User interface device and control method thereof for supporting easy and accurate selection of overlapped virtual objects

1. A user interface device for providing a user interface applied to a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space in which a plurality of virtual objects is created, the user interface device comprising:

a gaze sensor unit to sense a user's gaze;

an interaction sensor unit to sense the user's body motion for interaction with the virtual objects in the 3D virtual space;

a display unit to display the 3D virtual space; and

a control unit to, when the user's gaze overlaps at least two virtual objects, generate projection objects corresponding to the overlapped virtual objects,

wherein when an interaction between the projection objects and the user is sensed, the control unit processes the interaction as an interaction between the virtual objects corresponding to the projection objects and the user, and

wherein, in response to the generating of the projection objects, the control unit forms a virtual mirror that forms a predetermined angle with the user's gaze, and the projection objects are displayed as being included in the virtual mirror in a view that exposes an overlapped object.

2. The user interface device according to claim 1 , wherein the projection objects and the virtual objects have same physical information and graphical information but different location information, and

the projection objects are formed at a location of the 3D virtual space that does not overlap the user's gaze.

3. The user interface device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined angle is determined in consideration of at least one of distance between the user and the plurality of virtual objects and placement location of the plurality of virtual objects.

4. The user interface device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines if the user's gaze and the virtual objects overlap by determining if the user's gaze passes through an overlap range formed on the basis of an object center of the virtual objects.

5. The user interface device according to claim 1 , wherein the interaction between the projection objects and the user includes selection of the projection objects by the user, and

when the projection objects are selected by the user, the control unit processes as the user having selected the virtual objects corresponding to the projection objects.

6. A method for controlling a user interface device, the user interface device for providing a user interface applied to a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space in which a plurality of virtual objects is created, the method comprising:

determining if a user's gaze overlaps at least two virtual objects;

in response to determining that the user's gaze overlaps the at least two virtual objects, generating projection objects corresponding to the overlapped virtual objects;

sensing the user's interaction with the projection objects; and

when the interaction between the projection objects and the user is sensed, processing the interaction as an interaction between the virtual objects corresponding to the projection objects and the user;

wherein the generating the projection objects corresponding to the overlapped virtual objects comprises generating a virtual mirror that forms a predetermined angle with the user's gaze, and

the projection objects are displayed as being included in the virtual mirror in a view that exposes an overlapped object.

7. The method for controlling a user interface device according to claim 6 , wherein the projection objects and the virtual objects have same physical information and graphical information but different location information, and

the projection objects are formed at a location of the 3D virtual space that does not overlap the user's gaze.

8. The method for controlling a user interface device according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined angle is determined in consideration of at least one of distance between the user and the plurality of virtual objects and placement location of the plurality of virtual objects.

9. The method for controlling a user interface device according to claim 6 , wherein determining if the user's gaze overlaps the at least two virtual objects comprises determining if the user's gaze and the virtual objects overlap by determining if the user's gaze passes through an overlap range formed on the basis of an object center of the virtual objects.

10. The method for controlling a user interface device according to claim 6 , wherein the interaction between the projection objects and the user includes selection of the projection objects by the user, and

when the projection objects are selected by the user, the method processes as the user having selected the virtual objects corresponding to the projection objects.

11. A computer-readable recording medium containing a computer program product, the computer program product being configured to perform a method comprising:

determining if a user's gaze overlaps at least two virtual objects;

in response to determining that the user's gaze overlaps the at least two virtual objects, generating projection objects corresponding to the overlapped virtual objects;

sensing the user's interaction with the projection objects; and

when the interaction between the projection objects and the user is sensed, processing the interaction as an interaction between the virtual objects corresponding to the projection objects and the user;

wherein the generating the projection objects corresponding to the overlapped virtual objects comprises generating a virtual mirror that forms a predetermined angle with the user's gaze, and

the projection objects are displayed as being included in the virtual mirror in a view that exposes an overlapped object.