A computer-implemented method for determining a likelihood an object in a real-world scene is the object being pointed at by a pointing device, comprising the steps of:
- (A) pointing an electronic pointing device at an object of interest in the real-world scene;
- (B) generating with the pointing device a pointing device geodetic position and pointing direction, and transmitting the pointing device geodetic position and pointing direction, and standard deviations relating to generating the pointing device geodetic position and pointing direction to a system server;
- (C) mapping a three-dimensional representation of a real-world scene containing the objects in the real-world scene, including the object of interest, and transmitting the three-dimensional representation to the system server;
- (D) a system server performing the Substeps of,
- (1) generating a two-dimensional digital representation of the three-dimensional scene mapped at Step (C), with the two-dimensional digital representation including at least a digital representation of the objects in the real-world scene, including object of interest,
- (2) determining for each object, including the object of interest, in the two-dimensional digital representation a distance estimate from the pointing device geodetic position to each such object, including the object of interest,
- (3) determining for each object, including the object of interest, in the two-dimensional digital representation an accuracy of actual pointing and in determining the accuracy of pointing according to Substep (D)(3) using standard deviations transmitted at Step (B) caused by the pointing device in generating the pointing device geodetic position and pointing direction and the distance estimate for each object determined at Substep (D)(2),
- (4) defining for each object, including the object interest, in the two-dimensional digital representation an optimal pointing location relating to a visible part of each object, including the object of interest,
- (5) determining for each object, including the object of interest, in the two-dimensional digital representation a probability surface for optimal pointing from the pointing device geodetic position applying the definition for each object defined at Substep (D)(4),
- (6) determining for each object, including the object of interest, in the two-dimensional digital representation, a numeric correspondence between actual pointing accuracy and optimal pointing location by comparing a standard deviation for the actual pointing accuracy determined at Substep (D)(3) and a standard deviation for the optimal pointing location determined at Substep (D)(5),
- (7) selecting as the object of interest the object with the highest numeric correspondence determined at Substep (D)(6), and
- (8) the system server communicating to the pointing device the identity of the object of interest.