Display Device

• US 20110254811A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Promethean Limited (Best Assistant Education Group Co.)
• Original Assignee: Light Blue Optics Ltd (Lifesize Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wright, James E.G., Cable, Adrian J., Lawrence, Nicholas A., Benet Ballester, Raul
• Granted Patent: US 8,947,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• 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 1/2205 using downstream optical component
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2294 Addressing the hologram to an active spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0061 in haptic applications when the observer interacts with the holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2213 Diffusing screen revealing the real holobject, e.g. container filed with gel to reveal the 3D holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2215 Plane screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2221 Screen having complex surface, e.g. a structured object
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2271 RGB holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/22 2D SLM object wherein the object beam is formed of the light modulated by the SLM SLM per se G03H2001/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/441 Numerical processing applied to the object data other than numerical propagation synthesizing propagation G03H1/0808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

We describe a touch sensitive image display device for projecting a touch sensitive displayed image at an acute angle onto a surface on which the device is placed, the device comprising: a first light source to project a first light distribution; a second light source to project a second light distribution; a touch sensor system to remotely detect touch of an area of said surface within or adjacent to said displayed image by detecting change of said first light distribution, and having an output to provide a detected touch signal; a presence sensor system to remotely detect presence of an object at least partially within said second light distribution by detecting change of said second light distribution, and having an output to provide a detected presence signal; a controller configured to control said device responsive to said detected touch signal and further configured to control said device responsive to said detected presence signal.

Claims

1. A touch sensitive image display device for projecting a touch sensitive displayed image at an acute angle onto a surface on which the device is placed, the device comprising:

a first light source to project a first light distribution;

a second light source to project a second light distribution;

a touch sensor system to remotely detect touch of an area of said surface within or adjacent to said displayed image by detecting change of said first light distribution, and having an output to provide a detected touch signal;

a presence sensor system to remotely detect presence of an object at least partially within said second light distribution by detecting change of said second light distribution, and having an output to provide a detected presence signal;

a controller configured to control said device responsive to said detected touch signal and further configured to control said device responsive to said detected presence signal.

2. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said responsive control comprises changing power of illumination of projecting at an acute angle onto said surface a further image adjacent to or at least partially overlapping said displayed image.

3. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, wherein said responsive control to change said power is responsive to said detected presence signal.

4. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, further comprising a timer to time absence of a said touch on the basis of said touch signal, and wherein said responsive control further comprises reducing said power of illumination of said further image when said timer reaches a threshold.

5. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, further comprising a timer to time absence of a said presence on the basis of said presence signal, and wherein said responsive control further comprises reducing said power of illumination of said further image when said timer reaches a threshold.

6. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, configured to provide a lower average emission power from said second light source than from said first light source.

7. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said responsive control comprises increasing power emitted by said first light source when said presence signal indicates a said presence.

8. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a timer to time absence of a said touch on the basis of said touch signal, and wherein said responsive control further comprises reducing power emission from said first light source when said timer reaches a threshold.

9. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensor system is further to remotely detect location of a said detected touch.

10. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 8, configured to determine said threshold on the basis of a said location of a said touch.

11. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, configured to repetitively vary power of a said light distribution.

12. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said responsive control comprises reducing power emitted by said second light source when said detected touch signal indicates a said touch detection.

13. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said second light source is said first light source.

14. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a spatial light modulator (SLM) and a controller to control said SLM, on the basis of data defining said displayed image, to replay a target image distorted to compensate for projection onto said surface at said acute angle.

15. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said first light distribution is substantially two-dimensional.

16. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said second light distribution is substantially two-dimensional.

17. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said first light distribution extends over a first area of said surface, said second light distribution extends over a second area of said surface, and said second area at least partially overlaps said first area.

18. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, configured to determine that an object detected by said device is present at least partially within said second light distribution is laterally beyond said displayed image.

19. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 17, wherein said presence sensor system is to detect movement of said laterally beyond object towards said displayed image.

20. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensor system is to detect said remote touch by detecting light scattered by said object from said first light distribution.

21. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said presence sensor system is to detect said remote presence by detecting light scattered by said object from said second light distribution.

22. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensor systems comprises a multi-pixel sensor.

23. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensor system is said presence sensor system.

24. A consumer electronic device such as a camcorder, camera, music player, mobile phone, media player or computer, comprising a touch sensitive display device according to claim 1.

25. A consumer electronic device having a touch sensitive user interface, the device comprising:

an input to receive data defining a touch sensitive image for display;

an image processor coupled to said input, to receive said data defining a touch sensitive image for display and to output distortion compensated image data for said touch sensitive image for display;

image projection optics including a spatial light modulator coupled to said image processor configured to project towards a surface at an acute angle to the surface to provide a projected image for said touch sensitive user interface;

a remote touch sensing system for said touch sensitive user interface comprising an illumination system configured to illuminate a region adjacent said projected image, and an image capture system to capture scattered light from said illuminated region resulting from touching said projected image;

a power management system to control power to switch off at least said illumination system of said remote touch sensing system in response to absence of use of the consumer electronic device and to switch on at least said illumination system of said remote touch sensing system in response to detection of proximity of a user of the consumer electronic device.

26. A consumer electronic device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said power management system is coupled to receive a user presence signal from said remote touch sensing system to control said switch on of said illumination system.

27. A consumer electronic device as claimed in claim 25, further comprising a second remote presence sensing system wherein said power management system is coupled to receive a user presence signal from said second remote presence sensing system to control said switch on of said illumination system.

28. A consumer electronic device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said image processor or a further processor is coupled to receive touch position data from said remote touch sensing system, and wherein said touch sensitive image for display is selected or modified responsive to said touch position data.

29. A touch sensitive image display device for projecting a touch sensitive displayed image at an acute angle onto a surface on which the device is placed, the device comprising:

a light source to project a first light distribution;

a light source to project a second light distribution;

a multi-pixel sensor system to remotely detect location of touch of an area of said surface within or adjacent to said displayed image by detecting light from said first distribution, and having an output to provide a detected touch location signal;

a presence sensor system to remotely detect presence of an object at least partially within said second light distribution, and having an output to provide a detected object signal;

a controller having an input to receive said detected touch location signal and an input to receive said detected object signal, and configured to control said touch sensitive image display device responsive to said signals,

wherein said presence sensor system comprises at least one sensor and said detected object signal indicates at least one intensity of light received by said at least one said sensor.

30. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein presence sensor system has lower spatial resolution than said multi-pixel sensor.

31. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said first light distribution is substantially two-dimensional.

32. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said second light distribution is substantially two-dimensional.

33. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said second light distribution is a three-dimensional volume.

34. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein at least one said presence sensor comprises a single-pixel sensor.

35. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said presence detection detects proximity of said object to said first distribution.

36. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said presence detection detects hovering of said object proximate to said first distribution.

37. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said responsive control comprises changing power of said first light distribution.

38. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said responsive control comprises displaying a further image adjacent to or at least partially overlapping said displayed image.

39. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, comprising a transceiver having said second light distribution light source and said presence sensor system.

40. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, the device configured to repetitively pulse said second light distribution.

41. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 40, wherein said sensor system is configured to perform said object detection when said second light distribution is pulsed on.

42. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 40, wherein said controller is configured to read in said detected object signal synchronous with said pulsing.

43. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said sensor system is configured to detect a background light intensity level when said second light distribution is off.

44. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 43, wherein said controller is configured to perform said responsive control on the basis of said detected object signal and said background light intensity level.

45. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, further comprising a spatial light modulator (SLM) and a controller to control said SLM, on the basis of data defining said displayed image, to replay a target image distorted to compensate for projection onto said surface at said acute angle.

46. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29, wherein said second light distribution light source is a light emitting diode, laser, filament lamp or fluorescent lamp.

47. A consumer electronic device such as a camcorder, camera, music player, mobile phone, media player or computer, comprising the touch sensitive image display device according to claim 29.