Touch Free User Interface

Abstract

The presently disclosed subject matter includes a method of recognizing an aimed point on a plane. Images captured by one or more image sensor are processed for obtaining data obtaining data indicative of location of at least one pointing element in the viewing space and data indicative of at least one predefined user's body part in the viewing space; using the obtained data an aimed point on the plane is identified. In case it is determined that a predefined condition is met a predefined command and/or message is executed.

1 . A method of recognizing an aimed point or area in a space, the method comprising:
 obtaining, using an image sensor, at least one image of the space;   processing the at least one image by at least one processor operatively connected to the image sensor and obtaining data indicative of a location of at least one pointing element in the space;   obtaining data indicative of a location of at least one predefined body part of a user in the space;   determining by the at least one processor, a location of the aimed point or area in the space, using a combination of:   the data indicative of the location of the at least one pointing element,   the data indicative of the location of the at least one predefined body part;   determining a change in a motion vector of the at least one pointing element during the pointing gesture, wherein the change in the motion vector relates to a change in a direction of the motion vector in at least one of a vertical axis or a horizontal axis;   determining a user selection of an icon or a graphical element, based on the change in the motion vector and the determined location of the aimed point or area; and   executing a predefined command or message associated with the selected icon or graphical element.   
     
     
         2 .- 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the space comprises a three-dimensional space, and the data indicative of the location of the at least one pointing element includes x, y, and z coordinates. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting a change in a speed of the at least one pointing element along a motion path. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting a deceleration of the at least one pointing element along a motion path. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying at least one graphical element in the space; and   identifying, by the at least one processor, a given graphical element from the at least one displayed graphical element, using data indicative of the location of the aimed point or area in the space.   
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the location of the at least one pointing element using location features extracted from a motion path of the at least one pointing element.   
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein:
 the features extracted from the motion path of the at least one pointing element include a plurality of selected position data components of the at least one pointing element, which comply with a predefined criterion, and   the method further comprises:   for each given position data component in the plurality of selected position data components, determining a respective viewing ray, the respective viewing ray extending from the location of the at least one predefined body part, through the location of the at least one pointing element, and intersecting a plane on which at least one graphical element is displayed, thus yielding a respective candidate plane, wherein the location of the at least one pointing element corresponds to the given position data component;   determining an overlapping area between the respective candidate planes; and   determining the aimed point or area using data indicative of the overlapping area.   
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is a proximity sensor. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a clicking gesture. 
     
     
         70 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform operations for recognizing an aimed point or area in a space, the operations comprising:
 obtaining, using an image sensor, at least one image of the space;   processing the at least one image by at least one processor operatively connected to the image sensor and obtaining data indicative of a location of at least one pointing element in the space;   obtaining data indicative of a location of at least one predefined body part of a user in the space;   determining by the at least one processor, a location of the aimed point or area in the space using a combination of:   the data indicative of the location of the at least one pointing element, and   the data indicative of the location of the at least one predefined body part;   detecting a change in a motion vector of the at least one pointing element during the pointing gesture, wherein the change in the motion vector relates to a change in a direction of the motion vector in at least one of a vertical axis or a horizontal axis;   determining a line of sight extending from a location of the at least one predefined body part of a user in the space;   determining, based on the determined line of sight, a user selection of an icon or a graphical element, while obtaining the data indicative of the location of the at least one pointing element in the space; and   executing a predefined command or message associated with the selected icon or graphical element.   
     
     
         71 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70 , wherein the space comprises a three-dimensional space, and the data indicative of the location of the at least one pointing element includes x, y, and z coordinates. 
     
     
         72 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70 , the operations further comprising detecting a change in a speed of the at least one pointing element along a motion path. 
     
     
         73 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70 , the operations further comprising detecting a deceleration of the at least one pointing element along a motion path. 
     
     
         74 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70 , the operations further comprising:
 displaying at least one graphical element in the space; and   identifying, by the at least one processor, a given graphical element from the at least one displayed graphical element, using data indicative of the location of the aimed point or area in the space.   
     
     
         75 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70 , the operations further comprising:
 determining the location of the at least one pointing element using location features extracted from a motion path of the at least one pointing element.   
     
     
         76 . The computer readable medium of  claim 75 , wherein:
 the features with respect to the motion path of the at least one pointing element further include a plurality of selected position data components of the at least one pointing element, which comply with a predefined criterion, and   the method further comprises:   for each given position data component in the plurality of selected position data components, determining a respective viewing ray, the respective viewing ray extending from the location of the at least one predefined body part, through the location of the at least one pointing element, and intersecting a plane on which at least one graphical element is displayed, thus yielding a respective candidate plane, wherein the location of the at least one pointing element corresponds to the given position data component;   determining an overlapping area between the respective candidate planes; and   determining the aimed point or area using data indicative of the overlapping area.   
     
     
         77 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70 , wherein the image sensor is a proximity sensor. 
     
     
         78 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70 , the operations further comprising determining a clicking gesture. 
     
     
         79 . A method of recognizing an aimed point or area in a space, the method comprising:
 obtaining, using an image sensor, at least one image of the space;   processing the at least one image by at least one processor operatively connected to the image sensor and obtaining data indicative of a location of at least one pointing element in the space;   obtaining data indicative of a location of at least one predefined body part of a user in the space;   determining by the at least one processor, a location of the aimed point or area in the space using a combination of:   the data indicative of the location of the at least one pointing element,   the data indicative of the location of the at least one predefined body part;   determining a change in a motion vector of the at least one pointing element during the pointing gesture, wherein the change in the motion vector relates to a change in a direction of the motion vector in at least one of a vertical axis or a horizontal axis;   determining a user selection of an icon or a graphical element, based on the change in the motion vector and the determined location of the aimed point or area; and   executing a predefined command or message associated with the determined location of the aimed point or area in the space.