Information output device

• US 9,454,262 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IP&L Solutions
• Original Assignee: IP&L Solutions
• Inventors: Yoshida, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US14/043,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20140098066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 345/104, 345/173, 345/178, 345/589, 345/619, 358/1.15, 358/1.18, 358/537, 358/458, 358/452, 358/453, 235/439, 235/472.01, 235/380, 235/494, 235/454, 235/462.1, 348/46, 348/E13.07, 715/224, 382/100, 382/175
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• 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 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421

Abstract

Recognition of a player'"'"'s touch on a surface of a medium is made possible, as well as recognition of the medium such as a card by a dot pattern printed on a back surface of the medium placed on a stage. Input instructions according to each feature of a game or information processing device are made possible just by preparing a card on which a region for a touch operation is printed, by making possible recognition of a player'"'"'s touch on a surface of a medium, as well as recognition of the medium such as a card by a dot pattern printed on a back surface of the medium placed on a stage, calculating where on a card placed on the stage is touched, and causing to perform a process according to a feature of the card.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising:

a touch panel chassis having a touch panel on at least one surface thereof, the touch panel having a medium, on which a plurality of dot patterns each of which defines a coordinate value and a code value are printed by abutting one another in vertical and horizontal directions, placed on the touch panel with a surface on which the dot pattern is printed facing the touch panel;

a coordinate recognition unit for recognizing, as coordinate information, a touching position of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip or a position of a pen or a three dimensional object placed on the medium;

an imaging unit for imaging the dot pattern of a region where at least one of the coordinate values and code values are defined on the medium from a back surface side of the touch panel via an imaging opening disposed to face upward at a predetermined location in a vicinity of a surface of the touch panel in the touch panel chassis; and

a control unit for computing the coordinate values and the code values signified by the dot pattern, and an orientation of the medium from an image captured by the imaging unit, and for inputting the coordinate information that is acquired by the coordinate recognition unit;

wherein the control unit acquires the position of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip or the position of the pen or three dimensional object, based on the coordinate values and code values of the dot pattern printed on the medium and the orientation of the medium, pre-set location information of the imaging opening, and the coordinate information acquired by the coordinate recognition unit.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the dot pattern printed on the medium has at least the code values, and the medium is fixed at a predetermined location and orientation on the touch panel,

wherein the control unit calculates where on the medium a placing of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, an operation, or the three dimensional object is performed, based on the code values of the medium and the coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit, and the control unit causes the output unit to output the multimedia information which differs depending on the location on the medium calculated.

3. The information output processing device according to claim 1, wherein irradiation light emitted from the irradiation unit is infrared light,

dots of the dot pattern are printed on the medium with ink that absorbs infrared light, the infrared light emitted from the irradiation unit irradiates the medium through the imaging opening, the infrared light is reflected off an area of the medium other than an area where the dots are printed, the reflected infrared light is captured by the imaging unit, and

the control portion calculates the coordinate values and code values signified by the dot pattern and the orientation of the medium based on an image obtained by capturing the reflected infrared light off the medium by the imaging unit.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, further having:

a peripheral wall on a periphery of the surface of the touch panel; and

a notch portion on part of the peripheral wall so that a medium on the surface of the touch panel can be retracted from the surface of the touch panel.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, further having:

one or a plurality of infrared irradiation elements and one or a plurality of light-receiving elements adjacently disposed one after another on one side of the peripheral wall of the touch panel to cause the touch panel to function as a coordinate recognition unit, wherein a location in an X direction or a Y direction on the touch panel can be recognized by a reception, by the light-receiving elements, of reflected light of infrared light irradiated from the infrared irradiation elements and reflected by a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip touching, or a pen or three dimensional object placed on the touch panel or on the medium on the touch panel; and

a notch so that the medium on other side of the peripheral wall or on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein, on sides adjacent to the one side of the peripheral wall, peripheral walls are provided on which infrared irradiation elements or light-receiving elements are disposed respectively, and the peripheral walls enable a recognition of a location in a Y direction or an X direction on the touch panel, based on the fact that the light-receiving elements on an opposed side do not receive infrared light as irradiated light irradiated from the infrared irradiation elements and blocked by a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen, or three dimensional object placed on the touch panel or on the medium placed on the touch panel.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein a recognition of XY coordinates of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen, or three dimensional object on the touch panel is made possible by providing a pair of infrared imaging devices, which allows the touch panel to function as a coordinate recognition unit, on both inner ends of one side of a peripheral wall of the touch panel, and by having a control unit analyze images captured by each of the infrared imaging devices, wherein at least one side of the peripheral wall has the notch portion so that a medium on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

8. The information processing device according to claim 1, further having a peripheral wall on a periphery of the touch panel, embedding a coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel in the peripheral wall, and comprising a side wall curved from the touch panel so that a medium on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

9. The information processing device according to claim 1, further having a peripheral wall on a periphery of the touch panel, embedding a coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel on the peripheral wall, and providing a card loading slot on the touch panel so that a medium can be inserted or retracted therethrough.

10. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein a selection button of multimedia information, such as a text, figure, image, motion picture, or sound information, is directly printed or a sheet on which a selection button of the multimedia information is printed is removably attached on a portion of the touch panel, and the control unit recognizes a position of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen operation, or three dimensional object in relation to the selection button based on the coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit.

11. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein a display portion which is able to display information is configured on part of the touch panel or in the vicinity of the touch panel.

12. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein a suction opening for absorbing a medium to the touch panel is provided, and the suction opening makes the medium in close contact with the touch panel by forming negative pressure in the suction opening.

13. The information processing device according to claim 12, wherein a negative pressure generation unit controlled by a control unit is provided in a touch panel chassis where the touch panel is provided, and the control unit, when it recognizes a location of a medium in a vicinity of the touch panel based on a change of a captured image captured by the imaging unit, instructs the negative pressure generation unit to vacuum suction from the suction opening.

14. A medium placed on the surface of the touch panel of the information processing device according to claim 1,

wherein a surface of the medium facing the touch panel when the medium is placed on the touch panel, is printed with a dot pattern where a plurality of coordinate values and code values are defined and arranged by abutting one another in vertical and horizontal directions.

15. The medium on which the dot pattern is printed according to claim 14, wherein

a number, a text, an icon, a photograph, an illustration and the like are printed in divided areas on the front surface side of the medium, which is opposite to the surface where the dot pattern is printed, and

the coordinate values and the code values of the dot pattern and the orientation of the medium, pre-set position information of the imaging unit, and the coordinate information acquired by the coordinate recognition unit, are associated one another.

16. The medium on which the dot pattern is printed according to claim 14, wherein the dots of the dot pattern are printed with ink that absorbs infrared light.

17. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

by defining coordinates of a predetermined position where the imaging unit is located in a touch panel coordinate system are defined as (Xs, Ys):

a position of the imaging unit on the medium imaged by the imaging unit in a coordinate system of the medium is defined as (xs, ys);

an angle between Y direction in the touch panel coordinate system and y direction in the coordinate system of the medium is defined as θ

; and

the position of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip touching or the position of the pen or the three dimensional object placed on the medium is defined as (Xt, Yt) in the touch panel coordinate system,

and a touch location in the coordinate system of the medium (x_t, y_t) is calculated by a following equation;

18. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising an irradiation unit, in the vicinity of the imaging unit, for emitting irradiation light.

20. The information processing device according to either claim 1 or 19, wherein, on the touch panel,

a predetermined graphic is printed with ink which transmits infrared light, or

a sheet on which the image is printed with the ink and that transmits at least infrared light or infrared and visible light is attached.

33. The information processing device according to either claim 1 or 19, further comprising:

an output unit for outputting multimedia information such as a text, figure, image, motion picture, or sound information based on information from the control unit.

19. An information processing device, comprising:

a touch panel chassis having a touch panel on at least one surface thereof;

the touch panel having a medium, on which is printed a dot pattern where at least one code value is defined, placed on the touch panel with a surface on which the dot pattern is printed facing the touch panel;

a coordinate recognition unit for recognizing a touching position of player/operator'"'"'s fingertip or a position of a pen or a three dimensional object placed on a surface of the touch panel or the medium as coordinate information;

an imaging unit, disposed in a space in the touch panel chassis, for imaging a whole area where the medium is placed on the surface of the touch panel from a back side thereof, and reading the dot pattern of the medium placed at an arbitrary position on the surface of the touch panel; and

a control unit for calculating the code value signified by the dot pattern and an orientation and a position of the medium from an image captured by the imaging unit, and inputting the coordinate information acquired by the coordinate recognition unit,

wherein the control unit acquires the touching position of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip and the position of the pen or three dimensional object placed on the medium based on the code value of the dot pattern, the orientation and position of the medium, and the coordinate value acquired by the coordinate recognition unit.

21. The information processing device according to claim 19, further comprising:

inside the touch panel chassis, a projection unit for projecting a motion picture or an image from a back surface side with respect to the touch panel,

wherein the control unit controls the image or the motion picture projected from the back surface side of the touch panel by the projection unit by interlocking with a touching of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip on the touch panel, or a touching of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip or the pen, or a placing of the three dimensional object on the medium, which is recognized by the coordinate recognition unit.

22. The information processing device according to claim 19, further having:

a peripheral wall on a periphery of the surface of the touch panel; and

a notch portion on part of the peripheral wall so that a medium on the surface of the touch panel can be retracted from the surface of the touch panel.

23. The information processing device according to claim 22, further having:

one or a plurality of infrared irradiation elements and one or a plurality of light-receiving elements adjacently disposed one after another on one side of the peripheral wall of the touch panel to cause the touch panel to function as a coordinate recognition unit, wherein a location in an X direction or a Y direction on the touch panel can be recognized by a reception, by the light-receiving elements, of reflected light of infrared light irradiated from the infrared irradiation elements and reflected by a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip touching, or a pen or three dimensional object placed on the touch panel or on the medium on the touch panel; and

a notch so that the medium on other side of the peripheral wall or on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

24. The information processing device according to claim 22, wherein, on sides adjacent to the one side of the peripheral wall, peripheral walls are provided on which infrared irradiation elements or light-receiving elements are disposed respectively, and the peripheral walls enable a recognition of a location in a Y direction or an X direction on the touch panel, based on the fact that the light-receiving elements on an opposed side do not receive infrared light as irradiated light irradiated from the infrared irradiation elements and blocked by a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen, or three dimensional object placed on the touch panel or on the medium placed on the touch panel.

25. The information processing device according to claim 22, wherein a recognition of XY coordinates of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen, or three dimensional object on the touch panel is made possible by providing a pair of infrared imaging devices, which allows the touch panel to function as a coordinate recognition unit, on both inner ends of one side of a peripheral wall of the touch panel, and by having a control unit analyze images captured by each of the infrared imaging devices, wherein at least one side of the peripheral wall has the notch portion so that a medium on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

26. The information processing device according to claim 19, further having a peripheral wall on a periphery of the touch panel, embedding a coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel in the peripheral wall, and comprising a side wall curved from the touch panel so that a medium on the touch panel can be retracted from the touch panel.

27. The information processing device according to claim 19, further having a peripheral wall on a periphery of the touch panel, embedding a coordinate recognition unit of the touch panel on the peripheral wall, and providing a card loading slot on the touch panel so that a medium can be inserted or retracted therethrough.

28. The information processing device according to claim 19, wherein a selection button of multimedia information, such as a text, figure, image, motion picture, or sound information, is directly printed or a sheet on which a selection button of the multimedia information is printed is removably attached on a portion of the touch panel, and the control unit recognizes a position of a player/operator'"'"'s fingertip, pen operation, or three dimensional object in relation to the selection button based on the coordinate information from the coordinate recognition unit.

29. The information processing device according to claim 19, wherein a display portion which is able to display information is configured on part of the touch panel or in the vicinity of the touch panel.

30. A medium on which a dot pattern is printed, wherein

the medium is to be placed on the surface of the touch panel according to claim 19, and

a surface of the medium, which faces the touch panel when the medium is placed on the touch panel, is printed with the dot pattern that defines at least one code value.

31. The medium on which the dot pattern is printed according to claim 30, wherein

a number, a text, an icon, a photograph, an illustration and the like are printed in divided areas on the front surface side of the medium, which is opposite to the surface where the dot pattern is printed, and

the code value of the dot pattern, and the orientation and position of the medium, and the coordinate information acquired by the coordinate recognition unit, are associated one another.

32. The medium on which the dot pattern is printed according to claim 30, wherein the dots of the dot pattern are printed with ink that absorbs infrared light.

34. The information processing device according to claim 19, wherein

when a width of the medium is defined as W;

a height thereof, H;

coordinates of a central position of a card in the touch panel coordinate system, acquired by the control unit, are defined as (Xc, Yc);

an angle between Y direction in the touch panel coordinate system and y direction in a medium coordinate system that is a coordinate system of the medium is defined as θ

; and

the position of the player/operator'"'"'s fingertip touching or the position of the pen or the three dimensional object placed on the medium in the touch panel coordinate system is defined as (Xt, Yt),

the touch location (x_t, y_t) in the coordinate system of the medium is calculated by a following equation;

35. The information processing device according to claim 19, further comprising:

an irradiation unit, in the vicinity of the imaging unit, for emitting irradiation light.

36. The information processing device according to claim 35, wherein

irradiation light emitted from the irradiation unit is infrared light, the touch panel transmits the infrared light and reflection light thereof,

dots of the dot pattern are printed with ink that absorbs infrared light on the medium, the infrared light emitted from the irradiation unit is reflected off an area of the medium other than an area where the dots are printed, the reflected infrared light is captured by the imaging unit, and

the control portion calculates the code value signified by the dot pattern and the orientation and the position of the medium based on an image obtained by capturing the reflected infrared light off the medium by the imaging unit.