# US 2011/0299728 A1 · Automatic depth camera aiming > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2011/0299728 A1 - Document ID: US20110299728A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/794,388 - Filed: 2010-06-04 - Published: 2011-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-04 - Assignees: Microsoft Corporation - Inventors: Relja Markovic; Stephen Latta; Kyungsuk David Lee; Oscar Omar Garza Santos; Kevin Geisner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20110299728A1 ## CPC - H04N 13/271: wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps - G01S 3/786: the desired condition being maintained automatically - G06T 7/73: using feature-based methods - A63F 2300/1087: comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera - A63F 2300/8029: Fighting without shooting - G06T 2207/10028: Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Automatic depth camera aiming is provided by a method which includes receiving from the depth camera one or more observed depth images of a scene. The method further includes, if a point of interest of a target is found within the scene, determining if the point of interest is within a far range relative to the depth camera. The method further includes, if the point of interest of the target is within the far range, operating the depth camera with a far logic, or if the point of interest of the target is not within the far range, operating the depth camera with a near logic. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computing system, comprising: a depth camera configured to capture depth information; an aiming assembly configured to selectively change an aiming vector of the depth camera; a logic subsystem in operative communication with the depth camera and the aiming assembly; and a data-holding subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to: receive from the depth camera one or more observed depth images of a scene; instruct the aiming assembly to aim the depth camera so that the aiming vector points to a default far focus if a target is within a far range; and instruct the aiming assembly to aim the depth camera so that the aiming vector points to a default near focus, relatively closer to the depth camera than the default far focus if the target is within a near range, relatively closer to the depth camera than the far range. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the data-holding subsystem further holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to instruct the aiming assembly to hold the depth camera so that the aiming vector does not move if a point of interest of the target is within the scene. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instructions instruct the aiming assembly to aim the depth camera so that the aiming vector points to the default far focus if the target is within the far range and a point of interest of the target is not within the scene at a current aiming vector, and wherein the instructions instruct the aiming assembly to hold the depth camera so that the aiming vector does not move if the point of interest of the target is within the scene at the current aiming vector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instructions instruct the aiming assembly to aim the depth camera so that the aiming vector points to the default near focus if the target is within the near range and a point of interest of the target is not within the scene at a current aiming vector, and wherein the instructions instruct the aiming assembly to hold the depth camera so that the aiming vector does not move if the point of interest of the target is within the scene at the current aiming vector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the data-holding subsystem further holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to instruct the aiming assembly to aim the depth camera so that the aiming vector points towards detected motion in the scene if a point of interest of the target is not within the scene. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the data-holding subsystem further holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to output a user message requesting the target to move from the near range to the far range if the target is within the near range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the data-holding subsystem further holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to initialize a position of the depth camera. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computing system of claim 7, wherein the position of the depth camera is initialized by finding a floor surface within the scene and calculating a height of the depth camera above the floor surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computing system of claim 8, wherein the data-holding subsystem further holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to calculate a position of the default far focus to be a predetermined distance above the floor surface at a predetermined distance away from the depth camera. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computing system of claim 8, wherein the data-holding subsystem further holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to calculate a position of the default near focus to be a predetermined distance above the floor surface at a predetermined distance away from the depth camera. ### Claim 11 A method of automatically aiming a depth camera at a point of interest, the method comprising: receiving from the depth camera one or more observed depth images of a scene; if a point of interest of a target is found within the scene, determining if the point of interest is within a far range relative to a distance from the depth camera; and if the point of interest of the target is within the far range, operating the depth camera with a far logic; or if the point of interest of the target is not within the far range, operating the depth camera with a near logic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method of claim 11, wherein operating the depth camera with the far logic includes aiming the depth camera so that an aiming vector of the depth camera points to a default far focus if the point of interest of the target is not within the scene at a current aiming vector, and holding the depth camera so that the aiming vector does not move if the point of interest of the target is within the scene at the current aiming vector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method of claim 11, wherein operating the depth camera with the near logic includes aiming the depth camera so that an aiming vector of the depth camera points to a default near focus if the point of interest of the target is not within the scene at a current aiming vector, and holding the depth camera so that the aiming vector does not move if the point of interest of the target is within the scene at the current aiming vector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A method of claim 11, wherein operating the depth camera with the far logic includes aiming the depth camera so that an aiming vector of the depth camera points towards detected motion in the scene if the point of interest of the target is not within the scene at a current aiming vector, and holding the depth camera so that the aiming vector does not move if the point of interest of the target is within the scene at the current aiming vector. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A method of claim 11, wherein operating the depth camera with the near logic includes aiming the depth camera so that an aiming vector of the depth camera points towards detected motion in the scene if the point of interest of the target is not within the scene at a current aiming vector, and holding the depth camera so that the aiming vector does not move if the point of interest of the target is within the scene at the current aiming vector. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) A method of claim 11, further comprising initializing a position of the depth camera. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method of claim 16, wherein initializing the position of the depth camera includes finding a floor surface within the scene and calculating a height of the depth camera above the floor surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method of claim 17, further comprising calculating a position of a default far focus to be a predetermined distance above the floor surface at a predetermined distance away from the depth camera. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A method of claim 17, further comprising calculating a position of a default near focus to be a predetermined distance above the floor surface at a predetermined distance away from the depth camera. ### Claim 20 A method of automatically aiming a depth camera at a point of interest, the method comprising: receiving from the depth camera one or more observed depth images of a scene; if the point of interest of a target is found within the scene, holding an aiming vector of the depth camera; and if the point of interest of the target is not found within the scene, moving the aiming vector of the depth camera.