrate example approaches to determining feature location using a combination of camera elements that can be utilized in accordance with various embodiments;
Systems and methods in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure may overcome one or more of the aforementioned and other deficiencies experienced in conventional approaches to providing input to an electronic device. In particular, approaches discussed herein utilize a combination of camera elements to capture images and/or video of a feature of a user (or object being held by the user, etc.) for purposes of determining motions, gestures, or other such actions performed by the user. In at least some embodiments, one or more conventional cameras can be used to capture images of a feature of a user, such as a user's fingertip, or an object held by the user, while the feature (or object) is in a field of view of at least one camera of the device. The device also can include a relatively low-resolution camera array, which can be integrated with, or positioned proximate to, a display screen (or other at least semi-transparent element) of the device, such that the elements of the array can capture light (e.g., ambient or IR) passing through the display screen.
In at least some embodiments, each element of the array is a separate light or radiation detector, such as a photodiode. The individual detectors can be positioned “behind” the display screen in at least some embodiments, and in some embodiments can be positioned behind an IR-transmissive sheet or other such element capable of preventing ambient light from being detected by the elements, enabling the camera array to operate even when the display screen is actively displaying content. One or more illumination elements can be configured to transmit light to be reflected from a nearby object and detected by the array. Since the detectors do not have lenses in at least some embodiments, the array will only be able to capture discernible images over a range of distance from the array. The emitters can emit IR that can pass through the IR transmissive sheet and enable determination of location of an object near the screen independent of operation of the screen. In at least some embodiments images can be captured with different directions of illumination from different IR emitters, in order to obtain depth information useful in determining an orientation or other aspect of the feature being detected.
Many other alternatives and variations are described and suggested below in relation to at least some of the various embodiments.
In this example, the computing device 104 can include one or more cameras 108 configured to capture image information including a view of the user's finger 106, which can be analyzed by an application executing on the computing device to determine a relative location of the finger with respect to the computing device 104. The image information can be still image or video information captured using ambient or infrared light, among other such options. Further, any appropriate number of cameras of the same or different types can be used within the scope of the various embodiments. The application can determine the position of the finger (or another such object), and can track the position of the finger over time by analyzing the captured image information, in order to allow for motion and/or gesture input to the device. For example, the user can move the finger up and down to adjust a volume, move the finger in a plane to control a virtual cursor, and the like.
Relying on camera information can have certain drawbacks, however, as each camera will generally have a limited field of view, even for wide angle lenses (i.e., with a capture angle on the order of about 120 degrees, for example). Even fisheye or other wide-angle lenses have limited fields of view, or at least provide somewhat distorted images near an edge of a field of view. Accordingly, there will generally be one or more dead zones around the computing device where an object might fall outside the field of view of any of the cameras. Until the fingertip enters the field of view of at least one camera, the device cannot locate the fingertip in images captured from any of the cameras, and thus cannot determine or track motion of the feature.
Approaches in accordance with various embodiments can account for at least some of the dead zone between and/or outside the field of view of one or more cameras on a computing device by utilizing a camera array (or sensor array) positioned to capture light (e.g., ambient or IR) passing through a display screen or other such element of the device. The camera array can be integrated with, or otherwise positioned with respect to, a display element in accordance with various embodiments. In devices with multiple display elements, there might be multiple camera arrays utilized to detect motions, gestures, hovers, or other actions near those elements that might be outside the field of view of at least one conventional camera on the device.
a) illustrates a cross-sectional view 200 of an example camera array that can be utilized in accordance with various embodiments. In this example the array is positioned “behind” a display screen, which can include at least display layer 202 that can be at least semi-transparent, based at least in part upon the type of display screen (e.g., LCD or OLED). Depending on the type of display, various other layers and components can be utilized as well as known or used for such purposes. For example, an LCD display might include a backlight layer 204 for receiving and directing light 206 (from a source on the device such as at least one LED) through the display layer 202 in order to generate an image on the display screen. The camera array in this example includes an array of detectors 214, such as photodiodes, positioned on a printed circuit board (PCB), flex circuit, or other such (substantially flat or planar) substrate 212, with the detectors positioned on the side towards the display screen in order to be able to capture light incident on, and passing through, the display layer 202 from outside the computing device. It should be understood, however, that various types of single- or multi-value light or radiation sensors could be used as well within the scope of the various embodiments. Further, other layers of the display can function as a substrate, or support for various emitters and/or detectors, such that a separate substrate layer is not used in some embodiments. In displays with a backlight layer 206, the detectors can be positioned “behind” the backlight layer 206 with respect to the display layer 202, as the circuitry, lines, and/or other components on (or in) the substrate 212 generally will not be transparent in at least some embodiments, for factors that may include complexity and cost, among others.
In this example, the detectors 214 are positioned at regular intervals in two dimensions, spaced a relatively fixed amount apart, although other configurations can be used as well. The spacing can be determined based at least in part upon the size of each detector, the size of the display screen, and/or the desired resolution of the camera array, among other such factors. In at least some embodiments none of the detectors will contain a focusing lens, such that the camera array will effectively function as a near-field camera. The lack of lenses can cause each detector to directly sense light returned from the finger, which in at least some embodiments can only be discerned for fingers or other objects within a relatively short distance from the screen, such as within a range of less than one or two inches. Anything beyond that range may be too blurry to be decipherable, but since the dead zone for conventional camera configurations can be on the order of about two inches from the display screen or less, such range can be sufficient to at least determine the approximate location of a feature within the dead zone.
Such an approach has advantages, as the lack of lenses allows the camera array to be relatively thin, which can be desirable for devices with limited space such as portable computing devices. Further, the array can be relatively inexpensive, and does not require optical alignment that might otherwise be required when including lenses with the array. Since the distance that the camera array is intended to cover is relatively close to the device, such as in the camera dead zone as discussed above, there may be little advantage to adding lenses when the position of the fingertip (or another such object) can be determined without such lenses.
In some embodiments, such as for OLED displays that are substantially transparent, the detectors can capture ambient (or other) light passing through the display layer. For display devices such as LCD displays, however, the detectors might need to be timed to capture images between refresh times of the display, in order to prevent the detectors from being saturated, or at least the captured image data from being dominated or contaminated by the light from the image being rendered on the display screen. At least some display screen assemblies include an at least partially opaque backplane layer 208, which can prevent light from being directed into the device and/or cause the display screen to appear black (or another appropriate color) when the display is not displaying content. If a backplane layer 208 is used with the display screen, the detectors might be positioned to capture light passing through holes or openings in the backplane, or the detectors might be at least partially passed through the backplane layer, among other such options.
In the example of
As mentioned, a display screen might have a backplane 208 or other at least partially opaque layer (e.g., a black piece of plastic or similar material) positioned “behind” the display layer 202. In at least some embodiments, this layer might be substantially opaque over the visible spectrum, but might allow for transmission of at least a portion of the IR spectrum. Accordingly, the emitters 216 and detectors 214 can be positioned behind the backplane and configured to emit and capture IR, respectively, that passes through the backplane 208. An advantage to being able to utilize IR passing through the backplane layer is that the detection can occur at any time, independent of the operation of the display screen. Further, ambient light incident on the device will not be able to interfere with the light detected by the detectors, such as where the detectors might not be dedicated IR detectors but might be able to capture light over a wide range of wavelengths, including the visible and IR spectrums. Further, such positioning of the camera array can prevent the array from being visible by a user when the display is not displaying content. For embodiments without a backplane or where the emitters and/or detectors are positioned at openings in the backplane, the emitters and detectors can be substantially black and surrounded by black components, but might still be at least somewhat visible to a user of the device. In some embodiments a diffuse surface can be positioned above the backplane in order to reduce the appearance of the detectors to a user of the device. In other embodiments, the detectors can be made to appear white by coating a lens of the detectors, such that the detectors do not appear as dark spots with respect to an otherwise white backlight in at least some embodiments.
In at least some embodiments the emitters also will not have lenses, such that the emitters can be relatively broad angle as well. In order to at least partially control the direction of light, a thin film waveguide layer 210 can be used that can be positioned between the display layer 202 and the emitters 216, whether positioned on a display layer, as part of a backplane, or in another appropriate location. The thin film can have a plurality of channels or diffractive features configured to limit the emission angle for the emitters. Such an approach can further help to discriminate light reflected from different emitters. Other films might include light pipes or other features that can direct light toward the middle of the dead zone, beyond an edge of the display, etc. The ability to focus and direct the light can also help to increase the efficiency of the device.
b) illustrates an example top view 240 of a portion of a camera array assembly that can be utilized in accordance with various embodiments. In this example, an array of photodiodes 244 is spaced at regular intervals (e.g., on the order of about 1-2 millimeters apart) across a majority of the area of the flex circuit substrate 242, which is comparable in size to that of the display screen by which the array will be positioned. It should be understood that the array can be positioned at one or more smaller regions of the substrate, can be positioned up to the edges, or can be otherwise arranged. Further, the spacing may be irregular or in a determined pattern, and there can be different numbers or densities of photodiodes as discussed elsewhere herein. In one example, there are on the order of thirty, forty, or eighty diodes in one or both directions, while in other examples there are hundreds to thousands of detectors in an array. As conventional cameras typically include millions of pixels, the camera array can be considered to be relatively low resolution. In this example there are a number of emitters 246 about an edge of the substrate 242. It should be understood that any number of emitters (e.g., one or more IR LED's) can be used in various embodiments, and the emitters can be positioned at other appropriate locations, such as at the four corners of the substrate, interspersed between at least a portion of the detectors, etc. In some embodiments, placing the emitters about an edge of the substrate can allow for a relatively uniform illumination of a feature in the dead zone or otherwise sufficiently near the camera array. In embodiments including a backlight layer, the backlight can be segmented into regions that are activated in sequence. The detectors for a region can capture light when the corresponding region is not activated, such that the detectors of the region are not saturated.
At least some embodiments can take advantage of the spread arrangement of emitters to emit IR from different directions at different times, which can cause different portions of the feature to be illuminated at different times. Such information can be used to obtain depth, shape, and other such information that may not otherwise be obtainable with the near-field camera approach supported by the camera array. For example, consider the situation 280 of
As an example,
Further, the size of the bright central region 356 and/or less intense outer region 354 in the image can be used to estimate a distance of the object, as objects closer to the detectors will appear larger in the combined image. By knowing the approximate diameter (or other measure) of a fingertip of the user, for example, the device can estimate the distance to the fingertip based on the apparent size in the image. The distance to the object can be used with the angle information obtained from the combined image to more accurately estimate where the object is pointing, in order to more accurately accept input to the device. Various other type of information can be determined and/or utilized as well within the scope of the various embodiments. Further, if at least a portion of the hand or finger is visible in the field of view of at least one of the conventional, higher resolution cameras, the position information from the conventional camera view can be used with the information from the low resolution, large format camera array to more accurately determine the approximate location of the fingertip and orientation of the finger, or other such object.
a) illustrates an example process 400 that can be utilized in accordance with various embodiments. It should be understood, however, that there can be additional, fewer, or alternative steps performed in similar or alternative orders, or in parallel, within the scope of the various embodiments unless otherwise stated. In this example, an infrared illumination source is triggered 402, or otherwise activated, on a computing device. As discussed, the source can be located on a circuit or substrate in common with an array of detectors, and can be configured to direct light through a display screen of the computing device. Infrared light reflected from a nearby object can be received 404 back through the display screen and detected 406 using at least a portion of the array of detectors. As mentioned, each detector can be a photodiode or other single-pixel or single value-detector, producing at least a single intensity value at the respective position. A data set (or image in some embodiments) can be generated 408 using the intensity values of the detectors and the relative positions of the detectors. The data set can be analyzed to locate 410 an object, such as by locating a region of relatively high intensity, pixel, or color values. The relative location of the object to the device can be determined 412 based at least in part upon the location of the high intensity region as determined by the data set. User input corresponding to the location can be determined 414 and provided to an appropriate location, such as an application executing on the device.
b) illustrates an additional portion 420 of such a process that can be utilized when multiple illumination sources are present on the computing device. In this example portion, each of the illumination sources to be used for the object location determination is triggered 422 in sequence. As mentioned, this can include illumination from each of four corners or sides of the display region, among other such options. An illumination source can include a single emitter or group of emitters. For each illumination element triggered in the sequence, steps such as steps 404-408 can be performed to generate a respective data set using light captured by the plurality of detectors. A combined data set then can be created 426 using the individual data sets generated for each illumination in the sequence. As discussed, the combined data set will include regions with different intensity based at least in part upon the number of images in which light reflected from that object was captured by the same detectors. The relative location of the object can be determined 428 by locating a region of highest intensity in the combined data set, as discussed with respect to step 412. Using the combined data set, however, the intensity variations can also be analyzed 430 in order to determine an approximate orientation of the object. User input to be provided then can be determined 432 using not only the determined location of the object, but also the orientation. As discussed, distance estimates can also be made in at least some embodiments to assist with the input determinations.
As mentioned, the information from the camera array can be used to supplement the information obtained from conventional cameras, or at least higher resolution cameras, elsewhere on the device, such as to compensate for the dead zone between fields of view of those cameras.
In this example, a second camera is used to assist with location determination as well as to enable distance determinations through stereoscopic imaging. The lower camera 508 in
In some embodiments, information from a single camera can be used to determine the relative distance to a feature of a user. For example, a device can determine the size of a feature (e.g., a finger, hand, pen, or stylus) used to provide input to the device. By monitoring the relative size in the captured image information, the device can estimate the relative distance to the feature. This estimated distance can be used to assist with location determination using a single camera or sensor approach.
Further illustrating such an example approach,
As can be seen in
d) illustrates an example configuration 560 wherein the device 562 includes a pair of front-facing cameras 564, 566 each capable of capturing images over a respective field of view. If a fingertip or other feature near a display screen 568 of the device falls within at least one of these fields of view, the device can analyze images or video captured by these cameras to determine the location of the fingertip. In order to account for position in the dead zone outside the fields of view near the display, the device can utilize a camera array positioned behind the display screen, as discussed herein, which can detect position at or near the surface of the display screen. Due to the nature of the detectors not having lenses, the ability to resolve any detail is limited. As discussed, however, the useful range 570 of the camera array can cover at least a portion of the dead zone, and in at least some embodiments will also at least partially overlaps the fields of view. Such an approach enables the location of a fingertip or feature to be detected when that fingertip is within a given distance of the display screen, whether or not the fingertip can be seen by one of the conventional cameras. Such an approach also enables a finger or other object to be tracked as the object passes in and out of the dead zone. Other location detection approaches can be used as well, such as ultrasonic detection, distance detection, optical analysis, and the like.
The example computing device 600 also includes at least one microphone 606 or other audio capture device capable of capturing audio data, such as words or commands spoken by a user of the device, music playing near the device, etc. In this example, a microphone is placed on the same side of the device as the display screen, such that the microphone will typically be better able to capture words spoken by a user of the device. The example computing device 600 also includes at least one communications or networking component 612 that can enable the device to communicate wired or wirelessly across at least one network, such as the Internet, a cellular network, a local area network, and the like. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the image processing, analysis, and/or combination can be performed on a server or other component remote from the computing device.
In some embodiments, the computing device 700 of
The device also can include at least one orientation or motion sensor. As discussed, such a sensor can include an accelerometer or gyroscope operable to detect an orientation and/or change in orientation, or an electronic or digital compass, which can indicate a direction in which the device is determined to be facing. The mechanism(s) also (or alternatively) can include or comprise a global positioning system (GPS) or similar positioning element operable to determine relative coordinates for a position of the computing device, as well as information about relatively large movements of the device. The device can include other elements as well, such as may enable location determinations through triangulation or another such approach. These mechanisms can communicate with the processor, whereby the device can perform any of a number of actions described or suggested herein.
As discussed, different approaches can be implemented in various environments in accordance with the described embodiments. For example,
The illustrative environment includes at least one application server 808 and a data store 810. It should be understood that there can be several application servers, layers or other elements, processes or components, which may be chained or otherwise configured, which can interact to perform tasks such as obtaining data from an appropriate data store. As used herein, the term “data store” refers to any device or combination of devices capable of storing, accessing and retrieving data, which may include any combination and number of data servers, databases, data storage devices and data storage media, in any standard, distributed or clustered environment. The application server 808 can include any appropriate hardware and software for integrating with the data store 810 as needed to execute aspects of one or more applications for the client device and handling a majority of the data access and business logic for an application. The application server provides access control services in cooperation with the data store and is able to generate content such as text, graphics, audio and/or video to be transferred to the user, which may be served to the user by the Web server 806 in the form of HTML, XML or another appropriate structured language in this example. The handling of all requests and responses, as well as the delivery of content between the client device 802 and the application server 808, can be handled by the Web server 806. It should be understood that the Web and application servers are not required and are merely example components, as structured code discussed herein can be executed on any appropriate device or host machine as discussed elsewhere herein.
The data store 810 can include several separate data tables, databases or other data storage mechanisms and media for storing data relating to a particular aspect. For example, the data store illustrated includes mechanisms for storing content (e.g., production data) 812 and user information 816, which can be used to serve content for the production side. The data store is also shown to include a mechanism for storing log or session data 814. It should be understood that there can be many other aspects that may need to be stored in the data store, such as page image information and access rights information, which can be stored in any of the above listed mechanisms as appropriate or in additional mechanisms in the data store 810. The data store 810 is operable, through logic associated therewith, to receive instructions from the application server 808 and obtain, update or otherwise process data in response thereto. In one example, a user might submit a search request for a certain type of item. In this case, the data store might access the user information to verify the identity of the user and can access the catalog detail information to obtain information about items of that type. The information can then be returned to the user, such as in a results listing on a Web page that the user is able to view via a browser on the user device 802. Information for a particular item of interest can be viewed in a dedicated page or window of the browser.
Each server typically will include an operating system that provides executable program instructions for the general administration and operation of that server and typically will include computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of the server, allow the server to perform its intended functions. Suitable implementations for the operating system and general functionality of the servers are known or commercially available and are readily implemented by persons having ordinary skill in the art, particularly in light of the disclosure herein.
The environment in one embodiment is a distributed computing environment utilizing several computer systems and components that are interconnected via communication links, using one or more computer networks or direct connections. However, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that such a system could operate equally well in a system having fewer or a greater number of components than are illustrated in
The various embodiments can be further implemented in a wide variety of operating environments, which in some cases can include one or more user computers or computing devices which can be used to operate any of a number of applications. User or client devices can include any of a number of general purpose personal computers, such as desktop or laptop computers running a standard operating system, as well as cellular, wireless and handheld devices running mobile software and capable of supporting a number of networking and messaging protocols. Such a system can also include a number of workstations running any of a variety of commercially-available operating systems and other known applications for purposes such as development and database management. These devices can also include other electronic devices, such as dummy terminals, thin-clients, gaming systems and other devices capable of communicating via a network.
Most embodiments utilize at least one network that would be familiar to those skilled in the art for supporting communications using any of a variety of commercially-available protocols, such as TCP/IP, OSI, FTP, UPnP, NFS, CIFS and AppleTalk. The network can be, for example, a local area network, a wide-area network, a virtual private network, the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a public switched telephone network, an infrared network, a wireless network and any combination thereof.
In embodiments utilizing a Web server, the Web server can run any of a variety of server or mid-tier applications, including HTTP servers, FTP servers, CGI servers, data servers, Java servers and business application servers. The server(s) may also be capable of executing programs or scripts in response requests from user devices, such as by executing one or more Web applications that may be implemented as one or more scripts or programs written in any programming language, such as Java®, C, C# or C++ or any scripting language, such as Perl, Python or TCL, as well as combinations thereof. The server(s) may also include database servers, including without limitation those commercially available from Oracle®, Microsoft®, Sybase® and IBM®.
The environment can include a variety of data stores and other memory and storage media as discussed above. These can reside in a variety of locations, such as on a storage medium local to (and/or resident in) one or more of the computers or remote from any or all of the computers across the network. In a particular set of embodiments, the information may reside in a storage-area network (SAN) familiar to those skilled in the art. Similarly, any necessary files for performing the functions attributed to the computers, servers or other network devices may be stored locally and/or remotely, as appropriate. Where a system includes computerized devices, each such device can include hardware elements that may be electrically coupled via a bus, the elements including, for example, at least one central processing unit (CPU), at least one input device (e.g., a mouse, keyboard, controller, touch-sensitive display element or keypad) and at least one output device (e.g., a display device, printer or speaker). Such a system may also include one or more storage devices, such as disk drives, optical storage devices and solid-state storage devices such as random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM), as well as removable media devices, memory cards, flash cards, etc.
Such devices can also include a computer-readable storage media reader, a communications device (e.g., a modem, a network card (wireless or wired), an infrared communication device) and working memory as described above. The computer-readable storage media reader can be connected with, or configured to receive, a computer-readable storage medium representing remote, local, fixed and/or removable storage devices as well as storage media for temporarily and/or more permanently containing, storing, transmitting and retrieving computer-readable information. The system and various devices also typically will include a number of software applications, modules, services or other elements located within at least one working memory device, including an operating system and application programs such as a client application or Web browser. It should be appreciated that alternate embodiments may have numerous variations from that described above. For example, customized hardware might also be used and/or particular elements might be implemented in hardware, software (including portable software, such as applets) or both. Further, connection to other computing devices such as network input/output devices may be employed.
Storage media and computer readable media for containing code, or portions of code, can include any appropriate media known or used in the art, including storage media and communication media, such as but not limited to volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage and/or transmission of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data, including RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by a system device. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate other ways and/or methods to implement the various embodiments.
The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
