Coordinate position inputting/detecting device, a method for inputting/detecting the coordinate position, and a display board system

• US 6,760,009 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Omura, Katsuyuki, Inoue, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monestime, Mackly
• Application Number:
  US10/164,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20030001825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/156, 345/158, 345/175, 345/857, 345/862
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device comprises a lighting device for emitting light into an entry area into which an arbitrary pointing body is inserted to perform an entry operation. At least two image pickup devices are provided with a prespecified space therebetween on a peripheral section of the entry area for picking up images of the pointing body illuminated by the light from the lighting device. Position on the CCD of the image pickup devices where an image of the pointing body is formed is obtained according to output from each of the image pickup devices. Coordinates of the position of the pointing body in the entry area are calculated from these positions.

Claims

1. A coordinate position inputting/detecting device comprising:

at least two image pickup elements provided with a prespecified space therebetween on a peripheral section of an entry area including a plane, the at least two image pickup elements each providing a pointing body monitoring output indicating a two-dimensional area of each of the at least two image pickup elements receiving an illuminated image of a pointing body inserted into said entry area and moved therein to perform an entry operation;

coordinate-value means for computing positions where each illuminated image is formed on each of said at least two image pickup elements according to each corresponding output from said at least two image pickup elements, the computed positions including an indication of a location of the pointing body relative to a point determined by two coordinates in the plane and a coordinate distance of the pointing body above the plane during movement of the pointing body, and

means for inputting commands to a computer based at least on detected changes in the coordinate distance of the pointing body above the plane, the commands being other than drawing commands indicating pointing body movements for display.

2. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the means for inputting commands includes means for comparing the detected changes in the coordinate distance of the pointing body above the plane to reference distance data.

3. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device according to claim 1 further comprising discriminating dust from the pointing body.

4. A coordinate-position inputting/detecting device comprising:

at least two image pickup elements provided with a prespecified space therebetween on a peripheral section of an entry area including a plane, the at least two image pickup elements each providing a pointing body monitoring output an indicating a two-dimensional light responsive area of each of the at least two image pickup elements receiving an illuminated image of a pointing body inserted into said entry area and moved therein to perform an entry operation;

a coordinate-value unit configured to compute positions where each illuminated image is formed on each of said at least two image pickup elements according to each corresponding output from said at least two image pickup elements, the computed positions including an indication of a location of the pointing body relative to a point determined by two coordinates in the plane and a coordinate distance of the pointing body above the plane during movement of the pointing body, and

an input configured to input commands to a computer based at least on detected changes in the coordinate distance of the pointing body above the plane, the commands being other than drawing commands indicating pointing body movements for display.

5. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device according to claim 4, wherein the input configured to input commands includes a comparing unit configured to compare the detected changes in the coordinate distance of the pointing body above the plane to reference distance data.

6. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting device according to claim 4 further comprising a discriminating unit configured to discriminate dust from the pointing body.

7. A coordinate-position inputting/detecting method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an illuminated image of a pointing body inserted into an entry area on each of at least two image pickup elements provided with a prespecified space therebetween on a peripheral section of the entry area;

providing an output from each of the at least two image pickup elements that indicates an area on the corresponding one of the at least two image pickup elements having the corresponding illuminated image formed thereon;

computing positions where each of the illuminated images are formed on a corresponding one of said at least two image pickup elements according to each output;

identifying coordinates of a position of said pointing body in and above a plane in the entry area from the computed positions; and

determining whether or not changes in pointing body position are computer function controlling commands that are not displayed based at least on changes of distancing of the pointing body position above the plane.

9. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting method according to claim 7 further comprising a step of discriminating dust from the pointing body.

8. The coordinate-position inputting/detecting method according to claim wherein the determining step includes comparing changes of distancing of the pointing body position above the plane to reference distance data.

10. A display board system comprising at least:

display means for displaying characters and images;

a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device with an entry area provided in front of said display means; and

control means for determining if a pointing body motion in the entry area constitutes a drawing control or a function control according to input from said coordinate-position inputting/detecting device,

wherein the display means forms a display surface and the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device forms a writing surface of a display board as part of the entry area and said coordinate-position inputting/detecting device comprises,

at least two image pickup elements provided with a prespecified space therebetween on a peripheral section of an the entry area into which a the pointing body is inserted, with illuminated images of the pointing body inserted into said entry area being formed on an area of each of the at least two image pickup elements with each of the at least two image pickup elements providing an output corresponding to the area of each that the illuminated images are formed on, and

coordinate-value identifying means for computing positions where the illuminated images of said pointing body are formed according to each output from each of the at least two image pickup elements, the computed positions including an indication of a location of the pointing body relative to a point determined by two coordinates on the writing surface and a coordinate distance of the pointing body above the writing surface during movement of the pointing body,

wherein the control means determines if a pointing body motion in the entry area constitutes a drawing control or a function control based at least on detected changes in the coordinate distance of the pointing body above the writing surface.

11. A display board system according to claim 10, wherein said display means is a plasma display.

12. A display board system according to claim 10, wherein said display means further has a plurality of connecting means for connecting various types of information equipment including video equipment, and is usable as a large-sized screen monitor using said connecting means.

13. The display board system according to claim 10, wherein the control means determines if a pointing body motion in the entry area constitutes a drawing control or a function control based at least on detected changes in the coordinate distance of the pointing body above the writing surface by comparing the detected changes in the coordinate distance of the pointing body above the writing surface to reference distance data.

14. The display board system according to claim 10 further comprising a discriminating means for discriminating dust from the pointing body.

15. A display board system comprising at least:

display means for displaying characters and images;

a coordinate-position inputting detecting device with an entry area provided in front of said display means;

printing means for outputting image data onto a recording paper; and

control means for providing controls over the display by said display means as well as over printing operations by said printing means according to input from said coordinate-position inputting/detecting device,

wherein the display means forms a display surface and the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device forms a writing surface of the display board and said coordinate-position inputting/detecting device comprises,

at least two image pickup elements provided with a prespecified space therebetween on a peripheral section of an entry area, the at least two image pickup elements each providing an output indicating a portion of each of the at least two image pickup elements receiving an illuminated image of a pointing body inserted into said entry area to perform an entry operation, and

coordinate-value identifying means for computing positions where each illuminated image is formed on each of the at least two image pickup elements according to each corresponding output from the at least two image pickup elements, and for identifying coordinates of a position of said pointing body by using the computed positions;

and further wherein said control means is a personal computer and said display board system further comprises,

a frame unit having holding means for holding the display surface and the writing surface of the display board at a specified height,

a printer accommodating means for accommodating said printing means therein, and

control accommodating means for accommodating said control means therein,

wherein said control accommodating means and said printer accommodating means are arranged in the frame unit beneath the holding means.

16. A display board system according to claim 15;

wherein said display means is a plasma display.

18. A display board system according to claim 15;

wherein said holding means includes an angle adjusting means for adjusting an angle of the display surface and the writing surface of the display board.

19. A display board system according to claim 15;

wherein said display means further has a plurality of connecting means for connecting various types of information equipment including video equipment, and is usable as a large-sized screen monitor using said connecting means.

17. A display board system according to claim wherein said frame unit has a keyboard placement means provided at a position on the upper side of said printer accommodating means but on the lower side of said holding means for placing a keyboard connected to said personal computer.

20. A display board system comprising at least:

display means for displaying characters and images;

a coordinate-position inputting/detecting device with an entry area provided in front of said display means;

printing means for outputting image data onto a recording paper; and

control means for providing controls over the display by said display means as well as over printing operations by said printing means according to input from said coordinate-position inputting/detecting device,

wherein the display means forms a display surface and the coordinate-position inputting/detecting device forms a writing surface of the display board and said coordinate-position inputting/detecting device comprises,

light emitting means for emitting light into an entry area,

at least two image pickup elements provided with a prespecified space therebetween on a peripheral section of said entry area for picking up illuminated images made up of light reflected from a pointing body inserted into the entry area and illuminated by the light emitted from said light emitting means, and

coordinate-value identifying means receiving an output from each of the at least two image pickup elements resulting from corresponding illuminated images made up of light reflected from the pointing body impinging thereon and using each of the outputs for computing corresponding positions where the illuminated images of said pointing body are formed on corresponding ones of the at least two image pickup elements, and for identifying coordinates of a position of said pointing body by using the computed positions,

and further wherein said control means is a personal computer and said display board system further comprises,

a frame unit having holding means for holding the display surface and the writing surface of the display board at a specified height,

a printer accommodating means for accommodating said printing means therein, and

control accommodating means for accommodating said control means therein,

wherein said control accommodating means and said printer accommodating means are arranged in the frame unit beneath the holding means.

21. A display board system according to claim 20;

wherein said display means is a plasma display.

22. A display board system according to claim 20;

wherein said frame unit has a keyboard placement means provided at a position on the upper side of said printer accommodating means but on the lower side of said holding means for placing a keyboard connected to said personal computer.

23. A display board system according to claim 20;

wherein said holding means includes an angle adjusting means for adjusting an angle of the display surface and the writing surface of the display board.

24. A display board system according to claim 20;

wherein said display means further has a plurality of connecting means for connecting various types of information equipment including video equipment, and is usable as a large-sized screen monitor using said connecting means.