Methods and apparatus for interactive movable computer mediated information display

• US 20090109130A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matthew C. Browning, Terence J. Murphy
• Original Assignee: Matthew C. Browning, Terence J. Murphy
• Inventors: Browning, Matthew C., Murphy, Terence J.
• Application Number:
  US11/932,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20090109130A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64

Abstract

In embodiments, methods and systems are presented for physical interaction with computer-mediated information. A movable display module (including a touch screen monitor, CPU, absolute encoder and other sensors, and wireless network connection) is mounted on and can be moved along rails. The rails serve four purposes relating to the movable display module:

• • 1) to provide DC power and/or data through the rails to the equipment;
  • 2) to act as a rack gear for absolute encoding of physical position;
  • 3) to provide physical support;
  • 4) to act as guide tracks.
    As the display module slides along the rails, a computer program receives positional and other sensor data. The program maps the sensor data to programmatic content, and presents said content on the display module or on other displays or in external effects such as lights or robotics. The entire system is designed for reliability, affordability, and ease of mass production.

Claims

1. a machine, providing means for physical interaction with computer-mediated information, comprising:

a system of claim 1, providing a movable display module comprising;

a means for computation such as a computer CPU and memory and for information handling such as software appropriate to the method and functions desired, and

capable of programmatically mediating presentation materials both on said movable display module and external to said movable display module;

at least one computationally addressable display means and framing for said display means;

a means for said movable display module and absolute positional encoding of said movable display module, such that position and calibration information is retained when power is lost or turned off,

a means for physical interaction and for sensing said interaction such as sensors and encoders, touch screen, load cell, physical buttons or continuous controllers, on the interior and exterior of said movable display module or its framework;

a system of claim 1, providing a set of rails supporting said movable display module, comprising;

a means for connecting said set of rails to said movable display module;

a means for providing power through said set of rails, said rails being made of conductive material and attached through their standoff support to a power source;

a means for providing to the computer CPU the absolute position of said movable display module on said set of rails, such as rack gear cuts in said rails and an absolute encoder and encoder interface to read said rack gear cuts;

a means for providing physical support for said movable display module and for connecting said support to said movable display module;

a means for providing guide tracks for said movable display module to move back and forth between the endpoints of its rail tracks;

a system of claim 1, providing data exchange means for communicating with said movable display module wirelessly, thus removing the need for external cabling to move along with the module, by providing a sufficiently non-conductive and non-shielded mounting arrangement for a wireless radio frequency network antenna and reception device;

whereby physical actions of a human or humans registered by said sensors upon said movable display module are interpreted by said computer and said information handling system in order to manipulate programmatically controlled digital information presented on said display means, all this being accomplished without the need for cables or a cable management system being connected to the movable display module, and with the means to retain position and calibration information when power is turned off or lost, whereby substantial gains in robustness, safety, effectiveness, and affordability are created.

4. a system of claim 1 in which the power means is inductive, comprising an inductive coil mounted in said movable display module and another set of power coils distributed along the framework, such that power is transferred to said movable display module inductively as it moves along the set of rails.

5. a system of claim 1 in which the movable display module'"'"'s computer controls one or more remote display monitors in addition to its own display monitor, using a radio-frequency display monitor connection, or other externals effects such as robotics.

6. a system of claim 1 in which the means for absolute position encoding consists of an image-capture system marking position in relation to visual cues such as bar codes or patterns, or visual recognition of its position in relation to an object or environment.

7. a system of claim 1 in which the power means is a long-life battery or rechargeable battery system.

8. a system of claim 1 in which the data exchange means is provided as a carrier signal along said set of rails.

9. a system of claim 1 that uses load cell sensors to supply Z-axis (zoom, or depth) sensor data, mapped to “

level of detail”

queries such as zooming in to a place on a map, a part of an object, or a period of time in a timeline, or placed such that the differential in said load cell sensors'"'"' Z-axis data if the user leans harder on one side of the movable display module than the other can be used programmatically to create a “

steering”

effect.

10. a method of claim 1, whereby parts and components of the machine are optimized for ease of mass production, including:

physical parts being easily replicable through the use of computer-controlled milling machines, and some electronic parts including the computer motherboard being specifically designed for this use.

2. a method for interaction with computationally-mediated information displays, comprising:

a method of claim 2, being a movable display module

providing a computationally addressable display means and framing for said display means;

providing a means for a movable display module and absolute positional encoding of said movable display module, such that position and calibration information is retained when power is off;

providing means for physical interaction and for sensing said interaction via sensors and encoders on the interior and exterior of said movable display module, such as touch screen, load cell, physical buttons or continuous controllers;

providing a means for computation such as a computer CPU and memory and for information handling such as software appropriate to the method and functions desired, and capable of programmatically mediating presentation materials;

a method of claim 2, being a set of rails for said movable display module to move upon, comprising;

a means for providing the absolute position encoding of the position of said movable display module on the rails, such as rack gear cuts in said rails and an absolute encoder to read said rack gear cuts;

a means for connecting said set of rails to said movable display module;

a means for providing physical support for said movable display module;

a means for providing guide tracks for said movable display module to move back and forth upon;

a method of claim 2, providing means for providing power to and exchanging information with said movable display module wirelessly, by providing the power through said set of rails;

said set of rails being made of conductive material;

whereby physical actions of a human or humans registered by said sensors upon said movable display module are interpreted by said computer and said information handling system in order to manipulate programmatically controlled digital information presented on said display means, all this being accomplished without the need for cables or a cable management system being connected to the movable display module, and with the ability to retain position and calibration information when power is turned off or lost, whereby substantial gains in robustness, safety, effectiveness, and affordability are created.

3. a new use for the combination of cable-free structurally integrated power delivery means (via conductive rails, long-life or rechargable battery, or inductive power system), in combination with a wireless network device for data exchange, and a means for absolute position encoding, (such as an absolute encoder and a rack gear, or an image-capture system marking position in relation to visual cues such as bar codes) in conjunction with a movable display module requiring power and positional data, comprising:

a system of claim 3, providing

a cable-free means for providing appropriate electrical power to said movable display module, either by providing a means for connecting said movable display module to a set of conductive rails carrying appropriate power, or by means for providing power through induction such as appropriate coils set into a support framework and into said movable display module;

a system of claim 3, providing

a means for wireless communication and for providing appropriate data exchange with said movable display module, by providing a sufficiently non-conductive mounting arrangement for a wireless radio frequency network antenna and reception device;

a system of claim 3, providing

a means for computation such as a computer CPU and memory and for information handling such as software appropriate to the method and functions desired, and capable of programmatically mediating presentation materials;

a system of claim 3, providing a set of conductive rails for said movable display module to move upon, comprising;

a means for coupling said rails to said movable display module that is efficient for transferring both power and motion, such as properly formed and sized copper pickups;

a means for providing absolute positional encoding data, such as rack gear cuts in conductive rails and an absolute encoder for reading the rack gear;

a means for providing physical support for said movable display module and connecting said support to said movable display module;

a means for providing guide tracks for said movable display module to move back and forth upon;

whereby the robustness of said machine is substantially improved over prior art by replacing the function served by standard flexible electrical and data cables with structurally strong and integrated power and data delivery systems.