Method and apparatus for inputting information including coordinate data

• US 7,342,574 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Fujioka, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): FATAHI YAR, MAHMOUD
• Application Number:
  US10/717,456
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-178, 178 1801- 20
• US Class Current: 345/175
• 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

Abstract

A method, computer readable medium, and apparatus for inputting information, including coordinate data, includes: extracting a predetermined object from an image, including a predetermined object above a plane; detecting motion of the predetermined object while the predetermined object is within a predetermined distance from the plane; and then determining if to input predetermined information.

Claims

1. A method for inputting information including coordinate data, comprising:

providing at least two cameras at respective corners of a display;

extracting, based on outputs from the at least two cameras, a predetermined object from an image including the predetermined object above a plane of the display and a plane of the display;

determining whether the predetermined object is within a predetermined distance from the plane of the display;

detecting, based on outputs from the at least two cameras, a position of the predetermined object while the predetermined object is determined to be within a predetermined distance from the plane;

calculating angles of views of each of the at least two cameras to the detected position; and

calculating coordinates of the predetermined object on the display panel utilizing the calculated angles.

2. A method for inputting information including coordinate data according to claim 1, wherein the at least two cameras are in opposite corners of the display.

3. A device for inputting information including coordinate data, comprising:

at least two cameras at respective corners of a display;

an object extracting device configured to extract a predetermined object from an image including the predetermined object above a plane of the display and a plane of the display, and to determine whether the predetermined object is within a predetermined distance from the plane of the display;

a detector device configured to detect a position of the predetermined object while the predetermined object is within a predetermined distance from the plane; and

a controller configured to calculate angles of views of each of the at least two cameras to the detected position and to calculate coordinates of the predetermined object on the display panel utilizing the calculated angles.

4. A device for inputting information including coordinate data according to claim 3, wherein the at least two cameras are in opposite corners of the display.

5. A device for inputting information including coordinate data, comprising:

at least two imaging means at respective corners of a display;

means for extracting, based on outputs from the at least two imaging means, a predetermined object from an image including the predetermined object above a plane of the display and a plane of the display, and for determining whether the predetermined object is within a predetermined distance from the plane of the display;

means for detecting, based on outputs from the at least two imaging means, a position of the predetermined object while the predetermined object is within a predetermined distance from the plane;

means for calculating angles of view of each of the least two imaging means and for calculating coordinates of the predetermined object on the display panel utilizing the calculated angles.

6. A device for inputting information including coordinate data according to claim 5, wherein the at least two imaging means are in opposite corners of the display.