Stylus position sensing and digital camera with a digital micromirror device

• US 5,633,691 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: N-View Corporation
• Original Assignee: N-View Corporation
• Inventors: Vogeley, Arthur W., Vogeley, James H., Davis, Giles K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Application Number:
  US08/483,585
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 348/755, 348/764, 348/770, 348/771, 348/744, 348/756, 348/262, 345/175, 345/179, 345/180
• US Class Current: 348/771
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/037 using the raster scan of a cathode-ray tube [CRT] for detecting the position of the member, e.g. light pens cooperating with CRT monitors
• 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: H04N 17/04 for receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3114 by using a sequential colour filter producing one colour at a time

Abstract

Disclosed is a digital micromirror device (DMD) based projector in which the position of a stylus with respect to a projected image can be determined automatically. In one embodiment, the stylus includes a detector capable of detecting illumination from a single pixel and the plurality of pixels in the DMD array are sequentially energized until a pixel reflects light to the stylus detector. Since the location of that pixel is known, the position of the stylus adjacent that pixel on the image is also known. In another embodiment, light is emitted from the stylus and the DMD array is sequenced in order to reflect light from the array to a photodetector. Again, when a pixel is sequenced so as to reflect light to the detector, the position of the stylus with respect to the image is related to the image of the pixel with respect to the pixel'"'"'s location in the array. A further embodiment utilizes a general illumination source of the screen with infrared radiation and a reflective stylus which reflects the infrared radiation back to the DMD array. As before, sequencing of the DMD array and detection of the pixel associated with the reflected IR radiation provides an indication of the stylus location. In a further embodiment, a DMD array is utilized to sequentially address all of the pixels of a subject image thereby providing an output of each sequenced pixel to a data storage device forming a digital camera.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus relative to a projected image where a digital micromirror device (DMD) array is used for projecting said image upon a surface, said DMD array including a plurality of controllable pixel mirrors, said image created by directing light from a first light source onto said DMD array which controllably reflects said directed light through an optical system onto said surface, said image comprised of a plurality of sequentially projected frame images where there is a finite time duration between successive projected frame images, said apparatus comprising:

said stylus including a second light source;

energizing means for scanning by selectively energizing said plurality of controllable pixel mirrors during said finite duration between successive projected frame images;

a detecting means for detecting the presence of light from said second light source; and

address means, responsive to said detecting means and said energizing means, for providing a stylus position output when said detecting means detects light from said second light source during said finite duration.

2. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light from said second light source and detected by said detector is on said surface.

3. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least a portion of light from said second source includes infrared radiation and said detecting means is responsive to said infrared radiation.

4. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said energizing means comprises a DMD driver for energizing said plurality of controllable pixel mirrors in a predetermined pattern.

5. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said predetermined pattern is a sequential raster scan.

6. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said predetermined pattern includes at least one binary scan of a size less than the entire DMD array.

7. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said address means provides a stylus position output to said DMD driver and said predetermined pattern begins with an area inclusive of a previous stylus position.

8. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 1, further including a means for preventing light from said first light source from reaching said DMD array during at least a portion of said finite time duration.

9. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said energizing means controllably energizes each of said pixel mirrors to an "ON" position in which light from said first light source is directed towards said screen and an "OFF" position in which light from said surface is directed to said detecting means.

10. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said energizing means selectively energizes said pixel mirrors by selectively moving said pixel mirrors to said "OFF" position while moving non selectively energized pixel mirrors to said "ON" position in an "ON-to-OFF" scanning mode.

11. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 8, further including a light trap means for absorbing light, wherein said energizing means controllably energizes each of said pixel mirrors to an "ON" position in which light from said first light source is directed towards said surface and light from said surface is directed towards said first light source and an "OFF" position in which light from said surface is directed towards said light trap means.

12. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 11, further including a means for directing light from said second light source from said surface towards said detecting means during at least a portion of said finite time duration, wherein said energizing means selectively energizes said pixel mirrors by selectively moving said pixel mirrors to said "ON" position while moving selectively non-energized pixel mirrors to said "OFF" position in an "OFF-to-ON" scanning mode.

13. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said surface, upon which said image is projected, is comprised of a front projection screen.

14. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said surface, upon which said image is projected, is comprised of a rear projection screen.

15. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said projector includes a rotating color wheel through which light from said first light source is projected.

16. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus relative to a projected image where a digital micromirror device (DMD) array is used for projecting said image upon a surface, said DMD array including a plurality of controllable pixel mirrors, said image created by directing light from a first light source onto said DMD array which controllably reflects said directed light through an optical system onto said surface, said image comprised of a plurality of sequentially projected frame images where there is a finite time duration between successive projected frame images, said apparatus comprising:

said stylus including a second light source;

a DMD driver for scanning by selectively energizing said plurality of controllable pixel mirrors during said finite duration between successive projected frame images;

a detector for detecting the presence of light from said second light source; and

X-Y position calculator, responsive to said detector and said DMD driver, for providing a stylus position output when said detector detects light from said second light source during said finite duration.

17. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 16, wherein said light from said second light source and detected by said detector is on said surface.

18. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 16, wherein at least a portion of light from said second source includes infrared radiation and said detector is responsive to said infrared radiation.

19. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 16, wherein said DMD driver energizes said plurality of controllable pixel mirrors in a predetermined pattern.

20. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 19, wherein said predetermined pattern is a sequential raster scan.

21. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 19, wherein said predetermined pattern includes at least one binary scan of a size less than the entire DMD array.

22. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 19, wherein said X-Y position calculator provides a stylus position output to said DMD driver and said predetermined pattern begins with an area inclusive of a previous stylus position.

23. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 16, further including an opaque segment for preventing light from said first light source from reaching said DMD array during at least a portion of said finite time duration.

24. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 23, wherein said DMD driver controllably energizes each of said pixel mirrors to an "ON" position in which light from said first light source is directed towards said screen and an "OFF" position in which light from said surface is directed to said detector.

25. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 24, wherein said DMD driver selectively energizes said pixel mirrors by selectively moving said pixel mirrors to said "OFF" position while moving non selectively energized pixel mirrors to said "ON" position in an "ON-to-OFF" scanning mode.

26. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 23, further including a light trap for absorbing light, wherein said DMD driver controllably energizes each of said pixel mirrors to an "ON" position in which light from said first light source is directed towards said surface and light from said surface is directed towards said first light source and an "OFF" position in which light from said surface is directed towards said light trap.

27. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 26, further including a mirror for directing light from said second light source from said surface towards said detector during at least a portion of said finite time duration, wherein said DMD driver selectively energizes said pixel mirrors by selectively moving said pixel mirrors to said "ON" position while moving selectively non-energized pixel mirrors to said "OFF" position in an "OFF-to-ON" scanning mode.

28. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 16, wherein said surface, upon which said image is projected, is comprised of a front projection screen.

29. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 16, wherein said surface, upon which said image is projected, is comprised of a rear projection screen.

30. An apparatus for sensing position of a stylus in accordance with claim 16, wherein said projector includes a rotating color wheel through which light from said first light source is projected.