Spatial light modulator display pointing device

• US 5,654,741 A
• Filed: 12/05/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Shionoya, Toshio, Sampsell, Jeffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, KENT WU
• Application Number:
  US08/567,439
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/165, 345/166, 178/18
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

A display system with a pointer that is not restricted by wires or sensors. The display uses a spatial light modulator (14) for projecting an image on the screen (20). During a time period when all of the cells of the modulator (14) are in the same state, a cursor projected onto the screen by the pointer is reimaged from the screen to a detector (26), which translates the cursor image into signals for a central processing unit (38). The central processing unit (38) then directs the system as to what tasks are being dictated by the cursor.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

a. a light source;

b. a digital micromirror device comprising an array of mirrors for receiving said light from said source and projecting an image to said screen by deflecting selected ones of said array of mirrors to form and image on said screen;

c. a screen for displaying said image;

d. a pointer for generating a cursor image and projecting said cursor image on said screen, such that said cursor image can be reimaged from said screen to said digital micromirror device;

e. a detector for receiving said cursor image from said digital micromirror device when said digital micromirror device has been addressed such that all of said array of mirrors are in the OFF position, and for converting said cursor image into an electronic signal; and

f. a central processing unit for receiving said electronic signal and performing any tasks dictated by said signal.

2. The display system of claim 1 wherein said cursor image is of light in the ultraviolet range.

3. The display system of claim 1 wherein said cursor image is of light in the infrared range.

4. The display system of claim 1 wherein said cursor image is of light in the visible range pulsed at a certain rate.

5. The detector of claim 1 wherein said detector includes a filter operable to filter one of AM, FM and pulse modulated frequencies.

6. The detector of claim 1 wherein said detector comprises at least one photodiode.

7. The detector of claim 1 wherein said detector comprises a CCD array.