INFORMATION INPUT DEVICE

• US 20150186039A1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ide, Masafumi
• Application Number:
  US14/423,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20150186039A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/54 with projector
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3161 using laser light sources using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

Provided is an information input device whereby visible laser light which projects an information input image is prevented from irradiating a face or an eye. The information input device includes a projection unit projecting an information input image with visible laser light, a movable support unit mounting the projection unit thereon so that a projection position of the information input image by the projection unit can be changed, a first sensing unit capturing an image of a sensing region within which the information input image can be projected, a second sensing unit which is mounted on the movable support unit and detects an object entering a predetermined region containing the projection position of the information input image and a distance to the object, an information input detection unit detecting information input by identifying, based on image data captured by the first sensing unit, an input operation being performed on the information input image, and an identification control unit which identifies, based on information acquired by the second sensing unit, the presence or absence of a particular object entering the predetermined region and, if the entering of a particular object is detected, then causes the projection unit to stop projecting the information input image.

Claims

1. An information input device comprising:

a projection unit which projects an information input image by using visible laser light;

a movable support unit which mounts the projection unit thereon in such a manner that a projection position on which the information input image is to be projected by the projection unit can be changed;

a first sensing unit which captures an image of a sensing region within which the information input image can be projected;

a second sensing unit which is mounted on the movable support unit, and which detects an object entering a predetermined region containing the projection position of the information input image and detects a distance to the object;

an information input detection unit which detects information input by identifying, based on image data captured by the first sensing unit, an image of an input operation being performed on the information input image; and

an identification control unit which identifies, based on information acquired by the second sensing unit, the presence or absence of a particular object entering the predetermined region and, if the entering of a particular object is detected, then causes the projection unit to stop projecting the information input image.

2. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein the information input detection unit detects information input by identifying, based on image data captured by the first sensing unit and information acquired by the second sensing unit, an image of an input operation being performed on the information input image.

3. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein the identification control unit identifies, based on image data captured by the first sensing unit and information acquired by the second sensing unit, the presence or absence of a particular object entering the predetermined region and, if the entering of a particular object is detected, then causes the projection unit to stop projecting the information input image.

4. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein the identification control unit identifies a human eye, nose, ear, mouth, face contour, or face as a particular object.

5. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein the second sensing unit includes an infrared light emitting unit, an infrared light sensing unit, and a scanning unit which scans the predetermined region in a two-dimensional fashion with an infrared beam that the infrared light emitting unit emits.

6. The information input device according to claim 5, wherein the second sensing unit detects the distance to the object entering the predetermined region by using a random dot pattern.

7. The information input device according to claim 5, wherein the second sensing unit detects the distance to the object entering the predetermined region by using a position sensitive device.

8. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein the first sensing unit includes an infrared light emitting unit and an infrared camera.

9. The information input device according to claim 8, wherein the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit respectively use mutually perpendicular linearly polarized infrared lights.

10. The information input device according to claim 8, wherein the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit respectively use infrared lights of different wavelengths.

11. The information input device according to claim 8, wherein the infrared light emitting unit in the first sensing unit and the infrared light emitting unit in the second sensing unit have respectively different emission timings.

12. The information input device according to claim 1, wherein the first sensing unit includes a camera module constructed from a combination of a camera for capturing a color image and an infrared camera for acquiring depth information.

13. The information input device according to claim 1, further comprising a projection position control unit which, based on image data captured by the first sensing unit, identifies a target object on which the information input image is to be projected, and controls the movable support unit so as to cause the projection unit to project the information input image by tracking the position of the target object.