Interactive Display Illumination Structure for Pointer Disambiguation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Interactive input systems face difficulties in accurately determining the location of multiple pointers due to pointer ambiguity and occlusion, which increases system cost and complexity when additional imaging devices are used to improve disambiguation.
Innovation Solution
An illumination structure with redirection bezels and a mirror is employed to redirect excess light across the display surface, creating light contrast for pointers and facilitating touch detection, along with a method that captures images from different vantages, examines potential target locations, and calculates true target locations for one or more pointers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional imaging devices are used to improve pointer disambiguation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an illumination structure as an intermediary element that redirects excess light from the backlight onto the touch surface. This creates light contrast that helps imaging devices distinguish between pointers and the background, improving measurement precision without adding more imaging devices and thus avoiding the increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the illumination parameters by redirecting excess light to create specific light contrast patterns on the touch surface. This parameter change in lighting conditions enables existing imaging devices to achieve better pointer detection accuracy without requiring additional hardware, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity
2Measurement precision
If additional imaging devices are used to reduce pointer ambiguity, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination structure serves as a cost-effective intermediary that enhances the capability of existing imaging devices. By redirecting available light resources to create useful light contrast, the system improves pointer detection accuracy without the need to manufacture and install additional expensive imaging devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the existing backlight structure serve dual purposes: illuminating the display and providing illumination for pointer detection through light redirection. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate imaging illumination systems, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining improved measurement precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the accuracy of pointer location determination in interactive input systems, reducing ambiguity and occlusion while maintaining system simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
at least one redirection structure positioned with respect to the display surface to receive excess light produced by the light source and to redirect the excess light generally across the display surface for backlighting one or more pointers
Implementation Method 2
a mirror positioned with respect to the region of interest and producing a reflection thereof
Data Source
AI summary
An illumination structure for an interactive input system having a display surface and a light source for backlighting the display surface is provided. The illumination structure includes at least one redirection structure positioned with respect to the display surface to receive excess light produced by the light source and to redirect the excess light generally across the display surface for backlighting one or more pointers. A method is provided for determining the location of at least one pointer in an interactive input system. The method includes capturing images generally across a display surface of a region of interest and a reflection of the region of interest; examining the images to determine at least one first potential target location for at least one pointer that is within the region of interest; analyzing the at least one first potential target location to resolve at least one first true target location associated with the at least one pointer; and calculating a first location for the at least one pointer corresponding to the at least one first true target location.