Method and device for inputting coordinate-position and a display board system

• US 6,335,724 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• 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): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US09/349,461
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/179, 345/183, 345/178, 178/18.1, 178/18.01, 178/19.01
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

The coordinate-position input device has a frame with a reflecting member for recursively reflecting light provided in an inner side from four edges of the frame forming a rectangular form. Two optical units irradiate light to the reflecting members and receive the reflected light. With the mounting member(s) the frame can be detachably attached to a white board. The two optical units are located at both ends of any one of frame edges forming the frame, and at the same time the two optical units and the frame body are integrated to each other.

Claims

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

a frame body with reflecting members for recursively reflecting light provided on the inner side of the four edges of a frame having a rectangular shape;

two optical units each with a light source section for irradiating light from any corner of the frame body to reflecting members in two frame edges forming a corner diagonally opposite to the corner above and a light receiving section for receiving the light reflected from the reflecting members of the two frame edges forming the opposite corner integrated to each other therein; and

a mounting member for detachably attaching said frame body to the writing surface of the white board or the display surface of the display unit;

wherein said two optical units are located at both ends of any one of frame edges forming said frame body and said two optical units and said frame body are integrated to each other.

2. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 1 further comprising a computing section for computing a coordinate position of a blocked point on the writing surface or the display surface from a direction of reflected light not received by light receiving sections of said two optical units as well as from a distance between the light receiving sections thereof.

3. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 1 further comprising a specifying unit for exclusively specifying a coordinate-position input mode for inputting a coordinate position through the touch-panel surface and an input suspend mode;

and a control unit for providing controls over said two optical units and/or said computing section according to the mode specified by said specifying unit.

4. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 1;

wherein said mounting member has a construction such that said frame body can be mounted in any of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction.

5. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 1;

wherein the mounting member is made with any of a magnet, a hook, a form enabling hanging, a suction cup, a face-type fastener, an engaging form, and an adhesive or a combination thereof.

6. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 1;

wherein each of four edges forming said frame body has an adjustment mechanism extendable in a multi-step respectively, and each of the reflecting members is made with a windable reflective tape and is wound into a roll inside the adjustment mechanism when the frame edge is contracted.

7. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 1;

wherein each of four edges forming said frame body has an adjustment mechanism extendable in a multi-step respectively, and the reflecting member is made with a reflective tape adhered to the frame edge and is extendable together with the frame edge by the adjustment mechanism.

8. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 2 further comprising a storing section for storing a coordinate position of the blocked point computed by said computing section.

9. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 8;

wherein said storing section is a detachable external memory and an interface unit with said external memory attached thereto.

10. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 8;

wherein said storing section is a frame memory.

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

a frame body with reflecting members for recursively reflecting the light provided on the inner side of the four edges of a frame having a rectangular shape;

two optical units each with a light source section for irradiating light from any corner of the frame body to reflecting members in two frame edges forming a corner diagonally opposite to the corner above and a light receiving section for receiving the light reflected from the reflecting members of the two frame edges forming the opposite corner integrated to each other therein; and

a mounting member for detachably attaching said frame body to the writing surface of the white board or the display surface of the display unit;

wherein said two optical units are detachably attached to both ends of any one of frame edges forming said frame body with each irradiating direction of light from the two optical units being adjustable.

12. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 11 further comprising a computing section for computing a coordinate position of a blocked point on the writing surface or the display surface from a direction of reflected light not received by light receiving sections of said two optical units as well as from a distance between the light receiving sections thereof.

13. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 11 further comprising a specifying unit for exclusively specifying a coordinate-position input mode for inputting a coordinate position through the touch-panel surface and an input suspend mode;

and a control unit for providing controls over said two optical units and/or said computing section according to the mode specified by said specifying unit.

14. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 11;

wherein said mounting member has a construction such that said frame body can be mounted in any of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction.

15. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 11;

wherein the mounting member is made with any of a magnet, a hook, a form enabling hanging, a suction cup, a face-type fastener, an engaging form, and an adhesive or a combination thereof.

16. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 11;

wherein each of four edges forming said frame body has an adjustment mechanism extendable in a multi-step respectively, and each of the reflecting members is made with a windable reflective tape and is wound into a roll inside the ad ustment mechanism when the frame edge is contracted.

17. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 11;

wherein each of four edges forming said frame body has an adjustment mechanism extendable in a multi-step respectively, and the reflecting member is made with a reflective tape adhered to the frame edge and is extendable together with the frame edge by the adjustment mechanism.

18. A coordinate-position Input device according to claim 12 further comprising a storing section for storing a coordinate position of the blocked point computed by said computing section.

19. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 18;

wherein said storing section is a detachable external memory and an interface unit with said external memory attached thereto.

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

wherein said storing section is a frame memory.

21. A coordinate-position input device comprising:

an area defining member for defining an entry area as a specified area;

a light emitting unit for emitting a flux of light over a substantially entire area of the entry area;

a reflecting member for reflecting the flux of light emitted from said light emitting unit;

a light detecting unit for detecting a flux of light reflected by said reflecting member; and

a position coordinate detecting unit for sensing whether there is an obstacle which blocks the flux of light according to a result of detection by said light detecting unit and detecting the coordinates of a position of the obstacle in the specified area through computation;

wherein

said light emitting unit and said light detecting unit are integrated into one unit as an optical unit, and are detachably attached to the area defining member as the optical unit, and

an attached-angle measuring unit for measuring an attached angle as an angle of said optical unit with respect to said area defining member when said optical unit is attached to said area defining member.

22. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 21;

wherein said attached angle measuring section has a mark for detecting an attached angle of said optical unit provided in the area defining member and a reading element for reading the mark for detecting an attached angle of the optical unit, and

said position coordinate detecting unit corrects an equation used in operation for detecting the coordinates of a position of a blockage according to a difference between the optical-unit attached angle read by the reading element and an angle at which said optical unit should be attached thereto.

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

wherein said attached angle measuring section is provided in said area defining member and comprises an optical-unit attached angle visually detecting section with which the user can visually read an attached angle of said optical unit, and an attached angle input unit for inputting the optical-unit attached angle visually read, and

said position coordinate detecting unit corrects an equation used in operation for detecting the coordinates of a position of a blockage according to a difference between the optical-unit attached angle inputted from said attached angle input section as well as an angle at which said optical unit should be attached.

24. A coordinate-position input device according to claim 22;

wherein said reading element is shared with said light detecting unit.

25. A coordinate-position inputting method in which a touch-panel surface is formed by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a writing surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and inputs a coordinate position by detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position inputting method comprising steps of:

providing reflecting members on the inner side of a frame body for recursively reflecting the light, said frame body having four edges and a rectangular shape;

providing two optical units each with a light source section and a light receiving section integrated with each other, said light source section irradiates light from a corner of said frame body to reflecting members in two frame edges forming a corner diagonally opposite to the corner above, said light receiving section receives the light reflected from the reflecting members of the two frame edges forming the opposite corner integrated to each other therein; and

detachably attaching said frame body to the writing surface of the white board or the display surface of the display unit using a mounting member;

wherein

said two optical units are located at both ends of any one of frame edges forming said frame body and said two optical units and said frame body are integrated to each other.

26. A coordinate-position inputting method in which a touch-panel surface is formed by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to a writing surface of a white board or a display surface of a display unit and inputs a coordinate position by detecting a position where the light in the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position inputting method comprising steps of:

providing reflecting members on the inner side of a frame body for recursively reflecting the light, said frame body having four edges and a rectangular shape;

providing two optical units each with a light source section and a light receiving section integrated with each other, said light source section irradiates light from a corner of said frame body to reflecting members in two frame edges forming a corner diagonally opposite to the corner above, said light receiving section receives the light reflected from the reflecting members of the two frame edges forming the opposite corner integrated to each other therein; and

detachably attaching said frame body to the writing surface of the white board or the display surface of the display unit using a mounting member;

wherein

said two optical units are detachably attached to both ends of any one of frame edges forming said frame body with each irradiating direction of light from the two optical units being adjustable.

27. A coordinate-position inputting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to at least one of a writing surface of a white board and a display surface of a display means and inputs a coordinate position by detecting a position where a light on the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position inputting device comprising:

a frame body having a rectangular shape and reflecting members for recursively reflecting light provided on the inner side of four edges of the frame body, wherein the four edges forming the frame body have an adjustment mechanism extendable in step increments and the reflecting members are made with a windable reflective tape wound into a roll inside the adjustment mechanism when a frame edge is contracted;

two optical units with a light source section for irradiating light from any corner of the frame body to reflecting members in two frame edges forming a diagonally opposite corner and a light receiving section for receiving the light reflected from the reflecting members of two frame edges forming the diagonally opposite comer, wherein the light source section and the light receiving section are integrated with each other therein;

a mounting member for detachably attaching said frame body to at least one of the writing surface of the white board and the display surface of the display unit; and

wherein the two optical units are located at both ends of any one frame edge forming the frame body and the two optical units and said frame body are integrated with each other.

28. A coordinate-position inputting device that forms a touch-panel surface by irradiating light which is substantially parallel to at least one of a writing surface of a white board and a display surface of a display means and inputs a coordinate position by detecting a position where a light on the touch-panel surface is blocked, said coordinate-position inputting device comprising:

a frame body with reflecting members for recursively reflecting light provided on the inner side of four edges of the frame body having a rectangular shape, wherein the four edges forming the frame body have an adjustment mechanism extendable in step increments and the reflecting members are made with a reflective tape adhered to a frame edge and extendable together with the frame edge by the adjustment mechanism;

two optical units with a light source section for irradiating light from any comer of the frame body to reflecting members in two frame edges forming a diagonally opposite comer and a light receiving section for receiving the light reflected from the reflecting members of two frame edges forming the diagonally opposite comer, wherein the light source section and the light receiving section are integrated with each other therein; and

a mounting member for detachably attaching said frame body to at least one of the writing surface of the white board and the display surface of the display unit; and

wherein said two optical units are located at both ends of any one frame edge forming the frame body with an irradiating direction of light from the two optical units being adjustable.