Coordinate input apparatus, control method thereof, and program
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A coordinate input apparatus for detecting a point position on a coordinate input region, comprising:
- a plurality of sensor means each of which includes a light projecting unit to project light to the coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is provided around the coordinate input region;
reflection means, provided at a periphery of the coordinate input region, for retroreflecting incident light; and
determination means for determining a point state of pointing means in the coordinate input region on the basis of a number and intensities of shadows which are present in light intensity distributions obtained from said plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by the pointing means.
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Abstract
The point state of a pointer in a coordinate input region is determined on the basis of the number and intensities of shadows which are present in light intensity distributions obtained from a plurality of sensors in accordance with pointing by the pointer.
59 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A coordinate input apparatus for detecting a point position on a coordinate input region, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor means each of which includes a light projecting unit to project light to the coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is provided around the coordinate input region; reflection means, provided at a periphery of the coordinate input region, for retroreflecting incident light; and determination means for determining a point state of pointing means in the coordinate input region on the basis of a number and intensities of shadows which are present in light intensity distributions obtained from said plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by the pointing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A control method of a coordinate input apparatus for detecting a point position on a coordinate input region by using a plurality of sensor means each of which includes a light projecting unit to project light to the coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is provided around the coordinate input region, comprising:
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an acquisition step of acquiring light intensity distributions obtained from the plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by pointing means; and a determination step of determining a point state of the pointing means in the coordinate input region on the basis of a number and intensities of shadows which are present in the light intensity distributions obtained from the plurality of sensor means and acquired in the acquisition step.
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12. A computer-readable recording medium on which is stored a computer-executable program which causes a computer to execute control of a coordinate input apparatus for detecting a point position on a coordinate input region by using a plurality of sensor means each of which includes a light projecting unit to project light to the coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is provided around the coordinate input region, and wherein said computer-executable program causes the computer to execute:
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an acquisition step of acquiring light intensity distributions obtained from the plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by pointing means; and a determination step of determining a point state of the pointing means in the coordinate input region on the basis of a number and intensities of shadows which are present in the light intensity distributions obtained from the plurality of sensor means and acquired in the acquisition step.
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13. A coordinate input apparatus for detecting a point position on a coordinate input region, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor means; and determination means for determining a point state of pointing means in the coordinate input region on the basis of a number and intensities of shadows or images which are present in light intensity distributions obtained from said plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by the pointing means.
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14. A coordinate input apparatus for detecting a point position on a coordinate input region, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor means each of which includes a light projecting unit to project light to the coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is provided around the coordinate input region; a plurality of retroreflection means, provided at a periphery of the coordinate input region, for retroreflecting incident light; and calculation means for calculating coordinates of a point position of pointing means on the basis of light amount distributions obtained from said plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by the pointing means, wherein three-dimensional light shielding detection regions of said plurality of sensor means have a common three-dimensional solid shape corresponding to the coordinate input region. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A control method of a coordinate input apparatus which comprises a plurality of sensor means each including a light projecting unit to project light to a coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is provided around the coordinate input region and detects a point position on the coordinate input region, comprising:
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a calculation step of calculating coordinates of a point position of pointing means on the basis of light amount distributions obtained from the plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by the pointing means; and an output step of outputting the coordinates calculated in the calculation step, wherein three-dimensional light shielding detection regions of the plurality of sensor means have a common three-dimensional solid shape corresponding to the coordinate input region.
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22. A computer-readable recording medium on which is stored a computer-executable program which causes a computer to execute control of a coordinate input apparatus which comprises a plurality of sensor means each including a light projecting unit to project light to a coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is provided around the coordinate input region and detects a point position on the coordinate input region, and wherein said computer-executable program causes the computer to execute:
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a calculation step of calculating coordinates of a point position of pointing means on the basis of light amount distributions obtained from the plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by the pointing means; and an output step of outputting the coordinates calculated in the calculation step, wherein three-dimensional light shielding detection regions of the plurality of sensor means have a common three-dimensional solid shape corresponding to the coordinate input region.
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23. A coordinate input apparatus for detecting a point position on a coordinate input region, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor means each of which includes a light projecting unit to project light to the coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light, wherein each of the plurality of sensor means is provided around the coordinate input region; a plurality of retroreflection means, provided at a periphery of the coordinate input region, for retroreflecting incident light; and calculation means for calculating coordinates of a point position of pointing means on the basis of light amount distributions obtained from said plurality of sensor means in accordance with pointing by the pointing means, wherein three-dimensional light shielding detection regions of said plurality of sensor means have a common three-dimensional solid shape corresponding to the coordinate input region, and the three-dimensional light shielding detection region is defined as a three-dimensional region in which a height-direction change in the position of the pointing means can be detected on the basis of a change rate of an observed light intensity. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 29, 30)
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27. A coordinate input apparatus for detecting a point position on a coordinate input region, comprising:
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two sensor means provided substantially at two ends of one side of a periphery of the coordinate input region, each of said sensor means including a light projecting unit to project light to the coordinate input region and a light receiving unit to receive arrival light; a plurality of retroreflection means, provided on remaining sides of the periphery of the coordinate input region except said one side, for retroreflecting incident light; and calculation means for calculating coordinates of a point position of pointing means on the basis of light amount distributions obtained from said two sensor means in accordance with pointing by the pointing means, wherein in a shape of retroreflection means which faces only one sensor means of said two sensor means but does not face the other sensor means, a substantial extension of one end of said retroreflection means substantially matches a light shielding detection window of said other sensor unit, a side of the other end substantially matches a side of an end of retroreflection means which commonly faces said two sensor means, and at least a lower side of said retroreflecting member curves downward and comes close to the coordinate input surface at a midpoint. - View Dependent Claims (28, 31, 32)
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Specification