Method and Device for User Interaction

• US 20080303802A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Nieuwkerk, Armanda Cinderella, Destura, Galileo June, Oostveen, Johan Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

The invention relates to a user interaction device (200, 300) comprising an optical module (210, 310) having a layer (5) of a substance being electrically switchable between a first visual state and a second visual state, and an electrical switch (6a, 6b) for electrically switching the substance between the first and second visual states, a detector (6a, 11b) for detecting the presence of a physical object, and a control unit (290, 390) for controlling the electrical switch in response to the detection of presence of the physical object.

Claims

1. A user interaction device (200, 300) comprising

an optical module (210, 310) having a layer (5) of a substance being electrically switchable between a first visual state and a second visual state, and an electrical switch (6a, 6b) for electrically switching the substance between the first and second visual states,

a detector (6a, 11b) for detecting the presence of a physical object, and

a control unit (290, 390) for controlling the electrical switch in response to the detection of the presence of the physical object.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical switch and the detector are integrated for detecting the presence of the physical object.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the electrical switch comprises two electrodes (6a, 6b) on opposite sides of the layer of the substance, and one of the electrodes is used for detecting the presence of the physical object.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the layer comprises a scattering layer for scattering a portion of an ambient light (222).

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the scattering layer comprises a liquid crystal-polymer composite.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising a reflective layer (5a) for reflecting a portion of the scattered ambient light back towards the scattering layer.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to measure a pressure.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to detect a touch location.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the substance has the first or second visual state being transparent.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the substance has the first or second visual state corresponding to an ambiance colour.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a transparent conducting material.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical switch comprises a plurality of electrodes (6b) for selectively switching a portion of the layer of the substance between the first and second visual states.

13. A system comprising the user interaction device of claim 1 and a display device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interaction device is laid over the display device for displaying through the user interaction device.

15. A user interaction method comprising the steps of

(410) using an optical module having a layer of a substance being electrically switchable between a first visual state and a second visual state, and an electrical switch for electrically switching the substance between the first and second visual states,

(420) detecting the presence of a physical object, and

(430) controlling the electrical switch in response to the detection of the presence of a physical object.