Portable interactive communication systems

• US 7,750,892 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polyvision Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Polyvision Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Anderson, Brent W., Meissner, Richard, Hofmann, Neal A., Ashford, Louis, Hildebrandt, Peter W., Watson, James D., Dunn, Michael H., Wilson, Scott E., Hutchinson, Ian G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US11/146,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20050280636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,856 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves

Abstract

The present invention includes interactive communication systems that incorporate several beneficial embodiments including an interactive tray system, an electronic presentation messaging system, an interactive podium, and a key drive system. The interactive tray system enables a single, transferable interactive unit to be fastened to a communication medium, turning into a fully interactive medium. The electronic presentation messaging system enables the e-mailing of presentations and notes to and from components of the interactive communication system. The interactive podium increases conventional podium mobility, enabling both the presenter, and podium, to move and be moved about the room without attention to wired connections. The key drive system replaces the conventional Y-connector of the key drive technology by effectively integrating the key drive in the device, thus only having one connector, and eliminating the need to change connectors from the key drive, to the USB connector, upon software driver loading.

Claims

1. An assembly enabling a presentation surface of an electronic device to be used in an interactive communication system, the assembly comprising:

a sensor system adapted to sense an instrument in proximity to or in contact with the presentation surface of the electronic device, the sensor system calculating a location of the instrument relative to the presentation surface to identify an interaction with the presentation surface;

a shielding system for reducing radiation interference on the sensor system caused by energy emitted from the presentation surface of the electronic device, and for limiting a field of view of the sensor system by defining at least one opening through which the sensor system detects the instrument; and

a ventilation system for externally reducing the temperature of the presentation surface of the electronic device;

wherein the assembly is positionable at a bottom edge of the frame of the electronic device.

2. The assembly of claim 1, the sensor system comprising at least one infrared sensor.

3. The assembly of claim 1, the at least one opening of the shielding system comprising one or more slits defining a plane in which the instrument is detectable by the sensor system.

4. The assembly of claim 2, the shielding system further configured to limit a field of view of the infrared sensor to reduce the radiation interference of energy emitted from the presentation surface of the electronic device.

5. A portable assembly for enabling a display surface of an electronic device to be used in an interactive communication system, the portable assembly comprising:

a sensor system comprising an infrared detector for detecting an instrument on or near the display surface of the electronic device, the sensor system being configured to calculate a position of the instrument relative to the display surface;

a shielding system for limiting a field of detection of the sensor system to reduce radiation interference on the sensor system caused by energy emitted from the display surface of electronic device, the shielding system defining at least one opening through which the sensor system detects the instrument;

a ventilation system positioned inside the portable assembly for blowing air upward from the portable assembly to inhibit dust from falling downward into the field of detection of the sensor system; and

a fastening device for releasably securing the portable assembly onto or near the electronic device.

6. The portable assembly of claim 5, the assembly being centrally positioned on the bottom edge of the frame of the electronic device.

7. The portable assembly of claim 5, the portable assembly being positionable centrally proximate a bottom edge of the electronic device.

8. The portable assembly of claim 5, the sensor system being integrated into a tray device adapted to hold a plurality of styli.

9. The portable assembly of claim 5, the ventilation system further configured to provide a stream of air up and over the display surface of the electronic device to externally cool the display surface.

10. The portable assembly of claim 5, the at least one opening of the shielding system comprising one or more slits through which the infrared sensor system detects the instrument, wherein the infrared sensor system detects the instrument only when the instrument is visible to the infrared sensor system through the one or more slits.

11. The portable assembly of claim 5, the at least one opening of the shielding system being at least two slits having predetermined widths and being positioned at predetermined distances from the sensor system to define the at least one planar field of detection of the sensor system.

12. The portable assembly of claim 5, the sensor system, the shielding system, and the ventilation system all being integrated into a tray device configured to hold one or more styli.

13. The portable assembly of claim 10, the one or more slits of the shielding system defining at least one planar field of detection of the sensor system.

14. The portable assembly of claim 10, the one or more slits of the shielding system having predetermined widths and being positioned at predetermined distances from the sensor system.

15. A portable assembly for enabling a display surface of an electronic device to be used in an interactive communication system, the portable assembly comprising:

a sensor system comprising an ultrasonic detector for detecting an instrument on or near the display surface of the electronic device, the sensor system being configured to calculate a position of the instrument relative to the display surface;

a ventilation system for externally cooling the display surface of the electronic device by streaming air upwardly over the display surface to reduce heat waves emitted from the electronic device, thereby reducing interference of the heat waves with the ultrasonic detector of the sensor system, and wherein the ventilation system is positioned inside the portable assembly for blowing air away from the portable assembly to inhibit particulate matter from falling downward into the field of detection of the sensor system; and

a fastening device for releasably securing the portable assembly onto or near the electronic device.

16. The portable assembly of claim 15, further comprising a shielding system for limiting a field of detection of the sensor system, wherein the instrument is detectable only when located within the limited field of detection.

17. The portable assembly of claim 15, the ventilation system further configured to cool the portable assembly.

18. The portable assembly of claim 15, the ventilation system further configured to reduce collection of dust particles on the portable assembly when streaming air upwardly.

19. The portable assembly of claim 15, the shielding system further configured to reduce interference on the sensor system caused by energy emitted from display surface of the electronic device.

20. The portable assembly of claim 16, the sensor system, the shielding system, and the ventilation system all being integrated into a tray device configured to hold one or more styli.