Method and arrangement for accomplishing a function in an electronic apparatus and an electronic apparatus
First Claim
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1. A method for accomplishing a function in an electronic apparatus housed within a body, which method comprises:
- drawing a virtual keyboard on a plane by means of radiation visible to the eye, where the source of radiation visible to the eye comprises at least one laser transmitter emitting a beam of light which both draws the desired key pattern observes the position of an obstacle in the key pattern, placing an obstacle in the keyboard pattern produced, receiving radiation reflected from the obstacle, determining the position of the obstacle on the basis of the signal received, and after receiving a signal reflected from an obstacle, reducing the drawing power of the laser transmitter for as long a time as the signal reflected from the obstacle can be received.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method and arrangement for generating a virtual keyboard in connection with an electronic apparatus (10) on a planar surface (16). The virtual keyboard is drawn by a laser transmitter (11), and the light reflected from an obstacle (15b) in the area of the virtual keyboard is received. The angle of incidence and time of arrival of the received signal are observed, and on the basis thereof a conclusion is drawn about whether a certain key in the virtual keyboard has been pressed.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for accomplishing a function in an electronic apparatus housed within a body, which method comprises:
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drawing a virtual keyboard on a plane by means of radiation visible to the eye, where the source of radiation visible to the eye comprises at least one laser transmitter emitting a beam of light which both draws the desired key pattern observes the position of an obstacle in the key pattern, placing an obstacle in the keyboard pattern produced, receiving radiation reflected from the obstacle, determining the position of the obstacle on the basis of the signal received, and after receiving a signal reflected from an obstacle, reducing the drawing power of the laser transmitter for as long a time as the signal reflected from the obstacle can be received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An arrangement for accomplishing a function in an electronic apparatus housed within a main body, which arrangement comprises a means for generating and using a virtual keyboard produced on a planar input area outside the main body of the apparatus, where the means comprises a laser transmitter for drawing a virtual keyboard and observing the position of an obstacle, and a receiver for receiving radiation/light reflected from an obstacle in the virtual keyboard, which comprises at least one row of virtual keys, means for determining the position of the obstacle in the virtual keyboard on the basis of the reflected radiation/light;
- and means for reducing the drawing power of the laser transmitter after receiving the reflected radiation/light for as long a time as the reflected radiation/light is received from the obstacle.
- View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A cellular network terminal, comprising:
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means for receiving signals, means for transmitting signals, means for controlling the operation of the terminal, memory for storing programs, and means for producing a virtual keyboard and observing an obstacle in the virtual keyboard, said means comprising a laser transmitter and a receiver for receiving radiation/light reflected from an obstacle and a drawing control unit, means for determining the position of the obstacle in the virtual keyboard on the basis of the reflected radiation/light; and
means for reducing the drawing power of the laser transmitter after receiving the reflected radiation/light for as long a time as the reflected radiation/light is received from the obstacle.- View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
means for determining the reception angle and reception time of a received signal, means for determining the validity of the reception angle, means for determining the validity of the reception time, means for counting the successive reflection signals received at different scanning rounds and for estimating whether a sufficient number of reflections have been received, and means for detecting a press of a key in the virtual keyboard. -
15. A terminal according to claim 14 wherein the means for observing the position of an obstacle in the virtual keyboard further comprises a portion allocated from the memory of a drawing control unit connected to the terminal for storing indicators caused by reflected signals for the next scanning round.
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16. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer useable medium having computer readable code means embodied therein for causing a computer to recognize the position of an obstacle in the area of a virtual keyboard of an electronic apparatus, the computer readable code means in the computer program product comprising;
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine the reception angle and reception time of a received signal, computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine the validity of the reception angle, computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine the validity of the reception time, computer readable program code means for causing a computer to count the successive reflection signals received at different scanning rounds and estimate whether a sufficient number of reflections have been received, and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to detect a press of a key in the virtual keyboard by determining the position of the obstacle on the basis of the reflection signals; and
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to reduce a drawing power of a laser transmitter that emits a beam of a light which both draws a desired key pattern and observes the position of the obstacle in the key pattern for as long a time as reflections are received from the obstacle.
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17. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a computer useable medium having computer readable code means embodied therein for causing a computer to recognize the position of an obstacle in the area of a virtual keyboard of an electronic apparatus, in the article of manufacture comprising;
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine the reception angle and reception time of a received signal, computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine the validity of the reception angle, computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine the validity of the reception time, computer readable program code means for causing a computer to count the successive reflection signals received at different scanning rounds and estimate whether a sufficient number of reflections have been received, and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to detect a press of a key in the virtual keyboard by determining the position of the obstacle on the basis of the reflection signals; and
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to reduce a drawing power of a laser transmitter that emits a beam of light which both draws a desired key pattern and observes the position of the obstacle in the key pattern for as long a time as reflections are received from the obstacle.
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Specification