Display device

• US 8,947,401 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Promethean Limited (Best Assistant Education Group Co.)
• Original Assignee: Light Blue Optics Ltd (Lifesize Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lawrence, Nicholas A., Benet Ballester, Raul, Cable, Adrian J., Wright, James E. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUPTA, PARUL H
• Application Number:
  US13/130,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0005 Adaptation of holography to specific applications holographic optical element G02B5/32; holographic scanner G02B26/106; recognition using holographic mask G06V10/88; holographic memories G11B7/0065, G11C13/042
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2205 using downstream optical component
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2294 Addressing the hologram to an active spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0061 in haptic applications when the observer interacts with the holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2213 Diffusing screen revealing the real holobject, e.g. container filed with gel to reveal the 3D holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2215 Plane screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2221 Screen having complex surface, e.g. a structured object
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2271 RGB holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/22 2D SLM object wherein the object beam is formed of the light modulated by the SLM SLM per se G03H2001/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/441 Numerical processing applied to the object data other than numerical propagation synthesizing propagation G03H1/0808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• 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 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

We describe a touch sensitive image display device for projecting a touch sensitive displayed image at an acute angle onto a surface on which the device is placed, the device comprising: a first light source to project a first light distribution; a second light source to project a second light distribution; a touch sensor system to remotely detect touch of an area of said surface within or adjacent to said displayed image by detecting change of said first light distribution, and having an output to provide a detected touch signal; a presence sensor system to remotely detect presence of an object at least partially within said second light distribution by detecting change of said second light distribution, and having an output to provide a detected presence signal; a controller configured to control said device responsive to said detected touch signal and further configured to control said device responsive to said detected presence signal.

Claims

1. A touch sensitive image display device for projecting a touch sensitive displayed image at an acute angle onto a surface on which the device is placed, the device comprising:

an object location detection system, said object location detection system comprising;

a light source of non-visible light to project a non-visible light distribution for detecting the location of an object;

wherein said non-visible light distribution is a substantially laminar light distribution projected above said touch sensitive displayed image;

a multi-pixel sensor system to remotely detect location of touch of an area of said surface within or adjacent to said displayed image by detecting light from said non-visible distribution, and having an output to provide a detected touch location signal; and

a presence detection system, said presence detection system comprising;

a presence sensor to sense the non-visible light distribution and provide a presence sensor signal;

wherein said presence sensor has fewer pixels than said multi-pixel sensor system; and

a processor to process said presence sensor signal and determine a detected presence signal;

wherein said touch sensitive image display device is controlled responsive to said detected touch location signal and to said detected presence signal; and

wherein said presence detection system detects when said object is hovering proximate to but not within said non-visible light distribution.

2. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein the light source of non-visible light is a first light source of non-visible light, and wherein said presence detection system further comprises a second light source of non-visible light.

3. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, wherein said second light distribution is substantially two-dimensional.

4. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, wherein said second light distribution is a three-dimensional volume.

5. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensitive image display device comprises displaying a further image adjacent to or at least partially overlapping said displayed image.

6. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said presence detection system is a separate module to said multi-pixel sensor system and further comprises a transceiver or transmitter to communicate with said multi-pixel sensor system.

7. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, the device configured to repetitively pulse said second light distribution.

8. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 7, wherein said presence detection system is configured to perform said object detection when said second light distribution is pulsed on.

9. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 7, wherein said touch sensitive image display device comprises a controller configured to read in said detected object signal synchronous with said pulsing.

10. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, wherein said sensor system is configured to detect a background light intensity level when said second light distribution is off.

11. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 10, wherein said touch sensitive image display device comprises a controller to control said touch sensitive image display device responsive to said detected presence signal and said background light intensity level.

12. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a spatial light modulator (SLM) and a controller to control said SLM, on the basis of data defining said displayed image, to replay a target image distorted to compensate for projection onto said surface at said acute angle.

13. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, wherein said second light distribution light source is a light emitting diode, laser, filament lamp or fluorescent lamp.

14. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said second, presence sensor is a single pixel light sensor.

15. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 2, wherein said second light source of non-visible light is pulsed and switched off after said hovering is detected.

16. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein said presence detection system is used for detecting multiple said objects when one object is hidden behind another.

17. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive image display device is implemented as part of a consumer electronic device.

18. The touch sensitive image display device according to claim 17, wherein the touch sensitive image display device is selected from a group consisting of:

a camcorder, a camera, a music player, a mobile phone, a media player, and a computer.