Coordinate-position detecting device and a method for detecting the coordinate-position

• US 6,285,359 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ogasawara, Tsutomu, Ito, Takahiro, Takekawa, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIZIALI, JEFFREY J
• Application Number:
  US09/349,513
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/173, 345/175, 345/179, 250/559.29, 250/559.38, 178/18.01, 178/18.09, 341/5, 341/20, 341/31
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/124 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

A coordinate-position detecting device comprising a white board as a coordinate-position entry area, and three reflecting members each for recursively reflecting light from two optical units. The angle between the write-in surface of the white board and the reflecting surface of the reflecting member at the bottom is an obtuse angle. Further, of angles obtained by dividing the above angle by a horizontal surface, the angle between the horizontal surface and the reflecting surface is an acute angle.

Claims

1. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display means and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source means for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting means having a reflecting surface for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source means;

a light receiving means for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting means; and

an angle adjusting means for adjusting an angle between said write-in surface or said display surface and said reflecting surface of said recursively reflecting means to an arbitrary angle.

2. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 1;

wherein said recursively reflecting means has transparent hard coating provided on the surface thereof.

3. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display means and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

at least two light source means for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting means having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light sources means provided in an inner side from at least three frame edges of four edges of a frame having a rectangular shape; and

at least two light receiving means each for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting means;

wherein

of the reflecting members of said recursively reflecting means, the angle between the reflecting surface of the reflecting member provided in the bottom side of the rectangle shape and the write-in surface or the display surface is an obtuse angle, and of angles obtained by dividing the angle which the reflecting surface of the reflecting member in the bottom side of the rectangle shape makes with the write-in surface or the display surface by a horizontal surface, the angle between the reflecting surface and the horizontal surface is an acute angle.

4. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 3 further comprising an angle adjusting means for adjusting an angle between the write-in surface or the display surface and the reflecting surface of the reflecting member.

5. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 3;

wherein the reflecting members are detachably provided therein.

6. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 3;

wherein said recursively reflecting means has spaces at corner sections of four edges of the frame forming the rectangle by shorting one frame edge of the two frame edges adjacent to each other so that the frame edge does not reach the other frame edge and extending the other frame edge beyond the corner section.

7. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 6;

wherein a longer edge of the four edges of the frame forming the rectangle is one frame edge of said two frame edges and a shorter edge of the frame is the other frame edge thereof.

8. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 3;

wherein said reflecting members have a transparent hard coating provided on the surface thereof.

9. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display means and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

at least two light source means for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting means having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source means provided in an inner side from at least three frame edges of four edges of a frame having a rectangular shape; and

at least two light receiving means each for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting means;

wherein

of the reflecting members of said recursively reflecting means, the angle between the reflecting surface of the reflecting member provided in the bottom side of the rectangular shape and the write-in surface or the display surface is an acute angle, and a space is provided between the reflecting surface of the bottom-side reflecting member and the write-in surface or the display surface.

10. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 9 further comprising an angle adjusting means for adjusting an angle between the write-in surface or the display surface and the reflecting surface of the reflecting members.

11. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 9;

wherein the reflecting members are detachably provided therein.

12. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 9;

wherein said recursively reflecting means has spaces at corner sections of four edges of the frame forming the rectangle by shorting one frame edge of the two frame edges adjacent to each other so that the frame edge does not reach the other frame edge and extending the other frame edge beyond the corner section.

13. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 12;

wherein a longer edge of the four edges of the frame forming the rectangle is one frame edge of said two frame edges and a shorter edge of the frame is the other frame edge thereof.

14. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 9;

wherein said reflecting members have a transparent hard coating provided on the surface thereof.

15. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display means and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source means for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting means having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source means; and

a light receiving means for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting means;

wherein

the reflecting member of said recursively reflecting means provided on the bottom side has a cylindrical shape and is so fixed that it can be rotated around the central axis.

16. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 15 further comprising a cleaning means for cleaning the surface of said reflecting member provided on the bottom side when the reflecting member is rotated.

17. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 15;

wherein said reflecting member provided on the bottom side has a transparent hard coating provided on the surface thereof.

18. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display means and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source means for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting means having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source means; and

a light receiving means for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting means;

wherein

the reflecting member of the recursively reflecting means provided on the bottom side has a form of an endless belt and is rotatably supported by a rotating roller.

19. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 18 further comprising a cleaning means for cleaning the surface of said reflecting member provided on the bottom side when the reflecting member is rotated.

20. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 18;

wherein said reflecting member provided on the bottom side has a transparent hard coating provided on the surface thereof.

21. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display means and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source means f or irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting means having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source means; and

a light receiving means for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit;

wherein

the reflecting member of the recursively reflecting means provided on the bottom side is plate shaped and reflecting surfaces are provided on both sides thereof, and is so fixed that it can be turned upside down.

22. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 21 further comprising a cleaning means moving along the reflecting surface of said reflecting member provided on the bottom side in the side where the light irradiated from the light source does not reach for cleaning the reflecting surface.

23. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 21;

wherein said reflecting member provided on the bottom side has a transparent hard coating provided on the surface thereof.

24. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display means and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source means f or irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting means having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source means; and

a light receiving means for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting means;

wherein

said reflecting member of the recursively reflecting means provided on the bottom side is a polygonal cylinder and is so fixed that it can be rotated around its central axis.

25. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 24 further comprising a cleaning means moving along the reflecting surface of said reflecting member provided on the bottom side in the side where the light irradiated from the light source does not reach for cleaning the reflecting surface.

26. A coordinate-position detecting device according to claim 24;

wherein said reflecting member provided on the bottom side has a transparent hard coating provided on the surface thereof.

27. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting unit having a reflecting surface for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source;

a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit; and

an angle adjusting unit for adjusting an angle between said write-in surface or said display surface and said reflecting surface of said recursively reflecting unit to an arbitrary angle.

28. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

at least two light source for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light sources provided in an inner side from at least three frame edges of four edges of a frame having a rectangular shape; and

at least two light receiving unit each f or receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit;

wherein

of the reflecting members of said recursively reflecting unit, the angle between the reflecting surface of the reflecting member provided in the bottom side of the rectangle shape and the write-in surface or the display surface is an obtuse angle, and of angles obtained by dividing the angle which the reflecting surface of the reflecting member in the bottom side of the rectangle shape makes with the write-in surface or the display surface by a horizontal surface, the angle between the reflecting surface and the horizontal surface is an acute angle.

29. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

at least two light source for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light sources provided in an inner side from at least three frame edges of four edges of a frame having a rectangular shape; and

at least two light receiving unit each for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit;

wherein

of the reflecting members of said recursively reflecting unit, the angle between the reflecting surface of the reflecting member provided in the bottom side of the rectangular shape and the write-in surface or the display surface is an acute angle, and a space is provided between the reflecting surface of the bottom-side reflecting member and the write-in surface or the display surface.

30. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source; and

a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit;

wherein

the reflecting member of said recursively reflecting unit provided on the bottom side has a cylindrical shape and is so fixed that it can be rotated around a central axis.

31. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source; and

a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit;

wherein

the reflecting member of said recursively reflecting unit provided on the bottom side has a form of an endless belt and is rotatably supported by a rotating roller.

32. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source; and

a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit;

wherein

the reflecting member of said recursively reflecting unit provided on the bottom side is plate shaped and reflecting surfaces are provided on both sides thereof, and is so fixed that it can be turned upside down.

33. A coordinate-position detecting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and detects a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting device comprising:

a light source for irradiating light which is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source; and

a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit;

wherein

said reflecting member of said recursively reflecting unit provided on the bottom side is a polygonal cylinder and is so fixed that it can be rotated around its central axis.

34. A coordinate-position detecting method for forming a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and for detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting method comprising steps of:

irradiating light with a light source, which light is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source with a recursively reflecting unit having a reflecting surface;

receiving the light reflected in said recursively reflecting step; and

adjusting an angle between said write-in surface or said display surface and said reflecting surface of said recursively reflecting unit to an arbitrary angle.

35. A coordinate-position detecting method for forming a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and for detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting method comprising steps of:

irradiating light from at least two light sources which light is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source with a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members, said recursively reflecting unit provided in an inner side from at least three frame edges of four edges of a frame having a rectangular shape; and

receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit with at least two light receiving units;

wherein

of the reflecting members of said recursively reflecting unit, the angle between the reflecting surface of the reflecting member provided in the bottom side of the rectangle shape and the write-in surface or the display surface is an obtuse angle, and of angles obtained by dividing the angle which the reflecting surface of the reflecting member in the bottom side of the rectangle shape makes with the write-in surface or the display surface by a horizontal surface, the angle between the reflecting surface and the horizontal surface is an acute angle.

36. A coordinate-position detecting method for forming a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and for detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting method comprising steps of:

irradiating light from at least two light sources which light is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source with a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members, said recursively reflecting unit provided in an inner side from at least three frame edges of four edges of a frame having a rectangular shape; and

receiving the light reflected by said recursively reflecting unit with at least two light receiving units;

wherein

of the reflecting members of said recursively reflecting unit, the angle between the reflecting surface of the reflecting member provided in the bottom side of the rectangular shape and the write-in surface or the display surface is an acute angle, and a space is provided between the reflecting surface of the bottom-side reflecting member and the write-in surface or the display surface.

37. A coordinate-position detecting method for forming a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and for detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting method comprising steps of:

irradiating light with a light source, which light is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source with a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members; and

receiving the light reflected in said recursively reflecting step;

wherein

the reflecting member of said recursively reflecting unit provided on the bottom side has a cylindrical shape and is so fixed that it can be rotated around a central axis.

38. A coordinate-position detecting method for forming a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and for detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting method comprising steps of:

irradiating light with a light source, which light is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source with a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members; and

receiving the light reflected in said recursively reflecting step;

wherein

the reflecting member of said recursively reflecting unit provided on the bottom side has a form of an endless belt and is rotatably supported by a rotating roller.

39. A coordinate-position detecting method for forming a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and for detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting method comprising steps of:

irradiating light with a light source, which light is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source with a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members; and

receiving the light reflected in said recursively reflecting step;

wherein

the reflecting member of said recursively reflecting unit provided on the bottom side is plate shaped and reflecting surfaces are provided on both sides thereof, and is so fixed that it can be turned upside down.

40. A coordinate-position detecting method for forming a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a write-in surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and for detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position detecting method comprising steps of:

irradiating light with a light source, which light is substantially parallel to said write-in surface or said display surface;

recursively reflecting the light irradiated from said light source with a recursively reflecting unit having reflecting members; and

receiving the light reflected in said recursively reflecting step;

wherein

said reflecting member of said recursively reflecting unit provided on the bottom side is a polygonal cylinder and is so fixed that it can be rotated around its central axis.