DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SETTING INSTRUCTED POSITION DURING
THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY, AS WELL AS PROGRAM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instructed position
setting device and an instructed position setting method for setting,
on a display surface, an instructed position directed to an
instruction area contained in an instruction image, which is
displayed for receiving a predetermined instruction, as well as a
program for causing a computer to carry out the instructed position
setting method.
Description of the Related Art
It has been known that stereoscopic viewing can be achieved
with utilizing a parallax by combining two or more images and
three-dimensionally displaying the images. Such stereoscopic
viewing can be provided by taking two or more images of the same
subject from different positions using two or more cameras, and
three-dimensionally displaying the two or more images with utilizing
a parallax between the subject images contained in the images.
Specifically, if the stereoscopic viewing is achieved by
parallel viewing with naked eyes, the three-dimensional display can
be achieved by arranging the images side by side. Further, the
three-dimensional display may be achieved by combining the images,
for example, by overlapping the images with providing the images
with different colors, such as red and blue, or by overlapping the
images with providing the images with different polarization
directions. In these cases, the stereoscopic viewing can be achieved
by using image separating glasses, such as red-and-blue glasses or
polarization glasses, to provide a merged view of the
three-dimensionally displayed images, which is attained via the
automatic focusing function of the eyes (anaglyph system,
polarization filter system).
Furthermore, the stereoscopic viewing can be achieved,
without using polarization glasses, or the like, by displaying the
images on a three-dimensional display monitor which can provide
stereoscopic viewing, such as a monitor of a parallax barrier system
or a lenticular system. In this case, the three-dimensional display
is achieved by cutting the images into vertical strips and
alternately arranging the vertical strips of the images. Moreover,
a system for providing the three-dimensional display by alternately
displaying left and right images with changing directions of light
beams from the left and right images through the use of image
separation glasses or by attaching an optical element on the liquid
crystal display has been proposed (scanning backlight system).
On the other hand, instruction input devices that detects an
instructed position directed to an image displayed on the monitor
and outputs a signal representing the instructed position, such as
a touch panel system formed by combining a monitor and a position
detection device to detect a position instructed on a screen, have
been proposed. Further, a technique to detect an instructed position
on an image displayed on a monitor in a contactless manner has been
proposed (see U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20060161870,
which will hereinafter be referred to as Patent Document 1) .
Furthermore, a technique to position a touch-panel input device for
use with a three-dimensional display monitor has been proposed (see
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-151513, which will
hereinafter be referred to as Patent Document 2) . According to this
technique, various inputs can be made by directing instructions to
the monitor while three-dimensional display is carried out.
However, when an instruction image having an instruction area,
such as a button, for receiving an instruction to input is
three-dimensionally displayed, the instruction area is also
stereoscopically viewed. Therefore, the position of the instruction
area displayed on the screen of the monitor and the position of the
instruction area stereoscopically viewed by the user looking at the
monitor differ from each other. Therefore, when the user directs
an instruction to the screen of the monitor while stereoscopically
viewing the image, a position instructed by the user differs from
a corresponding position on the screen, and thus an instruction
different from that intended by the user may be input.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-described circumstances, the present
invention is directed to providing accurate detection of an
instructed position on a screen while three-dimensional display is
carried out on the screen.
An instructed position setting device for setting an
instructed position during three-dimensional display according to
the invention includes:
instructed position detecting means for detecting an
instructed position instructed on a display surface of a display
means where an instruction image is displayed, the instruction image
including at least one instruction area for receiving a predetermined
instruction, and the instruction image being displayable
two-dimensionally and three-dimensionally; and
control range setting means for setting on the display means
a control range corresponding to the instruction area of the
instruction image displayed on the display means, the control range
setting means changing a position of the control range between when
the instruction image is two-dimensionally displayed and when the
instruction image is three-dimensionally displayed.
In the instructed position setting device according to the
invention, when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed, the control range setting means may make the position
of the control range coincide with a visually recognized position
of the instruction area through stereoscopic viewing.
The instructed position setting device according to the
invention may further include storing means for storing an amount
of shift in a horizontal direction on the display means of the position
of the control range when the instruction image is
three-dimensionally displayed relative to a position of the
instruction area when the instruction image is two-dimensionally
displayed,
wherein the control range setting means may change the
position of the control range based on the amount of shift in the
horizontal direction stored in the storing means.
In the instructed position setting device according to the
invention, when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed, the control range setting means may obtain information
of a tentative instructed position by receiving an instruction
directed to the instruction area, may calculate an amount of shift
in the horizontal direction on the display means of the tentative
instructed position when the instruction image is
three-dimensionally displayed relative to a position of the
instruction area when the instruction image is two-dimensionally
displayed, and may change the position of the control range based
on the amount of shift in the horizontal direction.
In this case, the instructed position setting device according
to the invention may further include:
storing means for storing the calculated amount of shift in
the horizontal direction with associating the calculated amount of
shift with each of persons viewing the instruction image ; and
person identifying means for identifying a person viewing the
instruction image,
wherein the control range setting means may read out the amount
of shift in the horizontal direction associated with the identified
person from the storing means, and may change the position of the
control range based on the read out amount of shift in the horizontal
direction.
It should be noted that the instructed position setting device
according to the invention may simultaneously be used by two or more
persons. In the case where the instructed position setting device
according to the invention is simultaneously used by two or more
persons, the control range setting means may read out the amount
of shift in the horizontal direction associated with each of the
persons simultaneously using the instructed position setting device
from the storing means, and may set the positions of the control
ranges for the two or more persons based on the read out amounts
of shift in the horizontal direction.
An instructed position setting method for setting an
instructed position during three-dimensional display according to
the invention includes:
detecting with instructed position detecting means an
instructed position instructed on a display surface of a display
means where an instruction image is displayed, the instruction image
including at least one instruction area for receiving a predetermined
instruction, and the instruction image being displayable
two-dimensionally and three-dimensionally; and
upon setting on the display means a control range
corresponding to the instruction area of the instruction image
displayed on the display means, changing a position of the control
range between when the instruction image is two-dimensionally
displayed and when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed.
It should be noted that the instructed position setting method
according to the invention may be provided in the form of a program
for causing a computer to carry out the instructed position setting
method.
According to the invention, the position of the control range
on the display means corresponding to the instruction area of the
instruction image is changed between when the instruction image is
two-dimensionally displayed and when the instruction image is
three-dimensionally displayed. Therefore, even when the instruction
image is three-dimensionally displayed, the control range can be
set in a position corresponding to a visually recognized position
of the instruction area through stereoscopic viewing, and thus
accurate detection of the instructed position can be achieved on
the display screen of the display means while three-dimensional
display is carried out on the screen.
Further, by storing the amount of shift in the horizontal
direction on the display means of the position of the control range
when the instruction image is three-dimensionally displayed relative
to a position of the instruction area when the instruction image
is two-dimensionally displayed, a volume of information to be stored
can be reduced comparing to the case where positions of the
instruction area when the instruction image is two-dimensionally
displayed and when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed are stored.
Further, by obtaining the information of the tentative
instructed position by receiving an instruction directed to the
instruction area when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed, and calculating the amount of shift in the horizontal
direction on the display means of the tentative instructed position
when the instruction image is three-dimensionally displayed relative
to a position of the instruction area when the instruction image
is two-dimensionally displayed, the position of the control range
can be set depending on a stereoscopic effect felt by a person who
has made the instruction, and thus more accurate detection of the
instructed position can be achieved.
In this case, the calculated amount of shift in the horizontal
direction is stored with being associate with each of persons viewing
the instruction image, identifying a person viewing the instruction
image, and the position of the control range is changed between when
the instruction image is two-dimensionally displayed and when the
instruction image is three-dimensionally displayed based on the
amount of shift in the horizontal direction associated with the
identified person. In this manner, the position of the control range
can be set depending on a stereoscopic effect felt by each person,
and thus more accurate detection of the instructed position can be
achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the
configuration of an instruction input device, to which an instructed
position setting device according to a first embodiment of the
invention is applied,
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an image of three buttons,
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining how a control range is
changed,
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining stereoscopic viewing,
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating data representing the control
range,
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another data representing
the control range,
FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a process carried out in
the first embodiment,
FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the
configuration of an instruction input device, to which an instructed
position setting device according to a second embodiment of the
invention is applied,
FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a process carried out in
the second embodiment,
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a range registration image
being three-dimensionally displayed in the second embodiment, and
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating data representing the
control range in the second embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be
described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block
diagram illustrating the configuration of an instruction input
device, to which an instructed position setting device according
to a first embodiment of the invention is applied. As shown in FIG.
1, an instruction input device 1 according to this embodiment is
used to input, to an external device, various instructions directed
to a displayed instruction image by the user touching the screen
with the finger. The instruction input device 1 includes a display
unit 2, an input unit 3, an input coordinate obtaining unit 4, a
display control unit 5, an image input unit 6, a three-dimensional
processing unit 7, a display switching unit 8, an input control unit
9, a range setting unit 10 and a storing unit 11.
The display unit 2 is formed by a liquid crystal monitor, or
the like. The display unit 2 is capable of three-dimensionally and
two-dimensionally displaying an instruction image, which is inputted
to the device 1 from the image input unit 6, which will be described
later.
The input unit 3 is formed by a touch panel. The input unit
3 is used to select an instruction area, such as a button, contained
in the instruction image displayed on the display unit 2.
Specifically, when the user touches the input unit 3, information
of a coordinate position of the touched area is outputted to the
input coordinate obtaining unit 4. It should be noted that the
coordinate position refers to coordinates with a predetermined
position (for example, the upper-left corner) on the input unit 3
being the point of origin.
It should be noted that, in place of the touch panel, any of
known input devices that accepts an input in response to an
instruction directed to the screen of the display unit 2 may be used,
such as an input device for detecting an instructed position in a
contact less manner as disclosed in Patent Document 1, an input device
for optically detecting an instructed position, which is instructed
through the use of a laser pointer, or the like, an input device
of a type which includes light-emitting elements, such as LEDs,
disposed on vertical and horizontal walls around the surface of the
display unit 2 and light-receiving elements disposed on vertical
and horizontal walls facing the walls where the light-emitting
elements are disposed, and detects an instructed position depending
on a position where light is blocked by the user touching the screen,
or an input device of a type which includes image sensors disposed
around the display unit 2 to take an image of a finger, for example,
touching the screen, and detects an instructed position based on
a result of analysis of the image.
The input coordinate obtaining unit 4 obtains information of
the coordinate position outputted from the input unit 3, and outputs
the information to the input control unit 9.
The display control unit 5 two-dimensionally or
three-dimensionally displays the instruction image, which is
inputted to the image input unit 6, on the display unit 2.
The image input unit 6 is formed by various interfaces for
inputting the instruction image to the device 1, such as a card slot
for reading an instruction image recorded on a memory card. It should
be noted that, in order to three-dimensionally display the
instruction image, two or more images containing the instruction
area, such as a button, are necessary, where the positions of the
instruction area in the images differ from each other in the
horizontal direction. Therefore, two or more images for
three-dimensionally displaying the instruction image are inputted
from the image input unit 6.
The three-dimensional processing unit 7 applies
three-dimensional processing depending on the type of
three-dimensional display to the images inputted from the image input
unit 6 for three-dimensionally displaying the instruction image.
For example, if two images are inputted, and the three-dimensional
display is achieved by parallel viewing with naked eyes,
three-dimensional processing to arrange the two images side by side
on the left and right is carried out to generate the instruction
image for three-dimensional display. If the three-dimensional
display is achieved with a lenticular system, three-dimensional
processing to cut the images into vertical strips and alternately
arrange the vertical strips of the images is carried out to generate
the instruction image for three-dimensional display. If the
three-dimensional display is achieved with a scanning backlight
system and two images are inputted, three-dimensional processing
to alternately output the two images to the display unit 2
synchronously with separation of backlights of the display units
2 to the left and right to generate the instruction image for
three-dimensional display.
The surface of the display unit 2 is modified according to
the type of the three-dimensional processing carried out by the
three-dimensional processing unit 7. For example, if the
three-dimensional display is achieved with a lenticular system, a
lenticular lens is attached on the display surface of the display
unit 2. If the three-dimensional display is achieved with a scanning
backlight system, an optical element for changing directions of the
light beams from the left and right images is attached on the display
surface of the display unit 2.
The display switching unit 8 switches a display mode of the
instruction image between two-dimensional display and
three-dimensional display. The switching may be carried out in
response to an instruction from the user or may be carried out
automatically.
The input control unit 9 determines whether or not the
coordinate position outputted from the input coordinate obtaining
unit 4 is in a control range of the instruction input device 1. If
the coordinate position is in the control range, the input control
unit 9 outputs a control signal depending on the coordinate position
to an external device. In the case where an instruction image
containing three buttons A, B and C, as shown in FIG. 2, is displayed
on the display unit 2, when information of a coordinate position
in any of rectangular instruction areas respectively surrounding
the buttons A, B and C is inputted, the input control unit 9 outputs
a control signal depending on the coordinate position to the external
device. For example, if the coordinate position corresponds to the
button A, the input control unit 9 outputs to the external device
a control signal indicating that the instruction is directed to the
button A. The input control unit 9 also controls the units forming
the device 1.
The range setting unit 10 changes the control range on the
input unit 3 in response to switching of the display mode by the
display switching unit 8. Now, how the control range is changed is
described. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining how the control range
is changed. It is assumed in this embodiment that three-dimensional
display of the instruction image is carried out using two images,
each containing three buttons. As shown at "a" and "b" in FIG. 3,
each of two images G1 and G2 contains three buttons A, B and C. Further,
positions of each of the three buttons A, B and C in the horizontal
direction of the images Gl and G2 have a parallax therebetween to
provide stereoscopic viewing when the instruction image is
three-dimensionally displayed, as will be described later. When the
images Gl and G2 are two-dimensionally displayed, only the image
Gl is displayed on the display unit 2 as the instruction image in
this embodiment. Therefore, the range setting unit 10 sets areas
on the input unit 3 corresponding to buttons A, B and C in the image
G1, respectively, as the control ranges.
On the other hand, when the instruction image is
three-dimensionally displayed, the buttons A, B and C are
stereoscopically viewed, as shown in FIG. 4, due to the parallax
in the horizontal direction between the positions of the buttons
A, B and C contained in the images G1 and G2. FIG. 4 shows a state
where the button A is stereoscopically viewed. A visually recognized
position of each of the buttons A, B and C through stereoscopic viewing
is substantially an intermediate position in the horizontal
direction between the positions of each of the buttons A, B and C
in the images G1 and G2. Therefore, as shown by the dashed lines
at "c" in FIG. 3, the range setting unit 10 sets the intermediate
position between the positions of each of the buttons A, B and C
in the images G1 and G2 as the control range.
The storing unit 11 stores data representing the control
ranges on the input unit 3. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the
data representing the control ranges. Since the image Gl is used
as the instruction image during two-dimensional display, the data
representing the control ranges, as shown in FIG. 5, includes
coordinates at start positions and end positions in the horizontal
direction and the vertical direction on the image Gl of each of the
buttons A, B and C contained in the image Gl. In place of the end
position, a size of each control range may be used. The storing unit
11 also stores data representing the control ranges when the
instruction image is three-dimensionally displayed. The data
representing the control ranges when the instruction image is
three-dimensionally displayed is calculated from data representing
the control ranges in the images G1 and G2.
It should be noted that each control range when the instruction
image is three-dimensionally displayed is shifted in the horizontal
direction from the control range in the image G1, and the amount
of shift is a value equal to 1/2 of a difference in the horizontal
direction between the positions of each of the buttons A, B and C
in the images G1 and G2. Therefore, in place of the data representing
the control ranges when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed, amounts of shift in the horizontal direction of the
control ranges for the three-dimensionally displayed buttons A, B
and C relative to the buttons A, B and C in the image G1, as shown
in FIG. 6, may be stored. This can reduce the data volume of the
data representing the control ranges stored in the storing unit 11.
Next, a process carried out in the first embodiment is
described. FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating the process carried
out in the first embodiment. It is assumed here that the images Gl
and G2 have been inputted to the device 1 from the image input unit
6. First, the input control unit 9 determines whether or not the
display unit 2 has been switched to the three-dimensional display
mode by the display switching unit 8 (step ST1) . If an affirmative
determination is made in step ST1, the three-dimensional processing
unit 7 applies the three-dimensional processing to the images Gl
and G2 to generate the instruction image for three-dimensional
display (step ST2). Then, the range setting unit 10 switches the
control ranges on the input unit 3 to those for three-dimensional
display (step ST3), the display control unit 5 three-dimensionally
displays the instruction image for three-dimensional display on the
display unit 2 (step ST4), and the process ends.
In this state, positions where the buttons A, B and C contained
in the instruction image being three-dimensionally displayed on the
display unit 2 are stereoscopically viewed coincide with the control
ranges on the input unit 3, and thus the user can input an intended
instruction to the device 1 by touching the input unit 3 to touch
any of the buttons A, B and C stereoscopically viewed by the user.
On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step
ST1, the range setting unit 10 switches the control ranges on the
input unit 3 to those for two-dimensional display (step ST5), the
display control unit 5 two-dimensionally displays the instruction
image on the display unit 2 (step ST6), and the process ends.
As described above, according to this embodiment, the
positions of the control ranges corresponding to the buttons A, B
and C are changed between when the instruction image is
two-dimensionally displayed and when the instruction image is
three-dimensionally displayed. Therefore, even when the instruction
image is three-dimensionally displayed, the control ranges can be
set in positions corresponding to visually recognized positions of
the buttons A, B and C through stereoscopic viewing. Thus, accurate
detection of the instructed position can be achieved on the screen
while three-dimensional display is carried out on the screen.
Next, a second embodiment of the invention is described. FIG.
8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the configuration of
an instruction input device, to which an instructed position setting
device according to the second embodiment of the invention is applied.
It should be noted that components in the second embodiment which
are the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the
same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are
omitted.
In the above-described first embodiment, an intermediate
position between the positions of each of the buttons A, B and C
in the images G1 and G2 is set as the control range when the instruction
image is three-dimensionally displayed. However, in this case, a
stereoscopic effect felt by each user viewing the three-dimensional
display differs depending on the user. In the second embodiment,
the control range during three-dimensional display is changed
depending on the user. For this purpose, an input instruction device
1A according to the second embodiment includes a biometrical
information registering unit 14 for registering biometrical
information, such as finger print, iris, lines of the palm, face,
etc., of the user and a range registering unit 15 for registering
the control range during three-dimensional display depending on the
user. The biometrical information registering unit 14 includes an
imaging unit for imaging the biometrical information of the user,
and obtains the biometrical information by imaging the finger print,
iris, lines of the palm, face, etc., of the user with the imaging
unit.
Next, a process carried out in the second embodiment is
described. FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating the process carried
out in the second embodiment. Here, only a process to register the
control range is described. It is assumed here that two images used
for range registration (hereinafter, range registration image(s))
have been inputted to the device 1, and a range registration image
for three-dimensional display has been generated from the two images.
First, the biometrical information registering unit 14 obtains the
biometrical information of the user (step ST21), and the display
control unit 5 three-dimensionally displays the range registration
image on the display unit 2 (step ST22).
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the three-dimensionally
displayed range registration image in the second embodiment. It
should be noted that the buttons A, B and C shown by the dashed lines
in FIG. 10 represent positions of the buttons A, B and C in the range
registration image, and the buttons A, B and C shown by the solid
lines represent positions of the stereoscopically displayed buttons
A, B and C. As shown in FIG. 10, the range registration image contains
a text "TOUCH THE BUTTON A".
When the user viewing the range registration image touches
the button A, the input unit 3 outputs information of a coordinate
position indicating a tentative instructed position touched by the
user, and the input coordinate obtaining unit 4 outputs the
information of the coordinate position to the input control unit
9. For this purpose, the input control unit 9 starts monitoring to
determine whether or not the information of the coordinate position
has been inputted (step ST23). If an affirmative determination is
made in step ST23, the input control unit 9 outputs the information
of the coordinate position to the range registering unit 15. Then,
based on the inputted information of the coordinate position and
the information of the coordinate position of the button A in one
of the two images, the range registering unit 15 calculates an amount
of shift in the horizontal direction on the display unit 2 of the
tentative instructed position during three-dimensional display
relative to a position of the instruction area during two-dimensional
display (step ST24). Then, the amount of shift in the horizontal
direction is associated with the biometrical information and stored
in the storing unit 11 (step ST25), and the process ends.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the data representing the
control ranges stored in the storing unit 11 in the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 11, in the data representing the control range in
the second embodiment, the amounts of shift in the horizontal
direction on the display unit 2 of the tentative instructed positions
relative to the positions of the buttons A, B and C in one of the
images during three-dimensional display are associated with the
biometrical information of each of three users U1-U3, for example.
As described above, in the second embodiment, the amounts of
shift in the horizontal direction of the buttons A, B and C are stored
with being associate with the biometrical information of the user.
Thus, by reading the biometrical information of the user from the
biometrical information registering unit 14 and reading out the
amount of the shift in the horizontal direction associated with the
read biometrical information from the storing unit 11 to use the
amount of the shift to set the positions of the control ranges, the
positions of the control ranges can be set depending on a stereoscopic
effect felt by the user, and thus more accurate detection of the
instructed position can be achieved.
It should be noted that, although the amount of shift in the
horizontal direction is associated with the biometrical information
of the user in the above-described second embodiment, the amount
of shift in the horizontal direction may be associated with an ID
of the user. In this case, the user ID may be inputted via a text
input device, such as a keyboard, provided at the device 1A.
Further, the instructed position setting device of the first
and second embodiment may be used to set a sight in a shooting game,
where the user competes for scores by directing a laser beam emitted
from a laser gun to a sight displayed on the display unit 2. In this
case, the input unit 3 of a type that optically detects the instructed
position may be used, and when the game is started, a position of
the control range corresponding to the sight may be set, so that
a position on the screen hit by the laser beam is detected based
on the set position of the control range.
It should be noted that an amount of shift in the horizontal
direction of the set position of the control range may be stored
in the storing unit 11, and when the next game is started, the position
of the control range corresponding to the sight may be set based
on the stored amount of shift in the horizontal direction. In this
case, the amount of shift in the horizontal direction may be
associated with an ID of a laser gun used in the game and stored
in the storing unit 11, so that, when ID information of the laser
gun is inputted, the amount of shift in the horizontal direction
associated with the ID information is read out.
In the case where two or more persons simultaneously play the
shooting game, the amount of shift in the horizontal direction may
be associated with the ID of the laser gun used by each person and
stored in the storing unit 11, and the position of the control range
corresponding to the sight may be set for each person based on the
amount of shift in the horizontal direction depending on the ID
information of the laser gun.
The device according to the embodiments of the present
invention has been described. The invention may also be implemented
in the form of a program for causing a computer to function as means
corresponding to the input coordinate obtaining unit 4, the display
control unit 5, the three-dimensional processing unit 7, the display
switching unit 8, the input control unit 9, the range setting unit
10, the biometrical information registering unit 14 and the range
registering unit 15 described above and carry out the processes as
shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9. The invention may also be implemented
in the form of a computer-readable recording medium containing such
a program.
CLAIMS
1. An instructed position setting device for setting an
instructed position during three-dimensional display, the device
comprising:
instructed position detecting means for detecting an
instructed position instructed on a display surface of a display
means where an instruction image is displayed, the instruction image
including at least one instruction area for receiving a predetermined
instruction, and the instruction image being displayable
two-dimensionally and three-dimensionally; and
control range setting means for setting on the display means
a control range corresponding to the instruction area of the
instruction image displayed on the display means, the control range
setting means changing a position of the control range between when
the instruction image is two-dimensionally displayed and when the
instruction image is three-dimensionally displayed.
2. The instructed position setting device as claimed in claim
1, wherein, when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed, the control range setting means makes the position of
the control range coincide with a visually recognized position of
the instruction area through stereoscopic viewing.
3. The instructed position setting device as claimed in claim
1 or 2, further comprising:
storing means for storing an amount of shift in a horizontal
direction on the display means of the position of the control range
when the instruction image is three-dimensionally displayed relative
to a position of the instruction area when the instruction image
is two-dimensionally displayed,
wherein the control range setting means changes the position
of the control range based on the amount of shift in the horizontal
direction stored in the storing means.
4. The instructed position setting device as claimed in claim
1 or 2, wherein, when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed, the control range setting means obtains information of
a tentative instructed position by receiving an instruction directed
to the instruction area, calculates an amount of shift in the
horizontal direction on the display means of the tentative instructed
position when the instruction image is three-dimensionally displayed
relative to a position of the instruction area when the instruction
image is two-dimensionally displayed, and changes the position of
the control range based on the amount of shift in the horizontal
direction.
5. The instructed position setting device as claimed in claim
4, further comprising:
storing means for storing the calculated amount of shift in
the horizontal direction with associating the calculated amount of
shift with each of persons viewing the instruction image; and
person identifying means for identifying a person viewing the
instruction image,
wherein the control range setting means reads out the amount
of shift in the horizontal direction associated with the identified
person from the storing means, and changes the position of the control
range based on the read out amount of shift in the horizontal
direction.
6. An instructed position setting method for use with the
instructed position setting device as claimed in claim 1, the method
comprising:
detecting with instructed position detecting means an
instructed position instructed on a display surface of a display
means where an instruction image is displayed, the instruction image
including at least one instruction area for receiving a predetermined
instruction, and the instruction image being displayable
two-dimensionally and three-dimensionally; and
upon setting on the display means a control range
corresponding to the instruction area of the instruction image
displayed on the display means, changing a position of the control
range between when the instruction image is two-dimensionally
displayed and when the instruction image is three-dimensionally
displayed.
7. A program for causing a computer to function as the
instructed position setting device as claimed in any one of claims
1 to 5.

Accurate detection of an instructed position on a screen while three-dimensional display is carried out on the screen is achieved. When three-dimensional display is carried out, a three-dimensional processing unit (7) generates an instruction image for three-dimensional display. A range setting unit (10) switches a control range on an input unit (3) to a position corresponding to a stereoscopically viewed position, and a display control unit (5) three-dimensionally displays the instruction image on the display unit (2). In this state, a position on the input unit (3) where a button is stereoscopically viewed is the control range. Thus, the user can input an intended instruction to a device (1) by touching the input unit (3) to touch the button stereoscopically viewed by the user.