Retractable touchscreen adapter
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a retractable emitter strip extendable from the apparatus, the retractable emitter strip including a plurality of electro-optical emitters for generating first optical energy and directing the first optical energy across a planar surface when the retractable emitter strip is extended, the plurality of electro-optical emitters distributed along a length of the retractable emitter strip;
a retractable detector strip extendable from the apparatus, the retractable detector strip including a plurality of optical detectors for receiving second optical energy directed across the planar surface from a second retractable emitter strip of another apparatus when the retractable detector strip is extended, the plurality of optical detectors distributed along a length of the retractable detector strip, wherein the retractable emitter strip and the retractable detector strip extend in different directions from the apparatus;
electrical circuitry configured to;
electrically drive the plurality of electro-optical emitters to produce the first optical energy according to a pre-defined pattern;
process electrical signals received from the plurality of optical detectors to generate object location information, wherein the object location information relates to a location of an object on the planar surface; and
wirelessly transmit the object location information to a system controller; and
a power source for powering the plurality of electro-optical emitters, the plurality of optical detectors, and the electrical circuitry.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for determining a location of an object on a planar surface is provided. The apparatus includes a retractable emitter strip, a retractable detector strip, and electrical circuitry. The retractable emitter strip is extendable from the apparatus and includes electro-optical emitters for generating optical energy and directing the optical energy across a planar surface. The retractable detector strip is extendable from the apparatus and includes optical detectors for receiving other optical energy directed across the planar surface from another instance of the apparatus. The retractable emitter strip and the retractable detector strip extend in different directions from the apparatus. The electrical circuitry drives the electro-optical emitters to produce the optical energy according to a pre-defined pattern and processes electrical signals received from the optical detectors to generate object location information. The electrical circuitry also wirelessly transmits the object location information to a system controller.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
-
a retractable emitter strip extendable from the apparatus, the retractable emitter strip including a plurality of electro-optical emitters for generating first optical energy and directing the first optical energy across a planar surface when the retractable emitter strip is extended, the plurality of electro-optical emitters distributed along a length of the retractable emitter strip; a retractable detector strip extendable from the apparatus, the retractable detector strip including a plurality of optical detectors for receiving second optical energy directed across the planar surface from a second retractable emitter strip of another apparatus when the retractable detector strip is extended, the plurality of optical detectors distributed along a length of the retractable detector strip, wherein the retractable emitter strip and the retractable detector strip extend in different directions from the apparatus; electrical circuitry configured to; electrically drive the plurality of electro-optical emitters to produce the first optical energy according to a pre-defined pattern; process electrical signals received from the plurality of optical detectors to generate object location information, wherein the object location information relates to a location of an object on the planar surface; and wirelessly transmit the object location information to a system controller; and a power source for powering the plurality of electro-optical emitters, the plurality of optical detectors, and the electrical circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system for determining a position of an object on a surface, the system comprising:
-
a first transponder module and a second transponder module, each including; a housing; control circuitry in the housing; a first flexible substrate extendable from the housing in a first direction, the first flexible substrate having a set of optical emitters distributed along a length of the first substrate and electrically connected to the control circuitry; and a second flexible substrate extendable from the housing in a second direction that is different than the first direction, the second substrate having a set of optical detectors distributed along a length of the second substrate and electrically connected to the control circuitry; wherein the control circuitry of each of the first and second transponder modules is configured to; control the set of optical emitters of the associated transponder module to direct optical energy across the surface toward the set of the optical detectors of the other one of the first and second transponder modules; and receive data from the set of optical detectors of the associated transponder modules, wherein the data relates to reception of optical energy directed from the set of optical emitters of the other one of the first and second transponder modules across the surface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of determining a position of an object on a rectangular display surface, the method comprising:
-
placing a first position detection unit at a first corner of the rectangular display surface and placing a second position detection unit at a second corner of the rectangular display surface, wherein the first corner and the second corner are opposite corners of the rectangular display surface; extending a retractable emitter strip from each of the first and the second position detection units along respective edges of the display toward a third corner of the rectangular display surface, wherein each retractable emitter strip includes a plurality of electro-optical sources distributed along an extended length of the respective retractable emitter strip; extending a retractable detector strip from each of the first and second position detection units along respective edges of the display toward a fourth corner of the display, wherein each retractable detector strip includes a plurality of optical detectors distributed along an extended length of the retractable detector strip, wherein the extended retractable emitter strips and the extended retractable detector strips substantially form a rectangle around a perimeter of the rectangular display surface, and wherein each extended retractable emitter strip of one of the first and second position detection units is opposite an extended retractable detector strip of another one of the first and second position detection units with respect to the rectangular display surface; wirelessly commanding each of the first and second position detection units to transmit optical energy from the respective electro-optical sources in a predefined sequence; wirelessly receiving, from each of the first and second position detection units, information regarding the detection of the optical energy at the optical detectors of the respective retractable detector strip; and determining the position of the object on the rectangular display surface based on the received information.
-
Specification