Interactive device and method for transmitting commands from a user

1. A man-machine interface method executed by an interactive device comprising a display, a camera, and an image analyzing means, the method comprising:

(a) capturing an image with the camera;

(b) analyzing the image to detect at least one human face;

(c) determining a measurement parameter associated with the human corresponding to the human face;

(d) displaying on the display a visual representation of the human face where the human face was detected;

(e) defining a plurality of interactive zones, each interactive zone being associated with a command to the device, each interactive zone being placed at a distance from the human face based on the measurement parameter and representing a distance accessible by the arm of the human corresponding to the human face;

(f) detecting an activation movement in one of the plurality of interactive zones;

(g) executing the command associated with the interactive zone in which the activation movement was detected by the device; and

(h) iteratively repeating steps (a) though (d) in order to maintain a constant ratio between the human face and the interactive zones in order to allow a constant user behavior while entering commands to the interactive device as a user moves relative to the camera.

2. The man-machine interface method of claim 1 , wherein the size of the human face on the captured image is used as the measurement parameter.

3. The man-machine interface method of claim 1 , wherein an emitter and a receiver are used to determine a sensed distance of the human face to the camera by measuring a signal delay between the emitter and the receiver, and the sensed distance is used as the measurement parameter.

4. The man-machine interface method of claim 1 , wherein the detection of the human face comprises the steps of:

capturing a plurality of images and selecting the moving portions of the images; and

analyzing the moving portion to detect the human face.

5. The man-machine interface method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the captured image and comparing it with predetermined objects; and

in case of positive detection, displaying commands related to this object.

6. The man-machine interface method of claim 1 , wherein it comprises the further steps of:

analyzing the captured image to detect a second human face; and

in case of positive detection, displaying commands related to interaction between two users.

7. The man-machine interface method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive device comprises a database with stored faces related with particular users, this method comprising the further steps of:

analyzing the detected human face to recognize a stored face; and

in case of positive recognition, displaying commands related a particular user associated with the stored face.

8. The man-machine interface method of claim 7 , wherein it comprises the further steps of:

recording selections of the particular user to create a selection history; and

proposing commands according to previously recorded selections of the particular user.

9. The man-machine interface method of claim 7 , wherein the database with stored faces is built incrementally as new users interact with the device.

10. An interactive device comprising a display, a camera, and a processor, said processor being configured to perform the steps of:

(a) acquiring an image with the camera;

(b) detecting at least one human face on the acquired image;

(c) determining a measurement parameter associated with the human corresponding to the human face;

(d) displaying on the display a visual representation of the human face where the human face was detected;

(e) defining a plurality of interactive zones, each interactive zone being associated with a command to the device, each interactive zone being placed at a distance from the human face based on the measurement parameter and representing a distance accessible by the arm of the human corresponding the human face;

(f) detecting an activation movement in one of the plurality of interactive zones;

(g) executing the command associated with the interactive zone in which the activation movement was detected by the device; and

(h) iteratively repeating steps and means (a) though (e) in order to maintain a constant ratio between the human face and the interactive zones in order to allow a constant user behavior while entering commands to the interactive device as a user moves relative to the camera.

11. The interactive device of claim 10 , wherein the size of the human face on the captured image is used as the measurement parameter.

12. The interactive device of claim 10 , further comprising an emitter and a receiver, wherein the emitter and the receiver are used to determine a sensed distance of the human face to the camera by measuring a signal delay between the emitter and the receiver, and the sensed distance is used as the measurement parameter.

13. The interactive device of claim 10 , wherein the processor:

acquires a plurality of images and analyzes only moving portions of the images to detect the human face.

14. The interactive device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a database containing object definitions;

wherein the processor compares the acquired image with the objects stored in the database; and

in case of a positive comparison, displays commands related to the object.

15. The interactive device of claim 14 , wherein the object definition is a human face of a particular user, and commands displayed are related with this particular user.

16. The interactive device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to record into the database the selections of the particular user to create a selection history, and to propose commands according to the selection history.

17. The interactive device of claim 14 , wherein the database with stored faces is built incrementally as new users interact with the device.

18. The interactive device of claim 10 , wherein the measurement parameter is selected from the group consisting of a size of the human face and a distance between the sensor and the human face.

19. The man-machine interface method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement parameter is selected from the group consisting of a size of the human face and a distance between the sensor and the human face.