Touch screen signal processing

• US 8,456,447 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Next Holdings Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Newton, John David
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Van
• Application Number:
  US12/569,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• 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

A coordinate detection system can comprise a display screen, a touch surface corresponding the top of the display screen or a material positioned above the screen and defining a touch area, at least one camera outside the touch area and configured to capture an image of space above the touch surface, an illumination system comprising a light source, the illumination system configured to project light from the light source through the touch surface, and a processor executing program code to identify whether an object interferes with the light from the light source projected through the touch surface based on the image captured by the at least one camera. Light can be directed upward by sources positioned behind the screen, by sources positioned behind the screen that direct light into a backlight assembly that directs the light upward, and/or by a forward optical assembly in front of the screen that directs the light upward.

Claims

1. A coordinate detection system, comprising:

a display screen;

a touch surface corresponding the top of the display screen or a material positioned above the screen and defining a touch area;

at least one camera positioned outside the touch area and configured to capture an image of space above the touch surface;

an illumination system comprising a light source, the illumination system configured to project light from the light source through the touch surface and toward the space above the touch surface in which at least one object can be positioned, wherein the at least one camera is configured to capture the image by detecting light reflected by the at least one object in the space above the touch surface; and

a processor configured to execute program code to determine, based on the image captured by the at least one camera, whether the at least one object interferes with the light from the light source projected through the touch surface.

2. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 1, comprising a plurality of cameras, wherein the processor is configured to determine a coordinate in the touch area based on the image from each camera based on triangulation.

3. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the illumination system comprises a backlight assembly configured to direct light from the light source through an array of pixels comprising the screen.

4. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 3,

wherein the light source is positioned at an edge of the display screen, below the top side of the screen, and configured to direct light in a direction substantially parallel to the top side of the screen, and

wherein the backlight assembly comprises a waveguide positioned to collect light from the light source and a reflective surface positioned to reflect light traveling in the waveguide in a direction towards the touch surface.

5. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 4, wherein the backlight assembly comprises a brightness enhancement component configured to selectively redirect light toward the reflective surface.

6. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 3,

wherein the array of pixels comprises an array of LCD pixels and the screen further comprises at least one polarizer,

wherein the at least one polarizer is configured to block light in a first wavelength range and to at least partially pass light in a second wavelength range, and

wherein the at least one camera is configured to image space above the top side of the screen by detecting light in the second wavelength range.

7. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 6, wherein the first wavelength range comprises visible light and the second wavelength range comprises infrared (IR) light.

8. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 6, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes, including at least one diode that emits light in the first wavelength range and at least one diode that emits light in the second wavelength range.

9. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 1,

wherein the illumination system comprises a forward optical assembly positioned in front of the screen and configured to direct light towards the top surface of the coordinate detection system.

10. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 1,

wherein the light source comprises an array of light emitting diodes, the array including a first plurality of diodes that emit light in a visible wavelength range and a second plurality of diodes that emit light in an infrared wavelength range, and

wherein the array is positioned below the top surface of the screen.

11. The coordinate detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one camera comprises a line scan camera or an area camera.

12. A method, comprising:

projecting light from a light source through a touch surface and toward a space above the touch surface in which at least one object can be positioned, the touch surface corresponding to the top of a display screen or a material positioned above the display screen, the touch surface defining a touch area;

capturing, by at least one camera positioned outside the touch area, an image of space above the touch surface, wherein the image is captured by detecting light reflected by the at least one object in the space above the touch surface; and

using a processor, determining, based on an image captured by the at least one camera, whether the at least one object has interfered with the light from the light source.

13. The method set forth in claim 12,

wherein projecting light comprises projecting light in a first wavelength range and a second wavelength range,

wherein the at least one camera is configured to detect light in the second wavelength range.

14. The method set forth in claim 13, wherein the light in the first wavelength range is projected using a first light source and the light in the second wavelength range is projected using a second light source.

15. The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the method further comprises selectively blocking light in a wavelength range detectable by the at least one camera.

16. The method set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

determining a location of the at least one object relative to the touch area or the touch surface.

17. The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the at least one camera is configured to detect infrared light and wherein projecting light comprises projecting infrared light and non-infrared light.

18. The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the at least one camera comprises at least one of a line scan camera or an area camera.

19. The method set forth in claim 12, wherein projecting light comprises directing light from a source positioned below the top surface of the screen into an optical assembly that redirects the light through the screen.