Visual input pointing device for interactive display system

• US 20050260986A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keytec BV
• Original Assignee: Keytec BV
• Inventors: Sun, Brian Y., Chen, Jung Yu
• Granted Patent: US 7,683,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3179 Video signal processing therefor

Abstract

An interactive presentation system uses a presentation computer, a computer-controlled image projector and a projection screen, in which control of the presentation computer is accomplished by using a wireless optical pointer that projects an encoded control cursor onto the projection screen. The projected screen images are monitored by a video camera, and the control cursor is scanned, detected and decoded for emulating various keyboard commands and/or pointing device (mouse, touch pad, track ball) position-dependent cursor operations. The control cursor is reliably detected and its coordinate location is accurately determined on the basis of one or more primary image attributes, for example image intensity and image repetition rate, both of which are independent of monitoring angles and pointing device projection angles, and one or more secondary image attributes, for example image size, color and pattern. Neither of the primary attributes can be masked or obscured by the presence of background screen images or objects. Although the secondary attributes of the control cursor may be identical with the attributes of background images, reliable decoding of a computer command is assured since analysis and decoding of the secondary attributes are conditionally performed only after the control cursor image has been detected and captured (stored in memory for determination of coordinate location) on the basis of one or more of the independent attributes.

Claims

1. A computer presentation system for generating commands for remotely controlling a presentation computer based on a plurality of user selectable properties of an optical cursor generated by a hand-held pointer and projected onto a screen displaying output images projected onto the screen from the presentation computer, comprising in combination:

an optical projector coupled to the presentation computer for projecting images output from the computer onto the screen;

an optical pointer for producing a control cursor characterized by one or more primary image attributes, each primary attribute being substantially independent of control cursor projection angle limitations as well as presentation background image limitations, and the control cursor being characterized by one or more secondary image attributes, each secondary attribute being encoded with a command corresponding to a specific computer operation;

a camera for capturing images projected onto the screen; and

an image processor connected in communication with the camera for processing the captured images to (a) detect the control cursor on the basis of one or more of the primary attributes of the control cursor, (b) determine the position of the control cursor relative to output from the presentation computer, and (c) generate a command signal for output to the presentation computer based on one or more of the secondary attributes.

2. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control cursor is characterized by one or more primary image attributes selected from the group consisting of image intensity and image repetition rate.

3. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control cursor is characterized by one or more secondary image attributes selected from the group consisting of image color, image size and image pattern.

4. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the image processor includes control logic means for generating a command signal for output to the presentation computer based on one or more of the secondary attributes only if the presence of one or more of the primary image attributes is detected in the control cursor.

5. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the image processor includes control logic means for generating a command signal for output to the presentation computer based on a combination of one or more of the primary attributes and one or more of the secondary attributes.

6. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the image processor includes pixel intensity differential means for detecting the presence of one or more of the primary attributes of the control cursor image.

7. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the image processor includes recognition software for decoding one or more of the secondary attributes of the control cursor image.

8. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical pointer comprises a hand-held pointer operable for projecting a control cursor in the form of a monochromatic laser beam spot image having a predetermined image intensity as a primary image attribute, and one or more user selectable image colors, sizes or patterns as its secondary attributes.

9. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical pointer comprises a hand-held pointer operable for projecting a control cursor in the form of a monochromatic laser beam spot image having a predetermined image repetition rate as a primary image attribute, and one or more user selectable image colors, sizes or patterns as its secondary image attributes.

10. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical pointer comprises a beam projector circuit for producing a continuous laser beam having a predetermined image intensity that is relatively greater than the expected peak value of the image intensity of the presentation background images.

11. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical pointer comprises a beam projector circuit for producing a laser beam having a predetermined image intensity and predetermined repetition rate.

12. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical pointer comprises a hand-held pointer having a polychromatic light source operable for projecting a control cursor in the form of a light beam having a predetermined image intensity and image repetition rate as its primary attributes, and one or more user selectable image colors, sizes, or patterns as its secondary image attributes.

13. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the optical pointer includes a rotary template having a set of apertures formed therein, the apertures having geometrical profiles through which polychromatic light can be directed for providing the secondary image attributes of shape, size, geometrical profile and pattern.

14. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the optical pointer includes a rotary carousel having a set of color filters carried thereon, wherein the secondary image attribute of color is provided by projecting the polychromatic light beam through a selected one of the filters.

15. A method for remotely controlling a presentation computer having an associated presentation screen for displaying output from the presentation computer and having an internal cursor generated by the presentation computer, the method comprising:

producing a control cursor characterized by one or more primary image attributes, each primary attribute being substantially independent of control cursor projection angle limitations as well as presentation background image limitations, and the control cursor being characterized by one or more secondary image attributes, each secondary attribute corresponding to a specific computer operation;

detecting one or more of the primary attributes of the control cursor and determining the position of the control cursor relative to output from the presentation computer;

generating a command signal for output to the presentation computer based on one or more of the secondary attributes; and

inputting the command signal to the presentation computer.

16. The method of claim 15, including the step:

generating a command signal for output to the presentation computer based on one or more of the primary image attributes and one or more of the secondary image attributes.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising the steps:

capturing an image of the presentation screen and the control cursor with a camera;

processing the captured image to detect the presence of one or more of the primary attributes in the image of the control cursor; and

processing the image of the control cursor to decode one or more of the secondary attributes and generating a command signal for output to the presentation computer based on one or more of the secondary image attributes, subject to the condition that the presence of one or more of the primary attributes is detected in the image of the control cursor.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising the steps:

capturing an image of the presentation screen and the control cursor with a camera;

processing the captured image to detect the presence of one or more of the primary attributes in the image of the control cursor; and

processing the image of the control cursor to decode one or more of the secondary attributes and generating a command signal for output to the presentation computer based on a combination of one or more of the primary image attributes and one or more of the secondary image attributes, subject to the condition that the presence of one or more of the primary attributes is detected in the image of the control cursor.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of producing a control cursor comprises the step:

conforming the control cursor to one or more primary image attributes selected from the group consisting of control image intensity and control image repetition rate.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of producing a control cursor comprises the step of presetting the image intensity of the control cursor generated by the optical projector to a relatively high level relative to the expected peak value of the presentation screen background image intensity.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of producing a control cursor comprises the step:

conforming the control cursor to one or more secondary image attributes selected from the group consisting of control image color, control image size and control image profile, shape or pattern.

22. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the control cursor is produced by an optical pointer that includes a rotary template having a set of apertures formed therein, the apertures having predetermined geometrical profiles, and the step of conforming the control cursor comprises projecting a beam of light through a selected one of the apertures to provide the secondary image attributes of shape, size, geometrical profile and pattern.

23. A computer presentation system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the control cursor is produced by an optical pointer that includes a rotary carousel having a set of color filters disposed therein, and the step of conforming the control cursor comprises projecting a beam of light through a selected one of the color filters to provide the secondary image attribute of color.

24. A method for generating presentation computer commands based on cursor position and at least one attribute of a control cursor, the method comprising:

displaying output from a presentation computer on a presentation screen;

producing a control cursor having one or more primary image attributes and one or more secondary image attributes, wherein the primary attributes and secondary attributes are mutually exclusive with respect to each other, respectively, and the secondary attributes each being encoded to correspond to a specific computer operation;

displaying the control cursor on the presentation screen;

capturing an image of the screen display;

detecting one or more of the primary attributes of the control cursor and determining the position of the control cursor relative to output from the presentation computer;

processing the image of the control cursor to decode at least one of the secondary attributes subject to the condition that the presence of one or more of the primary attributes is detected in the image of the control cursor; and

generating a command signal based on the position of the control cursor and the at least one secondary image attribute for output to the presentation computer for causing the internal cursor to move to the control cursor position.