Pointer tracking across multiple overlapping coordinate input sub-regions defining a generally contiguous input region

• US 8,576,172 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Su, Scott Yu Tseng, Holmgren, David E., Hill, Douglas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US13/307,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20120068955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 345/104, 345156-179, 345/205, 345/206, 345419-428, 345/505, 345/619, 345/629, 345/633, 345/647, 382/232, 382/42, 382/154, 382/305, 715/209, 715/788, 715/201, 359/9, 348/E7.001, 348/36, 348/390.1
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421

Abstract

A touch system comprises overlapping coordinate input sub-regions defining a generally contiguous input surface. Each coordinate input sub-region generates pointer coordinate data in response to pointer contacts thereon. When a pointer contact is made on a region of a coordinate input sub-region that overlaps with an adjacent coordinate input sub-region, each overlapping coordinate input sub-region processes acquired images to derive pointer data and triangulates the position of the pointer using the derived pointer data. Thereafter, the triangulated positions generated by the overlapping coordinate input sub-regions are processed in accordance with defined logic thereby to determine the position of the pointer contact relative to the touch surface.

Claims

1. An interactive input system comprising:

an input region divided into a plurality of input sub-regions, each of the input sub-regions configured to partially overlap with an adjacent input sub-region; and

a plurality of sets of imaging devices, each set associated with a respective one of the plurality input sub-regions, the imaging devices of each set looking into the respective input sub-region from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

2. An interactive input system according to claim 1 wherein each set of imaging devices comprises at least two imaging devices.

3. An interactive input system according to claim 2 wherein said imaging devices are digital camera devices.

4. An interactive input system according to claim 2 wherein the imaging devices of each set are positioned generally along the periphery of the associated input sub-region.

5. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein the imaging devices of each set comprise a pair of laterally spaced imaging devices positioned along a common peripheral edge of the associated input sub-region.

6. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein the imaging devices of all sets are positioned along the same peripheral edge of the input region.

7. An interactive input system according to claim 6 wherein said imaging devices are digital camera devices.

8. An interactive input system according to claim 5 wherein a computer desktop section is displayed on each input sub-region, said computer desktop sections merging to form a substantially seamless computer desktop.

9. An interactive input system according to claim 6 wherein a computer desktop section is displayed on each input sub-region, said computer desktop sections merging to form a substantially seamless computer desktop.

10. An interactive input system according to claim 2 wherein each set of imaging devices comprises at least four imaging devices positioned at spaced locations to form the corners of a four-sided polygon encompassing said input sub-region.

11. An interactive input system according to claim 10 wherein imaging devices of at least some sets look into the associated input sub-region at different angles relative to a generally horizontal peripheral edge of said input region.

12. An interactive input system according to claim 11 wherein, for each set of imaging devices associated with an input sub-region adjacent an end of said input region, a first pair of imaging devices looks into the associated input sub-region at a first angle and a second pair of imaging devices looks into the associated input sub-region at a second different angle.

13. An interactive input system according to claim 12 wherein the imaging devices of said first pair are positioned at different corners of said input region and wherein the imaging devices of said second pair are positioned along opposite horizontal peripheral edges of said input region.

14. An interactive input system according to claim 13 wherein each imaging device of said first pair is aimed generally at a diagonally opposite imaging device of said second pair and wherein each imaging device of said second pair is tilted in a direction towards the diagonally opposite imaging device of said first pair.

15. An interactive input system according to claim 14 wherein the optical axes of the imaging devices of said first pair form about a 45 degree angle with respect to the horizontal peripheral edge and wherein the optical axes of the imaging devices of said second pair forming about a 10 degree angle with respect to a line normal to said horizontal peripheral edge.

16. An interactive input system according to claim 11 wherein a computer desktop section is displayed on each input sub-region, said computer desktop sections merging to form a substantially seamless computer desktop.

17. An interactive input system according to claim 14 wherein a computer desktop section is displayed on each input sub-region, said computer desktop sections merging to form a substantially seamless computer desktop.

18. An interactive input system according to claim 10 wherein each input sub-region is divided into quadrants, a different pair of imaging devices of the imaging device set associated with the input sub-region being responsible for each quadrant.

19. An interactive input system according to claim 18 wherein imaging devices of at least some sets look into the associated input sub-region at different angles relative to a generally horizontal peripheral edge of said input region.

20. An interactive input system according to claim 19 wherein, for each set of imaging devices associated with an input sub-region adjacent an end of said input region, a first pair of imaging devices looks into the associated input sub-region at a first angle and a second pair of imaging devices looks into the associated input sub-region at a second different angle.

21. An interactive input system according to claim 20 wherein the imaging devices of said first pair are positioned at different corners of said input region and wherein the imaging devices of said second pair are positioned along opposite horizontal peripheral edges of said input region.

22. An interactive input system according to claim 21 wherein each imaging device of said first pair is aimed generally at a diagonally opposite imaging device of said second pair and wherein each imaging device of said second pair is tilted in a direction towards the diagonally opposite imaging device of said first pair.

23. An interactive input system according to claim 22 wherein the optical axes of the imaging devices of said first pair form about a 45 degree angle with respect to the horizontal peripheral edge and wherein the optical axes of the imaging devices of said second pair forming about a 10 degree angle with respect to a line normal to said horizontal peripheral edge.

24. An interactive input system according to claim 21 wherein a computer desktop section is displayed on each input sub-region, said computer desktop sections merging to form a substantially seamless computer desktop.

25. An interactive input system according to claim 1 comprising at least three input sub-regions arranged side-by-side.

26. An interactive input system according to claim 25 wherein adjacent input sub-regions overlap.

27. An interactive input system according to claim 26 wherein each set of imaging devices comprises at least four imaging devices positioned at spaced locations to form the corners of a four-sided polygon encompassing said input sub-region.

28. An interactive input system according to claim 27 wherein imaging devices of at least some sets look into the associated input sub-region at different angles relative to a generally horizontal peripheral edge of said input region.

29. An interactive input system according to claim 28 wherein, for each set of imaging devices associated with an input sub-region adjacent an end of said input region, a first pair of imaging devices looks into the associated input sub-region at a first angle and a second pair of imaging devices looks into the associated input sub-region at a second different angle.

30. An interactive input system according to claim 29 wherein the imaging devices of said first pair are positioned at different corners of said input region and wherein the imaging devices of said second pair are positioned along opposite horizontal peripheral edges of said input region.

31. An interactive input system according to claim 30 wherein each imaging device of said first pair is aimed generally at a diagonally opposite imaging device of said second pair and wherein each imaging device of said second pair is tilted in a direction towards the diagonally opposite imaging device of said first pair.

32. An interactive input system according to claim 31 wherein the optical axes of the imaging devices of said first pair form about a 45 degree angle with respect to the horizontal peripheral edge and wherein the optical axes of the imaging devices of said second pair forming about a 10 degree angle with respect to a line normal to said horizontal peripheral edge.

33. An interactive input system according to claim 22 wherein a computer desktop section is displayed on each input sub-region, said computer desktop sections merging to form a substantially seamless computer desktop.

34. An interactive input system according to claim 27 wherein, for each input sub-region intermediate the ends of said input region, each imaging device in the set associated therewith is angled slightly towards the diagonally opposite imaging device in the set.

35. An interactive input system according to claim 33 wherein each imaging device is angled such that the optical axis thereof forms about a ten degree angle with respect to a line normal to said horizontal peripheral edge.

36. An interactive input system according to claim 31 wherein, for each input sub-region intermediate the ends of said input region, each imaging device in the set associated therewith is angled slightly towards the diagonally opposite imaging device in the set.

37. An interactive input system according to claim 36 wherein each imaging device is angled such that the optical axis thereof forms about a ten degree angle with respect to a line normal to said horizontal peripheral edge.

38. An interactive input system according to claim 34 wherein a computer desktop section is displayed on each input sub-region, said computer desktop sections merging to form a substantially seamless computer desktop.

39. An interactive input system according to claim 27 further comprising an illuminated bezel about the periphery of said input region, said imaging devices being accommodated by said bezel.

40. An interactive input system according to claim 39 wherein, for each set of imaging devices associated with an input sub-region adjacent an end of said input region, a first pair of imaging devices looks into the associated input sub-region at a first angle and a second pair of imaging devices looks into the associated input sub-region at a second different angle.

41. An interactive input system according to claim 40 wherein the imaging devices of said first pair are positioned at different corners of said input region and wherein the imaging devices of said second pair are positioned along opposite horizontal peripheral edges of said input region.

42. An interactive input system according to claim 41 wherein the optical axes of the imaging devices of said first pair form about a 45 degree angle with respect to the horizontal peripheral edge and wherein the optical axes of the imaging devices of said second pair forming about a 10 degree angle with respect to a line normal to said horizontal peripheral edge.

43. An interactive input system according to claim 40 wherein, for each input sub-region intermediate the ends of said input region, each imaging device in the set associated therewith is angled slightly towards the diagonally opposite imaging device in the set.

44. An interactive input system according to claim 43 wherein each imaging device is angled such that the optical axis thereof forms about a ten degree angle with respect to a line normal to said peripheral edge.

45. An interactive input system according to claim 39 further comprising light sources adjacent imaging devices located at intermediate positions between the ends of said input region, said light sources being generally in line with said illuminated bezel.

46. An interactive input system according to claim 45 wherein a computer desktop section is displayed on each input sub-region, said computer desktop sections merging to form a substantially seamless computer desktop.