Tracking approaching or hovering objects for user-interfaces

• US 8,253,713 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soo, Armstrong, Brandt, Jeffrey, Ku, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimnhung
• Application Number:
  US12/256,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 345/207, 178 1801- 1806
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can utilize photo-sensors embedded in a substantially transparent layer of a UI display for tracking objects that approach or hover over the UI display. The photo-sensors can be configured to detect light of certain wavelengths (e.g., visible light, infrared light) that are propagated toward the UI display, while ignoring light emanating from the UI display when displaying content. Accordingly, by examining various characteristics of the incoming light such as intensity, the architecture can identify a location of a shadow incident upon the display caused by an approaching or hovering selector object blocking portions of incoming light. Additionally or alternatively, the architecture can identify a location of higher intensity for light emanating from the selector object.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a user interface display that includes a set of photo-sensors that detect incoming electromagnetic radiation, the set of photo-sensors is distributed over multiple transparent layers of the user interface display between a protective surface and a display layer;

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions;

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to at least;

identify a coordinate on the user interface display based upon data received from the set of photo-sensors, wherein the coordinate relates to a position of a selector object determined based upon an angle of the incoming electromagnetic radiation; and

monitor the position of the selector object relative to the user interface display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein sensors included in the set of photo-sensors are configured to measure an intensity of the incoming electromagnetic radiation.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the intensity relates to at least a portion of the incoming electromagnetic radiation propagated substantially toward the user interface display.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the incoming electromagnetic radiation is visible light with a wavelength that ranges substantially between 300 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the incoming electromagnetic radiation is infrared radiation with a wavelength that ranges substantially between 800 nanometers and 1 millimeter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface display presents visual content.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface display is a touch-sensitive display that accepts an input based upon contact between the user interface display and the selector object.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the selector object is external to the user interface display.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-executable instructions to employ the data received from the set of photo-sensors to determine a location of a shadow on the user interface display that is produced by the selector object.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-executable instructions to select the coordinate based on the location of the shadow.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-executable instructions to employ the data received from the set of photo-sensors to determine an intersection of infrared light emitted from the selector object.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-executable instructions to select the coordinate based on the intersection of the infrared light.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-executable instructions to refine the coordinate as a function of received visible light and infrared radiation.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-executable instructions to determine a shape of an area with varying intensity of the incoming electromagnetic radiation as a function of the data received from the set of photo-sensors.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor further facilitates the execution of the computer-executable instructions to determine a shape of the selector object.

16. A method comprising:

determining, based on data from an array of photo-sensors included in the user interface display, an angle of incoming electromagnetic radiation data, wherein the array of photo-sensors compose transparent layers of the user interface display extant between a protective surface layer and a graphical output display layer of the user interface display;

selecting a coordinate on the user interface display that is associated with a position of a selector object determined based upon the angle of the incoming electromagnetic radiation; and

tracking the position of the selector object relative to the user interface display.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting, based on data from the array of photo-sensors, light propagating toward the user interface display and disregarding light emanating from the user interface display.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the selecting comprises;

determining a location of a shadow cast upon the transparent layers by the selector object;

determining a location of an intersection between the transparent layers and infrared light emanating from the selector object; and

combining information associated with the location of the shadow and the location of the intersection.

19. A system comprising:

a touch-sensitive user interface display that includes a set of photo-sensors distributed among transparent layers of the user interface display that exist between a transparent protective surface and an output display layer, wherein the photo-sensors included in the set detect an intensity of electromagnetic radiation;

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions;

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to at least;

identify a coordinate on the user interface display based upon data received from the set of photo-sensors, wherein the coordinate is identified as a function of a location of a shadow cast by a selector object and an intersection of infrared radiation propagated from the selector object on the user interface display, wherein the location of the shadow is determined based upon an angle of at least one ray of the electromagnetic radiation; and

monitor the position of the selector object relative to the user interface display.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the electromagnetic radiation has a wavelength in the range of about 300 nanometers to about 1 millimeter.