Remote set-up and calibration of an interactive system

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely calibrating, from a remote environment, an interactive system associated with a target environment, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a three-dimensional model of said target environment;

obtaining image and parameter data of said target environment;

mapping said image and parameter data onto said three-dimensional model; and

developing calibration data of said target environment based on said mapping, said calibration data being representative of operation of said system and subject interactions with said target environment, said operation including subject interactions with said system dispersed through said target environment, wherein one or more steps of said computer-implemented method are performed by one or more hardware devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said developing step comprises:

updating at least a portion of said image and parameter data to obtain updated image and parameter data;

mapping said updated image and parameter data onto said three-dimensional model; and

configuring said updated image and parameter data for transmission to said interactive system associated with said target environment, as said calibration data.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the additional step of repeating said updating step, and said step of mapping said updated image and parameter data, until said step of mapping said updated image and parameter data indicates that said updated image and parameter data is satisfactory, wherein results of said repeating of said steps are configured for said transmission.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said image and parameter data comprises focus data, zoom data, pan and tilt data, image data from a camera in said remote environment, and image data from a projector in said remote environment.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said image and parameter data further comprises displacement data.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the additional step of building said three-dimensional model of said target environment.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said developing step comprises:

displaying results of said mapping step to a user;

obtaining user input defining updates to at least a portion of said image and parameter data, resulting in updated image and parameter data;

repeating said displaying and obtaining user input steps until said user determines that said updated image and parameter data is satisfactory; and

configuring said updated image and parameter data for transmission to said interactive system associated with said target environment, as said calibration data.

8. A computer-implemented method for remotely calibrating, from a remote environment, an interactive system associated with a target environment, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining image and parameter data of said target environment; configuring said image and parameter data of said target environment for transmission to said remote environment;

obtaining calibration data from said remote environment, said calibration data being representative of operation of said system and subject interactions with said target environment, said operation including subject interactions with said system dispersed through said target environment; and

updating display and sensor operation of said interactive system based on said calibration data, wherein one or more steps of said computer-implemented method are performed by one or more hardware devices.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the additional step of obtaining precalibration data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of obtaining said image and parameter data comprises:

reading redirection device parameters; and

estimating camera and projector spatial parameters based on said precalibration data and said redirection device parameters; said camera and projector spatial parameters forming at least part of said image and parameter data.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said step of obtaining said image and parameter data further comprises:

reading camera and projector focus and zoom parameters;

reading projector image data; and reading camera image data;

said camera and projector focus and zoom parameters, said projector image data, and said camera image data forming at least part of said image and parameter data.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said calibration data comprises image distortion data, and wherein said updating step comprises:

applying said image distortion data to projector image data; and

projecting an updated image based on said projector image data.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said calibration data further comprises focus data, zoom data, and pan and tilt data, and wherein said updating step further comprises driving a redirection device based on at least said pan and tilt data.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the additional step of repeating said obtaining image and parameter data step, said configuring step;

said obtaining calibration data step; and said updating step until calibration of said interactive system associated with said target environment is satisfactory.

15. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer usable readable recordable storage medium including computer usable program code for remotely calibrating, from a remote environment, an interactive system associated with a target environment, said computer program product including:

computer usable program code that causes a computer to obtain a three-dimensional model of said target environment; computer usable program code for obtaining image and parameter data of said target environment;

computer usable program code that causes a computer to map said image and parameter data onto said three-dimensional model; and

computer usable program code that causes a computer to develop calibration data of said target environment based on said mapping, said calibration data being representative of operation of said system and subject interactions with said target environment, said operation including subject interactions with said system dispersed through said target environment.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein said computer usable program code for developing includes:

computer usable program code for updating at least a portion of said image and parameter data to obtain updated image and parameter data;

computer usable program code for mapping said updated image and parameter data onto said three-dimensional model; and

computer usable program code for configuring said updated image and parameter data for transmission to said interactive system associated with said target environment, as said calibration data.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising computer usable program code for repeating said updating step, and said step of mapping said updated image and parameter data, until said step of mapping said updated image and parameter data indicates that said updated image and parameter data is satisfactory, wherein results of said repeating of said steps are configured for said transmission.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein said computer usable program code for developing includes:

computer usable program code for displaying results of said mapping step to a user;

computer usable program code for obtaining user input defining updates to at least a portion of said image and parameter data, resulting in updated image and parameter data;

computer usable program code for repeating said displaying and obtaining user input steps until said user determines that said updated image and parameter data is satisfactory; and

computer usable program code for configuring said updated image and parameter data for transmission to said interactive system associated with said target environment, as said calibration data.

19. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer usable readable recordable storage medium including computer usable program code for remotely calibrating, from a remote environment, an interactive system associated with a target environment, said computer program product including:

computer usable program code that causes a computer to obtain image and parameter data of said target environment;

computer usable program code that causes a computer to configure said image and parameter data of said target environment for transmission to said remote environment;

computer usable program code that causes a computer to obtain calibration data from said remote environment, said calibration data being representative of operation of said system and subject interactions with said target environment, said operation including subject interactions with said system dispersed through said target environment; and

computer usable program code that causes a computer to update display and sensor operation of said interactive system based on said calibration data.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , further comprising computer usable program code for repeating said obtaining image and parameter data step, said configuring step; said obtaining calibration data step; and said updating step until calibration of said interactive system associated with said target environment is satisfactory.