Interactive Surface and Display System

• US 20080191864A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZOOZ Medical Limited
• Original Assignee: ZOOZ Medical Limited
• Inventors: Wolfson, Ronen
• Application Number:
  US11/910,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20080191864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/524
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0092 for training agility or co-ordination of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/012 Walk-in-place systems for allowing a user to walk in a virtual environment while constraining him to a given position in the physical environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 Foot operated pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• 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

Abstract

An interactive training system capable of generating continuous feedback for physical therapy and training applications based on capturing and analyzing the movement of a user on an interactive surface. The training system captures sophisticated input such as the entire areas in contact with the interactive surface, center of gravity, pressure distribution, velocity, acceleration, direction, orientation etc. The training system also captures and/or calculates and/or estimates the position of a body part while in the air, not touching the interactive surface, and also while sensor input is unavailable. The training system can also provide alerts for predefined events such as a fall or the beginning of a fall.

Claims

1. An interactive display system, wherein the content displayed on said system is generated based on the actions and movements of one or more users or objects, said system comprising:

i) an interactive surface, resistant to weight and shocks;

ii) means for detecting the position of said one or more users or objects in contact with said interactive surface;

iii) means for detecting the whole area of each said one or more users or objects in contact with said interactive surface; and

iv) means for generating content displayed on a display unit, an integrated display unit, interactive surface, monitor or television set, wherein said content is generated based on the position of one or more said users or objects in contact with said interactive surface and/or the whole area of one or more users or objects in contact with said interactive surface.

2. The interactive display system of claim 1, wherein the position of two or more users or objects in contact with said interactive surface is detected simultaneously.

3. The interactive display system of claim 1, wherein the whole area of two or more users or objects in contact with said interactive surface is detected simultaneously.

4. The interactive display system of claim 1, further comprising means to detect the direction of movement of said one or more users or objects in contact with said interactive surface.

5. The interactive display system of claim 1, further comprising means to measure the extent of pressure applied by each of said users or objects against said interactive surface.

6. The interactive display system of claim 1, wherein said interactive surface is laid on or integrated into the floor.

7. The interactive display system of claim 1, wherein said interactive surface is attached to or integrated into a wall or serves itself as a wall.

8. The interactive display system of claim 1, wherein said interactive surface is a peripheral device of a computer system or a game platform.

9. The interactive display system of claim 1, wherein the display unit or integrated display unit employs at least one display technology selected from the group consisting of:

LED, PLED, OLED, Epaper, Plasma, three dimensional display, frontal or rear projection with a standard tube, and frontal or rear laser projection.

10. The interactive display system of claim 1, wherein said generated content is based on additional parameters regarding objects or users in contact with said interactive surface.

11. The interactive surface and display system of claim 10, wherein said additional parameters are sound, voice, speed, weight, temperature, inclination, color, shape, humidity, smell, texture, electric conductivity or magnetic field of said user or object, blood pressure, heart rate, brain waves, EMG readings for said user, or any combination thereof.

12. The interactive display system of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein a position identification unit, responsible for identifying all the contact points of any user or object touching the interactive surface unit, employs at least one proximity or touch input technology selected from the group consisting of:

i) resistive touch-screen technology;

ii) capacitive touch-screen technology;

iii) surface acoustic wave touch-screen technology;

iv) infrared touch-screen technology;

v) a matrix of pressure sensors;

vi) near field imaging touch-screen technology;

vii) a matrix of optical detectors of a visible or invisible range;

viii) a matrix of proximity sensors with magnetic or electrical induction;

ix) a matrix of proximity sensors with magnetic and/or electrical induction, wherein the users or objects carry identifying material with a magnetic and/or RF and/or RFID signature;

x) a matrix of proximity sensors with magnetic or electrical induction wherein users and/or objects carry identifying RFID tags;

xi) a system built with one or more optic sensors and /or cameras with image identification technology

xii) a system built with one or more optic sensors and/or cameras with image identification technology in infra red range;

xiii) a system built with an ultra-sound detector wherein users and/or objects carry ultra-sound emitters;

xiv) a system built with RF identification technology;

xv) a system built with magnetic and/or electric field generators and/or inducers;

xvi) a system built with light sources such as laser, LED, EL, and the like;

xvii) a system built with reflectors;

xviii) a system built with sound generators;

xix) a system built with heat emitters; and

xx) any combination thereof.

13. The interactive display system of claim 12, wherein said image identification technology recognizes unique identifiers or content printed, displayed or projected on said interactive surface.

14. The interactive display system of claim 13, wherein said unique identifiers are integrated into printed, displayed or projected content or engraved in the interactive surface texture and visible through its surface.

15. The interactive display system of claim 12, wherein the position identification unit is integrated into an object, and said object is either worn by the user, held by said user or is independent of said user.

16. An integrated system comprising two or more interactive display systems according to claim 1, wherein contact by a user or an object on one interactive surface affects the content generated and displayed on at least one display unit or integrated display unit.

17. The integrated system according to claim 16, wherein at least two interactive display systems are within close proximity of each other and are connected by wired or wireless means.

18. The integrated system according to claim 16, wherein all interactive surface and display units combine to act as a single larger screen, each said individual display unit or integrated display unit displaying one portion of a single source of content generated.

19. The integrated system according to claim 18, wherein each said individual display unit or integrated display units displays an entire source of content generated.

20. The integrated system according to claim 16, wherein at least two interactive surface and display systems are not within close proximity of each other and are connected by an external network.

21. The integrated system according to claim 20, wherein said external network is the Internet.

22. An interactive display system according to claim 1 for entertainment purposes, wherein said user plays a game by stepping on, walking on, running on, kicking, punching, touching, hitting, or pressing against said interactive surface.

23. An integrated system according to claim 16, for entertainment purposes, wherein said user plays a game by stepping on, walking on, running on, kicking, punching, touching, hitting, or pressing against said interactive surface.

24. An interactive display system according to claim 22 or 23, wherein two or more users play with or compete against each other.

25. An interactive display system according to claim 22 or 23, wherein users use an object to interact with the game.

26. An interactive display system according to claim 25, wherein said object is selected from the group consisting of a ball, a racquet, a bat, a toy, any vehicle including a remote controlled vehicle, and transportation aid using one or more wheels.

27. An interactive display system according to claim 1 for medical applications, wherein a medical application is used for identifying and/or tracking a motor condition, or in a rehabilitation or training activity for coordination, motor or cognitive skills.

28. An interactive display system according to claim 27 for rehabilitation purposes, wherein devices used by disabled persons include an orthopedic shoe, a sole, a walker, a walking stick, a wheelchair, a crutch, a support, a belt, a band, a pad, a prosthetic or artificial body part attached or implanted in the patient, or any other orthopedic or rehabilitation equipment.

29. An interactive display system according to claim 1 for advertisement and presentation applications, wherein users can train using an object or experience interacting with an object by walking, touching, pressing against, hitting, or running on said interactive surface.

30. An interactive display system according to claim 1, wherein the system can deduce the path of movement of a user or object in the air, after touching point A in the interactive surface and until touching point B in the interactive surface.

31. An interactive display system according to claim 1, wherein the system acts as computer mouse, joystick or computer tablet in order to manipulate an image, graphics or any content, and said action is achieved by translating the contact points and areas on the interactive surface and translating deduced movements performed by said user.

32. An interactive display system according to claim 1, wherein said system is wearable.

33. An interactive display system according to 32, wherein said wearable system is integrated into a shoe, a shoe attachment, an insole or a device wrapping a shoe.

34. An interactive display system according to claim 1, wherein said system is used as a tablet, joystick or electronic mouse for operating and controlling a computer or any other device.

35. An interactive display system according to claim 1, wherein said system is used for physical training and/or rehabilitation.

36. An interactive display system according to 35, wherein a trainer is located in a remote location from the user performing an exercise, and said trainer can control the application, review performance reports and feed-back the user or users from the remote location.

37. A method for displaying interactive content generated based on the actions and movements of one or more users or objects, the method comprising the steps of:

i) detecting the position of said one or more users or objects in contact with one or more interactive surface units;

ii) detecting the entire area of said one or more users or objects in contact with said one or more interactive surface units; and

iii) generating content displayed on a display unit, integrated display unit, monitor or TV set, wherein said content is generated based on the position of one or more users or objects in contact with said one or more interactive surface and/or the entire area of one or more users or objects in contact with said one or more interactive surface.