Optical touch detection

• US 8,665,244 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Large, Timothy, Emerton, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAYAN, MIHIR K
• Application Number:
  US13/032,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 345/175
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• 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

Optical touch detection is provided by an interactive display device including an elastomer layer, a reflector configured to transmit light having a first characteristic and to reflect light having a second characteristic, and a display positioned to output modulated light having the first characteristic through the elastomer layer and the reflector as a display image. The interactive display device further comprises a test light source positioned to output light having the second characteristic through the elastomer layer for reflection off of the reflector, and a sensor configured to receive light having the second characteristic reflected from the reflector.

Claims

1. An interactive display device, comprising:

an elastomer layer;

a reflector configured to transmit light having a first characteristic and to reflect light having less than a critical angle of incidence on the reflector and having a second characteristic;

a display positioned to output modulated light having the first characteristic through the elastomer layer and the reflector as a display image;

a test light source positioned to output light having the second characteristic through the elastomer layer for reflection off of the reflector;

a sensor configured to receive light having the second characteristic reflected from the reflector;

a logic subsystem configured to execute instructions; and

a data-holding subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to interpret a pattern of light having the second characteristic received by the sensor as a touch input deforming the reflector.

2. The interactive display device of claim 1, further comprising a collimating optic positioned to collimate light having the second characteristic received from the test light source and direct collimated light having the second characteristic toward the reflector.

3. The interactive display device of claim 2, wherein the collimating optic is a collimating lens.

4. The interactive display device of claim 2, wherein the collimating optic is a Fresnel lens.

5. The interactive display device of claim 2, wherein the collimating optic is an optical wedge.

6. The interactive display device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to map a selected portion of the pattern of light to a particular region of the reflector.

7. The interactive display device of claim 1, further comprising an optic configured to focus, at the sensor, light having the second characteristic received from one or more regions of the reflector deformed by the touch input, the optic being further configured to focus, at a location proximal to the sensor, light having the second characteristic received from one or more regions of the reflector not deformed by the touch input.

8. The interactive display device of claim 7, wherein the optic is a collimating optic positioned to collimate light having the second characteristic received from the test light source and direct collimated light having the second characteristic toward the reflector.

9. The interactive display device of claim 1, further comprising an optic configured to scatter light having the second characteristic received from one or more regions of the reflector deformed by the touch input, and to focus, at the sensor, light having the second characteristic received from one or more regions of the reflector not deformed by the touch input.

10. The interactive display device of claim 1, wherein the first characteristic corresponds to a first range of wavelengths, and the second characteristic corresponds to a second range of different wavelengths.

11. The interactive display device of claim 10, wherein light having the first characteristic comprises visible light, and light having the second characteristic comprises infrared light.

12. The interactive display device of claim 1, wherein the interactive display device is further configured to output light having the first characteristic beyond a surface of the interactive display device, and wherein the instructions are further executable to image beyond the surface via interpretation of a pattern of light having the first characteristic.

13. The interactive display device of claim 12, wherein light having the first characteristic includes visible light utilized for the display and infrared light having a first wavelength utilized for imaging beyond the surface, and wherein light having the second characteristic includes infrared light having a second wavelength utilized for detection of touch inputs, the second wavelength being greater than the first wavelength.

14. The interactive display device of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable to display one or more context-sensitive display images on the display based on imaging beyond the surface of the interactive display device.

15. The interactive display device of claim 1, further comprising a deformable layer configured to receive one or more touch inputs, the deformable layer further comprising a plurality of bumps, each bump configured to, responsive to a touch input, contact and locally deform a region of the reflector.

16. The interactive display device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of bumps are optically matched with the deformable layer.

17. An interactive display device, comprising:

an elastomer layer;

a dichroic reflector configured to transmit visible light and to reflect infrared light having less than a critical angle of incidence on the reflector;

a display positioned to output modulated visible light through the elastomer layer and the dichroic reflector as a display image;

a test light source positioned to output infrared light through the display and the elastomer layer for reflection off of the dichroic reflector;

a sensor configured to receive infrared light reflected from the dichroic reflector; and

an optic configured to focus, at the sensor, infrared light received from one or more regions of the dichroic reflector deformed by one or more touch inputs, the optic being further configured to focus, at a location proximal to the sensor, infrared light received from one or more regions of the dichroic reflector not deformed by one or more touch inputs.

18. The interactive display device of claim 17, wherein the optic is a Fresnel lens.

19. The interactive display device of claim 17, wherein the optic is an optical wedge.

20. An imaging system for detecting touch inputs to an interactive display device via surface deformation, comprising:

an elastomer layer;

a dichroic reflector configured to transmit light having a first characteristic and to reflect light having less than a critical angle of incidence on the reflector and having a second characteristic;

a display positioned to output modulated light having the first characteristic through the elastomer layer and the dichroic reflector as a display image;

a test light source positioned to output light having the second characteristic through the display and the elastomer layer for reflection off of the dichroic reflector;

a sensor configured to receive light having the second characteristic reflected from the dichroic reflector;

a logic subsystem configured to execute instructions; and

a data-holding subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to;

store a pattern of light having the second characteristic received by the sensor; and

map one or more selected portions of the pattern of light to one or more particular regions of the dichroic reflector, the one or more particular regions of the dichroic reflector indicating one or more touch inputs deforming the dichroic reflector.