Virtual data entry device and method for input of alphanumeric and other data

• US 7,305,368 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VKB, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VKB, Inc.
• Inventors: Maor, Yaniv, Naimi, Eyal, Lieberman, Klony, Turm, Amichai, Sharon, Yuval, Tsachi, Mattan, Arnon, Boas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US11/314,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20060101349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 706/14, 706/48, 706/908
• US Class Current: 706/14
• 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 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/908 Electronic or computer, internal or network, circuit

Abstract

A data input device including an optically generated image of a data input device, the image including at least one input zone actuable by an action performed thereon by a user, a sensor operative to sense the action performed on the at least one input zone, and to generate signals in response to the action, and a processor in communication with the sensor operative to process the signals for performing an operation associated with the at least one input zone.

Claims

1. Apparatus for inputting at least alpha-numeric information into a computer comprising:

a projector, projecting an image of at least part of a keyboard, including a plurality of keyboard locations, onto an inert surface;

a single two dimensional sensor comprising;

at least one infrared illuminator generating a generally planar beam generally parallel to said inert surface;

an array of discrete sensing elements; and

at least one lens operative to image light scattered by a user indicator at a region of said generally planar beam overlying each of said plurality of keyboard locations onto a corresponding at least one of said array of discrete sensing elements, said at least one lens mapping said plurality of keyboard locations onto said array of discrete sensing elements, such that each of said plurality of keyboard locations on said image of at least part of a keyboard is defined by at least one of said array of discrete sensing elements,

said single two dimensional sensor sensing user indicator interaction with specific ones of said plurality of keyboard locations on said image of at least part of a keyboard; and

at least alpha-numeric information generation circuitry receiving an output from said single two dimensional sensor for providing an at least alpha-numeric output on the basis of said mapping.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 and also comprising a wireless communicator operative to provide said at least alpha-numeric output in a wireless manner to a receiver.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 and wherein said wireless communicator comprises a cellular telephone.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said cellular telephone includes a housing, in which housing are mounted said projector, said single two dimensional sensor and said at least alpha-numeric information generation circuitry.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 and also comprising a personal digital assistant.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein said personal digital assistant includes a housing, in which housing are mounted said projector, said single two dimensional sensor and said at least alpha-numeric information generation circuitry.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one infrared illuminator is operative to direct infrared radiation over said image of at least part of a keyboard and said single two dimensional sensor also comprises at least one infrared sensor for sensing infrared light scattered from at least one user indicator.

8. Apparatus according to claim 2 and wherein said at least one infrared illuminator is operative to direct infrared radiation over said image of at least part of a keyboard and said single two dimensional sensor also comprises at least one infrared sensor for sensing infrared light scattered from at least one user indicator.

9. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said single two dimensional sensor comprises at least one visible light illuminator, directing visible radiation over said image of at least part of a keyboard onto an inert surface and at least one visible radiation sensor for sensing visible light scattered from at least one user indicator.

10. Apparatus according to claim 4 and wherein said single two dimensional sensor comprises at least one visible light illuminator, directing visible radiation over said image of at least part of a keyboard onto an inert surface and at least one visible radiation sensor for sensing visible light reflected from at least one user indicator.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said user indicator is a user finger.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said user indicator is a user held stylus.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said projector comprises a point light source illuminating a mask defining said image of at least part of a keyboard.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 and also comprising a mirror directing light passing through said mask onto said inert surface.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13 and also comprising at least one lens directly receiving light from said point light source through said mask.

16. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said point light source comprises a diode laser.

17. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said mask is formed to define a distorted representation of said image of at least part of a keyboard in order to compensate for distortions in said projector.

18. Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said mask is a dynamically changeable mask.

19. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said infrared illuminator comprises a cylindrical reflecting element receiving light from a point source and producing a generally flat, generally radially-directed light distribution.

20. Apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein said infrared illuminator comprises a cylindrical reflecting element receiving light from a point source and producing a generally flat, generally radially-directed light distribution.

21. Apparatus according to claim 9 and wherein said visible light illuminator comprises a cylindrical reflecting element receiving light from a point source and producing a generally flat, generally radially-directed light distribution.

22. Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said visible light illuminator comprises a cylindrical reflecting element receiving light from a point source and producing a generally flat, generally radially-directed light distribution.

23. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said single two dimensional sensor comprises a position sensitive detector and at least one lens operative to image a region overlying each of a plurality of keyboard locations onto a corresponding region on said position sensitive detector.

24. Apparatus according to claim 7 and wherein said at least one infrared illuminator is operative to direct infrared radiation at a plurality of levels over said image of at least part of a keyboard and said at least one infrared sensor is operative to sense infrared light scattered from at least one user indicator at a plurality of locations therealong.

25. Apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein said at least one infrared illuminator is operative to direct infrared radiation at a plurality of levels over said image of at least part of a keyboard and said at least one infrared sensor is operative to sense infrared light reflected from at least one user indicator at a plurality of locations therealong.

26. Apparatus according to claim 9 and wherein said at least one visible light illuminator is operative to direct visible radiation at a plurality of levels over said image of at least part of a keyboard and said at least one visible radiation sensor is operative to sense visible radiation light scattered from at least one user indicator at a plurality of locations therealong.

27. Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said at least one visible light illuminator is operative to direct visible radiation at a plurality of levels over said image of at least part of a keyboard and said at least one visible radiation sensor is operative to sense visible radiation light reflected from at least one user indicator at a plurality of locations therealong.

28. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said projector comprises a diffractive optical element, which when illuminated produces said image of at least part of a keyboard onto said inert surface.

29. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said projector comprises a spatial light modulator, which when illuminated produces said image of at least part of a keyboard onto said inert surface.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29 and wherein said spatial light modulator comprises a dynamic spatial light modulator which is responsive to an electrical input for producing a dynamic image onto said inert surface.

31. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein:

said projector projects an image of at least part of a keyboard and of mouse functionality onto said inert surface; and

said single two dimensional sensor senses user indicator interaction with specific locations on said image of said mouse functionality.

32. A method for inputting at least alpha-numeric information into a computer comprising:

projecting an image of at least part of a keyboard, including a plurality of keyboard locations, onto an inert surface;

employing a single two dimensional sensor comprising at least one infrared illuminator generating a generally planar beam generally parallel to said inert surface, an array of discrete sensing elements and at least one lens for sensing user indicator interaction with specific ones of said plurality of keyboard locations on said image of at least part of a keyboard and imaging light scattered by a user indicator at a region of said generally planar beam overlying each of said plurality of keyboard locations onto a corresponding at least one of said array of discrete sensing elements, said at least one lens mapping said plurality of keyboard locations onto said array of discrete sensing elements, such that each of said plurality of keyboard locations on said image of at least part of a keyboard is defined by at least one of said array of discrete sensing elements; and

receiving an output from said single two dimensional sensor indicating sensed user indicator interaction for providing an at least alpha-numeric output on the basis of said mapping.

33. A method according to claim 32 and also comprising providing said at least alpha-numeric output in a wireless manner to a receiver.

34. A method according to claim 32 and wherein said sensing comprises directing infrared radiation over said image of at least part of a keyboard on an inert surface and sensing infrared light scattered from at least one user indicator.

35. A method according to claim 32 and wherein said sensing comprises directing visible radiation over said image of at least part of a keyboard on an inert surface and sensing visible light scattered from at least one user indicator.

36. A method according to claim 32 and wherein said user indicator is a user finger.

37. A method according to claim 32 and wherein said user indicator is a user held stylus.

38. A method according to claim 34 and wherein said directing comprises reflecting light from a point source and producing a generally flat, generally radially-directed light distribution.

39. A method according to claim 35 and wherein said directing comprises reflecting light from a point source and producing a generally flat, generally radially-directed light distribution.

40. A method according to claim 32 and wherein said sensing comprises position sensitive detecting and imaging of a region overlying each of a plurality of keyboard locations onto a corresponding region on a position sensing detector.

41. A method according to claim 34 and wherein said directing includes directing infrared radiation at a plurality of levels over said image of at least part of a keyboard and said infrared sensing includes sensing infrared light scattered from at least one user indicator at a plurality of locations therealong.

42. A method according to claim 35 and wherein said directing includes directing visible radiation at a plurality of levels over said image of at least part of a keyboard and said visible sensing includes sensing visible light scattered from at least one user indicator at a plurality of locations therealong.

43. A method according to claim 32 and wherein said projecting comprises illuminating a diffractive optical element to produce said image of at least part of a keyboard onto said inert surface.

44. A method according to claim 32 and wherein said projecting comprises illuminating a spatial light modulator to produce said image of at least part of a keyboard onto said inert surface.

45. A method according to claim 44 and wherein said projecting comprises illuminating a dynamic spatial light modulator which is responsive to an electrical input for producing a dynamic image onto said inert surface.

46. A method according to claim 32 and wherein:

said projecting projects an image of at least part of a keyboard and of mouse functionality onto said inert surface; and

said sensing senses user indicator interaction with specific locations on said image of said mouse functionality.