Display system and method utilizing optical sensors

• US 8,884,925 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radion Engineering Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Radion Engineering Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Farkas, Raul, Polak, Eliezer, Ehrlich, Sharon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lubit, Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US13/262,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20120026134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345173-178, 178 1801- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• 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

Abstract

A unified input and display system and method for enabling sensing interferences made by a user (such as touch or hovering) using multiple interference techniques and instruments. One system comprises: a touch screen that enables emitting and guiding light to enable a user to input drawings by physically interfering the light emitted therefrom and displaying of the interference therethrough; a sensing system comprising a multiplicity of optical sensors arranged according to a predefined layout positioned in relation to the touch screen in a manner that allows the sensors to sense light arriving from the touch screen and translate the sensing into frames each including a pixilated image data of the sensed light; and a screen unification module enabling to unify frames sensed by the sensors at a given moment into a single screen reading comprising a unified whole-screen pixilated image data.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising:

an arrangement of optical sensors, positioned behind an at least partially transparent surface such that fields of view of at least two adjacent sensors are partially overlapped;

a display device, between said arrangement of optical sensors and said surface;

a light emitting system configured for emitting light outwardly through said surface; and

a processing unit, configured for analyzing pixelated image data received from said sensors to identify light interferences by objects in front of said surface, controlling said display device based on said analysis, and removing said overlaps by calibrating each optical sensor to ignore light interferences in portions of the respective sensors'"'"' field of view that are overlapped by adjacent sensors.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured for determining patterns formed by said objects while being in front of said surface.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured for determining whether said objects touch said surface or hover in front of said surface.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured for determining a distance between an object sensed by said sensors and said surface.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said processing unit is configured for determining a spot size generated by at least a few of said objects.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is configured for determining a number of said objects.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting system comprises a light source configured for directing light into a space between said surface and said display device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting system comprises a light source behind said display device with respect to said surface.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting system comprises a plurality of light sources entwined between said optical sensors.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein each optical sensor is a camera defining a plurality of pixels.

11. A combined display system, comprising an arrangement of display systems interconnected by at least one chaining mechanism;

wherein each display system of said arrangement comprises an arrangement of optical sensors, positioned behind an at least partially transparent surface such that fields of view of at least two adjacent sensors are partially overlapped;

a display device, between said arrangement of optical sensors and said surface; and

a light emitting system configured for emitting light outwardly through said surface;

and wherein the combined display system comprises a processing unit, configured for analyzing pixelated image data received from said sensors to identify light interferences by objects in front of respective surfaces, controlling said display devices based on said analysis, and removing said overlaps by calibrating each optical sensor to ignore light interferences in portions of the respective sensors'"'"' field of view that are overlapped by adjacent sensors.

12. The combined system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of speakers configured for receiving signals from a remote application and producing audio sound responsively to said signals, wherein said processing unit is configured for operating said speakers and controlling said displays such as to provide an audio-visual effect moving between displays.

13. A method of controlling a display device, comprising:

emitting light outwardly through an at least partially transparent surface in front said display device;

receiving pixelated image data pertaining to objects being in front of said surface, said receiving being by an arrangement of optical sensors, positioned behind said display device and said surface such that fields of view of at least two adjacent sensors are partially overlapped; and

using a processing unit for analyzing said data to identify light interferences by objects, controlling said display device based on said analysis, and removing said overlaps by calibrating each optical sensor to ignore light interferences in portions of the respective sensors'"'"' field of view that are overlapped by adjacent sensors.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said analyzing comprises determining patterns formed by said objects while being in front of said surface.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said analyzing comprises determining whether said objects touch said surface or hover in front of said surface.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said analyzing comprises determining a distance between an object sensed by said sensors and said surface.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein said analyzing comprises determining a number of said objects.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein said objects comprises at least one object selected from the group consisting of a finger, a stylus and a longitudinal object other than a finger and a stylus.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein said sensor are arranged in alternating arrays, and wherein said receiving said pixelated image data is done in a compensating frequency shift among said arrays.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein said light is near infrared light.