Push actuation of interface controls

Abstract

A computing system translates a world space position of a hand of a human target to a screen space cursor position of a user interface. When the cursor overlaps a button in the user interface, the computing system actuates the button in response to a movement of the hand in world space that changes the cursor position along a z-axis regardless of an initial z-axis position of the cursor.

1 . A method of actuating a button in a user interface, comprising:
 translating a world space position of a target to a screen space cursor position of the user interface such that movement of the target in world space causes corresponding movement of a cursor in screen space; and   when the cursor overlaps a button in the user interface, actuating the button responsive to a world space position of the target changing along a z-axis regardless of an initial z-axis position of the target in world space.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target is a hand of a human user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein translating the world space position of the human hand to a screen space cursor position of the user interface includes modeling the human user from one or more images. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more images include one or more depth images. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the z-axis is defined by an interaction zone that moves as a human user moves about in world space. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the button has an activation perimeter in an x-y plane, and wherein the cursor overlaps the button if an x-y coordinate of the cursor is within the activation perimeter of the button. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the button actuates responsive to a movement of the target in world space that changes the cursor position by a depth threshold along the z-axis. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the cursor has a cursor velocity, and wherein the depth threshold dynamically adjusts as a function of the cursor velocity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the depth threshold is decreased as a normalized z-axis component of the cursor velocity increases. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the depth threshold is increased as a normalized z-axis component of the cursor velocity decreases. 
     
     
         11 . A method of actuating a button in a user interface, comprising:
 translating a world space position of a target to a screen space cursor position of the user interface such that movement of the target in world space causes corresponding movement of a cursor in screen space; and   when the cursor overlaps a button in the user interface, actuating the button responsive to a movement of the target in world space that changes the screen space cursor position along a screen space z-axis regardless of an initial z-axis position of the cursor in screen space.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the target is a hand of a human user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein translating the world space position of the human hand to a screen space cursor position of the user interface includes modeling the human user from one or more images. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the z-axis is defined by an interaction zone that moves as a human user moves about in world space. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the button has an activation perimeter in an x-y plane, and wherein the cursor overlaps the button if an x-y coordinate of the cursor is within the activation perimeter of the button. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the button actuates responsive to a movement of the target in world space that changes the cursor position by a depth threshold along the z-axis. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cursor has a cursor velocity, and wherein the depth threshold dynamically adjusts as a function of the cursor velocity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the depth threshold is decreased as a normalized z-axis component of the cursor velocity increases. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the depth threshold is increased as a normalized z-axis component of the cursor velocity decreases. 
     
     
         20 . A method of actuating a button in a user interface, comprising:
 translating a world space position of a hand to a screen space cursor position of the user interface such that movement of the hand in world space causes corresponding movement of a cursor in screen space; and   when the cursor overlaps a button in the user interface, actuating the button responsive to a world space position of the hand changing along a z-axis regardless of an initial z-axis position of the hand in world space, the z-axis defined by an interaction zone that moves as a human user moves about in world space.