1. A hand pattern switch device, which has image pickup means for picking up an image of a hand that is within a predetermined image pickup zone and in which a hand pattern is recognized from and a hand motion is detected from the picked-up image to obtain operation information for a controlled object, comprising: controlled object setting means for selecting one of controlled objects in accordance with the recognized hand pattern and/or the detected hand motion; and detection mode changing means for changing a mode of detection of the operation information based on the hand motion in dependence on which controlled object is selected.