Method and system to display a virtual input device

• US 20030021032A1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canesta Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Canesta Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bamji, Cyrus, Zhao, Peiqian
• Application Number:
  US10/179,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20030021032A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/568
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

A system to project the image of a virtual input device includes a substrate bearing a diffractive pattern, and a source of collimated light, such as a laser diode. The collimated light interacts with the substrate and the pattern to project a user-viewable image that preferably is the image of a virtual input device. Interaction between a user and the projected image of the virtual input device can then be sensed, and used to input information or otherwise control a companion device, for example a PDA or a cellular telephone.

Claims

22. A system to present an image of a virtual input device for interaction by a user to input information to a companion device, the system comprising:

a source of user-viewable optical energy; and

an optical system that when subjected to energy from said source projects a user-viewable image of said virtual input device such that power required by said system to project said user-viewable image is proportional to actually illuminated area rather than to total virtual area occupied by said user-viewable image.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said optical system includes a diffractive optical element (DOE) including a diffractive pattern that when subjected to energy from said source projects a user-viewable image of said virtual input device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said DOE has a deflection angle α

;

wherein said system includes means for magnifying said deflection angle α

by at least a factor of 1.5.

25. The system of claim 22, further including means for focusing said user-viewable image onto a surface located a finite distance from said system.

26. The system of claim 22, further including means for imposing a Scheimpflug condition upon said system.

27. The system of claim 22, further including a merged optical element to collimate and to focus said source of user-viewable optical energy.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy includes an LED and a collimating element defining an opening smaller than an emitting area of said LED;

wherein feature size of said user-viewable image is improved.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy includes an LED and means for creating a virtual image of said LED;

wherein said system appears to have more than one source of user-viewable optical energy.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy includes at least one of (a) an LED, (b) a laser, and (c) an RCLED.

31. The system of claim 22, further including a reflective element disposed to reflect optical energy to a surface whereon said user-viewable image is viewable;

wherein effective optical focal length of said system is increased by passing at least a portion of said user-viewable optical energy through air prior to reflecting from said reflective element.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein said DOE includes a plurality of diffractive optical elements (DOEs) that, when subjected to said optical energy, project a portion of said user-viewable image.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein said system includes means for splitting optical beams emitted by said source of user-viewable optical energy.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein a projected said portion from one of said DOEs can misaligned with a projected said portion of another of said DOEs without such misalignment being apparent to a user of said system.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein at least two of said DOEs are fabricated on a common substrate.

36. The system of claim 22, further including means for reducing power consumption of said system during intervals when user interaction with said companion device is not required.

37. The system of claim 22, wherein said companion device includes at least one device selected from a group including a PDA and a cellular telephone.

38. The system of claim 22, wherein said user-viewable image is selected from a group consisting of (a) a keypad, (b) a user-manipulatable control, and (c) a keyboard for a musical instrument.

39. The system of claim 22, further including means to diminish a user-visible image resulting from at least one of (a) a ghost image of a desired user-viewable image, and (b) a zero dot image.

40. The system of claim 23, wherein said DOE is one of a plurality of DOEs fabricated on a substrate containing said plurality of DOEs;

wherein during fabrication of said DOEs at least one channel area region is defined that is visibly apparent post-fabrication;

wherein cutting individual ones of said plurality of DOEs is facilitated.

41. The system of claim 22, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy is pulsed to vary intensity of said user-viewable image.

42. The system of claim 22, wherein said user-viewable optical energy has a wavelength in a range of about 600 nm to about 650 nm.

47. The method of claim 42, further including collimating and focusing said source of user-viewable optical energy with a merged optical element.

48. The method of claim 42, further including:

providing a LED as said source of user-viewable optical energy; and

reducing effective emitting area of said LED using a collimating element that defines an opening smaller than actual emitting area of said LED;

wherein feature size of said user-viewable image is improved.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy includes an LED, and further including creating a virtual image of said LED;

wherein said image appears to be generated by more than one source of user-viewable optical energy.

50. The method of claim 42, further including providing as said source of user-viewable optical energy includes at least one of (a) an LED, (b) a laser LED, and (c) an RCLED.

52. The method of claim 42, further including reducing power consumption of said system during intervals when user interaction with said companion device is not required.

53. The method of claim 42, wherein said companion device includes at least one device selected from a group including a PDA and a cellular telephone.

54. The method of claim 42, wherein said user-viewable image is selected from a group consisting of (a) a keypad, (b) a user-manipulatable control, and (c) a keyboard for a musical instrument.

55. The method of claim 42, further including diminishing a user-visible image resulting from at least one of (a) a ghost image of a desired user-viewable image, and (b) a zero dot image.

57. The method of claim 42, further including pulsing said source of user-viewable optical energy to vary intensity of said user-viewable image.

58. The method of claim 42, wherein said user-viewable optical energy has a wavelength in a range of about 600 nm to about 650 nm.

43. A method to present an image of a virtual input device for interaction by a user to input information to a companion device, the method comprising the following steps:

subjecting an optical system to user-viewable energy such that a user-viewable image of said virtual input device is projected upon a surface;

wherein power required by said system to project said user-viewable image is proportional to actually illuminated area rather than to total virtual area occupied by said user-viewable image.

1. A system to present an image of a virtual input device for interaction by a user to input information to a companion device, the system comprising:

a source of user-viewable optical energy; and

a diffractive optical element (DOE) including a diffractive pattern that when subjected to energy from said source projects a user-viewable image of said virtual input device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said DOE has a deflection angle α

;

wherein said system includes means for magnifying said deflection angle a by at least a factor of 1.5.

3. The system of claim 1, further including means for focusing said user-viewable image onto a surface located a finite distance from said system.

4. The system of claim 1, further including means for imposing a Scheimpflug condition upon said system.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a merged optical element to collimate and to focus said source of user-viewable optical energy.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy includes an LED and a collimating element defining an opening smaller than an emitting area of said LED;

wherein feature size of said user-viewable image is improved.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy includes an LED and means for creating a virtual image of said LED;

wherein said system appears to have more than one source of user-viewable optical energy.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy includes at least one of (a) an LED, (b) a laser, and (c) an RCLED.

9. The system of claim 1, further including a reflective element disposed to reflect optical energy to a surface whereon said user-viewable image is viewable;

wherein effective optical focal length of said system is increased by passing at least a portion of said user-viewable optical energy through air prior to reflecting from said reflective element.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said DOE includes a plurality of diffractive optical elements (DOEs) that, when subjected to said optical energy, project a portion of said user-viewable image.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said system includes means for splitting optical beams emitted by said source of user-viewable optical energy.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein a projected said portion from one of said DOEs can misaligned with a projected said portion of another of said DOEs without such misalignment being apparent to a user of said system.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein at least two of said DOEs are fabricated on a common substrate.

14. The system of claim 1, further including means for reducing power consumption of said system during intervals when user interaction with said companion device is not required.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said companion device includes at least one device selected from a group including a PDA and a cellular telephone.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said user-viewable image is selected from a group consisting of (a) a keypad, (b) a user-manipulatable control, and (c) a keyboard for a musical instrument.

17. The system of claim 1, further including means to diminish a user-visible image resulting from at least one of (a) a ghost image of a desired user-viewable image, and (b) a zero dot image.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said DOE is one of a plurality of DOEs fabricated on a substrate containing said plurality of DOEs;

wherein during fabrication of said DOEs at least one channel area region is defined that is visibly apparent post-fabrication;

wherein cutting individual ones of said plurality of DOEs is facilitated.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said source of user-viewable optical energy is pulsed to vary intensity of said user-viewable image.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said user-viewable optical energy has a wavelength in a range of about 600 nm to about 650 nm.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said user-viewable image comprises sub-image blocks, wherein chosen ones of said sub-image blocks are not illuminated.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said optical system includes a diffractive optical element (DOE) that includes a diffractive pattern.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein said DOE has a deflection angle α

, and further including magnifying said deflection angle a by at least a factor of 1.5.

46. The method of claim 43, further including imposing a Scheimpflug condition upon said system.

51. The method of claim 42, further including disposing a reflective element to reflect optical energy to a surface whereon said user-viewable image is viewable;

wherein effective optical focal length of said system is increased by passing at least a portion of said user-viewable optical energy through air prior to reflecting from said reflective element.

56. The method of claim 43, wherein said DOE is one of a plurality of DOEs fabricated on a substrate containing said plurality of DOEs;

further including during fabrication of said DOEs defining at least one channel area region that is visibly apparent post-fabrication;

wherein cutting individual ones of said plurality of DOEs is facilitated.

51-1. The method of claim 43, wherein said DOE includes a plurality of diffractive optical elements (DOEs) that, when subjected to said optical energy, project a portion of said user-viewable image.