System and method for smooth pointing of objects during a presentation

Abstract

A system and method are provided that allows a speaker to provide real-time annotations to one or more displayed images during a presentation. The speaker inputs the annotations my manually identify a portion of the displayed image using an input mechanism such as a touch screen that is in communication with a presentation monitor and a control system that is controlling the presentation. The identified portions are annotated onto the displayed images using a adaptive color that is selected to provide optimum contrast with the existing colors in the displayed image. In addition to providing adaptive, contrasting colors for the annotations, imperfection such as waviness are removed from the identified portions to created corrected portions that are then annotated onto the presentation image. Annotation is accomplished through computer generated graphics or through the use of a motorized, controllable laser pointer.

1 . A method for highlighting a portion of a displayed image, the method comprising: 
 displaying an image on at least one display platform;    identifying a portion of the displayed image to be highlighted;    determining at least one color in the identified portion of the displayed image;    identifying a contrasting color to the determined color of the identified portion; and    highlighting the identified portion of the displayed image on the display screen using the contrasting color.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 identifying a complementary color to the contrasting color; and    identifying a complementary color to the determined color of the identified portion;    wherein the step of highlighting the identified portion further comprises using the contrasting color by toggling the identified portion between a linear combination of the contrasting color and the determined color and a linear combination of the complementary color to the contrasting color and the complementary color to the determined color.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the image on a monitoring screen separate from the display platform, wherein the step of identifying a portion of the displayed image to be highlighted comprises using a pointing mechanism in communication with the monitoring screen to identify the portion of the displayed image.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the monitoring screen comprises a touch sensitive screen and the step of using the pointing mechanism to identify the portion of the displayed image further comprises contacting the touch screen at one of more locations corresponding to the identified portion of the displayed image.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the identified portion of the displayed image comprises a line;    the step of identifying the portion of the displayed image to be highlighted comprises: 
 manually drawing the line across the displayed image; and  
 correcting undesirable variations in the manually drawn line to create a modified line; and  
   the step of highlighting the identified portion further comprises displaying the modified line on the displayed image using the contrasting color.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the line comprises a non-rectilinear line and the step of correcting undesirable variations comprises applying a curve smoothing algorithm to the non-rectilinear line.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the identified portion of the displayed image comprises a two-dimensional shape;    the step of identifying the portion of the displayed image to be highlighted comprises: 
 manually indicating a perimeter substantially around the two-dimensional shape on the displayed image; and  
 correcting undesirable variations in the manually indicated perimeter to create the two-dimensional shape; and  
   the step of highlighting the identified portion further comprises displaying the contrasting color on the displayed image to fill an area covered by the two-dimensional shape.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of correcting undesirable variations further comprises selecting a matching geometric shape from a pre-determined list of geometric shapes as the two-dimensional shape based on the manually indicated perimeter of the two-dimensional shape.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified portion of the displayed image comprises a line and the step of identifying a contrasting color to the color of the identified portion comprises identifying at least one color of the displayed image along the line, in an area of the displayed image adjacent to the line or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified portion of the displayed image comprises a two-dimensional shape and the step of determining at least one color comprises identifying at least one color in an area of the displayed image covered by the two-dimensional shape.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the step of determining at least one color in the identified portion of the displayed image further comprises identifying an average color of the displayed image in an area covered by the identified portion;    the step of identifying a contrasting color comprises identifying a contrasting average color to the average color of the identified portion; and    the step of highlighting the identified portion of the image comprises highlighting the identified portion of the image on the display screen using the contrasting average color.    
   
   
       12 . A method for highlighting selected portions of a displayed image, the method comprising: 
 displaying an image on at least one display platform;    identifying a portion of the displayed image by manually drawing the line across the displayed image;    correcting undesirable variations in the manually drawn line to create a modified line; and    highlighting the identified portion on the display platform by displaying the modified line on the displayed image.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 determining an average color in the displayed image in at least one of the area of the line or an adjacent area to the line; and    identifying a contrasting average color to the average color;    wherein the step of highlighting the identified portion further comprises displaying the modified line on the displayed image using the contrasting average color.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of highlighting the identified portion by displaying the modified line on the displayed image further comprises using a mechanically controlled laser pointer to trace the modified line across the displayed image on the display platform.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the step of identifying the line further comprises manually indicating a perimeter substantially around a two-dimensional shape on the displayed image;    the step of correcting undesirable variations comprises correction undesirable variations in the manually indicated perimeter to create a modified perimeter defining the two-dimensional shape; and    the step of highlighting the line further comprises indicating the two-dimensional image on the displayed image.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of indicating the two-dimensional image on the displayed image further comprises tracing the modified perimeter using a mechanically controlled laser pointer to trace the modified line across the displayed image on the display platform.  
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable medium containing a computer-readable code that when read by a computer causes the computer to perform a method for highlighting a portion of a displayed image, the method comprising: 
 displaying an image on at least one display platform;    identifying a portion of the displayed image to be highlighted;    determining at least one color in the identified portion of the displayed image;    identifying a contrasting color to the determined color of the identified portion; and    highlighting the identified portion of the displayed image on the display platform using the contrasting color.    
   
   
       18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the method further comprises displaying the image on a touch sensitive monitoring screen separate from the display platform; and    the step of identifying a portion of the displayed image to be highlighted comprises contacting the touch screen at one of more locations corresponding to the identified portion of the displayed image.    
   
   
       19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the identified portion of the displayed image comprises a non-rectilinear line;    the step of identifying the portion of the displayed image to be highlighted comprises: 
 manually drawing the non-rectilinear line in the displayed image; and  
 applying a curve smoothing algorithm to the non-rectilinear line to create a modified non-rectilinear line; and  
   the step of highlighting the identified portion further comprises displaying the modified non-rectilinear line on the displayed image using the contrasting average color.    
   
   
       20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the identified portion of the displayed image comprises a two-dimensional shape;    the step of identifying the portion of the displayed image to be highlighted comprises: 
 manually indicating a perimeter substantially around the two-dimensional shape on the displayed image; and  
 correcting undesirable variations in the manually indicated perimeter to create the two-dimensional shape; and  
   the step of highlighting the identified portion further comprises displaying the contrasting average color on the displayed image to fill an area covered by the two-dimensional shape.