Information outputting device

• US 8,547,346 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IP&L Solutions
• Original Assignee: IP&L Solutions
• Inventors: Yoshida, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US12/440,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20100302171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,219 Days
• Field of Search: 345/104, 345/173, 345/589, 345/619, 345/178, 358/1.15, 358/1.18, 358/537, 358/458, 358/452, 358/453, 235/439, 235/472.01, 235/380, 235/494, 235/454, 235/462.1, 348/46, 348/E13.07, 715/224, 382/100, 382/175
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• 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

An information output device includes a touch panel chassis having a touch panel with a medium on which a coordinate value based on a predetermined rule and a dot pattern signifying a code value are printed. The medium is placed on the touch panel with a surface on which the dot pattern is printed facing the touch panel. The device includes a coordinate recognition unit for recognizing a position on the medium of the touch panel. The device also includes an imaging unit for imaging via an imaging portion disposed on a predetermined location in the touch panel chassis. The device further includes a control unit for computing the coordinate value, the code value, and an orientation signified by the dot pattern and for inputting coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel. An output unit outputs multimedia information according to an instruction from the control unit.

Claims

1. An information output device comprising:

a touch panel chassis having a touch panel on at least one surface thereof;

the touch panel having a medium, on which a coordinate value based on a predetermined rule and a dot pattern signifying a code value are printed, placed on the touch panel with a surface on which the dot pattern is printed facing the touch panel;

a coordinate recognition unit, disposed on a side of the touch panel, for recognizing, as a coordinate value, a position of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip or a position of a pen or a three dimensional object on the medium of the touch panel;

an imaging unit for imaging the dot pattern of the medium or a portion thereof from a back surface side of the touch panel via an imaging portion disposed on a predetermined location in the touch panel chassis;

a control unit for computing the coordinate value, the code value, and an orientation signified by the dot pattern based on a captured image by the imaging unit, and for inputting a coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel; and

an output unit for outputting multimedia information such as a text, figure, image, motion picture, or sound information according to an instruction from the control unit;

wherein the control unit calculates where on the medium a placing of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip or a placing of the pen or three dimensional object is performed, based on the coordinate value and code value of the dot pattern printed on the medium and the orientation of the medium, predetermined location information of the imaging portion, and the coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit, and the control unit causes the output unit to output the multimedia information which differs depending on the location on the medium calculated.

2. The information output device according to claim 1, wherein the dot pattern printed on the medium has at least the code value, and the medium is fixed at a predetermined location and orientation on the touch panel,

wherein the control unit calculates where on the medium a placing of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, an operation, or the three dimensional object is performed, based on the code value of the medium and the coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit, and the control unit causes the output unit to output the multimedia information which differs depending on the location on the medium calculated.

3. The information output device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging portion in the touch panel chassis is a transmissive portion which transmits irradiation light from an infrared irradiation unit and reflected light thereof, and at least one or two or more of the transmissive portions are provided.

4. The information output device according to claim 1, further having:

a peripheral wall on a periphery of the surface of the touch panel; and

a notch portion on part of the peripheral wall so that a medium on the surface of the touch panel can be retracted from the surface of the touch panel.

5. The information output device according to claim 1, further having:

one or a plurality of infrared irradiation elements and one or a plurality of light-receiving elements adjacently disposed one after another to cause the touch panel to function as a coordinate recognition unit, wherein a location in an X direction or a Y direction on the touch panel can be recognized by a reception, by the light-receiving elements, of reflected light of infrared light irradiated from the infrared irradiation elements and reflected by a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen or three dimensional object placed on the touch panel or on the medium on the touch panel; and

a notch so that the medium on other side of the peripheral wall or on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

6. The information output device according to claim 1, wherein, on sides adjacent to the one side of the peripheral wall, peripheral walls are provided on which infrared irradiation elements or light-receiving elements are disposed respectively, and the peripheral walls enable a recognition of a location in a Y direction or an X direction on the touch panel, based on the fact that the light-receiving elements on an opposed side do not receive infrared light as irradiated light irradiated from the infrared irradiation elements and blocked by a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen, or three dimensional object placed on the touch panel or on the medium placed on the touch panel.

7. The information output device according to claim 1, wherein a recognition of XY coordinates of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen, or three dimensional object on the touch panel is made possible by providing a pair of infrared imaging devices, which allows the touch panel to function as a coordinate recognition unit, on both inner ends of one side of a peripheral wall of the touch panel, and by having a control unit analyze images captured by each of the infrared imaging devices, wherein at least one side of the peripheral wall has the notch portion so that a medium on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

8. The information output device according to claim 1, further having a peripheral wall on a periphery of the touch panel, embedding a coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel in the peripheral wall, and comprising a side wall curved from the touch panel so that a medium on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

9. The information output device according to claim 1, further having a peripheral wall on a periphery of the touch panel, embedding a coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel on the peripheral wall, and providing a card loading slot on the touch panel so that a medium can be inserted or retracted therethrough.

10. The information output device according to claim 1, wherein a selection button of the multimedia information is directly printed or a sheet on which a selection button of the multimedia information is printed is removably attached on a portion of the touch panel, and a position of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen operation, or three dimensional object in relation to the selection button is recognized based on the coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit to thereby output selected multimedia information from an output unit.

11. The information output device according to claim 1, wherein part of the touch panel is configured as a display portion which is able to display information of a display unit provided on the touch panel.

12. The information output device according to claim 1, wherein a suction opening for absorbing a medium to the touch panel is provided, and the suction opening makes the medium in close contact with the touch panel by forming negative pressure in the suction opening.

13. The information output device according to claim 12, wherein a negative pressure generation unit controlled by a control unit is provided in a touch panel chassis where the touch panel is provided, and the control unit, when it recognizes a location of a medium in a vicinity of the touch panel based on a change of a captured image captured by the imaging unit, instructs the negative pressure generation unit to vacuum suction from the suction opening.

14. An information output device, comprising a stage chassis having a stage on at least one surface thereof, configured to:

after placing a medium, on which back surface a dot pattern based on a predetermined rule is printed, on the stage with the back surface of the medium facing the surface of the stage, read the dot pattern on the back surface of the medium placed at a certain location on the surface of the stage by an imaging unit disposed in a space in the stage chassis;

calculate a code value signified by the dot pattern, based on a captured image obtained from the imaging unit, and an orientation of the medium, based on a recognition result of the dot pattern;

compute a location of the medium placed on the surface of the stage which is defined by XY coordinates; and

output information according to such computing result, wherein, on the stage, a coordinate recognition unit for recognizing a position of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip or a position of a pen or three dimensional object with respect to the medium on the stage is provided.

15. The information output device according to claim 14, wherein, on the stage, a printing with ink which transmits infrared rays is made or a sheet printed with the same ink is removably attached.

16. The information output device according to claim 14,

wherein a projection unit for projecting a motion picture or an image from a back surface side with respect to the stage is given,

wherein the control unit controls the image or the motion picture projected from the back surface side of the stage by the projection unit by interlocking with a placing of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, a touching with the pen, or a placing of the three dimensional object recognized by the coordinate recognition unit.

17. The information output device according to claim 14, further having:

a peripheral wall on a periphery of the surface of the stage; and

a notch portion on part of the peripheral wall so that a medium on the surface of the stage can be retracted from the surface of the stage.

18. The information output device according to claim 14, further having:

one or a plurality of infrared irradiation elements and one or a plurality of light-receiving elements adjacently disposed one after another to cause the stage to function as a coordinate recognition unit, wherein a location in an X direction or a Y direction on the stage can be recognized by a reception, by the light-receiving elements, of reflected light of infrared light irradiated from the infrared irradiation elements and reflected by a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen or three dimensional object placed on the stage or on the medium on the stage; and

a notch so that the medium on other side of the peripheral wall or on the stage can be retracted from the stage.

19. The information output device according to claim 14, wherein, on sides adjacent to the one side of the peripheral wall, peripheral walls are provided on which infrared irradiation elements or light-receiving elements are disposed respectively, and the peripheral walls enable a recognition of a location in a Y direction or an X direction on the stage, based on the fact that the light-receiving elements on an opposed side do not receive infrared light as irradiated light irradiated from the infrared irradiation elements and blocked by a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen, or three dimensional object placed on the stage or on the medium placed on the stage.

20. The information output device according to claim 14, wherein a recognition of XY coordinates of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen, or three dimensional object on the stage is made possible by providing a pair of infrared imaging devices, which allows the stage to function as a coordinate recognition unit, on both inner ends of one side of a peripheral wall of the stage, and by having a control unit analyze images captured by each of the infrared imaging devices, wherein at least one side of the peripheral wall has the notch portion so that a medium on the stage can be retracted from the stage.

21. The information output device according to claim 14, further having a peripheral wall on a periphery of the stage, embedding a coordinate recognition unit of the stage in the peripheral wall, and comprising a side wall curved from the stage so that a medium on the stage can be retracted from the stage.

22. The information output device according to claim 14, further having a peripheral wall on a periphery of the stage, embedding a coordinate recognition unit of the stage on the peripheral wall, and providing a card loading slot on the stage so that a medium can be inserted or retracted therethrough.

23. The information output device according to claim 14, wherein a selection button of the multimedia information is directly printed or a sheet on which a selection button of the multimedia information is printed is removably attached on a portion of the stage, and a position of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen operation, or three dimensional object in relation to the selection button is recognized based on the coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit to thereby output selected multimedia information from an output unit.

24. The information output device according to claim 14, wherein part of the stage is configured as a display portion which is able to display information of a display unit provided the stage.