VIRTUAL OPTICAL INPUT DEVICE WITH FEEDBACK AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20090219251A1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: JUNG, Yung Woo, Shin, Yun Sup
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

Provided are a virtual optical input device capable of providing feedback and a method of controlling the same. In the method, a portion of an input means such as a finger, and a portion of a shadow of the input means generated by a light source are detected through image processing. Physical variations formed between them are used to detect the touch contact of the input means, calculate the position and motion of the input means, and provide the corresponding feedback.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a virtual input device, comprising:

forming a virtual input pattern for detection of user input;

determining the contact or movement of an input means on the virtual input pattern; and

providing a feedback corresponding to the contact point.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining the contact or movement of the input means;

capturing an image of the input means on the virtual input pattern;

calculating a portion of the input means, a portion of a shadow, and the related positions from the captured image; and

using the calculated position information to determine the contact or movement of the input means.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the portion of the input means and the portion of the shadow are respectively an end of the input means and an end of the shadow.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the position related to the portion of the input means and the portion of the shadow is a position that is offset by a predetermined distance from the portion of the input means and the portion of the shadow.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual input pattern is a keyboard pattern, and the providing of the feedback comprises displaying an input value, corresponding to a button pressed by the user among the keyboard pattern, on a portion of the bottom.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the providing of the feedback comprises displaying the trace of the movement of the input means.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual input pattern and the feedback is provided by one imaging device.

8. A virtual input device comprising:

a user input detector generating a virtual input pattern for detection of user input and detecting the movement of an input means on the virtual input pattern;

a feedback provider providing a feedback corresponding to the contact or movement of a portion of the input means; and

a controller executing, when a portion of the input means contacts the virtual input pattern, a command corresponding to the contact point and controlling an image processor so that the feedback provider provides the feedback.

9. The virtual input device according to claim 8, wherein the user input detector comprises:

an input pattern generator generating a virtual input pattern;

an image receiver capturing the input pattern generated by the input generator, a portion of the input means, and a shadow image corresponding to the portion of the input means; and

an image processor detecting the positions related to a portion of the input means and a portion of the shadow from the image received by the image receiver.

10. The virtual input device according to claim 9, wherein the input pattern generator comprises:

a light source;

a lens condensing light emitted from the light source; and

a filter passing the light emitted from the lens and having a pattern generating the input pattern.

11. The virtual input device according to claim 8, wherein the feedback provider is a projector.

12. The virtual input device according to claim 8, wherein the feedback is an image, and a region forming the virtual input pattern overlaps with a region forming the feedback image.

13. The virtual input device according to claim 8, wherein the virtual input pattern is a keyboard pattern, and the feedback provider displays an input value, corresponding to a button pressed by the user among the keyboard pattern, on a portion of the bottom.

14. The virtual input device according to claim 8, wherein the feedback provider displays the movement trace of the input means on the bottom.

15. The virtual input device according to claim 9, wherein the input pattern generator and the feedback provider comprise one imaging device.

16. The virtual input device according to claim 9, wherein the image receiver is disposed under the input pattern generator such that the image receiver is spaced apart from the input pattern generator by a predetermined distance.

17. The virtual input device according to claim 8, wherein the controller determines the contact of the input means by detecting at least one of the distance, the angle, the relative velocity, and the acceleration between the position related to the portion of the input means and the position related to the portion of the shadow.

18. A mobile device comprising:

a wireless communication unit performing wireless communication with a wireless communication system or another mobile device;

a user input detector generating a virtual input pattern for detection of user input and detecting the movement of an input means of the user;

a feedback provider providing a feedback corresponding to the contact or movement of a portion of the input means;

a display unit displaying information;

a memory unit storing the input pattern and the corresponding command; and

a control unit controlling the operations of the above components.

19. The mobile device according to claim 18, wherein the user input detector comprises:

an input pattern generator generating a virtual input pattern;

an image receiver capturing the input pattern generated by the input generator, a portion of the input means, and a shadow image corresponding to the portion of the input means; and

an image processor detecting the position related to a portion of the input means and the position related to a portion of the shadow from the image received by the image receiver.

20. The mobile device according to claim 18, wherein the virtual input pattern is a keyboard pattern, and the feedback provider displays an input value, corresponding to a button pressed by the user among the keyboard pattern, on a portion of the bottom.

21. The mobile device according to claim 18, wherein the feedback provider displays the movement trace of the input means on the bottom.

22. The mobile device according to claim 18, wherein the input pattern generator and the feedback provider comprise one imaging device.