Apparatus and method for inputing data

• US 6,281,878 B1
• Filed: 01/26/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Virdex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stephen V.R. Montellese
• Inventors: Montellese, Stephen V. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/013,620
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/168, 345/175, 345/176
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 input device for detecting input with respect to a reference plane. The input device includes a light sensor positioned to sense light at an acute angle with respect to the reference plane and for generating a signal indicative of sensed light, and a circuit responsive to said light sensor for determining a position of an object with respect to the reference plane.

Claims

1. An input device for detecting input with respect to a reference plane, comprising:

a light source providing a plane of light adjacent to the reference plane, wherein the light source does not project an input template onto the reference plane;

a light sensor positioned to sense light reflected from the plane of light, the sensor at an acute angle with respect to the reference plane, and generating a signal indicative of sensed light; and

a circuit responsive to said light sensor for determining a position of an object with respect to the reference plane.

2. The input device of claim 1, further comprising an input template in the reference plane.

3. The input device of claim 2, wherein said template is a flat surface having a template of an input device printed thereon.

4. The input device of claim 2, wherein said template is an image of an input device selected from a group consisting of a keyboard and a pointer.

5. The input device of claim 2, wherein said template is selected from a group consisting of light projected onto a solid surface, a holographic image, and a spherical reflection.

6. The input device of claim 2, further comprising a projector positioned to project an image of said template.

7. The input device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is selected from a group consisting of a two-dimensional matrix type light sensor and a one dimensional array type light sensor.

8. The input device of claim 1, wherein said sensor senses light selected from a group consisting of visible light, coherent light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light.

9. The input device of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional light sensor.

10. The input device of claim 9, wherein said sensor and said at least one additional sensor are oriented in the same direction.

11. The input device of claim 1, wherein said sensor is remote from a position at which input is to be detected relative to the reference plane.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said circuit determines position of an object by performing an operation selected from a group consisting of binocular disparity and triangulation.

13. The input device of claim 1, wherein said light source produces light selected from a group consisting of visible light, coherent light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein said light source provides a plane of light that is at an acute angle with respect to said reference plane.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein said light source provides a plane of light that is parallel to said reference plane.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said light source is selected from a group consisting of an incandescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp, and a laser.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein said light source and said sensor are oriented in the same direction.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising projection glasses responsive to said circuit.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said projection glasses project an image of an input template in the reference plane.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising an index light source for projecting onto a surface at least one index mark to align an input template.

21. The input device of claim 1, further comprising an electronic device responsive to said circuit.

22. The input device of claim 1, wherein said circuit produce an output signal indicative of an input provided by a user, and further comprising an electronic device responsive to the output signal from said circuit.

23. In combination, an input device for detecting input with respect to a reference plane, and an electronic device, comprising:

a light source providing a plane of light adjacent to the reference plane, wherein the light source does not project an input template onto the reference plane;

a light sensor positioned to sense light reflected from the plane of light, the sensor at an acute angle with respect to the reference plane, and generating a signal indicative of sensed light;

a circuit responsive to said light sensor for determining a position of an object with respect to the reference plane and producing an output signal indicative of the input; and

an electronic device responsive to the output signal from said circuit.

24. A method of determining an input with respect to a reference plane, comprising:

providing a source of planar light adjacent to the reference plane, wherein the source of planar light does not project an input template onto the reference plane;

sensing light reflected from the planar light, the sensing at an acute angle with respect to the reference plane;

generating at least one signal indicative of sensed light;

determining a position of an object with respect to the reference plane from the at least one signal indicative of the sensed light; and

determining an input from the position of the object with respect to the reference plane.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing an input template in the reference plane.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising calibrating the input device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein calibrating includes:

prompting the user to provide input at a position on the reference plane;

determining a position of input provided by the user; and

orienting the reference plane so that the position of the input for which the user was prompted corresponds to the position of the input provided by the user.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the reference plane is defined as an input device selected from a group consisting of a keyboard and a pointer.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the reference plane is defined as a keyboard;

prompting includes prompting the user to enter a character on the keyboard; and

orienting includes orienting the reference plane so that the position of the character for which the user was prompted corresponds to the position of the input provided by the user.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein:

prompting includes prompting the user for a plurality of inputs, each having a position on the reference plane;

determining includes determining a position for each input provided by the user; and

orienting includes orienting the reference plane so that the position of each of the inputs for which the user was prompted corresponds to the position of each of the inputs provided by the user.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein determining includes:

providing a source of light;

sensing light at an acute angle with respect to the reference plane;

generating at least one signal indicative of sensed light; and

determining a position of an object with respect to the reference plane from the at least one signal indicative of the sensed light.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein determining a position of an object includes performing an operation selected from a group consisting of binocular disparity and triangulation.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising producing an output signal indicative of the input.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing an electronic device responsive to the output signal.

35. An input device for detecting input with respect to a reference plane, comprising:

a light source providing a plane of light, the light source being located remote from a position at which input is to be detected relative to the reference plane, wherein the light source does not project an input template onto the reference plane;

a light sensor positioned to sense light reflected from the plane of light, the sensor at an acute angle with respect to the reference plane, and generating a signal indicative of sensed light, the light sensor being located remote from a position at which input is to be detected relative to the reference plane; and

a circuit responsive to said light sensor for determining a position of an object with respect to the reference plane.

36. In combination, an input device for detecting input with respect to a reference plane, and an electronic device, comprising:

a light source providing a plane of light, the light source being located remote from a position at which input is to be detected relative to the reference plane, wherein the light source does not project an input template onto the reference plane;

a light sensor positioned to sense light reflected from the plane of light, the sensor at an acute angle with respect to the reference plane, and generating a signal indicative of sensed light, the light sensor being located remote from a position at which input is to be detected relative to the reference plane;

a circuit responsive to said light sensor for determining a position of an object with respect to the reference plane and producing an output signal indicative of the input; and

an electronic device responsive to the output signal from said circuit.

37. A method of determining an input with respect to a reference plane, comprising:

providing a source of planar light, the source of planar being located remote from a position at which input is to be detected relative to the reference plane, wherein the source of planar light does not project an input template onto the reference plane;

sensing light reflected from the planar light, the sensing at an acute angle with respect to the reference plane, the light being sensed remote from a position at which input is to be detected relative to the reference plane;

generating at least one signal indicative of sensed light;

determining a position of an object with respect to the reference plane from the at least one signal indicative of the sensed light; and

determining an input from the position of the object with respect to the reference plane.