OPTICAL POSITION DETECTION DEVICE AND APPARATUS WITH POSITION DETECTION FUNCTION

• US 20120153121A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Columbia Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: ONISHI, Yasunori
• Granted Patent: US 8,674,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/206.1
• 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 3/0428 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 optical position detection device that detects a position of a target object, includes plural detection light sources that output detection light, alight source drive unit that drives the plural detection light sources, a first light receiving unit that receives the detection light reflected by the target object located in an output space of the detection light, a compensation light source unit that outputs compensation light that enters outside the output space, a second light receiving unit that receives the compensation light, and a position detection unit that detects the position of the target object based on a difference between first received light intensity in the first light receiving unit and second received light intensity in the second light receiving unit.

Claims

1. An optical position detection device that detects a position of a target object, comprising:

plural detection light sources that output detection light;

a light source drive unit that drives the plural detection light sources;

a first light receiving unit that receives the detection light reflected by the target object located in an output space of the detection light;

a compensation light source unit that outputs compensation light that remains outside the output space;

a second light receiving unit that receives the compensation light; and

a position detection unit that detects the position of the target object based on a first difference between first received light intensity in the first light receiving unit and second received light intensity in the second light receiving unit.

2. The optical position detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a compensation light source control unit that controls the compensation light source unit so that the second received light intensity is equal to a received light intensity of the detection light reflected by an object other than the target object.

3. The optical position detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the light source drive unit executes a first operation of allowing a part of the plural detection light sources to output the detection light and a second operation of allowing the other part of the detection light sources to output the detection light, and

the position detection unit detects the position of the target object based on a second difference between third received light intensity in the first light receiving unit and fourth received light intensity in the second light receiving unit at the first operation, and a third difference between fifth received light intensity in the first light receiving unit and sixth received light intensity in the second light receiving unit at the second operation.

4. The optical position detection device according to claim 3, wherein

the position detection unit controls the light source drive unit so that the second difference and the third difference are equal, and detects the position of the target object based on a first drive condition for the detection light sources at the first operation and a second drive condition for the detection light sources at the second operation, and

first output intensity of the compensation light changes, at the first operation, in conjunction with second output intensity of the detection light output from the detection light sources at the first operation, and the first output intensity changes, at the second operation, in conjunction with third output intensity of the detection light output from the detection light sources at the second operation.

5. The optical position detection device according to claim 4, wherein

the light source drive unit supplies power, at the first operation, to the detection light sources that output the detection light at the first operation and to the compensation light source unit, and

the light source drive unit supplies power, at the second operation, to the detection light sources that output detection light at the second operation and to the compensation light source unit.

6. The optical position detection device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a compensation drive current setting unit that respectively defines a first ratio between a first drive current supplied to the detection light sources and a second drive current supplied to the compensation light source unit at the first operation and a second ratio between a third drive current supplied to the detection light sources and a fourth drive current supplied to the compensation light source unit at the second operation.

7. The optical position detection device according to claim 6, wherein

the compensation light source unit includes a first compensation light source that outputs first compensation light as the compensation light at the first operation and a second compensation light source that outputs second compensation light as the compensation light at the second operation.

8. The optical position detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the first light receiving unit is a first photoelectric conversion element, and

the second light receiving unit is a second photoelectric conversion element electrically connected in parallel with opposite polarity to the first photoelectric conversion element.

9. An apparatus with a position detection function comprising:

the optical position detection device according to claim 1; and

a visual surface component member having a visual surface.

10. An optical position detection apparatus that detects a position of a target object, comprising:

plural detection light sources that output detection light;

a light source drive unit that drives the plural detection light sources;

a first light receiving unit that receives the detection light reflected by the target object located in an output space of the detection light;

a compensation light source unit that outputs compensation light having weaker intensity than that of the detection light;

a second light receiving unit that receives the compensation light; and

a position detection unit that detects the position of the target object based on a difference between first received light intensity in the first light receiving unit and second received light intensity in the second light receiving unit.