Three dimensional interactive display

• US 6,847,354 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Vranish, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M.
• Application Number:
  US09/804,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20020000977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/600, 345/174, 345/902, 345/132, 345/901, 345/475, 345/699, 345/698, 345/501, 178 1801- 1807, 318/358.1, 340/870.37, 330/69, 324/664, 324/688, 324/662, 356/73, 280/731, 280/735
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3-D) interactive display and method of forming the same, includes a transparent capaciflector (TC) camera formed on a transparent shield layer on the screen surface. A first dielectric layer is formed on the shield layer. A first wire layer is formed on the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is formed on the first wire layer. A second wire layer is formed on the second dielectric layer. Wires on the first wire layer and second wire layer are grouped into groups of parallel wires with a turnaround at one end of each group and a sensor pad at the opposite end. An operational amplifier is connected to each of the sensor pads and the shield pad biases the pads and receives a signal from connected sensor pads in response to intrusion of a probe. The signal is proportional to probe location with respect to the monitor screen.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3-D) interactive display comprising:

a display screen;

an array of capaciflective pixels disposed upon said display screen;

a first group of sensor pads connected to ones of said array of capaciflective pixels;

a second group of sensor pads connected to ones of said array of capaciflective pixels, capaciflective pixels connected to said first group of sensor pads not being connected to said second group of sensor pads thereby forming a transparent capaciflector camera; and

an operational amplifier connected to each of said sensor pads, each said amplifier biasing and receiving a signal from a connected sensor pad responsive to intrusion of a probe disposed in front of said display screen, said signal being proportional to probe positional location with respect to said display screen so as to facilitate a direct 3-D input to said display screen.

2. The 3-D interactive display of claim 1, further comprising:

a transparent shield layer disposed between said display screen and said array of capaciflective pixels.

3. The 3-D interactive display of claim 2, wherein capaciflective pixels connected to each sensor pad of said first group and said second group comprises:

a plurality of parallel wires;

a turnaround at one end of said plurality of parallel wires; and

a sensor pad at an opposite end of said plurality of parallel wires.

4. The 3-D interactive display of claim 3, wherein said plurality of parallel wires comprises five wires spaced a half a centimeter apart, each of said wires spanning said display screen.

5. The 3-D interactive display of claim 3, wherein each of said parallel wires are silver.

6. The 3-D interactive display of claim 2 wherein said transparent shield layer is a layer of conductive glass, said shield layer and said capaciflective pixels being biased and driven identically.

7. The 3-D interactive display of claim 2 wherein said transparent shield layer is a layer of conductive glass.

8. The 3-D interactive display of claim 6, said shield layer including a shield pad, said shield pad connected to another operational amplifier, said 3-D interactive display further comprising:

an oscillator driving operational amplifiers connected to each sensor pad and said shield pad, said shield being biased and driven identically to said capaciflective pixels.

9. The 3-D interactive display of claim 8, said oscillator frequency being 100 KHz, said oscillator output voltage being 12 volts or less.

10. The 3-D interactive display of claim 9, said 3-D interactive display being connected to and interfacing with a computer.

11. The 3-D interactive display of claim, 1, wherein capaciflective pixels connected to said first group of sensor pads are arranged in columns and capaciflective pixels connected to said second group of sensor pads are arranged in rows.

12. The 3-D interactive display of claim 1, further comprising a protective coating over said array.

13. The 3-D interactive display of claim, 1, wherein each of said capaciflective pixels is a transparent conductive plate.

14. The 3-D interactive display of claim 13 wherein capaciflective pixels connected to each of said sensor pads in each of said first and second groups are arranged in alternating pixels and spaces such that when capaciflective pixels connected to sensor pads from said first group are overlaid by capaciflective pixels from said second group, said display screen is covered with a single layer of alternating pixels from either group.

15. The 3-D interactive display of claim 14 wherein each of said capaciflective pixels is a layer of conductive glass.

16. A method of making a 3-D interactive display, said method comprising the steps of:

a) forming a shield layer on a non-conductive substrate, said shield layer being a transparent layer of conductive material;

b) forming a first dielectric layer on said shield layer;

c) forming a first wire layer on said first dielectric layer;

d) forming a second dielectric layer over said first wire layer;

e) forming a second wire layer over said second dielectric layer; and

f) forming a protective coating layer on said second wire layer so as to facilitate a direct 3-D input to said protective coating layer.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the second wire layer is formed orthogonally to said first wire layer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said steps c) and d) further comprises:

i) forming a plurality of groups of parallel wires spanning said substrate;

ii) forming a turnaround at one end of said of each of said groups; and

iii) forming a pad at an opposite end of each said groups.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein in step (i) each wire is formed by depositing silver paste and curing said deposited silver paste.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said shield layer is formed by depositing a layer of conductive glass on a glass substrate.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising forming a shield pad on said conductive glass layer.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising forming vias to pads in each of said shield layer and said wire layers.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

forming a first pixel layer, said first pixel layer being formed on said first wire layer, said second dielectric layer being formed on said first pixel layer; and

forming a second pixel layer on said second dielectric layer, said second wire layer being formed on said second pixel layer.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said first pixel layer and said second pixel layer are each comprised of a plurality of pixel plates.

25. A 3-D interactive display comprising:

a display screen;

a transparent shield layer on said display screen;

a first dielectric layer on said shield layer;

a first wire layer on said first dielectric layer, wires on said first wire layer disposed in a first direction;

a second dielectric layer on said first wire layer;

a second wire layer on said second dielectric layer, wires on said second wire layer disposed orthogonally to wires on said first wire layer; and

a surface dielectric layer on said second wire layer so as to facilitate direct 3-D input to said display screen.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein said first wire layer and said second wire layer each comprises:

a plurality of groups of parallel wires;

a turnaround at one end of each said group of parallel wires; and

a sensor pad at an opposite end of each said group of parallel wires.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein each said group of parallel wires comprises five silver wires spaced a half a centimeter apart.

28. The device of claim 25 wherein said transparent shield layer is a layer of conductive glass and includes a shield pad disposed at one side.

29. The device of claim 28, further comprising:

a via at each said sensor pad; and

a via at said shield pad, each said via filled with silver epoxy and extending upward from said sensor pad or said shield pad to an upper surface of said surface dielectric layer.

30. A 3-D interactive display comprising:

a display screen;

a transparent shield layer on said display screen;

a first dielectric layer on said transparent shield layer;

a first wire layer on said first dielectric layer;

a first pixel layer, wires on said first wire layer contacting pixels on said first pixel layer;

a second dielectric layer on said first pixel layer;

a second pixel layer on said second dielectric layer;

a second wire layer on said second pixel layer, wires on said second wire layer contacting pixels on said second pixel layer; and

a surface dielectric layer on said second wire layer so as to facilitate direct 3-D input to said display screen.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein each wire on said first wire layer and said second wire layer contacts a sensor pad.

32. The device of claim 31 wherein said transparent shield layer and each pixel is a layer of conductive glass, said transparent shield layer including a shield pad disposed at one side.

33. The device of claim 30, further comprising:

a via at each said sensor pad; and

a via at said shield pad, each said via filled with silver epoxy and extending upward from said sensor pad or said shield pad to an upper surface of said surface dielectric layer.