Holographic control arrangement
DCFirst Claim
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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.
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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.
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Citations
33 Claims
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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.
- said control arrangement allowing such control without the operator touching any solid object and comprising;
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7. A control arrangement according to claim 6, further comprising an image frame mounted to said mounting body and peripherally encompassing said holographic image.
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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.
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9. A control arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said actuation detector comprises a detection matrix incorporated into said image frame.
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10. A control arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said actuation detector comprises a three dimensional active vision sensor.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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15. A control arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising an output interface, said output interface including a video display device.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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.
- said control arrangement allowing such control without the operator touching a solid object and comprising;
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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29. A control arrangement according to claim 19, wherein said actuation detector comprises a three dimensional active vision sensor.
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30. A control arrangement according to claim 19, further comprising an output interface, said output interface including a video display device.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Specification