Three-dimensional display devices with out-of-screen virtual keyboards

• US 9,411,511 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AmZetta Technologies, LLC (American Megatrends International, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Sivertsen, Clas Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, David
• Application Number:
  US14/031,430
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• 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: H04N 13/00 Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/225 using parallax barriers

Abstract

Certain aspects direct to a three-dimensional display device, which includes a display module defining a plurality of pixels, a barrier module, a sensing module, and a controller. For a viewer of the display module, the barrier module allows the viewer to perceives light emitted from the display module to form left-eye and right-eye views to form a three-dimensional virtual image. The sensing module generates sensing signals in response to detecting an object. The controller is configured to generate display signals for the display module to control the pixels, receive the sensing signals from the sensing module, and generate an object coordinate according to the sensing signals. In response to a display instruction, the controller controls the display module to display a three-dimensional virtual input device. In response to the object coordinate matching coordinates of an input region of the three-dimensional virtual input device, the controller generates an input command.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional display device, comprising:

a display module defining a plurality of pixels in a pixel matrix, wherein the pixels comprise a first set of pixels and a second set of pixels;

a barrier module disposed at a viewer side of the display module, wherein for a viewer at the viewer side, the barrier module is configured to allow light emitted from the first set of pixels to be viewable only by a left eye of the viewer, and allow light emitted from the second set of pixels to be viewable only by a right eye of the viewer, such that the viewer perceives the light emitted from the first set of pixels as a left-eye view and the light emitted from the second set of pixels as a right-eye view, and perceives the left-eye view and the right view to form a three-dimensional virtual image between the viewer and the display module;

a sensing module configured to receive a plurality of first scan signals, to detect an object at the viewer side of the three-dimensional display device in response to receiving the first scan signals, and to generate sensing signals in response to detecting the object; and

a controller electrically connected to the display module and the sensing module, the controller comprising a processor and a non-volatile memory storing computer executable codes, wherein the codes, when executed at the processor, are configured to

generate display signals, and send the display signals to the display module to control the pixels;

receive the sensing signals from the sensing module, and generate an object coordinate according to the sensing signals;

in response to a display instruction,

generate the display signals for an out-of-screen three-dimensional virtual input device, wherein the display signals are configured to control the first set of pixels to display the left-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and to control the second set of pixels to display the right-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device; and

generate a sensing instruction to indicate that the three-dimensional virtual input device is displayed;

in response to the sensing instruction, generate the first scan signals for the sensing module, and send the first scan signals to the sensing module; and

in response to the object coordinate matching coordinates of an input region of the three-dimensional virtual input device, generate an input command;

wherein the codes comprise;

a pixel control module configured to generate the display signals in response to a plurality of image signals, and send the display signals respectively to the display module to control the pixels;

an image processing module configured to generate the image signals from an image; and

a sensing control module configured to generate the first scan signals for the sensing module and send the first scan signals to the sensing module in response to the sensing instruction, receive the sensing signals from the sensing module, and generate the object coordinate by comparing to the sensing signals;

wherein when the image corresponds to the three-dimensional virtual input device, the pixel control module generates the display signals to control the first set of pixels to display the left-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and to control the second set of pixels to display the right-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and generates the sensing instruction for the sensing control module to indicate that the three-dimensional virtual input device is displayed.

2. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing module comprises a plurality of capacitive sensing units in a capacitive matrix, wherein each of the capacitive sensing units is configured to receive one of the first scan signals generated by the sensing control module, to generate the sensing signal in response to the first scan signal, and to send the sensing signal to the sensing control module.

3. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the capacitive sensing units are capacitive sensor electrodes, and wherein each of the capacitive sensor electrodes is configured to induce a capacitance change when the object exists within a predetermined range of the capacitive sensor electrode.

4. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the capacitive sensing units are capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays, and each of the CMUT arrays comprises a plurality of CMUT units, wherein each of the CMUT arrays is configured to transmit ultrasonic waves and to receive refracted ultrasonic waves by the objects.

5. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the virtual input device comprises an out-of-screen three-dimensional virtual keyboard.

6. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display signals comprise a plurality of second scan signals and a plurality of data signals.

7. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the display module comprises:

a scan driver electrically connected to the controller, configured to receive the second scan signals from the controller;

a data driver electrically connected to the controller, configured to receive the data signals from the controller;

a plurality of scan lines electrically connected to the scan driver, each scan line configured to receive one of the second scan signals from the scan driver; and

a plurality of data lines electrically connected to the data driver, each data line configured to receive one of the data signals from the data driver;

wherein the scan lines and data lines cross over to define the plurality of pixels.

8. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barrier module is a parallax barrier layer, comprising a plurality of transparent units and a plurality of opaque units alternatively positioned.

9. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 8, being switchable between a two-dimensional display mode and a three-dimensional display mode.

10. The three-dimensional display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the codes comprises:

a barrier control module configured to control the opaque units of the barrier module to switch between a transparent state and an opaque state, wherein

the three-dimensional display device is switched to the two-dimensional display mode when the opaque units are switched to the transparent state; and

the three-dimensional display device is switched to the three-dimensional display mode when the opaque units are switched to the opaque state.

11. A controller, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-volatile memory storing computer executable codes, wherein the codes, when executed at the processor, are configured to

generate display signals for a display module defining a plurality of pixels in a pixel matrix, and send the display signals to the display module to control the pixels, wherein the pixels comprise a first set of pixels and a second set of pixels, and wherein a barrier module is disposed at a viewer side of the display module, wherein for a viewer at the viewer side, the barrier module is configured to allow light emitted from the first set of pixels to be viewable only by a left eye of the viewer, and allow light emitted from the second set of pixels to be viewable only by a right eye of the viewer, such that the viewer perceives the light emitted from the first set of pixels as a left-eye view and the light emitted from the second set of pixels as a right-eye view, and perceives the left-eye view and the right view to form a three-dimensional virtual image between the viewer and the display module;

receive sensing signals from a sensing module, and generate an object coordinate according to the sensing signals, wherein the sensing module is configured to receive a plurality of first scan signals, to detect an object at the viewer side of the display module in response to receiving the first scan signals, and to generate the sensing signals in response to detecting the object;

in response to a display instruction,

generate the display signals for an out-of-screen three-dimensional virtual input device, wherein the display signals are configured to control the first set of pixels to display the left-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and to control the second set of pixels to display the right-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device; and

generate a sensing instruction to indicate that the three-dimensional virtual input device is displayed;

in response to the sensing instruction, generate the first scan signals for the sensing module, and send the first scan signals to the sensing module; and

in response to the object coordinate matching coordinates of an input region of the three-dimensional virtual input device, generate an input command;

wherein the codes comprise;

a pixel control module configured to generate the display signals in response to a plurality of image signals, and send the display signals respectively to the display module to control the pixels;

an image processing module configured to generate the image signals from an image; and

a sensing control module configured to generate the first scan signals for the sensing module and send the first scan signals to the sensing module in response to the sensing instruction, receive the sensing signals from the sensing module, and generate the object coordinate by comparing to the sensing signals;

wherein when the image corresponds to the three-dimensional virtual input device, the pixel control module generates the display signals to control the first set of pixels to display the left-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and to control the second set of pixels to display the right-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and generates the sensing instruction for the sensing control module to indicate that the three-dimensional virtual input device is displayed.

12. The controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the virtual input device comprises an out-of-screen three-dimensional virtual keyboard.

13. The controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the display signals comprise a plurality of second scan signals and a plurality of data signals.

14. The controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the display module comprises:

a scan driver, configured to receive the second scan signals from the processor;

a data driver, configured to receive the data signals from the processor;

a plurality of scan lines electrically connected to the scan driver, each scan line configured to receive one of the second scan signals from the scan driver; and

a plurality of data lines electrically connected to the data driver, each data line configured to receive one of the data signals from the data driver;

wherein the scan lines and data lines cross over to define the plurality of pixels.

15. The controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the barrier module is a parallax barrier layer, comprising a plurality of transparent units and a plurality of opaque units alternatively positioned.

16. The controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the codes comprise:

a barrier control module configured to control the opaque units of the barrier module to switch between a transparent state and an opaque state, wherein

the display module is switched to a two-dimensional display mode when the opaque units are switched to the transparent state; and

the display module is switched to a three-dimensional display mode when the opaque units are switched to the opaque state.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable codes, wherein the codes, when executed at a processor, are configured to

generate display signals for a display module defining a plurality of pixels in a pixel matrix, and send the display signals to the display module to control the pixels, wherein the pixels comprise a first set of pixels and a second set of pixels, and wherein a barrier module is disposed at a viewer side of the display module, wherein for a viewer at the viewer side, the barrier module is configured to allow light emitted from the first set of pixels to be viewable only by a left eye of the viewer, and allow light emitted from the second set of pixels to be viewable only by a right eye of the viewer, such that the viewer perceives the light emitted from the first set of pixels as a left-eye view and the light emitted from the second set of pixels as a right-eye view, and perceives the left-eye view and the right view to form a three-dimensional virtual image between the viewer and the display module;

receive sensing signals from a sensing module, and generate an object coordinate according to the sensing signals, wherein the sensing module is configured to receive a plurality of first scan signals, to detect an object at the viewer side of the display module in response to receiving the first scan signals, and to generate the sensing signals in response to detecting the object;

in response to a display instruction,

generate the display signals for an out-of-screen three-dimensional virtual input device, wherein the display signals are configured to control the first set of pixels to display the left-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and to control the second set of pixels to display the right-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device; and

generate a sensing instruction to indicate that the three-dimensional virtual input device is displayed;

in response to the sensing instruction, generate the first scan signals for the sensing module, and send the first scan signals to the sensing module; and

in response to the object coordinate matching coordinates of a input region of the three-dimensional virtual input device, generate an input command;

wherein the codes comprise;

a pixel control module configured to generate the display signals in response to a plurality of image signals, and send the display signals respectively to the display module to control the pixels;

an image processing module configured to generate the image signals from an image; and

a sensing control module configured to generate the first scan signals for the sensing module and send the first scan signals to the sensing module in response to the sensing instruction, receive the sensing signals from the sensing module, and generate the object coordinate by comparing to the sensing signals;

wherein when the image corresponds to the three-dimensional virtual input device, the pixel control module generates the display signals to control the first set of pixels to display the left-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and to control the second set of pixels to display the right-eye view of the three-dimensional virtual input device, and generates the sensing instruction for the sensing control module to indicate that the three-dimensional virtual input device is displayed.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 17, wherein the virtual input device comprises an out-of-screen three-dimensional virtual keyboard.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 17, wherein the display signals comprise a plurality of second scan signals and a plurality of data signals.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 17, wherein the display module comprises:

a scan driver, configured to receive the second scan signals from the processor;

a data driver, configured to receive the data signals from the processor;

a plurality of scan lines electrically connected to the scan driver, each scan line configured to receive one of the second scan signals from the scan driver; and

a plurality of data lines electrically connected to the data driver, each data line configured to receive one of the data signals from the data driver;

wherein the scan lines and data lines cross over to define the plurality of pixels.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 17, wherein the barrier module is a parallax barrier layer, comprising a plurality of transparent units and a plurality of opaque units alternatively positioned.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein the codes comprise:

a barrier control module configured to control the opaque units of the barrier module to switch between a transparent state and an opaque state, wherein

the display module is switched to a two-dimensional display mode when the opaque units are switched to the transparent state; and

the display module is switched to a three-dimensional display mode when the opaque units are switched to the opaque state.