Inputting information using holographic techniques

• US 20090184851A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Grego, Giorgio, Roccato, Diego
• Granted Patent: US 8,089,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/31
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0005 Adaptation of holography to specific applications holographic optical element G02B5/32; holographic scanner G02B26/106; recognition using holographic mask G06V10/88; holographic memories G11B7/0065, G11C13/042
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0061 in haptic applications when the observer interacts with the holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0066 for wavefront matching wherein the hologram is arranged to convert a predetermined wavefront into a comprehensive wave, e.g. associative memory recognition using holographic masks G06V10/88
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0413 for recording transmission holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0415 for recording reflection holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/226 Virtual or real
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886

Abstract

A method for inputting commands to a holographic input system, includes the steps of generating a virtual image of an input device by illuminating a hologram of the input device by means of a corresponding reference beam, the hologram being prerecorded on a holographic support; optically detecting a position of at least one actuator for operating the input device with respect to the virtual image of the input device; and issuing at least one command signal corresponding to the position of that at least one actuator as optically detected. The optical detection operation further includes providing at least one actuation hologram corresponding to the at least one actuator being placed at a specified position with respect to the virtual image of the input device, illuminating the at least one actuator with a beam, in order to obtain scattering into a corresponding object beam interacting with one actuation hologram through the corresponding object beam; generating a respective actuation detection beam through the interaction; and detecting the respective actuation detection beam to issue the command signal.

Claims

1-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A method for inputting commands, comprising the steps of:

generating a virtual image of an input device by illuminating a hologram of said input device by means of a corresponding reference beam, said hologram being prerecorded on a holographic support;

optically detecting a position of at least one actuator for operating said input device with respect to said virtual image of said input device; and

issuing at least one command signal corresponding to said position of said at least one actuator as optically detected, said optical detection step comprising;

providing at least one actuation hologram corresponding to said at least one actuator being placed at a specified position with respect to said virtual image of said input device;

illuminating said at least one actuator with a beam in order to obtain scattering into a corresponding object beam;

interacting with one actuation hologram through the corresponding object beam;

generating a respective actuation detection beam through said interaction; and

detecting said respective actuation detection beam to issue said command signal.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising a step of prerecording on said holographic support said at least one actuation hologram.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said prerecording step comprises placing said at least one actuator at a time at said specified position with respect to said virtual image and recording a corresponding actuation hologram through a corresponding detection beam.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said actuation hologram is located in a different area of said holographic support with respect to the area in which the hologram of the input device is recorded.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the area used by said actuation hologram is substantially smaller in size with respect to the area in which the hologram of the input device is recorded.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein said actuation detection beam corresponds to a reference beam used for recording said actuation hologram.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein said actuation detection beam corresponds to a conjugate beam of a reference beam used for recording said actuation hologram.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein a conjugate beam of said reference beam used for recording said actuation hologram is also detected.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein said input device is a keyboard.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein said actuation hologram has a size comparable with the size of a key of the input device.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of supplying an audio or visual feedback of said step of detecting said respective actuation detection beam to issue said command signal.

38. The method of claim 27, comprising the step of recording said hologram of the input device and said actuation hologram on separate holographic supports and assembling said supports so as to form said holographic support.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein said plurality of actuation holograms is recorded in a same area of the holographic support by varying an incidence angle of the corresponding detection beams associated with each of said actuation holograms.

40. A system for inputting commands, comprising:

an optical system for generating a virtual image of an input device by illuminating a hologram of said input device by means of a reference beam, said hologram being prerecorded on a holographic support;

a detection module for optical detection of the position of at least one actuator for operating said input device with respect to said virtual image of said input device; and

an issuing module for issuing at least one command signal corresponding to said position of said at least one actuator as optically detected, said optical detection comprising;

prerecorded actuation holograms corresponding to said at least one actuator being placed at specified positions with respect to said virtual image of said input device; and

a further optical system for illuminating said at least one actuator in order to obtain scattering into a corresponding object beam, wherein

the actuation hologram is capable of interacting with the corresponding object beam in order to generate a respective actuation detection beam; and

wherein

the detection module is capable of detecting said respective actuation detection beam to issue said command signal.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said prerecorded actuation holograms are prerecorded on said holographic support.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein said prerecorded actuation holograms are recorded separately with respect to each other through corresponding reference beams.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein said holographic support carries different areas for recording said actuation holograms with respect to the area for recording the hologram of the input device.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the area used by said actuation hologram is substantially smaller in size with respect to the area in which the hologram of the input device is recorded.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein said input device is a keyboard.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein said actuator hologram has a size similar to a size of a key of the input device.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein said module for detecting the respective actuation detection beam is an array of charge coupled devices.

48. The system of claim 40, wherein the detection module comprises a module for audio or visual feedback of the detection of said actuation detection beam.

49. The system of claim 40, wherein said holographic support comprises a plurality of assembled holographic supports.

50. The system of claim 40, wherein said holographic support carries said plurality of actuation holograms in a same area.

51. A holographic support comprising the system of claim 40.

52. A method for producing a holographic support of claim 51, comprising the steps of:

recording a hologram of said input device on said holographic support by means of an object beam and a first reference beam; and

recording on said holographic support by means of at least one respective reference beam at last one actuator hologram of at least one actuator being placed at one of a plurality of specified positions with respect to a virtual image of said hologram of said input device.