US 8,284,168 B2Granted

User interface device

AssigneePanasonic Corporation

InventorsTomohiro Terada, Atsushi Yamashita, Takuya Hirai, Nobuyuki Nakano

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Abstract

A user interface device allocates each of functions for operating an instrument to fingertips in response to a hand movement and allowing an operator to intuitively comprehend the allocation of each of the functions to the fingertips. The device includes a GUI button allocation section that first allocates a GUI button, read out from a GUI button data storing section, to each fingertip in a hand shape acquired by a hand shape acquiring section when a contact position acquiring section detects a contact to an operation surface by the operator. Then, in accordance with a change of hand shape direction, the GUI button allocation section reallocates the GUI button to each fingertip of the hand shape. The device also includes a superimposed image creating section that creates a composite image of an image of a GUI button allocated by the GUI button allocation section and an image of the hand shape, and a displaying section that displays the composite image of the image of the GUI button and the image of the hand shape created by the superimposed image creating section.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A user interface device for operating an instrument, the user interface device comprising:

a contact position acquiring section that detects a contact position of an operator on an operation surface;
a hand shape acquiring section that acquires a hand shape of the operator;
a hand shape direction acquiring section that acquires a direction of the hand shape based on the hand shape acquired by the hand shape acquiring section;
a GUI (Graphical User Interface) button data storing section that stores GUI button data which represents GUI buttons each of which is uniquely allocated to a function for operating an instrument;
a GUI button allocation section that allocates a GUI button allocated to a function, read out from the GUI button data storing section, to a fingertip in the hand shape acquired by the hand shape acquiring section, and reallocates, based only on a direction change of the hand shape, a different GUI button allocated to a different function to the fingertip in the hand shape;
a superimposed image creating section that creates a composite image of an image of a GUI button allocated by the GUI button allocation section and an image of the hand shape;
and
a displaying section that displays the composite image created by the superimposed image creating section.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/519,869Filed 18 Dec 2007
Priority: JP 2006-34552022 Dec 2006
Published: US 2009/0309848 A117 Dec 2009
Granted: 9 Oct 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

G06V 40/67
Static or dynamic means for assisting the user to position a body part for biometric acquisition: by interactive indications to the user
G06F 3/0425
By opto-electronic means: using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of…
G06F 3/04883
Using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
G06F 3/04886
Using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the…