System and method for a virtual keyboard
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- providing a plane of light above a working area, the working area including indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys;
capturing images of the working area with an image capture device positioned above the plane of light, the images including rows of pixels and columns of pixels;
detecting a selected key of the plurality of keys, the detecting of the selected key including;
detecting an object adjacent to the selected key by analyzing each of the captured images for variations in light intensity, the detecting of the object including;
generating a first histogram by summing the light intensity in each of a first number of columns;
determining a second number of columns corresponding to a portion of the first histogram that is above a first threshold light intensity value;
generating a second histogram by summing the light intensity in each of a first number of rows in the second number of columns;
determining a second number of rows corresponding to a portion of the second histogram that is above a second threshold light intensity value;
determining an identification of the selected key from the light intensity corresponding to the pixels in the second number of rows and the second number of columns; and
outputting the identification of the selected key to a host device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a method that includes capturing images of a working area that includes indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys and detecting a selected key of the plurality of keys. The detecting of the selected key includes detecting an object in the working area by analyzing the captured images for variations in light intensity in the captured images. The detecting of the object includes generating a first row histogram based on the light intensity in each of the rows in each of the captured images, generating a first column histogram based on the light intensity in each of the columns in each of the captured images, and determining an identification of the selected key based on the first row histogram and the first column histogram. The method also includes outputting the identification of the selected key to a host device.
40 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method, comprising:
-
providing a plane of light above a working area, the working area including indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys; capturing images of the working area with an image capture device positioned above the plane of light, the images including rows of pixels and columns of pixels; detecting a selected key of the plurality of keys, the detecting of the selected key including; detecting an object adjacent to the selected key by analyzing each of the captured images for variations in light intensity, the detecting of the object including; generating a first histogram by summing the light intensity in each of a first number of columns; determining a second number of columns corresponding to a portion of the first histogram that is above a first threshold light intensity value; generating a second histogram by summing the light intensity in each of a first number of rows in the second number of columns; determining a second number of rows corresponding to a portion of the second histogram that is above a second threshold light intensity value; determining an identification of the selected key from the light intensity corresponding to the pixels in the second number of rows and the second number of columns; and outputting the identification of the selected key to a host device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A system, comprising:
-
a working area that includes indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys; a device that includes; a light source configured to produce a plane of light above the working area; an image sensor module positioned above the plane of light and configured to capture images of the working area, each captured image including rows of pixels and columns of pixels; a key selection module configured to analyze the captured images for variations in light intensity, the variations of light intensity associated with an object in the working area, the key selection module further configured to; generate a first histogram based on the light intensity in each of a first number rows in each of the captured images; determine a second number of rows from the first histogram that correspond to the light intensity being above a first threshold light intensity value; generate a second histogram based on the light intensity in each of a first number columns in the second number of rows; determine a second number of columns from the second histogram that correspond to the light intensity being above a second threshold light intensity value; determine an identification of a selected key of the plurality of keys based on the light intensity in the second number of rows and the second number of columns; and output the identification of the selected key to a host device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A system, comprising:
-
a light source configured to produce a plane of light above a working area, the working area including indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys; an image sensor module positioned above the plane of light and configured to capture images of the working area, each captured image including rows of pixels and columns of pixels; a processor configured to analyze the captured images for variations in light intensity, the variations of light intensity associated with an object in the working area, the processor further configured to; generate a first histogram based on the light intensity in each of a first number rows in each of the captured images; generate a first moving average from the first histogram; determine a second number of rows from the first histogram that have a light intensity above the first moving average; generate a second histogram based on the light intensity in each of a first number of columns in the second number of rows; generate a second moving average from the second histogram; determine a second number of columns from the second histogram that have a light intensity above the second moving average; and determine an identification of a selected key of the plurality of keys based on the light intensity in the second number of rows and the second number of columns. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
-
Specification