TRACKING APPROACHING OR HOVERING OBJECTS FOR USER-INTERFACES

• US 20100103139A1
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandt, Jeffrey, Soo, Armstrong, Ku, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 8,253,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can utilize photo-sensors embedded in a substantially transparent layer of a UI display for tracking objects that approach or hover over the UI display. The photo-sensors can be configured to detect light of certain wavelengths (e.g., visible light, infrared light) that are propagated toward the UI display, while ignoring light emanating from the UI display when displaying content. Accordingly, by examining various characteristics of the incoming light such as intensity, the architecture can identify a location of a shadow incident upon the display caused by an approaching or hovering selector object blocking portions of incoming light. Additionally or alternatively, the architecture can identify a location of higher intensity for light emanating from the selector object.

Claims

1. A system that utilizes photo-sensors to track objects that approach or hover over a UI display, comprising:

a UI display that includes a set of photo-sensors that detect electromagnetic radiation;

a light analysis component that identifies a coordinate on the UI display based upon data received from the set of photo-sensors, the coordinate relates to a position of a selector object; and

a tracking component that monitors the position of the selector object relative to the UI display.

2. The system of claim 1, the set of photo-sensors is included in a substantially transparent layer of the UI display.

3. The system of claim 1, each sensor included in the set of photo-sensors is configured to measure an intensity of the electromagnetic radiation.

4. The system of claim 3, the intensity relates to electromagnetic radiation propagated substantially toward the UI display.

5. The system of claim 3, the electromagnetic radiation is visible light with a wavelength that ranges substantially between 300 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

6. The system of claim 3, the electromagnetic radiation is infrared radiation with a wavelength that ranges substantially between 800 nanometers and 1 millimeter.

7. The system of claim 1, the UI display presents visual content.

8. The system of claim 1, the UI display is a touch-sensitive display that accepts an input based upon contact between the UI display and the selector object.

9. The system of claim 1, the selector object is at least one of an operator'"'"'s finger or thumb, or a stylus.

10. The system of claim 1, the light analysis component employs the data received from the set of photo-sensors to determine a location of a shadow on the UI display that is produced by the selector object.

11. The system of claim 10, the light analysis component utilizes the location of the shadow to select the coordinate.

12. The system of claim 1, the light analysis component employs the data received from the set of photo-sensors to determine an intersection of infrared light emitted from the selector object.

13. The system of claim 10, the light analysis component utilizes the intersection of the infrared light to select the coordinate.

14. The system of claim 1, the light analysis component utilizes aspects of both visible light and infrared radiation to refine the coordinate.

15. The system of claim 1, the light analysis component employs the data received from the set of photo-sensors to determine an angle of incoming electromagnetic radiation or a size or shape of an area with varying intensity of incoming electromagnetic radiation.

16. The system of claim 15, the tracking component determines at least one of the position of the selector object, a distance between the UI display and the selector object, or a shape or size of the selector object.

17. A method for employing photo-sensors for tracking approaching or hovering objects with respect to a UI display, comprising:

including in a UI display an array of photo-sensors that compose one or more layers of the UI display;

employing data from the array of photo-sensors for selecting a coordinate on the UI display that is associated with a position of a selector object; and

tracking the position of the selector object relative to the UI display.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

adapting the array for detecting light propagating toward the UI display while ignoring light propagating away from the UI display;

adapting the one or more layers of the array to be substantially transparent to content exhibited by the UI display;

adapting the array for detecting an angle of incidence for light approaching the UI display;

adapting the array for distinguishing light in the visible spectrum or light in the infrared spectrum;

or

utilizing the one or more layers of the array with a touch-sensitive UI display.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

determining a location of a shadow cast upon the one or more layers by the selector object for selecting the coordinate on the UI display;

determining a location of intersection between the one or more layers and infrared light emanating from the selector object;

combining information associated with the location of the shadow and the location of the intersection for improving the selecting of the coordinate;

or

calculating at least one of the position of the selector object, a distance between the UI display and the selector object, or a shape or size of the selector object.

20. A system that utilizes photo-sensors to track objects that approach or hover over a UI display, comprising:

a touch-sensitive UI display that includes an array of photo-sensors distributed among one or more layers of the UI display, each of the photo-sensors included in the array is configured to detect an intensity of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength in the range of about 300 nanometers to about 1 millimeter;

a light analysis component that identifies a coordinate on the UI display based upon data received from the set of photo-sensors, the coordinate relates to a location of a shadow cast by a selector object or an intersection of infrared radiation propagated from the selector object; and

a tracking component that monitors the position of the selector object relative to the UI display.