Books, papers, and downloaded information to facilitate human interaction with computers

• US 8,040,328 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter Smith, Timothy R. Pryor
• Original Assignee: Peter Smith, Timothy R. Pryor
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R, Smith, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US11/980,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20080122805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-180, 345156-158
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0012 the other object being a container or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2433 Voice-actuated
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/50 Construction set or kit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0005 played on a table, the ball or other playing body being rolled or slid from one side of the table in more than one direction or having more than one entering position on this same side, e.g. shuffle boards goal posts per se A63F7/305; miniature bowling-alleys A63D3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed are simple easy to understand TV camera based input and programming devices for computers, as well as local or remote means to assimilate data or commands. The invention in one preferred embodiment, uses printed matter imaged by one or more TV cameras, which results in enhanced ease of comprehension, distribution and touch command input of programs. The printed matter may be for example, newspaper clippings, children'"'"'s books, chess boards, or board games. Certain aspects of the invention share some characteristics of a touch screen, in the sense of additionally determining the location of objects positioned by a user, or portions of a user, such as fingers or hands.

Claims

1. A method for a person to input data into a computer, comprising the steps of:

providing a member having a plurality of printed matters on a surface thereof, said printed matters including at least one coded information;

using an electro-optical sensor, continually sensing said at least one coded information of the printed matters on the member, and sensing physical interactions of said person with the printed matters on the surface of said member;

analyzing outputs of said sensor to determine locations of said interactions of said person with the printed matters on the surface of said member;

determining, from the analyzed outputs when a location of one of the interactions of said person with the printed matters on the surface of said member is with said at least one coded information; and

when the location of the one of the interactions of said person with said at least one coded information on the surface of said member occurs, inputting desired data into the computer.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein illumination is provided by a non-planar light source.

3. A method according to claim 1, including the further step of considering a data base of said printed matters in making said analysis.