Projected button display system

• US 9,092,136 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Jameson, Chris A., Bohr, Timothy J., Little, David F., Patel, Bhupesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Toan
• Application Number:
  US13/155,980
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 715/727, 715/702, 715/863, 715/848, 715/823, 715/747, 345/690, 345/633, 345/156, 345/158
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• 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: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A projected button display system, including a detector system, a projector system, and a controller. The detector system includes: a coarse detector subsystem comprising a proximity sensor configured to detect an operator'"'"'s hand in an activation region; and, a fine detector subsystem configured to detect the position of an operator'"'"'s finger on a display surface. The projector system is operatively connected to the detector system configured to provide a projected keyboard on the display surface in response to the detection of the operator'"'"'s hand in the activation region. The projected keyboard is responsive to the touch of the operator'"'"'s finger on the display surface. The controller is operatively connected to the detector system and the projector system. The controller provides an output signal a control/management system.

Claims

1. A projected button display system for an aircraft, comprising:

a) a detector system, comprising;

i. a coarse detector subsystem comprising a proximity sensor configured to detect an operator'"'"'s hand in an activation region; and

ii. a fine detector subsystem configured to detect the a position of an operator'"'"'s finger on a display surface;

b) a projector system operatively connected to said detector system wherein said coarse detector subsystem is configured to provide a projected keyboard on said display surface in response to a detection of said operator'"'"'s hand in said activation region, wherein said projected keyboard is not displayed before detecting the operator'"'"'s hand in said activation region, said projected keyboard, utilizing said fine detector subsystem, to be responsive to a touch of the operator'"'"'s finger on said display surface, wherein said display surface comprises a surface in an aircraft passenger cabin and said activation region is above the display surface; and

,

c) a controller comprising a processor and associated memory, for operatively connecting said detector system and said projector system, said controller providing an output signal for a control/management system,

wherein said display surface comprises a surface on an aircraft passenger cabin side ledge, said side ledge having a depth in a range from 3 to 7 inches,

wherein said detector system is positioned in a usable distance between a skin of an aircraft and an exterior surface of a sidewall of the aircraft passenger cabin, said usable distance being in a range from 2 to 4 inches.

2. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said projector system comprises a pico projector.

3. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said fine detector subsystem comprises a reflective element optically positioned between a fine detector of said fine detector subsystem and said display surface to minimize a distance between said fine detector and said display surface.

4. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said display surface comprises an aircraft cabin ledge.

5. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said display surface comprises a surface on an aircraft passenger cabin side ledge.

6. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said detector system is positioned in a usable distance between a skin of an aircraft and an exterior surface of a sidewall of the aircraft passenger cabin.

7. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to provide graphic feedback to a user.

8. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said coarse detector subsystem comprises an infrared detector.

9. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said coarse detector subsystem comprises an ultrasound detector.

10. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said coarse detector subsystem comprises a capacitive detector.

11. The projected button display system of claim 1, wherein said fine detector subsystem comprises an infrared detector.

12. A projected button display system for an aircraft, comprising:

a) a detector system, comprising;

i. a coarse detector subsystem comprising a proximity sensor configured to detect an operator'"'"'s hand in an activation region, said coarse detector subsystem comprising an infrared detector; and

ii. a fine detector subsystem configured to detect a position of an operator'"'"'s finger on a display surface, said fine detector subsystem comprising an infrared detector;

b) a projector system operatively connected to said detector system wherein said coarse detector subsystem is configured to provide a projected keyboard on said display surface in response to a detection of said operator'"'"'s hand in said activation region, wherein said projected keyboard is not displayed before detecting the operator'"'"'s hand in said activation region, said projected keyboard, utilizing said fine detector subsystem, to be responsive to the touch of the operator'"'"'s finger on said display surface, wherein said display surface comprises a surface in an aircraft passenger cabin and said activation region is above the display surface, said projector system comprising a pico projector; and

,

c) a controller comprising a processor and associated memory, for operatively connecting said detector system and said projector system, said controller providing an output signal for a control/management system,

wherein said display surface comprises a surface on an aircraft passenger cabin side ledge, said side ledge having a depth in a range from 3 to 7 inches, and

wherein said detector system is positioned in a usable distance between a skin of an aircraft and an exterior surface of a sidewall of the aircraft passenger cabin, said usable distance being in a range from 2 to 4 inches.

13. A method for providing a virtual keyboard on an aircraft surface, comprising the steps of:

a) detecting an operator'"'"'s hand in an activation region in the proximity of an aircraft surface utilizing a coarse detector subsystem comprising a proximity sensor;

b) generating a projected display on said display surface when the operator'"'"'s hand is detected in said activation region, wherein said projected display is not displayed before detecting the operator'"'"'s hand in said activation region;

c) detecting a position of an operator'"'"'s finger on said display surface utilizing a fine detector subsystem; and

d) utilizing a controller for providing an output signal to a control/management system in response to said detection of the position of said operator'"'"'s finger on the display surface, wherein said display surface comprises a surface in an aircraft passenger cabin and said activation region is above the display surface,

wherein said coarse detector subsystem and fine detector subsystem are components of a detector system, and wherein said display surface comprises a surface on an aircraft passenger cabin side ledge, said side ledge having a depth in a range from 3 to 7 inches,

wherein said detector system is positioned in a usable distance between a skin of an aircraft and an exterior surface of a sidewall of the aircraft passenger cabin, said usable distance being in a range from 2 to 4 inches.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of detecting a position of the finger comprises utilizing a reflective surface for minimizing a distance between said display surface and a fine detector subsystem utilized to detect the position of the finger.