Multi-user retro reflector data input

• US 7,137,711 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2000
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reiffel Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Leonard Reiffel
• Inventors: Reiffel, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, James
• Application Number:
  US10/203,735
• Time in Patent Office: 2,436 Days
• Field of Search: 359515-530, 359/533, 359/169, 359/170, 398169-170, 116/209, 356/152.3, 356/141.1, 340/557
• US Class Current: 359/516
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/12 Reflex reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/124 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042

Abstract

The apparatus uses retro-reflected light, having a fixed component (41) and a variable component (37) varied by a person, from a retro reflector (31) connected to a person to input data (37A) to an information system (13) and does this for each of several persons in the same time interval.

Claims

1. Data input apparatus used with an information system, the data input apparatus comprising:

an imager;

a light source adjacent to the imager;

a retro reflector, the retro reflector being connected to a person;

retro-reflected light, the retro reflected light being light from the light source which is retro-reflected by the retro reflector to the imager, the retro-reflected light having a fixed component, and the retro-reflected light having a variable component varied by the person, the variable component of the retro-reflected light caused by changing between obscuring and unobscuring at least a portion of the retro-reflector from within a field of view of the imager;

an identity signal, the identity signal being input to the information system by the imager when the fixed component is detected by the imager in a time interval; and

a signal, the signal being input to the information system by the imager when the variable component is detected by the imager in the time interval.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a sequent retro reflector, the sequent retro reflector being connected to a sequent person;

sequent retro-reflected light, the sequent retro reflected light being light from the light source which is retro-reflected by the sequent retro reflector to the imager, the sequent retro-reflected light having a sequent fixed component, and the sequent retro-reflected light having a sequent variable component varied by the sequent person, the sequent variable component of the sequent retro-reflected light caused by changing between obscuring and unobscuring at least a portion of the sequent retro-reflector from within a field of view of the imager;

a sequent identity signal, the sequent identity signal being input to the information system by the imager when the sequent fixed component is detected by the imager in the time interval;

a sequent signal, the sequent signal being input to the information system by the imager when the sequent variable component is detected by the imager in the time interval.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the sequent retro reflector is connected to the sequent person.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the sequent fixed component is distinct from the fixed component and the sequent identity signal is distinct from the identity signal, thereby allowing the imager to distinguish light retro-reflected by the sequent retro reflector from light retro-reflected by the retro reflector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the retro reflector reflects a first electromagnetic radiation spectrum portion greater than other electromagnetic spectrum portions and the imager is more sensitive to the first electromagnetic radiation spectrum portion than to the other electromagnetic radiation spectrum portions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light source is modulated at a first frequency and the imager is more sensitive to light modulated at the first frequency than to light modulated at other frequencies.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the retro reflector is on a hand portion of the person.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the retro reflector is on an object held by the person.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the retro reflector is on gear worn by the person.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second retro reflector being connected to the person and wherein obscuring at least a portion of the retro-reflector from within a field of view of the imager comprises the second retro reflector being changed between being positioned to be seen or invisible to the imager.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an information processor, wherein the information processor processes variations of the variable component of the retro-reflected light that are defined to execute members of a roster of signal components.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display device adjacent the retro-reflector and visible to the person, the display device adapted to display information related to the variable component.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further wherein the person can use the data input apparatus interactively by viewing information displayed on the display device and varying the variable component of the retro-reflected light.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the obscuring and unobscuring at least a portion of the retro-reflector from within a field of view of the imager comprises a start and stop configuration.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the start configuration starts the signal being input to the information system by the imager when the variable component is detected by the imager in the time interval and the stop configuration stops the signal being input to the information system by the imager when the variable component is detected by the imager in the time interval.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the signal comprises data identifying the series of positions the retro-reflector along a path in the time interval.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the start configuration starts the signal being input to the information system by the imager when the imager does of one the following:

(a) detects the at least a portion of the retro-reflector is un-obscured;

or (b) detects the at least a portion of the retro-reflector is obscured.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein obscuring and un-obscuring at least a portion of the retro-reflector when the reflector is within a field of view of the imager comprises positioning at least a portion of the retro-reflector to be seen or invisible to the imager.

19. Data input apparatus used with an information system, the data input apparatus comprising:

an imager;

a scanner chosen from the group consisting of;

an imager scanner scanning the imager over a light source illuminated solid angle;

a light scanner scanning the light source over an imager viewed solid angle; and

a combined scanner scanning the imager and the light source together over a solid angle;

a light source adjacent to the imager;

a retro reflector, the retro reflector being connected to a person;

retro-reflected light, the retro reflected light being light from the light source which is retro-reflected by the retro reflector to the imager, the retro-reflected light having a fixed component, and the retro-reflected light having a variable component varied by the person;

an identity signal, the identity signal being input to the information system by the imager when the fixed component is detected by the imager in a time interval;

a signal, the signal being input to the information system by the imager when the variable component is detected by the scanner in the time interval.

20. Data input apparatus used with an information system, the data input apparatus comprising:

a retro reflector, the retro reflector on a vehicle transporting the person;

retro-reflected light, the retro reflected light being light from the light source which is retro-reflected by the retro reflector to the imager, the retro-reflected light having a fixed component, and the retro-reflected light having a variable component varied by the person;

an identity signal, the identity signal being input to the information system by the imager when the fixed component is detected by the imager in a time interval; and

a signal, the signal being input to the information system by the imager when the variable component is detected by the imager in the time interval.