Information processing apparatus, program, and information processing method

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit; and

an image generation unit to generate a display image based on a distance between the imaging unit and an object,

wherein the distance is detected by using a plurality of images obtained by the imaging unit at respective focus distances, and

in which the plurality of images includes at least a first image and a second image, said first image being obtained prior to obtaining the second image, and said first image obtained at a first fixed focus distance and said second image obtained at a second fixed focus distance which is less than the first fixed focus distance.

2. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the distance is determined by detecting at least one in-focus area for the plurality of images.

3. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a display unit to display the display image.

4. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the image generation unit extracts a physical object image from an image obtained by the imaging unit, and generates the display image by combining the physical object image with an interface display object image.

5. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein the image generation unit modifies the extracted object image by at least one of extending at least a portion of the extracted object image and compressing at least a portion of the extracted object image.

6. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the image generation unit extracts a physical object image from an image obtained by the imaging unit, modifies the extracted physical object image to generate a modified physical object image, and generates the display image by combining the modified physical object image with an interface display object image.

7. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an image display unit to project the display image onto a plane of projection that is located on the object.

8. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein the image generation unit detects, based on the distance, a concavity and a convexity of the plane of projection, and generates the display image based on the concavity and the convexity.

9. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein generating the display image comprises modifying a display object image based on the distance.

10. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the image generation unit generates an image mask, and the image generation unit generates the display image by combining the image mask with an interface display object image.

11. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the image generation unit optimizes the image mask by magnifying the image mask at a predetermined proportion.

12. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the image generation unit optimizes the image mask by contracting the image mask at a predetermined proportion.

13. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the image generation unit blurs the boundaries of the image mask.

14. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the object is a hand.

15. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the interface display object image is an image of an input apparatus.

16. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the display image is projected onto a plane of projection, a contact position of the object on the plane of projection is determined, and a user's operation input is determined based on a positional relationship between the contact position and the display image.

17. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein the object is a hand.

18. The information processing apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the object is a hand and the display image comprises one or more markers for display on the hand.

19. An information processing method comprising:

detecting a distance between an imaging unit and an object by using a plurality of images obtained by the imaging unit at respective focus distances; and

generating a display image based on the distance,

in which the plurality of images includes at least a first image and a second image, said first image being obtained prior to obtaining the second image, and said first image obtained at a first fixed focus distance and said second image obtained at a second fixed focus distance which is less than the first fixed focus distance.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-readable program for implementing a method comprising:

detecting a distance between an imaging unit and an object by using a plurality of images obtained by the imaging unit at respective focus distances; and

generating a display image based on the distance,

in which the plurality of images includes at least a first image and a second image, said first image being obtained prior to obtaining the second image, and said first image obtained at a first fixed focus distance and said second image obtained at a second fixed focus distance which is less than the first fixed focus distance.