Holographic control arrangement

• US 6,377,238 B1
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HoloTouch, Inc., R. Douglas McPheters
• Original Assignee: HoloTouch, Inc.
• Inventors: McPheters, Robert Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US08/469,770
• Time in Patent Office: 2,513 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/156, 345/168, 345/172, 345/175, 345/176, 345/146, 359/13, 359/33, 359/630, 359/35, 359/23, 341/23, 395/155, 395/156
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/22 Processes or apparatus for obtaining an optical image from holograms G03H1/26 - G03H1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0061 in haptic applications when the observer interacts with the holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2231 Reflection reconstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2234 Transmission reconstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/226 Virtual or real
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

Operator input into one or more devices to be controlled by the operator is provided through a holographic image of the keys or other input devices customarily actuated to provide input data to the system wherein actuation of the holographic image of the input devices is detected optically without tangible physical contact by the operator with a solid control object or control surface.

Claims

1. A control arrangement for allowing an operator to control an electronic or electro-mechanical device of the type conventionally controlled by a tangible control mechanism having at least one customarily touch-activated tangible input object, physical contact with which produces a response by said device;

said control arrangement allowing such control without the operator touching any solid object and comprising;

an image generator for generating a holographic image of at least the one tangible input object of the tangible control mechanism for the device, with said generated holographic image for producing a response by said device corresponding to that produced conventionally by the one tangible input object of the tangible control mechanism;

said image generator generating said holographic image of said one tangible input object such that it is larger than the one tangible input object of the tangible control mechanism;

an actuation detector for determining selection by the operator of said holographic image of said one tangible input object; and

a signal generator for receiving the determination of said actuation detector and providing an input signal to the device thereby to produce the response.

2. A control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tangible control mechanism conventionally controlling said electronic or electro-mechanical device has a plurality of customarily touch-activated tangible input objects, physical contact with each of which produces a response by said device;

wherein said image generator generates a holographic image of each of the plurality of tangible input objects of the tangible control mechanism such that it is larger than the corresponding tangible input object of the tangible control mechanism; and

wherein each holographic image of each tangible input object is for producing a response by said device corresponding to that produced by the corresponding tangible input object of the tangible control mechanism.

3. A control arrangement according to claim 2, wherein any one of said holographic images of said plurality of tangible input objects can be selected by the operator, and wherein said actuation detector determines which of said holographic images of said plurality of tangible input objects is so selected by the operator.

4. A control arrangement as in claim 3, wherein said actuation detector comprises a look-up table for determining which of said holographic images of said plurality of tangible input objects is selected by the operator.

5. A control arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said signal generator receives the determination by said actuation detector and provides an input signal to the device that corresponds to the holographic image of the tangible input object selected by the operator.

6. A control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said image generator comprises:

a mounting body;

a hologram of the tangible control mechanism connected to said mounting body; and

means for illuminating said hologram to produce a holographic image of said tangible control mechanism at a predetermined location spaced from said mounting body.

7. A control arrangement according to claim 6, further comprising an image frame mounted to said mounting body and peripherally encompassing said holographic image.

8. A control arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said image frame comprises a rectangle approximately coplanar with said holographic image of said tangible control mechanism.

9. A control arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said actuation detector comprises a detection matrix incorporated into said image frame.

10. A control arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said actuation detector comprises a three dimensional active vision sensor.

11. A control arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said hologram is a transmission hologram, and wherein said illuminating means comprises an illumination source providing illumination from a position behind said transmission hologram relative to the operator.

12. A control arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said hologram is a reflection hologram, and wherein said illuminating means comprises an illumination source providing illumination from a position on the same side of said reflection hologram as said operator.

13. A control arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said hologram is a white-light hologram and said illumination means is a source of incoherent light.

14. A control arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said hologram is a conventional hologram and said illumination means is a source of coherent light.

15. A control arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising an output interface, said output interface including a video display device.

16. A control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said image generator is arranged to generate a holographic image of another tangible control mechanism of a different electronic or electro-mechanical device.

17. A control arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said actuation detector comprises a wave source for producing waves selected from the group consisting of acoustic waves and electromagnetic waves.

18. A control arrangement as in claim 17, wherein said wave source is a laser and further comprises means for scanning emitted waves in a raster pattern across a plane of the holographic image.

19. A control arrangement for allowing an operator to control an electronic or electromechanical device of the type conventionally controlled by a tangible control mechanism having at least one customarily touch-activated tangible input object, physical contact with which produces a response by said device;

said control arrangement allowing such control without the operator touching a solid object and comprising;

an image generator for generating a holographic image of the tangible control mechanism for the device, said generated holographic image including at least one image of at least one tangible input object corresponding to the one tangible input object of the tangible control mechanism and for producing a corresponding response by said device;

said image generator comprising a physical structure, a hologram of the tangible control mechanism supported by said physical structure, and means for illuminating said hologram to project the holographic image at a predetermined location spaced from and independent of said physical structure, whereby the holographic image is free-floating from said physical structure;

an actuation detector for determining selection by the operator of said holographic image of said one tangible input object; and

a signal generator for receiving the determination of said actuation detector and providing an input signal to the electronic or electromechanical device thereby to produce the response.

20. A control arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the tangible control mechanism conventionally controlling said device has a plurality of customarily touch-activated tangible input objects, physical contact with each of which produces a response by said device;

wherein said image generator generates a corresponding holographic image of each of the plurality of tangible input objects of the tangible control mechanism; and

wherein each holographic image of each tangible input object is for producing a response by said device corresponding to that produced by the corresponding tangible input object of the tangible control mechanism.

21. A control arrangement according to claim 20, wherein any one of said holographic images of said plurality of tangible input objects can be selected by the operator, and wherein said actuation detector determines which of said holographic images of said plurality of tangible input objects is so selected by the operator.

22. A control arrangement as in claim 21, wherein said actuation detector comprises a look-up table for determining which of said holographic images of said plurality of tangible input objects is selected by the operator.

23. A control arrangement according to claim 21, wherein said signal generator receives the determination by said actuation detector and provides an input signal to the device that corresponds to the holographic image of the tangible input object selected by the operator.

24. A control arrangement according to claim 19, wherein:

said physical structure comprises a mounting body;

said hologram of the tangible control mechanism is connected to said mounting body; and

said means for illuminating said hologram projects said holographic image of the tangible control mechanism at a predetermined location spaced from said mounting body.

25. A control arrangement according to claim 19, wherein said hologram is a transmission hologram, and wherein said illuminating means comprises an illumination source providing illumination from a position behind said transmission hologram relative to the operator.

26. A control arrangement according to claim 19, wherein said hologram is a reflection hologram, and wherein said illuminating means comprises an illumination source providing illumination from a position on the same side of said reflection hologram as said operator.

27. A control arrangement according to claim 19, wherein said hologram is a white-light hologram and said illumination means is a source of incoherent light.

28. A control arrangement according to claim 19, wherein said hologram is a conventional hologram and said illumination means is a source of coherent light.

29. A control arrangement according to claim 19, wherein said actuation detector comprises a three dimensional active vision sensor.

30. A control arrangement according to claim 19, further comprising an output interface, said output interface including a video display device.

31. A control arrangement as in claim 19, wherein said image generator is arranged to generate a holographic image of another tangible control mechanism of a different electronic or electromechanical device.

32. A control arrangement as in claim 19, wherein said actuation detector comprises a wave source for producing waves selected from the group consisting of acoustic waves and electromagnetic waves.

33. A control arrangement as in claim 32, wherein said wave source is a laser and further comprises means for real-time, three dimensional optical scanning of the region including and bounding the holographic image, in a raster pattern across the plane of the holographic image.