User input method and apparatus for handheld computers

• US 20030128190A1
• Filed: 01/10/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wave7 Optics, Inc. (Enablence Technologies Incorporated), Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward E., Wilbrink, Tijs
• Granted Patent: US 7,071,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1673 Arrangements for projecting a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A system and method for providing input to a handheld computing device by provisioning the handheld computing device with a projecting device a projecting device for displaying a graphical representation of a keyboard, the graphical representation including key locations capable of being selected by an object, the graphical image displayed in an area proximate the device; a signal detection system for detecting the presence of an object located at a selected key location within the area; and, a mechanism for determining the selected key in response to detecting an object at a corresponding selected key location and registering the selected key as a keystroke in the computing device.

Claims

1. A computer device comprising:

a projecting device for displaying a graphical representation of a keyboard, said graphical representation including key locations capable of being selected by an object, said graphical image displayed in an area proximate said device;

a signal detection system for detecting the presence of an object located at a selected key location within said area; and

,

mechanism for determining the selected key in response to detecting an object at a corresponding selected key location and registering said selected key as a keystroke in said computing device.

2. The computer device according to claim 1, wherein said signal detection system is capable of detecting objects at locations within said limited range defined by said graphical representation.

3. The computer device according to claim 2, wherein said signal detection system includes a radar device for detecting the location of objects within said limited range.

4. The computer device according to claim 2, wherein said signal detection system includes a laser generator and photodetector device for detecting the location of objects within said limited range.

5. The computer device according to claim 2, wherein said signal detection system includes an electromagnetic signal transmitter means for iteratively transmitting series of electromagnetic signals sweeping said limited range, and receiving electromagnetic signal reflections from detected objects, wherein said electromagnetic signal transmitter means is located a predetermined distance away from said graphical representation.

6. The computer device according to claim 5, wherein said determining mechanism includes:

means for calculating a distance between said electromagnetic signal transmitter means and said detected object; and

means for determining a current iteration of said series of electromagnetic signals, wherein said key is determined according to said distance and said current iteration.

7. The computer device according to claim 5, wherein said means for calculating a distance between said electromagnetic signal transmitter means and said detected object includes means for determining an elapsed time between transmission of said electromagnetic signal and receipt of its corresponding reflected signal.

8. The computer device according to claim 5, further comprising memory means comprising a mapping of valid selectable key strokes according to calculated distances and electromagnetic signal pulse iteration.

9. The computer device according to claim 5, further comprising leg means for adjusting a vertical and angular orientation of said projecting and signals detection devices with respect to a surface, said adjusting mechanism for adjusting a range of said series of electromagnetic signals according to a projected display.

10. The computer device according to claim 1, wherein an object includes a finger of a user of said computer device.

11. The computer device according to claim 5, further comprising means for customizing content of said virtual keys provided in the graphical representation of said keyboard.

12. A computer device comprising:

a projecting device for displaying one of;

a screen image or portion of a screen image display, said screen image including displayed items capable of being selected by an object;

a signal detection system for detecting the presence of an object located at a selected item location; and

,

mechanism for determining the selected item in response to detecting an object at a corresponding selected key location.

13. The computer device according to claim 12, wherein said signal detection system is capable of detecting objects at locations within a limited range defined by said graphical representation.

14. The computer device according to claim 13, wherein said signal detection system includes a radar device for detecting the location of objects within said limited range.

15. A method for providing input to a computer device comprising the steps of:

a) displaying a graphical representation of a keyboard image, said graphical representation including key locations capable of being selected by an object, said graphical image displayed in a limited area proximate said device;

b) detecting the presence of an object located at a selected key location; and

,

c) determining the selected key in response to detecting an object at a corresponding selected key location.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said detecting step includes the steps of:

iteratively transmitting series of electromagnetic signals for sweeping said limited area, a transmitter of said electromagnetic signals being provided at a limited distance away from said graphical representation;

receiving via a receiver device electromagnetic signal reflections from an object positioned within said limited area.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said selected key determining step comprises the steps of:

calculating a distance between said electromagnetic signal transmitter and said detected object; and

,

determining a current iteration of said series of electromagnetic signals, wherein said key is determined according to said distance and said current iteration.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said calculating step includes the step of determining an elapsed time between transmission of said electromagnetic signal and receipt of its corresponding reflected signal.

19. The method according to claim 17, further including the step of:

providing a mapping of valid selectable key strokes according to calculated distances and electromagnetic signal pulse iteration.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein prior to iteratively transmitting series of electromagnetic signals for sweeping said limited area, the step of positioning the transmitter device to thereby restrict electromagnetic signal sweep range.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein after determination step c), the step of registering said selected key as a keystroke in said computing device.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein after determination step c), the step of notifying a user of a key being selected in said projected display, said notifying including one or more of:

changing a color or dimension of the selected virtual key.