# US 2014/0198041 A1 · Position information obtaining device and method, and image display system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0198041 A1 - Document ID: US20140198041A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/089,941 - Filed: 2013-11-26 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Hideki Sugimoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140198041A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/0304: {Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042)} - G06F 3/03542: {Light pens for emitting or receiving light} - G06F 3/03545: {Pens or stylus} - G06F 3/0386: {for light pen} - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A position information obtaining device and a position information obtaining method are provided. Each of the position information obtaining device and the position information obtaining method captures images to which a light pointer is directed and on which a light spot is formed, in chronological order, and estimates position information of a specified position on the images specified by the light pointer using a plurality of pieces of image information obtained from the captured image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A position information obtaining device comprising: imaging means for capturing images to which a light pointer is directed and on which a light spot is formed, in chronological order; and position information obtaining means for estimating position information of a specified position on the images specified by the light pointer using a plurality of pieces of image information obtained from the captured images. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The position information obtaining device according to claim 1, wherein when the position information of the specified position is obtained, the position information obtaining means detects a plurality of pieces of chronological position information of the light spot, respectively, from the plurality of pieces of image information, and calculates a moving average of the detected plurality of pieces of position information of the light spot to calculate the position information of the specified position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The position information obtaining device according to claim 2, wherein the position information obtaining means obtains the position information of the specified position when the light spot stays within a predetermined area on the image for a period of time that is equal to or longer than a predetermined time period. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The position information obtaining device according to claim 3, wherein the position information obtaining means changes a number of times the moving average is calculated depending on an area at which the light spot within the predetermined area is positioned. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The position information obtaining device according to claim 4, wherein the position information obtaining means increases the number of times the moving average is calculated when the light spot is within the predetermined area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The position information obtaining device according to claim 2, wherein the position information obtaining means calculates the moving average at intervals longer than intervals of oscillation of the light spot caused due to hand shake. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The position information obtaining device according to claim 1, wherein the position information obtaining means analyzes a characteristic amount of a periphery of a position of the light spot in the plurality of pieces of image information, and when the characteristic amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the position information obtaining means obtains the position information of the specified position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The position information obtaining device according to claim 7, wherein the characteristic amount is an edge amount of the periphery of a position of the light spot in the plurality of pieces of image information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The position information obtaining device according to claim 1, wherein the images are frames of a moving image and the position information obtaining means obtains the position information of the specified position when an amount of change between a current frame and a previous frame of the moving image at a position of the light spot is within a fixed range. ### Claim 10 A position information obtaining device comprising: a processor configured to: obtain images captured by an imaging device in chronological order, the imaging device capturing the images to which a light pointer is directed and on which a light sport is formed; and estimate position information of a specified position on the images specified by the light pointer using a plurality of pieces of image information obtained from the captured images. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The position information obtaining device according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to detect a plurality of pieces of chronological position information of the light spot, respectively, from the plurality of pieces of image information, and calculate a moving average of the detected plurality of pieces of position information of the light spot to estimate the position information of the specified position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The position information obtaining device according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to obtain the position information of the specified position when the light spot stays within a predetermined area on the image for a period of time that is equal to or longer than a predetermined time period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The position information obtaining device according to claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to change a number of times the moving average is calculated depending on an area at which the light spot within the predetermined area is positioned. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The position information obtaining device according to claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to increase the number of times the moving average is calculated when the light spot is within the predetermined area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The position information obtaining device according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to calculate the moving average at intervals longer than intervals of oscillation of the light spot caused due to hand shake. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The position information obtaining device according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to analyze a characteristic amount of a periphery of a position of the light spot in the plurality of pieces of image information, and when the characteristic amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the processor is configured to obtain the position information of the specified position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The position information obtaining device according to claim 16, wherein the characteristic amount is an edge amount of the periphery of a position of the light spot in the plurality of pieces of image information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The position information obtaining device according to claim 10, wherein the images are frames of a moving image and the processor is configured to obtain the position information of the specified position when an amount of change between a current frame and a previous frame of the moving image at a position of the light spot is within a fixed range. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An image display system comprising: the position information obtaining device according to claim 1; image displaying means for displaying an image on the image display surface; and a processing device configured to perform a process that corresponds to the position information, using the position information of the specified position obtained by the position information obtaining device. ### Claim 20 A method of obtaining position information of a specified position on an image, the method comprising: capturing images to which a light pointer is directed and on which a light spot is formed, in chronological order; and estimating the position information of the specified position on an image specified by using the light pointer using to a plurality of pieces of image information obtained from the captured image.