Infrared Screen-Type Space Touch Apparatus

• US 20110148821A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Korea Electronics Technology Institute (Government of South Korea)
• Original Assignee: Korea Electronics Technology Institute (Government of South Korea)
• Inventors: Hong, Sung Hee, Park, Byoung Ha, Jung, Kwang Mo, Ahn, Yang Keun, Choi, Kwang Soon, Park, Young Choong
• Application Number:
  US12/975,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148821A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an infrared screen-type space touch apparatus. The infrared screen-type space touch apparatus includes an infrared LED array provided with infrared LEDs arranged in a line, and configured to emit infrared rays and generate an infrared screen in a space. An infrared camera is installed to allow a lens thereof to face the infrared screen. A space touch sensor module senses a location touched by a user pointing means on the infrared screen from a gray scale image captured by the infrared camera.

Further, the infrared screen-type space touch apparatus may further include a pulse generation unit configured to periodically generate a pulse signal, and an LED driver unit coupled to the pulse generation unit and configured to supply pulsed DC power to the infrared LED array.

Claims

1. An infrared screen-type space touch apparatus, comprising:

an infrared Light Emitting Diode (LED) array provided with infrared LEDs arranged in a line, and configured to emit infrared rays and generate an infrared screen in a space;

an infrared camera installed in a position to allow a lens thereof to face the infrared screen;

a pulse generation unit configured to periodically generate a pulse signal;

an LED driver unit, coupled to the pulse generation unit, and configured to supply pulsed Direct Current (DC) power to the infrared LED array when the pulse signal is input from the pulse generation unit, and to interrupt supply of the DC power to the infrared LED array when the pulse signal is not input from the pulse generation unit; and

a space touch sensor module, coupled to the infrared camera, and configured to sense a location touched by a user pointing means on the infrared screen from a gray scale image captured by the infrared camera.

2. The infrared screen-type space touch apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared camera is coupled to the pulse generation unit and performs capturing when the pulse signal is input from the pulse generation unit.

3. The infrared screen-type space touch apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the infrared camera is installed at a location which is closer to a monitor than to the infrared LED array.