Volumetric image display device and method of providing user interface using visual indicator

A volumetric image display method of providing a visual indicator, the method comprising:

• recognizing an input object in a volumetric image display space;
• determining a location of the visual indicator in the predetermined volumetric image display space based on a location of a valid input point on the input object;
• determining whether the visual indicator is in contact with a volumetric image object disposed in the volumetric image display space by
• calculating a first distance between the location of the visual indicator and the volumetric image object, wherein the location of the visual indicator is separated from the location of the valid input point by a second distance corresponding to a correction value for the visual indicator, and
• determining whether the first distance is less than a threshold value;
• controlling the volumetric image object, in response to the visual indicator being in contact with the volumetric image object, to be selected;
• and
• displaying the visual indicator in the volumetric image display space based on the location of the visual indicator,
• wherein the correction value for the visual indicator is determined based on an estimation error calculated according to:
• DeltaϵS={w|w>max(nx, ny, nz)},
• wherein (nx, ny, nz) denotes estimation errors occurring at a visual indicator location when the location of the valid input point is estimated, and Delta denotes the correction value.

A volumetric image display method, comprising:

• determining a position of a visual indicator in a volumetric image display space, based on
• recognition of an input object comprising a valid input point and a valid joint point in the volumetric image display space;
• and
• estimation of locations of the valid input point and the valid joint point to generate an orientation vector from the location of the valid joint point through the location of the valid input point,
• determining whether the visual indicator is in contact with a volumetric image object disposed in the volumetric image display space by
• calculating a first distance between the location of the visual indicator and the volumetric image object, wherein the location of the visual indicator is separated from the location of the valid input point by a second distance corresponding to a correction value for the visual indicator and the visual indicator is oriented in a direction of the orientation vector, and
• determining whether the first distance is less than a threshold value;
• controlling the volumetric image object to be selected in response to the visual indicator being in contact with the volumetric image object;
• and
• displaying the visual indicator in the volumetric image display space on a user interface at a display position based on the position of the visual indicator.

A display, comprising:

• a volumetric image display space;
• an input object manipulated by a user and recognized in the volumetric image display space;
• a visual indicator displayed in the volumetric display space at location based on the location of the input object;
• an extraction unit configured to extract a valid input point on the input object;
• an estimation unit configured to estimate a location of the valid input point on the input object;
• a visual indicator location calculating unit configured to calculate a location of the visual indicator in the volumetric image display space based on the location of the valid input point;
• a determination unit configured to determine whether the visual indicator is in contact with a volumetric image object disposed in the volumetric image display space by
• calculating a first distance between the location of the visual indicator and the volumetric image objects, wherein the location of the valid input point is separated from the location of the visual indicator by a second distance corresponding to a correction value for the visual indicator, and
• determining whether the first distance is less than a threshold value;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the volumetric image object, in response to the visual indicator being in contact with the volumetric image object,
• wherein the correction value for the visual indicator is determined based on an estimation error calculated according to:
• DeltaϵS={w|w>max(nx, ny, nz)},
• wherein (nx, ny, nz) denotes estimation errors occurring at a visual indicator location when the location of the valid input point is estimated, and Delta denotes the correction value.