Image displaying apparatus

• US 5,550,560 A
• Filed: 09/29/1995
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kawachiya, Kiyokuni, Kanada, Yoshihisa, Shiio, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US08/537,071
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156-158, 358/450, 358/453, 359/142, 359/146, 359/148, 348/97, 348/64, 348/254, 348/371
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037

Abstract

A system and method for detecting when an operator selects one of multiple objects from a projected image. Image data, object data and relative position data drive a liquid crystal unit to form on a screen a composite display of both image and objects. When the operator presses a switch, a signal including the state of brightness from an optical sensor is entered into a brightness determinator of a personal computer. The brightness determinator initiates the determination of the brightness and then the object controller varies the brightness of each object. Along with the change in the brightness of objects, the brightness determinator decides the object indicated based on the brightness detected by the optical sensor to cause an object correspondence processor to effect the processing (conversion of a display) corresponding to the object selected by the operator.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus, comprising:

means for generating a video image with multiple regions;

means for varying the intensity of a selected region of the video image, created by the means for generating, about an intensity level for the selected region;

means for detecting by optical sensor the intensity of the selected region of the video image;

means for comparing the detected intensity of the selected region with an average of the detected intensity, the average corresponding to the level for the selected region, to derive variations in the intensity created by the means for varying;

means for identifying the selected region using the derived variations; and

means for changing the generated video image responsive to the identification of the selected region.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the means for detecting is positionable to the selected region by a user.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein the means for varying is directly responsive to user enablement.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein the means for varying changes the intensity of the different regions in different rates.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein the means for detecting comprises a user handled light sensor.

6. A method for controlling the display of an image, comprising the steps of:

generating a video image with multiple regions;

varying the intensity of a selected region of the video image about a level for the selected region;

selecting a region of the video image;

detecting by optical sensor the intensity of the selected region of the video image;

comparing the detected intensity of the selected region with an average of the detected intensity, the average corresponding to the level for the selected region, to derive the created variations in the intensity;

identifying the selected region using the derived variations; and

changing the generated video image responsive to the identification of the selected region.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the step of detecting comprises a selection of a region of the video image by user positioning.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the step of varying is directly responsive to user enablement.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the step of varying changes the intensity of the different regions in different rates.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of detecting involves a user location of a light sensor.