APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRACKING A LIGHT POINTER

• US 20090115722A1
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnivision Technologies Incorporated (Will Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Shanghai)
• Original Assignee: Omnivision Technologies Incorporated (Will Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Shanghai)
• Inventors: Li, Jin, SHAN, Jizhang
• Granted Patent: US 8,188,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen

Abstract

A light pointer apparatus has a light source module for projecting a light beam onto a surface. The light pointer apparatus also has an image sensor module and a transmitter module. The image sensor module detects a position in the surface of a visible light spot generated by the projected light beam striking the surface. The transmitter module transmits the position of the visible light spot to a remote device for remote control of a device.

Claims

1. A light pointer apparatus, comprising:

a light source module for projecting a light beam onto a surface;

an image sensor module for detecting a position in the surface of a visible light spot generated by the projected light beam striking the surface; and

a transmitter module for transmitting the position of the visible light spot on the surface to a remote device for remote control of a device.

2. The light pointer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image sensor module comprises an image sensor and a processor.

3. The light pointer apparatus of claim 2, wherein the position is determined by the processor.

4. The light pointer apparatus of claim 2, wherein the image sensor and the processor are mounted on separate chips.

5. The light pointer apparatus of claim 2, wherein the image sensor and the processor are integrated into a single chip.

6. The light pointer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source module comprises a light source selected from the list comprising:

a laser; and

a light emitting diode.

7. The light pointer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position comprises a displacement position.

8. The light pointer apparatus of claim 7, wherein the displacement position is determined with reference to a reference point in the surface.

9. The light pointer apparatus of claim 7, wherein the displacement position is determined with reference to a previous position of the projected light beam.

10. The light pointer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises a display screen.

11. The light pointer apparatus of claim 10, wherein the remote device comprises a computer generating images for display onto the display screen.

12. The light pointer apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer comprises a calibration routine and a training routine.

13. An image sensor apparatus for use in a light pointer projecting a light beam onto a surface, comprising:

an image sensor module for detecting a position in the surface of a visible light spot generated by the projected light beam striking the surface; and

a transmitter module for transmitting the position of the visible light spot to a remote device for remote control of a device.

14. The image sensor apparatus of claim 13, wherein the surface comprises a display screen.

15. The image sensor apparatus of claim 14, wherein the light beam is projected to superimpose an image projected onto the display screen.

16. The image sensor apparatus of claim 13, wherein the image sensor module comprises an image sensor and a processor.

17. The image sensor apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to determine the position of the projected light beam.

18. The image sensor apparatus of claim 16, wherein the image sensor and the processor are mounted on separate chips.

19. The image sensor apparatus of claim 16, wherein the image sensor and the processor are integrated in a single chip.

20. The image sensor apparatus of claim 13, wherein the transmitter module comprises a wireless transmitter.

21. A method for emulating a remote control device with a light pointer, comprising:

projecting a light beam onto a surface with the light pointer to generate a visible light spot on the surface;

detecting a position in the surface corresponding to the visible light spot with an image sensor integrated into the light pointer;

transmitting the position of the visible light spot to a remote device; and

controlling the remote device based on the position of the visible light spot.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein detecting a position in the surface comprises detecting a two-dimensional coordinate and a displacement position.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying an image onto the surface.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising mapping the position of the visible light spot to a position in the image.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein controlling the remote device comprises controlling the display of the image onto the surface.