Disambiguation of false touch inputs at an information handling system projected user interface

• US 9,983,717 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2015
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Pacheco, Roman J., Ancona, Rocco, Daguet, Christophe, Knoppert, Michiel Sebastiaan Emanuel Petrus, Sanaullah, Abu S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HICKS, CHARLES V
• Application Number:
  US14/691,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20160313842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• 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 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• 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: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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

Abstract

Inputs to a projected or other type of displayed user interface are verified with a verification device that enhances input detection accuracy. For example, inputs at a projected keyboard are detected by an infrared curtain projected over the keyboard and breached by an end user finger as it strikes a key. The inputs are verified with a capacitive sensor device disposed below the keyboard that confirms a user touch. Alternatively, proximity sensing by the capacitive sensor measures distance and velocity associated with a finger to verify the inputs detected by breaching of the infrared curtain are intended inputs. Other verification devices may include an accelerometer that detects accelerations associated with inputs and three dimensional cameras that capture finger positions. Verification devices may be selectively enabled based upon power and accuracy constraints.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a processor operable to process information for presentation to a user as visual images;

memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the information;

a graphics system interfaced with the processor and memory, the graphics system operable to generate the visual images at one or more display devices;

a projector interfaced with the graphics system and operable to project the visual images at the projection surface;

a detection device operable to detect end user inputs made at the visual images proximate the projection surface, the detection device detecting a first type of physical condition;

an accelerometer operable to detect accelerations at the projection surface that result from impact of an object at the projection surface;

a touch input module interfaced with the graphics system and detection device, the touch input module operable to determine an end user input at the visual image based upon a detection by the detection device at a detection location; and

a touch input verifier interfaced with the touch input module and operable to apply a predetermined sensed condition different from the first type of physical condition to verify that the detection by the detection device at the detection input is a touch input, the touch input verifier disambiguating verified touches as inputs to the detection device from unverified touches as unintended to be inputs;

wherein the predetermined sensed condition includes at least an acceleration caused by impact on the projection surface; and

wherein the touch input verifier interfaces with the accelerometer and analyzes the accelerations to determine the predetermined sensed condition of a physical impact at the projection surface.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a capacitive touch sensor interfaced with the touch input verifier and disposed at the detection location, the capacitive touch sensor operable to detect physical touches;

wherein the touch input verifier analyzes the physical touches to determine the predetermined sensed condition.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the capacitive touch sensor does not comprise a display device.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a microphone interfaced with the touch input verifier and operable to detect audible noise;

wherein the touch input verifier analyses the audible noise to determine the predetermined sensed condition.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the touch input verifier is further operable to apply plural predetermined sense conditions to verify that the detection by the detection device is a touch input, the system further comprising a power manager, the power manager selectively providing one or more of the predetermined sensed conditions based on one or more power conditions.

6. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein:

the detection device is an infrared emitter operable to emit an infrared curtain over the projection surface and an infrared camera operable to sense a user input by a user body portion passing through the curtain; and

wherein the plural predetermined sensed conditions include at least images captured by a three dimensional camera and accelerations sensed by an accelerometer.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a capacitive touch sensor interfaced with the touch input verifier and operable to measure a distance to human body part;

wherein the detection device comprises an infrared curtain projected over the projection surface; and

wherein the touch input verifier applies distance measured by the capacitive touch sensor to verify breach of the infrared curtain by a finger as a touch input.

8. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the touch input verifier applies distance measured by the capacitive touch sensor to verify breach of the infrared curtain by comparing distances associated with plural fingers of an end user hand and verifying breach if one of the plural fingers has a predetermined proximity to the capacitive touch sensor relative to the other of the plural fingers.

9. A method for verifying inputs at a projected user interface, the method comprising:

projecting a user interface on a projection surface, the user interface accepting end user inputs made at the projection surface;

detecting the end user inputs at the projected user interface with a detection device that detects a first type of condition, including at least a touch and lift of a finger at a capacitive sensor; and

verifying the end user inputs with one or more verification devices by relating conditions sensed by the one or more verification devices to end user inputs detected by the detection device, the conditions sensed by the one or more verification devices different from the first type of condition and including at least lift of the finger above an infrared curtain projected over the projection surface, the verified end user inputs applied as inputs, the unverified end user inputs disambiguated as false touches not applied as inputs.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

detecting the end user inputs by detecting passage of end user fingers through an infrared curtain projected over the projection surface; and

verifying the end user inputs by detecting a proximity of the end user fingers to a capacitive sensor disposed on the projection surface.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein verifying the end user inputs by detecting a proximity of the end user fingers further comprises:

measuring a proximity of each of plural end user fingers; and

verifying the end user inputs by detecting a closer proximity of a one of the plural fingers at a location of a detected end user input relative to the proximity of other of the plural fingers at other locations.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein verifying the end user inputs further comprises verifying a physical touch of a one of the plural fingers at a location of a detected end user input.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein verifying the end user inputs by detecting a proximity of the end user fingers further comprises:

measuring a proximity of each of plural end user fingers; and

verifying the end user inputs by detecting a change in proximity of a one of the plural fingers at a location of a detected end user input, the change in proximity indicative of a velocity associated with a finger typing motion.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

detecting the end user inputs by detecting passage of end user fingers through an infrared curtain projected over the projection surface; and

verifying the end user inputs by detecting motion with a three dimensional camera, the motion relating to one of plural finger so and end user hand proximate the location of the passage of end user fingers.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

detecting the end user inputs by detecting passage of end user fingers through an infrared curtain projected over the projection surface; and

verifying the end user inputs by detecting accelerations with an accelerometer, the accelerations sensed temporally with the end user inputs.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising a power manager interfaced with plural verification devices and operable to selectively engage verification devices balancing power consumption and end user input detection accuracy.

17. A system for verifying inputs at a projected user interface, the system comprising:

a display device operable to present a keyboard;

a detection device operable to identify end user inputs made at the keyboard by detecting passage of end user fingers through a plane above the keyboard; and

a verification device operable to distinguish movements of end user fingers to verify end user inputs, the verification device including at least an accelerometer that detects accelerations from fingers impacting the display device, the verification device disambiguating verified touches as intended inputs and unverified touches as unintended to be inputs.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the verification device comprises a capacitive sensor operable to detect a proximity of end user fingers to the keyboard.