Input Device With Optical Sensors for Touchless Content Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input devices for computing systems, such as touch-sensitive devices, require a touch-sensitive surface to generate content, limiting their functionality and precision, especially when used with styli.
Innovation Solution
The use of optical sensors, including optical flow and laser speckle flow sensors, to detect spatial-temporal image brightness variation or speckle patterns, allowing for content generation without a touch-sensitive surface by estimating motion and position of the input device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a touch-sensitive surface is used to generate content, then input precision and content generation capability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical touch-sensitive surface system with an optical sensing system. The optical sensor detects motion and position of the input device through optical flow analysis and laser speckle patterns, eliminating the need for complex touch-sensitive surfaces while maintaining input precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces light as an intermediary between the input device and the sensor. By using emitted light and analyzing its interaction with the environment (optical flow, speckle patterns), the system achieves precise motion detection without requiring direct mechanical contact or complex touch surfaces.
2Measurement precision
If a touch-sensitive surface is required for stylus input, then content generation precision is improved, but versatility and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensing system enables the input device to function on multiple types of surfaces (touch-sensitive and non-touch-sensitive) without requiring specialized infrastructure. The same optical sensor can detect motion on various surfaces by analyzing optical flow and speckle patterns, providing universal functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the surface to actively sense touch (touch-sensitive surface), the patent inverts the approach by having the sensor actively emit light and detect changes in the reflected light patterns. This passive surface approach allows use on any surface type while maintaining precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If optical sensors are used to detect motion without touch-sensitive surface, then versatility and ease of operation are improved, but measurement precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple optical sensing parameters and techniques (optical flow analysis, laser speckle pattern analysis, coherent illumination) to enhance measurement precision. By analyzing multiple parameters from the optical data, the system achieves high precision motion detection without requiring touch-sensitive surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical sensing system combines multiple sensing approaches (optical flow, laser speckle) within the same sensor device. This composite sensing methodology integrates different optical measurement techniques to achieve both versatility across surface types and high measurement precision simultaneously.
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
Enables precise content generation, including textual input and three-dimensional objects, on non-touch-sensitive surfaces by tracking position, orientation, and motion using optical sensors, enhancing user interaction without the need for a touch-sensitive surface.
Implementation Method 1
optical flow sensors can detect spatial-temporal image brightness variation (e.g., frame-to-frame brightness variation) to estimate motion of the input device
Implementation Method 2
laser speckle flow sensors can detect speckle patterns resulting from coherent illumination of an imaging configuration to estimate motion of the input device
Implementation Method 3
a detector (e.g., an image sensor) that captures an image of an environment to detect light reflected from or incident on the target (e.g., surface) in response to light emitted from the input device
Data Source
AI summary
Optical sensors can be used for content generation using an input device without a touch sensitive surface. In some examples, the optical sensors can be used to detect characteristics of the input device including position, orientation, and/or motion of the input device. In some examples, some or all of the characteristics of the input device can be used in processing to generate content, including textual character input and three-dimensional objects. In some examples, the generation of content can use information from one or more additional sensors of the input device and/or from additional devices in combination with the characteristics of the input device based on the optical sensors.