INTERACTIVE INPUT SYSTEM AND BEZEL THEREFOR

• US 20110128219A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kroeker, Wallace I., Thompson, Sean, He, Joyce, Wright, Joe, Sirotich, Roberto A.L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421

Abstract

An interactive input system comprises at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest. At least one radiation source emits radiation into the region of interest. A pliable bezel at least partially surrounds the region of interest. The pliable bezel has a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device.

Claims

1. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

at least one radiation source emitting radiation into said region of interest; and

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest, said a bezel having a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device.

2. An interactive input system according to claim 1 wherein said pliable bezel comprises at least one strap, said pliable bezel bordering multiple sides of said region of interest.

3. An interactive input system according to claim 2 further comprising at least one bezel guide adjacent the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped.

4. An interactive input system according to claim 3 further comprising a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped.

5. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein one or more of said bezel guides comprises retaining structure to retain said bezel.

6. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein each bezel guide in the field of view of said at least one imaging device is coated with a reflective material.

7. An interactive input system according to claim 6 wherein the reflective surface of said bezel and the reflective coating on each said bezel guide is retro-reflective.

8. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein each bezel guide in the field of view of said at least one imaging device is substantially transparent.

9. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein each bezel guide is one of a cylindrical element, a curved element and a thin profile element.

10. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein each bezel guide comprises a plurality of bezel guide elements, the bezel being interleaved between the bezel guide elements.

11. An interactive input system according to claim 4 further comprising an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said bezel to adjust the tension thereof.

12. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein said radiation source comprises a light source.

13. An interactive input system according to claim 12 wherein said light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

14. An interactive input system according to claim 5 wherein each LED is an infrared LED.

15. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein said light source is positioned adjacent said at least one imaging device.

16. An interactive input system according to claim 15 wherein said light source comprise one or more LEDs.

17. An interactive input system according to claim 16 wherein each LED is an infrared LED.

18. An interactive input system according to claim 1 further comprising processing structure communicating with said at least one imaging device and processing image data output thereby.

19. An interactive input system according to claim 18 wherein said region of interest is generally rectangular and wherein said bezel extends along multiple sides of said region of interest.

20. An interactive input system according to claim 19 wherein said bezel extends along three sides of said region of interest.

21. An interactive input system according to claim 20 comprising at least two imaging devices looking into said region of interest from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

22. An interactive input system according to claim 21 comprising a radiation source proximate each imaging device.

23. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest; and

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest, said a bezel having a surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device.

24. An interactive input system according to claim 23 wherein said pliable bezel comprises at least one strap, said pliable bezel bordering multiple sides of said region of interest.

25. An interactive input system according to claim 24 further comprising at least one bezel guide adjacent the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped.

26. An interactive input system according to claim 25 further comprising a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped.

27. An interactive input system according to claim 26 wherein each bezel guide is one of a cylindrical element, a curved element and a thin profile element.

28. An interactive input system according to claim 26 wherein each bezel guide comprises a plurality of bezel guide elements, the bezel being interleaved between the bezel guide elements.

29. An interactive input system according to claim 26 further comprising an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said bezel to adjust the tension thereof.

30. An interactive input system according to claim 23 wherein said pliable bezel is inflatable.

31. An interactive input system according to claim 30 wherein said bezel surrounds said region of interest and accommodates said at least one imaging device.

32. An interactive input system according to claim 31 comprising a plurality of imaging devices at different locations about the periphery of said region of interest, said bezel accommodating said imaging devices.