Methods and apparatus for distinguishing among several visual patterns
US6021219A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 7, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 7, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06V10/245
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a video system such as a video game system through recognition of a visual pattern, or key. For example, the presence and identity of the key may enable and select certain features of the video system. The key may suitably consist of a locator mark and a selector mark, the presence of the locator mark identifying the presence of a key, and the selector mark identifying the particular key present. A key recognition system detects the presence of the locator mark and identifies the selector mark. The locator mark is preferably of a distinctive color, readily distinguishable from background objects. The selector mark may be chosen from a limited set of colors, and the color of the selector mark may then be identified to identify the key being used. In another aspect, the locator mark is located in a particular position within the selector mark and is then used by the key detector to scale a rectangle about the selector mark. The selector mark is reduced by processing within the key detector to a reduced invariant image characterization. This reduced invariant image characterization is then compared against image data characteriza…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.