Patent Application
20150084936
This application claims priority under 35 USC §119(a) to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0112858, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Sep. 23, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for drawing a three-dimensional (3D) object on a user terminal by using an electronic pen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Touch screens that have been widely used in user terminals, such as smartphones, provide an interface for intuitively manipulating the user terminals. In general, touch screens are optimized to display two-dimensional (2D) images thereon. In order to express a three-dimensional (3D) space defined with X, Y, and Z axes, 2D images obtained by rendering the 3D space are displayed on a touch screen of a user terminal.
Since a user's touch input on a touch screen is a 2D input with coordinates (x, y), the coordinates (x, y) are easy to manipulate on the touch screen, but a coordinate ‘z’ is difficult to manipulate on the touch screen. In the related art, in order to control a coordinate ‘z’ in a 3D space, a view of the 3D space is converted into a plane defined with the X and Z axes or the Y and Z axes, and the coordinate ‘z’ is controlled through a user's touch input. In addition, an additional input window or tool for controlling a coordinate ‘z’ is displayed on a touch screen. However, the above methods are inconvenient to manipulate and do not provide an intuitive interface to users.
The present invention has been made to address the above problems and disadvantages, and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention provides an intuitive interface that is more convenient to draw a three-dimensional (3D) object on a user terminal by using an electronic pen.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of drawing a three-dimensional (3D) object on a user terminal includes displaying a 3D space including a two-dimensional (2D) or 3D object on the user terminal; obtaining vector information regarding a depthwise direction in the 3D space based on a user's gesture performed across a body of an electronic pen; and performing a 3D drawing function on the 2D or 3D object, based on the vector information.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a user terminal includes a user interface for displaying a 3D space including a 2D or 3D object; and a processor for obtaining vector information regarding a depthwise direction in the 3D space based on a user's gesture performed across a body of an electronic pen, and performing a 3D drawing function on the 2D or 3D object based on the vector information.
These and/or other aspects features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. In this regard, the present embodiments may have different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the descriptions set forth herein. Accordingly, the embodiments are merely described below, by referring to the figures, to explain aspects of the present description.
In the present description, general terms that have been widely used are selected, if possible, in consideration of functions of the present invention, but non-general terms may be selected according to the intentions of technicians in the this art, precedents, or new technologies, etc. Also, some terms may be arbitrarily chosen. In this case, the meanings of these terms will be explained in corresponding parts of the present disclosure in detail. Thus, the terms used herein should be defined not based on the names thereof but based on the meanings thereof and the whole context of the present invention.
In the present description, it should be understood that terms, such as ‘include’ or ‘have,’ etc., are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to preclude the possibility that one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof may exist or may be added. Also, the terms, such as ‘unit’ or ‘module’, etc., should be understood as a unit that processes at least one function or operation and that may be embodied in hardware, software, or a combination thereof.
As used here, the term ‘user terminal’ means an apparatus having a function of displaying images, and may be embodied as a smartphone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a tablet Personal Computer (PC), a lap-top computer, a Head-Mounted Display (HMD), a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) system, a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), a navigation device, a digital camera, digital Consumer Electronics (CE) appliances, etc. Examples of a digital CE appliance may include, but are not limited to, a Digital Television (DTV), an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), a refrigerator having a display function, an air conditioner having a display function, and a printer having a display function. The term ‘3D space’ means a virtual space displayed on a user terminal. The term ‘3D drawing’ should be understood as a comprehensive term including a process of producing a 3D object in a 3D space, a process of editing a produced 3D object, and a process of extracting or modifying information regarding physical attributes (e.g., the shape, form, size, colors, etc.) of a two-dimensional (2D) or 3D object.
As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, a user terminal 10 illustrated in
A 3D display may be used to definitely display a 3D space. For example, for the 3D display, the user terminal 10 may produce a left-viewpoint image and a right-viewpoint image and display a stereoscopic 3D image with the left-viewpoint image and the right-viewpoint image.
At least one 2D or 3D object may be included in the 3D space. In one embodiment, a 2D or 3D object is an object to which a 3D drawing function is to be applied.
The user terminal 10 displays menu items corresponding to the 3D drawing function. For example, the user terminal 10 may display menu items such as an icon for drawing lines, an icon for drawing planes, a palette icon for selecting colors, an icon for extracting object attributes, etc., but embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.
The user terminal 10 obtains vector information regarding a depthwise direction in the 3D space, based on a user's gesture performed across the body of an electronic pen 20 illustrated in
The manner of using the electronic pen 20 may be classified into an active manner in which the electronic pen 20 senses a user's gesture by using a power source, and a passive manner in which the user terminal 10 itself senses a user's gesture on the electronic pen 20. In the active manner, the electronic pen 20 transmits information regarding the user's gesture to the user terminal 10, and the user terminal 10 obtains vector information by receiving the information regarding the user's gesture. In the passive manner, the user terminal 10 itself obtains vector information by sensing the user's gesture on the electronic pen 20.
In one embodiment, a user input using the electronic pen 20 may be a 3D input in which a 2D input of coordinates (x, y) may be input according to a general method and an input of a coordinate ‘z’ may be input through a user's gesture on the body of the electronic pen 20.
The user terminal 10 performs the 3D drawing function on the 2D or 3D object displayed on the user terminal 10, based on the vector information in step A115. The 3D drawing function may be, for example, an effect of extruding an object, an effect of absorbing at least a portion of an object into the electronic pen 20, an effect of extracting colors of an object, an effect of shrinking or expanding the shape of an object, an effect of increasing the volume of an object, or an effect of ejecting either an object absorbed into an electronic pen beforehand or colors of an object extracted beforehand from a virtual nib of an electronic pen, but is not limited thereto.
In one embodiment, the type of a 3D drawing function may be selected by a user. For example, when the user selects an extruding function on the user terminal 10, the user terminal 10 extrudes an object based on obtained vector information. As described above, menu items related to the 3D drawing function may be displayed on the user terminal 10. The menu items may be shortcut icons.
In another embodiment, 3D drawing functions performed based on vector information may be defined in units of objects. For example, a 3D drawing function performed based on vector information may be mapped to an object together with visual information (e.g., the shape, form, colors, etc.) regarding the object. For example, if it is assumed that an object is water contained in a cup, a 3D drawing function of absorbing the water into an electronic pen based on vector information may be mapped to the water. Examples of the 3D drawing function will be apparent from a description and drawings below.
Referring to
Then, the user terminal 10 obtains first vector information of a depthwise direction and first motion information regarding a physical motion of the electronic pen 20 by using the electronic pen 20 in step A210. The first motion information regarding the physical motion of the electronic pen 20 includes information regarding a 2D input of coordinates (x, y) on the user terminal 10 but is not limited thereto. For example, when the electronic pen 20 contacting a screen of the user terminal 10 is separated from the user terminal 10, the first motion information may includes information regarding a moving direction, a moving distance, a moving speed, or acceleration of the electronic pen 20. When the electronic pen 20 rotates with respect to the body thereof, the first motion information includes information regarding a rotation angle or a rotation angular speed. The first motion information may further include information regarding the posture of the electronic pen 20. For example, the first motion information may include inclination information regarding an angle at which the electronic pen 20 is inclined, based on the depthwise direction in the screen of the user terminal 10.
Then, the user terminal 10 converts the 2D object into a 3D object, based on the first vector information and the first motion information in step A215. When a value of the physical motion of the electronic pen 20 that is determined based on the first motion information is less than a threshold, i.e., when the physical motion is determined to be substantially negligible, the user terminal 10 may neglect the first motion information and convert the 2D object into the 3D object based only on the first vector information.
The 3D star G702 is obtained by extruding the 2D star G701 in a direction that becomes distant from an electronic pen 20 (or providing a stereoscopic effect downward), and the 3D star G703 is obtained by extruding the 2D star G701 in a direction that becomes close to the electronic pen 20 (or providing a stereoscopic effect upward). A direction in which the 2D star G701 is to be extruded is determined based on the first vector information. For example, when the first vector information represents a sweep down operation of sweeping down across the body of the electronic pen 20 to indicate a direction in which depth increases, the 3D star G702 is drawn by extruding the 2D star G701 in a direction that becomes distant from the electronic pen 20. In contrast, when the first vector information represents a sweep up operation of sweeping up across the body of the electronic pen 20 to indicate a direction that decreases a depth, the 3D star G703 is drawn by extruding the 2D star G701 in the direction that the 2D star G701 becomes close to the electronic pen 20.
A user lifts the electronic pen 20 in a direction that becomes distant from the user terminal 10 of
The user terminal 10 extrudes a 2D star G800 in a direction that becomes close to the electronic pen 20, based on the first vector information. In this case, a cross-sectional area of the 2D star G800 that is to be extruded is decreased according to a physical motion of the electronic pen 20. For example, the user terminal 10 extrudes the 2D star G800 based on the first vector information while reducing the cross-sectional area of the 2D star G800 based on the first motion information. The user terminal 10 may use the information regarding the speed or acceleration of the physical motion G802 to determine the cross-sectional area of the 2D star G800. For example, the user terminal 10 may decrease the cross-sectional area of the 2D star G800 in proportion to the speed or acceleration of the physical motion G802. Thus, the difference between the cross-sectional areas of the top surface and the bottom surface of the 3D star G801 is proportional to the speed or acceleration of the physical motion G802.
The user terminal 10 changes the view of the 3D space as a user drags the 3D tool G901. For example, when the user drags the 3D tool G901 to the right, a side surface G903 of the rectangular hexahedron is displayed on image G91. Thus, it is easier to determine a view to which the view of the 3D space is changed. From the user's viewpoint, the 3D tool G901 and the 2D object G902 are viewed to move in synchronization with each other.
When the user ends the touch input using the 3D tool G901, the 3D tool G901 disappears and the view of the 3D space returns to a default value.
In image G93, the user sweeps down across the body of the electronic pen 20 while dragging the 3D tool G905. The user terminal 10 obtains the first vector information through the user's sweep down operation. The user terminal 10 draws a 3D object G906 by extruding a 2D object G904 obtained by rotating the 2D object G902 based on the first vector information. The user checks the height of the 3D object G906 in real time as the 2D object G904 is extruded. Thus, it is possible to solve a problem that the user cannot check a visual effect of extruding the 2D object G902 in a state the view of the 3D space is not changed, as illustrated in an image G90, even if the 2D object G902 is extruded.
Referring back to
Then, the user terminal 10 obtains second vector information regarding a depthwise direction in the 3D space by using the electronic pen 20 in step A225. The user terminal 10 may obtain the second vector information through a sweeping up or sweeping down gesture across the body of the electronic pen 20 as described above.
Then, the user terminal 10 moves the virtual nib in the depthwise direction in the 3D space, based on the second vector information in step A230. For example, when the second vector information represents a direction in which depth increases, the virtual nib is moved in this direction, thereby enabling the virtual nib to move to a desired depth.
Then, the user terminal 10 selects a 3D object and provides haptic feedback in step A235. The user terminal 10 selects a 3D object that contacts the virtual nib as the virtual nib is moved in the depthwise direction. When the virtual nib and the 3D object contact each other, the user terminal 10 outputs a control signal for providing the haptic feedback directly or via the electronic pen 20. The haptic feedback may be provided in various ways. For example, the haptic feedback may be provided by generating vibration, a displacement, or electric stimulus.
In one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in a right image G61, an effect of causing a virtual nib G603 to protrude from the electronic pen 20 is displayed in a depthwise direction in the 3D space through a sweeping down gesture across the electronic pen 20. When the virtual nib G603 is moved in the depthwise direction and then contacts the ladder G602, the user terminal 10 outputs a control signal to provide the user with haptic feedback and selects the ladder G602.
Thus, the user may easily and intuitively select and manipulate a desired object by making a sweeping up/down gesture on the electronic pen 20 regardless of a depth in the 3D space in which the desired object is located. Referring back to
The user terminal 10 performs a 3D drawing function on the selected 3D object based on at least one of the third vector information and the third motion information in step A245. 3D drawing functions performed on a 3D object are illustrated in
Referring to
After the color information regarding the first color G1001 is extracted, the electronic pen 20 is physically moved. For example, the electronic pen 20 is separated from the user terminal 10 and then contacts the user terminal 10 on the head of the toothbrush, as illustrated in a right image G101. Then, the user terminal 10 obtains vector information when a sweeping down gesture across the electronic pen 20 is performed. The user terminal 10 determines that the obtained vector information represents a direction that increases the depth in the 3D space and draws an object G1002 having the extracted first color G1001 on a location corresponding to the head of the toothbrush. Thus, the user understands that a 3D drawing function of ejecting the toothpaste having the first color G1001 from the electronic pen 20 is performed. Although a case in which a color among various object attributes is extracted or ejected is described in the current embodiment, another object attribute (e.g., a shape or volume) may be extracted and an object having the shape or volume may be drawn on a location that the moved electronic pen 20 contacts according to another embodiment.
First, the user terminal 10 selects an opening (not shown) in the top of the left can G1101 displayed on the user terminal 10 by using a virtual nib of the electronic pen 20 of
When the opening is selected, the user terminal 10 obtains vector information according to the user's sweeping up/down gesture across the electronic pen 20. The user terminal 10 performs a 3D drawing function on the left can G1101 based on the vector information. When the 3D drawing function is performed on the left can G1101, an effect of denting the left can G1101 to become the right can G1102 is derived. That is, the right can G1102 is a result of performing the 3D drawing function on the left can G1101. For example, the user terminal 10 determines whether the vector information represents a direction that decreases the depth in a 3D space. If the vector information represents the direction that decreases the depth in the 3D space, the user terminal 10 dents the left can G1101 to become the right can G1102.
In one embodiment, the degree to which the left can G1101 is to be dented may be determined by the size of the vector information. For example, as the size of the vector information increases, the user terminal 10 may perform an effect of applying an increased internal pressure (i.e., an increased suction effect) to the left can G1101. That is, the denting as shown in the right can G1102 is caused by the suction effect, and the degree of the denting is determined by the degree of the suction effect. The size of the vector information may be proportional to the length of the user's sweeping up gesture across the electronic pen 20.
Thus the user may see that the internal pressure in the left can G1101 decreases to dent the left can G1101 (i.e., a decreased suction effect) as the left can G1101 is absorbed into the electronic pen 20.
According to the current embodiment, when the 3D drawing function is performed on a selected 3D object, an effect of denting the shape of the selected 3D object and decreasing the volume of the selected 3D object is performed. This effect may be defined with respect to 3D objects beforehand. For example, a function having parameters related to the shape and volume of the left can G1101 may be mapped to the left can G1101 beforehand. The user terminal 10 may change the shape and volume of the left can G1101 by inputting the vector information as an input value into the function.
According to another embodiment, a user may select an effect of denting a selected 3D object from menu items. When vector information is obtained through a sweeping up gesture across the electronic pen 20, the effect of denting a 3D object, which is selected by the user, is performed.
First, the user terminal 10 moves a virtual nib of the electronic pen 20 to the opening at the top of the left cup G1201 displayed on the user terminal 10. Then, the virtual nib of the electronic pen 20 is moved into the liquid in the left cup G1201 according to a sweeping down gesture across the electronic pen 20. Thus, the liquid in the left cup G1201 may be selected on the user terminal 10. In this case, a user may see that the electronic pen 20 is plunged into the liquid in the left cup G1201, as illustrated in
The user terminal 10 obtains vector information according to the user's sweeping up gesture across the electronic pen 20. The user terminal 10 performs the 3D drawing function of absorbing the liquid in the left cup G1201 based on the vector information. For example, the user terminal 10 determines whether the vector information represents a direction that decreases a depth in a 3D space. When the vector information represents the direction that decreases the depth in the 3D space, the user terminal 10 decreases the volume of the liquid in the left cup G1201. In this case, the user may see that the electronic pen 20 operates like a pipette to absorb the liquid in the left cup G1201. That is, after liquid in the left cup G1201 is absorbed and the volume of the liquid in the left cup G1201 is decreased, the result of this absorption is shown as the right cup G1202.
In one embodiment, a degree to which the volume of the liquid is to be decreased may be determined by the size of the vector information. For example, the user terminal 10 determines the degree to which the volume of the liquid is to be decreased to be proportional to the size of the vector information. The size of the vector information may be determined by the length of the user's gesture performed on the electronic pen 20.
When a decrease in the volume of the liquid causes the virtual nib to be exposed on the surface of the liquid, the user terminal 10 stops the 3D drawing function of absorbing the liquid. For example, the user terminal 10 may compare a depth value of the surface of the liquid in the 3D space with a depth value of the virtual nib and may stop the 3D drawing function when the depth value of the water surface of the liquid is greater than the depth value of the virtual nib. The user may perform the 3D drawing function again by moving the virtual nib again into the liquid.
According to the current embodiment, the effect of decreasing the volume of a 3D object is performed when the 3D drawing function is performed. This effect may be defined with respect to 3D objects beforehand. For example, information regarding an object that is the liquid in the left cup G1201 may be set in the user terminal 10 beforehand, and a function having a parameter related to the volume of the liquid may be mapped to the liquid beforehand. The user terminal 10 changes the volume of the liquid in the left cup G1201 by inputting the vector information as an input value into the function. According to another embodiment, a user may select an effect of absorbing a selected 3D object from menu items.
The liquid absorbed into the electronic pen 20 may also be ejected from the electronic pen 20 according to a sweeping down gesture across the electronic pen 20.
First, the user terminal 10 selects the left apple G1301 with a virtual nib of the electronic pen 20. Then, the user terminal 10 moves the virtual nib of the electronic pen 20 into the left apple G1301 according to a gesture of sweeping down across the electronic pen 20. A result of inserting the virtual nib into the left apple G1301 may be displayed as the middle apple G1302. The user terminal 10 obtains motion information according to a physical motion of the electronic pen 20. The user terminal 10 performs an effect of sculpting a selected object, based on the motion information. For example, when a user moves the electronic pen 20 in the form of a heart, the right apple G1303 is displayed on the user terminal 10. The inside of the heart in the right apple G1303 is hollowed out by a depth of the virtual nib.
The 3D drawing function of sculpting a selected object may be mapped to the left apple G1301 beforehand or may be selected from menu items displayed on the user terminal 10 by a user.
In the current embodiment, various types of haptic feedback may be provided. For example, the user terminal 10 or the electronic pen 20 may provide a first haptic feedback when the left apple G1301 is selected using the virtual nib, provide a second haptic feedback when the virtual nib is inserted into the middle apple G1302, and provide a third haptic feedback when the inside of the middle apple G1302 is sculpted according to a physical motion of the electronic pen 20. The first to third haptic feedback may be different from one another. For example, the first to third haptic feedback may be provided by changing a vibration pattern or pulses. Otherwise, the first haptic feedback may be provided using an electrical stimulus, the second haptic feedback may be provided using vibration, and the third haptic feedback may be provided using a force (frictional force, etc.). That is, the user terminal 10 or the electronic pen 20 may provide various types of haptic feedback according to the type of an event generated during a 3D drawing.
It would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments of
Referring now to
Referring to
The memory 140 includes an operating system (OS) 142 configured to drive the user terminal 10, and a drawing application 141 operating in the OS 142. In one embodiment, the drawing application 141 may be embedded in the OS 142. The OS 142 and the drawing application 141 are operated by the processor 130.
The memory 140 may include at least one type of storage medium, such as a flash memory type storage medium, a hard disk type storage medium, a multimedia card micro type storage medium, a card type memory (e.g., an SD or XD memory), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Static RAM (SRAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a Programmable ROM (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk.
The user interface 110 is an interface via which the user terminal 10 is manipulated by a user or a result of processing data by the processor 130 is displayed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the user interface 110 includes a first panel 111 and a second panel 112.
The first panel 111 includes a touch screen. For example, the first panel 111 includes various sensors for sensing a touch on or in the proximity of the touch screen. A tactile sensor is an example of a sensor for sensing a touch on the touch screen. The tactile sensor is a sensor capable of sensing a touch on an object to a degree that a human can sense or more. The tactile sensor is capable of sensing various information such as the toughness of a contacted surface, the hardness of a contacted object, the temperature of a contacted position, etc.
A proximity sensor is another example of a sensor for sensing a touch on the touch screen. The proximity sensor is a sensor capable of sensing an object that approaches a detection surface or an object near the detection surface by using a force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays without physical contact. Thus, the proximity sensor has a much longer lifetime and a much higher utilization rate than contact type sensors.
Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmissive photoelectric sensor, a direct reflective photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflective photoelectric sensor, a high-frequency oscillator proximity sensor, an electrostatic capacitance type proximity sensor, a magnetic type proximity sensor, an infrared ray proximity sensor, etc.
The first panel 111 may include at least one among a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD), an Organic Light-Emitting Diode Display, a flexible display, and a 3D display. The first panel 111 may include two or more display devices according to the type of the user terminal 10. The touch screen may be configured to sense not only the location of a touch input and a touched area but also the pressure of the touch input. Also, the touch screen may be configured to sense not only the touch (real-touch) but also a proximity touch.
The second panel 112 may be a panel that may form a magnetic field to sense an input using the electronic pen 20 according to an ElectroMagnetic Resonance (EMR) manner. If the electronic pen 20 is configured according to the active manner, the second panel 112 may be omitted. A magnetic field may be formed in at least a portion of the second panel 112 by applying a voltage to the second panel 112.
The second panel 112 includes a plurality of coils for generating a magnetic field at regular intervals. For example, in the second panel 112, a plurality of wires may be arranged in rows and columns, and a plurality of coils may be disposed at intersections of the wires arranged in columns and the wires arranged in rows. Also, both ends of the coils may be connected to the wires arranged in columns and the wires arranged in rows, respectively. Thus, the coils included in the second panel 112 generate a magnetic field when voltage is applied to the wires arranged in columns and the wires arranged in rows. However, embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and a magnetic field may be generated in at least a portion of the second panel 112 according to various magnetic field generation techniques using magnets, coils, etc.
Referring to
The second panel 112 may include a sensor unit (not shown) for sensing a change in the intensity of a magnetic field, caused by use of the electronic pen 20. The sensor unit of the second panel 112 senses a change in the magnetic field by using a sensor coil therein. The user terminal 10 receives the inputs using the electronic pen 20, the vector information, and the motion information described above, based on the change in the magnetic field.
For example, in a method of obtaining the vector information, two or more circuits having different oscillating frequencies are installed in an upper portion and a lower portion of the body of the electronic pen 20. When one of the two or more circuits having different oscillating frequencies is selected according to a user's gesture on the electronic pen 20, the sensor unit of the second panel 112 detects the circuit oscillating in the electronic pen 20 by changing a frequency of an input signal of the sensor coil. That is, the user terminal 10 determines whether the user's gesture with respect to the electronic pen 20 is a sweep-up gesture or a sweep-down gesture by checking whether the circuit installed in the upper portion of the electronic pen 20 or the circuit installed in the lower portion of the electronic pen 20 oscillates according to the frequency of the input signal.
For example, in a method of obtaining the motion information, the sensor unit of the second panel 112 obtains coordinates (x, y) of an input using the electronic pen 20 by detecting a location on the second panel 112 on which the intensity of the magnetic field is strongest as illustrated in
Referring back to
The broadcast receiving module receives a broadcast signal and/or information related to a broadcast from an external broadcasting management server via a broadcast channel. Examples of the broadcast channel may include a satellite channel, a terrestrial channel, etc.
The mobile communication module exchanges a radio signal with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and an external server in a mobile communication network. Here, the radio signal contains various types of data obtained by transmitting/receiving voice call signals, video communication call signals, or text/multimedia messages.
The wireless Internet module is a module for accessing the Internet in a wireless manner, and may be installed inside or outside the user terminal 10. The wired Internet module is a module for accessing the Internet in a wired manner.
The local area communication module is a module for local-area communication. Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra WideBand (UWB), ZigBee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), Near-Field Communication (NFC), etc. may be used as local area communication technologies.
Referring again to
The processor 130 includes an input processing module 131, an object selection module 132, a rendering module 133, a function determination module 134, a function performing module 135, and a Graphical User Interface (GUI) generation module 136. The modules described above may be understood to be software blocks executed by running the OS 142 or the drawing application 141.
The input processing module 131 processes a user input by using the first panel 111 or the second panel 112. For example, the input processing module 131 obtains vector information or motion information by using a change in a magnetic field sensed by the sensor unit of the second panel 112. The object selection module 132 selects a 2D or 3D object in a 3D space, based on the vector information or the motion information received from the input processing module 131. The function determination module 134 determines a 3D drawing function to be performed based on a user input using the electronic pen 20, according to the obtained vector information or motion information. The function performing module 135 performs the 3D drawing function determined by the function determination module 134. The rendering module 133 renders the 3D space including the 2D or 3D object and outputs a result of rendering the 3D space to the user interface 110. The GUI generation module 136 generates a GUI for manipulating the user terminal 10 and outputs the GUI to the user interface 110. For example, the GUI generation module 136 generates a GUI for a menu item for selecting the 3D drawing function and outputs the GUI to the user interface 110.
The basic hardware construction and operations of the user terminal 10 have been described above. A method of drawing a 3D object, as described above, by using the user terminal 10 will be described below.
The user interface 110 displays a 3D space including a 2D or 3D object thereon. Here, the 2D or 3D object may be an object that is drawn using the electronic pen 20 beforehand.
The processor 130 obtains vector information regarding a depthwise direction in a 3D space, based on a user's gesture performed across the body of the electronic pen 20. The processor 130 may obtain motion information based on a physical motion of the electronic pen 20.
When the electronic pen 20 is configured according to the passive manner, the vector information and the motion information are obtained using the second panel 112. When the electronic pen 20 is configured according to the active manner, the vector information and the motion information are obtained using the communication interface 120.
The processor 130 uses the vector information and the motion information to select an object displayed on the user interface 110. The processor 130 displays the virtual nib on the user interface 10 in response to a 2D input of coordinates (x,y) included in the motion information. The processor 130 moves the virtual nib displayed on the user interface 110 in the lengthwise direction in the 3D space, based on the vector information obtained through a sweeping up/down gesture across the electronic pen 20. When the virtual nib moves in the depthwise direction and then contacts an object in the 3D space, the processor 130 outputs a control signal for controlling a haptic feedback via the electronic pen 20 or the user terminal 10. When the user terminal 10 provides the haptic feedback, the user terminal 10 may further include an actuator (not shown).
The processor 130 performs a 3D drawing function on an object selected using at least one of the obtained vector information and motion information.
When the 3D drawing function is a function of extruding an object, the processor 130 extrudes a selected object in a direction that becomes close to the electronic pen 20 or a direction that becomes distant from the electronic pen 20, according to a direction indicated in the vector information. If the electronic pen 20 separates from the user terminal 10, the processor 130 extrudes a selected object while changing a cross-sectional area of the object based on the motion information.
Also, the processor 130 performs an effect of absorbing at least a portion of a selected object into the electronic pen 20, based on a size or direction indicated in the vector information. The processor 130 performs an effect of extracting a color of a selected object, based on the size or direction indicated in the vector information. The processor 130 performs an effect of shrinking or expanding the shape of a selected object, based on the size or direction indicated in the vector information. The processor 130 performs an effect of increasing/decreasing the volume of a selected object, based on the size or direction indicated in the vector information. The processor performs an effect of ejecting an object absorbed into the electronic pen 20 beforehand or a color extracted beforehand from the virtual nib of the electronic pen 20, based on the size or direction indicated in the vector information.
Also, when the vector information represents a direction in which depth increases in the 3D space, the processor 130 inserts the virtual nib of the electronic pen 20 into a selected object. Then, the processor 130 performs an effect of sculpting the selected object according to a motion of the virtual nib.
The processor 130 displays a result of performing a 3D drawing function via the user interface 110. When a touch input that is different from an input using the electronic pen 20 is sensed by the user interface 110, the processor 130 displays a 3D tool for controlling a view of a 3D space displayed on the user interface 110.
The touch panel 210 is disposed on the body of the electronic pen 20A, and senses a user's sweeping up/down gesture across the electronic pen 20A. For example, the touch panel 210 may be disposed on the body of the electronic pen 20, as illustrated in
The sensor unit 240 includes an acceleration sensor 241, a gyro sensor 242, and a tilt sensor 243. The acceleration sensor 241 senses acceleration according to a physical motion of the electronic pen 20A. In one embodiment of the present invention, the acceleration sensor 241 is a multi-axis acceleration sensor. The inclination of the electronic pen 20A is detected by detecting the angle formed by a direction of the acceleration of gravity and a direction of the electronic pen 20A by using the multi-axis acceleration sensor. The gyro sensor 242 senses a rotational direction and angle when the electronic pen 20A rotates. The tilt sensor 243 detects the inclination of the electronic pen 20A. When the acceleration sensor 241 is a multi-axis acceleration sensor, the tilt sensor 243 may be omitted.
The communication interface 220 is connected to the user terminal 10 in a wired or wireless manner to transmit data to or receive data from the user terminal 10. The communication interface 220 may transmit data to or receive data from the user terminal 10 via Bluetooth. The operation of the communication interface 220 will be apparent from the above description regarding the communication interface 120 of the user terminal 10.
The actuator 250 provides haptic feedback to a user under control of the controller 230. The actuator 250 may include, for example, at least one of an Eccentric Rotation Mass (ERM) motor, a linear motor, a piezo-actuator, an ElectroActive Polymer (EAP) actuator, and an electrostatic force actuator.
The controller 230 controls overall operations of the touch panel 210, the actuator 250, the sensor unit 240, and the communication interface 220. The controller 230 transmits information regarding a user's gesture sensed by the touch panel 210 and information sensed by the sensor unit 240 to the user terminal 10 via the communication interface 220.
The first EMR coil 310 and the second EMR coil 320 may be configured as EMR circuits having different oscillating frequencies. One of the first EMR coil 310 and the second EMR coil 320 may be disposed in an upper portion of the electronic pen 20B, and the other EMR coil may be disposed in a lower portion of the electronic pen 20B. The first EMR coil 310 and the second EMR coil 320 cause a change in a magnetic field generated by the user terminal 10. The user terminal 10 determines whether the first EMR coil 310 or the second EMR coil 320 is to be selected according to a user's gesture by sensing a change in the magnetic field.
The electronic pen 20 includes a first input unit 151 and a second input unit 152. When the first input unit 151 is selected, the user terminal 10 of
In another embodiment, when the second input unit 152 and the first input unit 151 are sequentially selected, i.e., when a sweep-down gesture is performed, the user terminal 10 obtains the vector information that represents the direction in which depth in the 3D space decreases. When the first input unit 151 and the second input unit 152 are sequentially selected, i.e., when a sweep-up gesture is performed, the user terminal 10 obtains the vector information that represents the direction in which depth in the 3D space decreases.
When the electronic pen 20 is configured to operate according to the passive manner, the first input unit 151 and the second input unit 152 correspond to the first EMR coil 310 and the second EMR coil 320 of
In another embodiment, the electronic pen 20 may be embodied as an optical pen or an ultrasound pen, but is not limited thereto.
The user terminal 10 may be embodied as a Head Mounted Display (HMD). In this case, a user sees that a 3D screen is located in the air in a real space. Thus, the degree of a realism that a user may sense is lowered when an object is selected and controlled in the air. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an actuator may be installed in the electronic pen 20 and various types of haptic feedback may be provided according to types of events for selecting and controlling an object, thereby increasing realism. Also, an HMD may include a camera module to detect the location of a user's hand or the electronic pen 20. In this case, the camera module may operate in association with a 3D screen image.
As described above, according to the one or more of the above embodiments of the present invention, a value ‘z’ corresponding to the z-axis may be conveniently controlled in a 3D space through a user's sweeping up or down gesture across an electronic pen, and a 3D drawing function may be intuitively performed according to the user's experience.
In addition, other embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented through computer-readable code/instructions in/on a medium, e.g., a computer-readable medium, to control at least one processing element to implement any above-described embodiment. The medium can correspond to any medium/media permitting the storage and/or transmission of the computer-readable code.
The computer-readable code can be recorded/transferred on a medium in a variety of ways, with examples of the medium including recording media, such as magnetic storage media (e.g., ROM, floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optical recording media (e.g., CD-ROMs or DVDs), and transmission media such as Internet transmission media. Thus, the medium may be such a defined and measurable structure including or carrying a signal or information, such as a device carrying a bitstream according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The media may also be a distributed network, so that the computer-readable code is stored/transferred and executed in a distributed fashion. Furthermore, the processing element could include a processor or a computer processor, and processing elements may be distributed and/or included in a single device.
It should be understood that the embodiments described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other embodiments.
While one or more embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2013-0112858 | Sep 2013 | KR | national |
