Circuit control devices utilizing electronic display screen light

• US 6,326,956 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1998
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intertactile Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intertactile Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Jaeger, Denny, Twain, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, KENT WU
• Application Number:
  US09/139,078
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/179-184, 345/60, 178/19.01, 178/19.05, 178/18.1
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• 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 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94063 with optical detection

Abstract

A control device provides a variable control signal to electrical apparatus and has a control member, such as a stylus or a turnable or slidable member, that is manipulated to vary the signal. Photoelectric sensors detect and track movement of the control member. The control member is disposed at the face of an electronic image display screen which can display calibration marks, identifying labels, current setting and/or other graphics pertinent to operation of the control device. The display screen also operates as the light source for the photoelectric sensors.

Claims

1. A control device for providing a control signal to electrical apparatus wherein at least one photosensor in said control device detects movement of a moveable member which photosensor responds to light produced by a light source, wherein the improvement comprises:

said control device being disposed in front of an electronic image display screen within an image display area thereof which display screen displays changeable images conveying information pertinent to operation of the control device, said display screen also being said light source,

further including a display screen controller coupled to said image display screen and being conditioned to cause display of a light pattern at said image display area which light pattern is viewed by said photosensor, said moveable member being positionable to cause said photosensor to view any of a plurality of locations in said light pattern and wherein said photosensor produces a location sensing signal in response to light produced by the display screen at a selected location in the light pattern, and,

a digital data processor receiving said location sensing signal and being conditioned to vary the value of said control signal in response to location sensing signals originating from different ones of said locations in said light pattern.

2. The control device of claim 1 including a plurality of said photosensors each being positioned to view a different region of said light pattern.

3. A control device for providing a control signal to electrical apparatus wherein at least one photosensor in said control device detects movement of a moveable member which photosensor responds to light produced by a light source, wherein the improvement comprises:

said control device being disposed in front of an electronic image display screen within an image display area thereof which display screen displays changeable images conveying information pertinent to operation of the control device, said display screen also being said light source,

further including a display screen controller coupled to said image display screen and being conditioned to cause display of a light pattern wherein different locations in said light pattern are viewed by said photosensor as said moveable member is moved through settings thereof, said display screen controller being further conditioned to move a light variation through the locations in said light pattern which light variation is detectable by said photosensor to produce a location sensing signal.

4. The control device of claim 3 wherein said display screen controller is conditioned to scan said light variation repetitively through said locations.

5. The control device of claim 3 wherein said display screen controller is conditioned to scan said light variation constantly through said locations.

6. The control device of claim 3 further including a touch sensing circuit connected to produce a touch signal in response to manipulation of said moveable member further including a digital data processor connected to said touch sensing circuit and to said display screen controller and being conditioned to initiate said movement of said light variation in response to said touch signal.

7. A control device for providing a control signal to electrical apparatus wherein at least one photosensor in said control device detects movement of a moveable member which photosensor responds to light produced by a light source, wherein the improvement comprises:

said control device being disposed in front of an electronic image display screen within an image display area thereof which display screen displays changeable images conveying information pertinent to operation of the control device, said display screen also being said light source,

wherein said moveable member is a stylus having an end which may be placed at a selected location in front of said image display area, said photosensor being secured to said stylus and being oriented to view a portion of said image area of said display that is offset from said end of said stylus,

said end of said stylus defining an axis of rotation about which said stylus may be turned and wherein said photosensor is positioned on said stylus to view selected locations on said image display area that lie along a path which extends around said axis of rotation.

8. The control device of claim 7 further including a display screen controller coupled to said image display screen and being conditioned to cause display of an image which extends around the stylus wherein successive locations in said image are viewed by said photosensor when said end of said stylus is placed thereat and said stylus is turned, said display screen controller being further conditioned to move a light variation through successive locations in said image which light variation is detectable by said photosensor to produce a location sensing signal indicative of the current angular orientation of said stylus.

9. The control device of claim 8 wherein said successive locations in said image are substantially equidistant from a position in said image at which said end of said stylus is emplaced to enable viewing of said locations by said photosensor as said stylus is turned, said display screen controller being conditioned to cause display of a visible identification of said position in said image.

10. The control device of claim 8 wherein said display screen controller is conditioned to move a scan line image along a path extending through said locations in said image, said scan line image having an optical characteristic which is detectable by said photosensor.

11. The control device of claim 10 further including a digital data processor coupled to said photosensor and to said display screen controller, said digital data processor having means for storing a changeable first value which identifies the last setting of said control device, means for storing a second value which is indicative of the current position of said scan line image along said path as determined by the position of the photosensor, means for conforming said first value with said second value in response to said location sensing signals, and means for varying said control signal in response to variations of said first value.

12. A control device for providing a control signal to electrical apparatus wherein at least one photosensor in said control device detects movement of a moveable member which photosensor responds to light produced by a light source, wherein the improvement comprises:

said control device being disposed in front of an electronic image display screen within an image display area thereof which display screen displays changeable images conveying information pertinent to operation of the control device, said display screen also being said light source,

wherein said moveable member is a stylus having an end which may be placed at a selected location in front of said image display area, said photosensor being secured to said stylus and being oriented to view a portion of said image area of said display that is offset from said end of said stylus.