Free-Space Multi-Dimensional Absolute Pointer Using a Projection Marker System

• US 20080012824A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThinkOptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ThinkOptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Sweetster, John, Grunnet-Jepsen, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 8,913,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for a free-space multi-dimensional absolute pointer using a projection marker system are described herein. In one embodiment, a presentation system includes, but is not limited to, a projection-based marker apparatus to project one or more optical spots on a display surface for displaying machine generated content capable of being manipulated via a cursor of a pointing device, a handheld device to wirelessly capture the projected optical spots from the display surface, and a control unit communicatively coupled to the projection-based marker apparatus and the handheld device to determine coordinates of the cursor based on characteristics of the captured light spots. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method, comprising:

capturing one or more optical spots projected on, or near, a display surface, the display surface displaying machine generated content capable of being manipulated via a cursor of a pointing device, wherein the one or more optical spots are captured wirelessly using a handheld device representing the pointing device; and

the handheld device determining coordinates of the handheld device based on characteristics of the captured optical spots, wherein a position of the cursor of the pointing device displayed on the display surface is determined based on the coordinates of the handheld device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical spots are projected from a projection apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising in response to the coordinates of the handheld device in view of the captured optical spots received from the handheld device, calculating the coordinates of the cursor based on the coordinates of the handheld device in view of the position of the one or more optical spots.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying a cursor on the display surface at a position based on the calculated coordinates of the cursor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the projection apparatus is configured to wirelessly receive the coordinates of the handheld device and to calculate the coordinates of the cursor.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the projection apparatus is physically separated from wireless receiving electronics that receive the coordinates of the handheld device and calculate the coordinates of the cursor.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the projection apparatus comprises one or more coherent sources of optical radiation.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the projection apparatus comprises one or more incoherent sources of optical radiation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical spots are displayed according to a predetermined optical frequency such that the one or more optical spots are invisible to a user looking at the display surface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical spots are captured using a camera embedded within the handheld device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising calibrating initial coordinates of the handheld device by pointing the handheld device to one or more predetermined locations within or near a display area in view of positions of the one or more optical spots.

12. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

capturing one or more optical spots projected on, or near, a display surface, the display surface displaying machine generated content capable of being manipulated via a cursor of a pointing device, wherein the one or more optical spots are captured wirelessly using a hand-held device representing the pointing device; and

the handheld device determining coordinates of the handheld device based on characteristics of the captured optical spots, wherein a position of the cursor of the pointing device displayed on the display surface is determined based on the coordinates of the handheld device.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more optical spots are projected from a projection apparatus.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises in response to the coordinates of the handheld device in view of the captured optical spots received from the handheld device, calculating the coordinates of the cursor based on the coordinates of the handheld device in view of the position of the on or more optical spots.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises displaying a cursor on the display surface at a position based on the calculated coordinates of the cursor.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the projection apparatus is configured to wirelessly receive the coordinates of the handheld device and to calculate the coordinates of the cursor.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the projection apparatus is physically separated from wireless receiving electronics that receive the coordinates of the handheld device and calculate the coordinates of the cursor.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the projection apparatus comprises one or more coherent sources of optical radiation.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the projection apparatus comprises one or more incoherent sources of optical radiation.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more optical spots are displayed according to a predetermined optical frequency such that the one or more optical spots are invisible to a user looking at the display surface.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more optical spots are captured using a camera embedded within the handheld device.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises calibrating initial coordinates of the handheld device by pointing the handheld device to one or more predetermined locations within a display area in view of positions of the one or more optical spots.

23. A presentation system comprising:

a projection apparatus to project one or more optical spots on a display surface for displaying machine generated content capable of being manipulated via a cursor of a pointing device;

a handheld device to wirelessly capture the projected optical spots from the display surface; and

a control unit communicatively coupled to the projection apparatus and the handheld device to determine coordinates of the cursor based on characteristics of the captured optical spots.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more optical spots are projected in a predetermined optical frequency such that the one or more optical spots are invisible to a user of the display surface.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the handheld device comprises a camera to capture the one or more optical spots.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the handheld device is configured to determine coordinates of the handheld device based on the captured one or more optical spots, and wherein the coordinates of the cursor are determined based on the coordinates of the handheld device wirelessly received from the handheld device.