Patent · US Expired

Input apparatus using three-dimensional image

US5305429A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
5References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 14, 1990
Grant dateApr 19, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 14, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/011
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An instruction point is movably provided in a three-dimensional space and can be freely moved by a finger tip of an operator. When the operator moves the instruction point to a desired position in the three-dimensional space and selects an arbitrary point, a three-dimensional position of the instruction point is measured and is input to a three-dimensional input apparatus. An image object is displayed in the three-dimensional space on the basis of image object information which has been previously stored. A check is made to determine whether or not the instruction point is virtually in contact with the virtual object in the three-dimensional space on the basis of the virtual object information and the position information of the instruction point. If it is determined that the instruction point is in contact with the image object, by limiting the mobility of the instruction point, a drag due to the contact with the virtual object is fed back, so that the operator can actually feel the existence of the virtual object.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.