# US 2016/0259402 A1 · Contact detection apparatus, projector apparatus, electronic board apparatus, digital signage apparatus, projector system, and contact detection method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0259402 A1 - Document ID: US20160259402A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/054,701 - Filed: 2016-02-26 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-02 - Inventors: Koji MASUDA; Kimiya AOKI; Yuki TACHIBANA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160259402A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 3/005: {Input arrangements through a video camera} - 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 3/0425: {using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected (tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386)} - H04N 9/31: Projection devices for colour picture display {, e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]} - H04N 9/3194: {including sensor feedback} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A contact detection apparatus detects contact of a contactor and a contacted object. The contact detection apparatus includes an imager that acquires three-dimensional imaging information of the contactor and the contacted object, a setter that sets a contact target surface based on the three-dimensional imaging information of the contacted object from the imager, a candidate detector that converts the three-dimensional imaging information of the contactor from the imager into two-dimensional information and detects an end portion candidate of the contactor based on the two-dimensional information and the contact target surface, and a contact determiner that decides an end portion of the contactor and determines the contact of the contactor and the contacted object based on the three-dimensional imaging information of the end portion candidate and the contact target surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A contact detection apparatus that detects contact of a contactor and a contacted object, the contact detection apparatus comprising: an imaging device that acquires three-dimensional imaging information of the contactor and the contacted object; a setter that sets a contact target surface based on the three-dimensional imaging information of the contacted object from the imaging device; a candidate detector that converts the three-dimensional imaging information of the contactor from the imaging device into two-dimensional information and detects an end portion candidate of the contactor based on the two-dimensional information and the contact target surface; and a contact determiner that decides an end portion of the contactor and determines the contact of the contactor and the contacted object based on the three-dimensional imaging information of the end portion candidate and the contact target surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The contact detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact determiner decides an end portion candidate in that a distance from the contact target surface is a predetermined value or less and that is closest to the contact target surface as an end portion of the contactor, and determines that the contactor is in contact with the contact target surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The contact detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the candidate detector converts the tree-dimensional imaging information into the two-dimensional information by projection conversion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The contact detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the candidate detector executes convex hull processing for the two-dimensional information to detect the end portion candidate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The contact detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the candidate detector extracts an area in which the contactor is included and three-dimensional imaging information of the area into two-dimensional information, when the contactor exists in a predetermined distance from the contact target surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The contact detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setter sets the contact target surface in a position remote by a predetermined distance from the contacted object. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The contact detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contacted object includes a curved surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The contact detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contacted object includes a step. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The contact detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imager includes a light emitter that emits near infrared light and at least one two-dimensional imaging element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A projector apparatus comprising a projector that projects an image on a projection surface; and the contact detection apparatus as claimed in claim 1 to detect the contact of the projection surface and the contactor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An electronic board apparatus comprising the contact detection apparatus as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A digital signage apparatus comprising the contact detection apparatus as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A projector system comprising the projector apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and a controller that controls the image based on input operation acquired by the projector apparatus. ### Claim 14 A contact detection method that detects contact of a contactor and a contacted object, comprising: setting a contact target surface based on three-dimensional imaging information of the contacted object; converting three-dimensional imaging information of the contactor into two-dimensional information and detecting an end portion candidate of the contactor based on the two-dimensional information and the contact target surface; and deciding an end portion of the contactor and determining the contact of the contactor and the contacted object based on the three-dimensional imaging information of the end portion candidate and the contact target surface.