Touch control virtual screen apparatus

• US 8,094,131 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: Hung, Yi-Ping, Chan, Li-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US12/208,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20090309842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 345156-173, 178/18.1
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0425 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/028 by changing the viewing angle properties, e.g. widening the viewing angle, adapting the viewing angle to the view direction
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP

Abstract

A touch control virtual screen apparatus is provided. The touch control virtual screen apparatus includes a screen, an optical structure, and a detection module. The screen is adapted for emitting light. The optical structure includes at least one optical lens, and is adapted for configuring an image of a virtual screen in a space corresponding to a screen image, in accordance with the optical imaging principle. The detection module is adapted for detecting whether a user touches the image of the virtual screen, and detecting a signal corresponding to a position of the virtual screen being touched, and converting the signal into the position and a related instruction corresponding to the position. In such a way, the user is allowed to operate digital content displayed on a virtual screen in a touch control manner, without directly touching the screen.

Claims

1. A touch control virtual screen apparatus, comprising:

at least a screen;

at least an optical structure, configuring a virtual screen corresponding to the screen; and

a detection module, for detecting and obtaining a signal generated corresponding to a position where the virtual screen is touched, and converting the signal into a corresponding position of the screen and a corresponding instruction thereof;

wherein the optical structure is substantially configured with a hollow ellipsoid shape, wherein an inside surface of the hollow ellipsoid is a reflective surface, and the screen is accommodated in the hollow ellipsoid, wherein the hollow ellipsoid is configured with an opening, and is equipped with an optical lens assembled to the opening and corresponding to the screen, wherein after being reflected for two times at the inside reflective surface of the optical structure, an image of the screen configures a real image of the virtual screen across the optical lens.

2. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screen is connected to a host computer;

the detection module is connected to the host computer; and

the host computer connects the screen and the detection module so as to transmit and convert the signal detected by the detection module into a corresponding position of the screen and a corresponding instruction thereof.

3. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical lens of the optical structure refracts the image of the screen to display the image on the virtual screen in 3D space.

4. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical lens is a Fresnel lens.

5. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screen is a liquid crystal screen.

6. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screen is adapted to emit a light.

7. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an end of the hollow ellipsoid of the optical structure is removed away from one side and configured to be a flat plane which does not reflect the screen.

8. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the flat plane of the optical structure is a non-light-reflective plane.

9. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection module is a stereo camera, for observing an action of a finger of a user.

10. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the stereo camera is adapted for observing and calculating a depth of each pixel point of the image of the virtual screen, and determining a 3D spatial position of the finger by analyzing observed data, and thus determining the position where the finger touches on the virtual screen.

11. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the stereo camera is connected to a host computer, and the host computer converts the position where the finger touches on the virtual screen and a corresponding instruction into a position and an instruction corresponding to the screen.

12. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screen, the optical structure, and the detection module are hid and assembled inside, under or behind a substantive member having a light transparent panel.

13. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the substantive member is a desk having a light transparent desktop.

14. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the substantive member is a closet having a light transparent board.

15. The touch control virtual screen apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the substantive member is a compartment having a light transparent board.