Interactive input system and bezel therefor

• US 8,400,415 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sirotich, Roberto A. L., Kroeker, Wallace I., He, Joyce, Thompson, Sean, Wright, Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): Boddie, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said, Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US12/894,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20110128219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 178 1801- 2004, 277/654
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

An interactive input system comprises at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest. At least one radiation source emits radiation into the region of interest. A pliable bezel at least partially surrounds the region of interest. The pliable bezel has a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device.

Claims

1. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

at least one radiation source emitting radiation into said region of interest;

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and comprising at least one strap, said bezel having a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest; and

a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped, wherein each bezel guide in the field of view of said at least one imaging device is coated with a reflective material.

2. An interactive input system:

according to claim 1 wherein one or more of said bezel guides comprises retaining structure to retain said bezel.

3. An interactive input system according to claim 1 wherein the reflective surface of said bezel and the reflective coating on each said bezel guide is retro-reflective.

4. An interactive input system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one radiation source comprises a light source.

5. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein said light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

6. An interactive input system according to claim 5 wherein each LED is an infrared LED.

7. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein said light source is positioned adjacent said at least one imaging device.

8. An interactive input system according to claim 7 wherein said light source comprise one or more LEDs.

9. An interactive input system according to claim 8 wherein each LED is an infrared LED.

10. An interactive input system according to claim 1 further comprising processing structure communicating with said at least one imaging device and processing image data output thereby.

11. An interactive input system according to claim 10 wherein said region of interest is generally rectangular and wherein said bezel extends along multiple sides of said region of interest.

12. An interactive input system according to claim 11 wherein said bezel extends along three sides of said region of interest.

13. An interactive input system according to claim 12 comprising at least two imaging devices looking into said region of interest from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

14. An interactive input system according to claim 13 comprising a radiation source proximate each imaging device.

15. An interactive input system according to claim 14 wherein each said radiation source comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

16. An interactive input system according to claim 15 wherein each LED is an infrared LED.

17. An interactive input system according to claim 10 wherein the reflective surface of said bezel is retro-reflective.

18. An interactive input system according to claim 17 wherein each bezel guide in the field of view of said at least one imaging device is coated with a retro-reflective material.

19. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

at least one radiation source emitting radiation into said region of interest;

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and comprising at least one strap, said bezel having a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest; and

a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped, wherein each bezel guide in the field of view of said at least one imaging device is substantially transparent.

20. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

at least one radiation source emitting radiation into said region of interest;

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and comprising at least one strap, said bezel having a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest; and

a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped, wherein each bezel guide is one of a cylindrical element, a curved element and a thin profile element.

21. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

at least one radiation source emitting radiation into said region of interest;

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and comprising at least one strap, said bezel having a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest; and

a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped, wherein each bezel guide comprises a plurality of bezel guide elements, the pliable bezel being interleaved between the bezel guide elements.

22. An interactive input system according to claim 21 wherein said at least one radiation source comprises a light source.

23. An interactive input system according to claim 22 wherein said light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

24. An interactive input system according to claim 23 wherein each LED is an infrared LED.

25. An interactive input system according to claim 22 wherein said light source is positioned adjacent said at least one imaging device.

26. An interactive input system according to claim 21 further comprising processing structure communicating with said at least one imaging device and processing image data output thereby.

27. An interactive input system according to claim 26 comprising at least two imaging devices looking into said region of interest from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

28. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

at least one radiation source emitting radiation into said region of interest;

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and comprising at least one strap, said bezel having a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest;

a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped; and

an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said pliable bezel to adjust the tension thereof.

29. An interactive input system according to claim 28 wherein said at least one radiation source comprises a light source.

30. An interactive input system according to claim 29 wherein said light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

31. An interactive input system according to claim 30 wherein each LED is an infrared LED.

32. An interactive input system according to claim 29 wherein said light source is positioned adjacent said at least one imaging device.

33. An interactive input system according to claim 28 further comprising processing structure communicating with said at least one imaging device and processing mage data output thereby.

34. An interactive input system according to claim 33 comprising at least two imaging devices looking into said region of interest from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

35. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and comprising at least one strap, said bezel having a surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest; and

a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped, wherein each bezel guide comprises a plurality of bezel guide elements, the bezel being interleaved between the bezel guide elements.

36. An interactive input system according to claim 35 further comprising processing structure communicating with said at least one imaging device and processing image data output thereby.

37. An interactive input system according to claim 36 wherein said region of interest is generally rectangular and wherein said bezel extends along multiple sides of said region of interest.

38. An interactive input system according to claim 37 wherein said bezel extends along three sides of said region of interest.

39. An interactive input system according to claim 36 comprising at least two imaging devices looking into said region of interest from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

40. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and comprising at least one strap, said bezel having a surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest;

a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped; and

an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said bezel to adjust the tension thereof.

41. An interactive input system according to claim 40 further comprising processing structure communicating with said at least one imaging device and processing image data output thereby.

42. An interactive input system according to claim 41 wherein said region of interest is generally rectangular and wherein said bezel extends along multiple sides of said region of interest.

43. An interactive input system according to claim 42 wherein said bezel extends along three sides of said region of interest.

44. An interactive input system according to claim 41 comprising at least two imaging devices looking into said region of interest from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

45. An interactive input system comprising:

at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region of interest;

a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and comprising at least one strap, said bezel having a surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging device, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest;

a plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said region of interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped; and

a plurality of imaging devices at different locations about the periphery of said region of interest.

46. An interactive input system comprising:

a plurality of imaging devices at different locations about the periphery of a region of interest and having fields of view looking into said region of interest; and

a pliable inflatable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest and having a surface in the field of view of said imaging devices, wherein said bezel accommodates said imaging devices, wherein said pliable bezel borders multiple sides of said region of interest, and wherein the surface of said bezel has a coating thereon selected from retro-reflective material, highly reflective material, light absorbing material, energy reflecting material, electroluminescent material, fluorescent material, polarizing filter material, or infrared filter material, and combinations thereof.

47. An interactive input system according to claim 46 wherein said bezel is self-inflating.

48. An interactive input system according to claim 46 wherein said bezel further comprises a valve member.