CAMERA BASED SENSING IN HANDHELD, MOBILE, GAMING, OR OTHER DEVICES
Method and apparatus are disclosed to enable rapid TV camera and computer based sensing in many practical applications, including, but not limited to, handheld devices, cars, and video games. Several unique forms of social video games are disclosed.
1 . An interactive system for first and second persons remote from each other, the interactive system comprising:
a first display screen viewable by the first person and a first camera having a field of view encompassing at least a portion of the first person;
a second display screen viewable by the second person and a second camera having a field of view encompassing at least a portion of the second person; and
a processing unit adapted to determine a gesture performed by the first person in the first camera field of view and, in response to the determined gesture, control the image displayed on the second display screen viewable by the second person.
2 . The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the processing unit is further adapted to transmit audio data between the first and second persons across an internet connection.
3 . The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the processing unit is further adapted to transmit video data between the first and second persons across an internet connection.
4 . The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the detected gesture includes a facial expression.
5 . The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the detected gesture includes a hand motion.
6 . The interactive system of claim 1 wherein the detected gesture includes a body motion.
7 . A computer implemented method comprising:
providing first and second display screens viewable by first and second persons remote from each other;
providing first and second cameras including a field of view encompassing respective first and second persons;
detecting, using one of the first and second cameras, a gesture performed in a camera field of view;
controlling an image displayed on the first display screen in response to the detected gesture being performed in the first camera field of view; and
controlling an image displayed on the second display screen in response to the detected gesture being performed in the second camera field of view.
8 . The method according to claim 7 wherein the detected gesture includes a facial expression.
9 . The method according to claim 7 wherein the detected gesture includes a hand motion.
10 . The method according to claim 7 wherein the detected gesture includes a body motion.
11 . The method according to claim 7 wherein the first and second display screens are operatively coupled to each other over an internet connection.
12 . The method according to claim 11 further including transmitting audio data from the first person to the second person across the internet connection.
13 . The method according to claim 7 wherein the first display includes a virtual representation of the second person, and wherein the second display includes a virtual representation of the first person.
14 . A system comprising:
first and second display screens viewable by respective first and second persons remote from each other;
first and second cameras including a field of view encompassing the respective first and second persons, the first and second cameras each providing an output;
a processing unit operable to receive each camera output, wherein the processing unit controls an image displayed on the first display screen in response to a detected gesture being performed in the second camera field of view and wherein the processing unit controls an image displayed on the second display screen in response to a detected gesture being performed in the first camera field of view.
15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the first and second display screens are operatively coupled to each other over an internet connection.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the processing unit is further adapted to transmit audio data between the first and second persons across the internet connection.
17 . The system of claim 15 wherein the processing unit is further adapted to transmit video data between the first and second persons across the internet connection.
18 . The system of claim 14 wherein the detected gesture includes a facial expression.
19 . The system of claim 14 wherein the detected gesture includes a hand motion.
20 . The system of claim 14 wherein the detected gesture includes a body motion.