Virtual data entry device
First Claim
1. A virtual data entry device comprising:
- an illuminator generating a generally planar beam of light; and
an impingement sensor assembly operative to sense at least one location of impingement of said planar beam of light by at least one object, said impingement sensor assembly comprising;
at least one optical element arranged to receive light from said planar beam reflected by said at least one object, said at least one optical element having optical power in a first direction such that it focuses light from said planar beam reflected by an object at one of a plurality of focus line locations, which said one of a plurality of focus line locations is a function of the location of said object relative to said at least one optical element;
at least one multi-element detector arranged to receive light passing through said at least one optical element, said at least one multi-element detector being inclined with respect to said at least one optical element such that said multi-element detector intersects said plurality of focus line locations; and
processing circuitry operative to determine a distance between said at least one object and said at least one optical element, without using triangulation, based on a location of an intersection between said plurality of focus line locations and a detector line along which are arranged in a side-by-side orientation multiple elements of said multi-element detector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A virtual data entry device including an illuminator generating a generally planar beam of light and an impingement sensor assembly operative to sense at least one location of impingement of the planar beam of light by at least one object, the impingement sensor assembly including at least one optical element arranged to receive light from the planar beam reflected by the at least one object, the at least one optical element having optical power in a first direction such that it focuses light at at least one focus line location, which the at least one focus line location is a function of the location of the at least one object relative to the at least one optical element and a multi-element detector arranged to receive light passing through the at least one optical element, wherein the distribution of the light detected by the multi-element detector among multiple elements thereof indicates the location of the at least one object.
99 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A virtual data entry device comprising:
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an illuminator generating a generally planar beam of light; and an impingement sensor assembly operative to sense at least one location of impingement of said planar beam of light by at least one object, said impingement sensor assembly comprising; at least one optical element arranged to receive light from said planar beam reflected by said at least one object, said at least one optical element having optical power in a first direction such that it focuses light from said planar beam reflected by an object at one of a plurality of focus line locations, which said one of a plurality of focus line locations is a function of the location of said object relative to said at least one optical element; at least one multi-element detector arranged to receive light passing through said at least one optical element, said at least one multi-element detector being inclined with respect to said at least one optical element such that said multi-element detector intersects said plurality of focus line locations; and processing circuitry operative to determine a distance between said at least one object and said at least one optical element, without using triangulation, based on a location of an intersection between said plurality of focus line locations and a detector line along which are arranged in a side-by-side orientation multiple elements of said multi-element detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for data entry comprising:
- generating a generally planar beam of light; and
sensing at least one location of impingement of said planar beam of light by at least one object, said sensing comprising;
arranging at least one optical element to receive light from said planar beam reflected by an object, said at least one optical element having optical power in a first direction such that it focuses light at one of a plurality of focus line locations, which said one of a plurality of focus line locations is a function of a distance between said object and said at least one optical element; and
arranging a multi-element detector to receive light passing through said at least one optical element, said at least one multi-element detector being inclined with respect to said at least one optical element such that said multi-element detector intersects said plurality of focus line locations;
determining a distance between said at least one object and said at least one optical element, without using triangulation, based on a location of an intersection between said plurality of focus line locations and a first detector line along which are arranged in a side-by-side orientation multiple elements of said multi-element detector. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
- generating a generally planar beam of light; and
Specification