Systems and methods of touchless interaction

• US 8,443,302 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Rui, Wu, Yingfei, Plocher, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Distefano, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US12/166,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/862, 345/158, 345/176
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A contactless display system enables a user to interact with a displayed image by moving a finger, or pointer, toward a selected portion of the image. Images can be enlarged, or translated dynamically in response to detected movement. Operational methodology can be manually switched between contact-type and contactless operation to enhance flexibility.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

a multi-dimensional display device with a surface on which an image can be presented;

a plurality of contactless sensors positioned adjacent to the surface; and

control circuits coupled to the sensors and the display device,

wherein the control circuits establish a first sensing region adjacent to the surface of the display device, the first sensing region having a predetermined shape, and, a second sensing region within the first sensing region, the second sensing region having a different shape than the first sensing region,

wherein the control circuits, responsive to signals from the sensors, determine a trajectory of a pointing member in the first sensing region moving toward the surface, and, responsive thereto, vary the image on the surface, and

wherein the control circuits, responsive to signals from the sensors, determine a trajectory of a pointing member in the second sensing region moving toward the surface, and, responsive thereto, vary the image on the surface differently than when the pointing member is in the first sensing region and not the second sensing region.

2. A system as in claim 1 which includes display control circuitry, coupled to the control circuits, the display control circuitry, responsive to the determined trajectory, dynamically adjusts a magnification parameter of an image presented on the surface.

3. A system as in claim 1 where the sensors comprise capacitive-type sensors.

4. A system as in claim 1 where the sensors are configured to define a frusto-conical region in which the pointing member can be sensed.

5. A system as in claim 1 which includes a manually operable element, coupled to the control circuits, that switches between a contactless and a contact-type mode of interaction with the image on the surface.

6. A system as in claim 1 where the control circuits respond to a selected one of a contact-type, or a contactless mode of interaction with the image on the surface.

7. A system as in claim 1 which includes a plurality of contact-type sensors associated with the screen of the display device.

8. A system as in claim 1 which includes display management software stored on a computer readable medium, coupled to the control circuits.

9. A system as in claim 8 where the display management software, when executed by the control circuits, presents a dynamically changing image on the surface of the display unit in response to the determined trajectory of the pointing member.

10. A system as in claim 9 where the dynamically changing image on the surface includes at least one of enlarging the image, shrinking the image, or translating the image.

11. A system as in claim 10 where the display management software presents on the surface an enlargeable virtual keyboard.

12. A system as in claim 11 where the control circuits respond to a selected key of the virtual keyboard, and the display management software presents the select key on the surface of the display device.

13. A system as in claim 1 where the first sensing region includes a first frusto-conical-type sensing region, and the second sensing region includes a second interior frusto-conical-type sensing region.

14. A process comprising:

providing a display surface;

establishing a first sensing region having a first multi-dimensional shape;

establishing a second sensing region within the first sensing region, the second sensing region having a different shape then the first sensing region;

sensing movement of an elongated member in the first sensing region, and, responsive thereto, varying a display on the surface; and

sensing movement of the elongated member in the second sensing region, and, responsive thereto, varying the display on the surface differently than when the elongated member is in the first sensing region and not the second sensing region.

15. A process as in claim 14 where the first multi-dimensional shape comprises a frustum.

16. A process as in claim 14 where the shape of the second sensing region comprises a portion of a cone.

17. A process as in claim 14 which includes providing a plurality of images which can be displayed on the surface, and, sequentially scrolling through those images when the member is in the first sensing region.

18. A process as in claim 17 which includes providing a zoom function, relative to a displayed image, when the member is in the second sensing region.