LIGHT FEEDBACK ON PHYSICAL OBJECT SELECTION

• US 20090189775A1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Loenen, Evert Jan, Lashina, Tatiana, Van Doorn, Markus Gerardus Leonardus Maria, Buil, Vincentius Paulus, Hollemans, Gerrit, Van De Wijdeven, Sander Bernard Francis, Van Gelder, Kero
• Granted Patent: US 9,336,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.360
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address

Abstract

A highlighting method and an interaction system (100) include at least one controllable light emitting source (110) linked to an item (120); and a processor (140) configured to turn on the controllable light emitting source (110) in response to user selection of the item (120). The controllable light emitting source (110) may be embedded in a mat (210) or a strip (430). The mat (210) may include a matrix of photo detectors or pressure sensors configured to detect the base or footprint of the item (120) when placed on the mat (210). The periphery of the product or the footprint may be illuminated upon selecting the product. Alternatively or additionally, a background surface behind the product may be illuminated upon selection thereof.

Claims

1. An interactive system for providing visual feedback in response to selection of an item by a user, the system comprising:

a controllable light emitting source linked to said item; and

a processor configured to turn on said controllable light emitting source and illuminate said item in response to said user'"'"'s selection thereof.

2. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said controllable light emitting source is embedded in at least one of a mat and strip associated with said item.

3. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said mat includes at least one of a matrix of photo detectors and matrix of pressure sensors configured to detect a base of said item when placed on said mat.

4. The interactive system of claim 1, further comprising a reader device attached to said controllable light emitting source for reading a tag attached to said item.

5. The interactive system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to link said controllable light emitting source to said item.

6. The interactive system of claim 5, wherein said sensor includes a tag attached to said item, said system further comprising a reader configured to read said tag when said item is substantially near said reader.

7. The interactive system of claim 6, wherein said tag is an RFID tag, and said reader is an RFID reader.

8. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said controllable light emitting source is configured to substantially illuminate at least one of a periphery of said item, a contour of a base of said item, and a background surface behind said item.

9. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said controllable light emitting source includes at least one of a light emitting diode, incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, and high intensity discharge light source.

10. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said item is selectable by a user by at least one of pointing and gazing at said item, or selecting said item or an icon associated with said item from a display.

11. The interactive system of claim 10, further comprising a detector configured to detect at least one of said pointing and said gazing.

12. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to control additional controllable light emitting source to illuminate with light of similar attributes said item and at least one of products related to said item and a further item selected by a user.

13. The interactive system of claim 12, wherein at least one of said products and a list of said products are color-coded and displayed on a display projected on a panel located between said item and said user.

14. The interactive system of claim 12, wherein said processor is further configured to control additional controllable light emitting sources to illuminate said user with a color assigned to said user, and to illuminate a further user and products selected by said further user with a further color.

15. The interactive system of claim 12, wherein said processor is further configured to compare at least two products selected by a user and to control further controllable light emitting sources linked to said at least two products for providing an indication of a feature common between said at least two products.

16. A method of highlighting an object by a light source, the method comprising the acts of:

linking said light source to said object;

selecting said object from among a plurality of objects using at least one of pointing at said object, gazing at said object and/or selecting said object from a representation thereof on a display; and

in response to said selecting act, controlling a light emitting source so that said object becomes illuminated.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said controlling act substantially illuminates at least one of a periphery of said object, a contour of a base of said object, and a background surface behind said object.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the act of control additional controllable light emitting sources to illuminate with light of similar attributes said object and at least one of products related to said object and a further item selected by a user.

17-18. -18. (canceled)

21-22. -22. (canceled)

23. An interactive system for providing visual feedback in response to selection of an item by a user, said system comprising:

a controllable light source linked to said item and comprising at least one light-emitting diode for generating light of at least one varying attribute; and

a processor configured to turn on said controllable light emitting source and, in response to the selection of said item by said user, illuminate at least one of a periphery of said item, a contour of a base of said item, and a background surface behind said item.

24. The interactive system of claim 23, wherein said attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

color, color temperature, intensity, hue, saturation, beam width, and spot size.

25. The interactive system of claim 23, further comprising electronic drive circuitry for controlling said light source in coordination with said processor.

26. The interactive system of claim 23, wherein the attribute of said light is varied based at least in part on at least one attribute of said item.