Smart Technologies Ulc

Smart Technologies Inc.

Gerald D Morrison

David Holmgren

Trevor Akitt

Manvinder Singh

Grant Howard McGibney

Douglas Blair Hill

Scott Su

Gregory Forrest

Mavinder Singh

Randy McCharles

Yunqiu (Rachel) Wang

David E Holmgren

Gareth Paul Bell

Mark Andrew Fletcher

John David Newton

Paul Anthony Auger

Stephen David Worthington

Sean Thompson

Erik Murray Benner

Daniel McReynolds

Clinton Lam

Scott Yu Tseng Su

Jamie Duncalf

Alex Chtchetinine

Holly Pekau

Steve Worthington

Yun Zhang

Charles Ung

Patrick James Gurtler

Ye Zhou

Lucien N Potvin

Neil Gordon Bullock

Brian Howse

Ed Tse

Brinda Kabada

Daniel Peter McReynolds

Sameh Al-Eryani

Randy Mccharles

Gareth Bell

John Newton

Trevor M Akitt

The present invention relates to a method and system for determining an optical property of a pointer used in an interactive touch system. The interactive device having a touch area; a plurality of emitters on the periphery of the touch area; the emitters emitting an intensity of light into the touch area; a plurality of pointers having a distinct optical property responsive to the light; at least one detector having a field of view of the touch area. The processing structure, in communication with the emitters and the at least one detector, executes instructions from a memory to: transmit an emitter signal to at least one of the emitters initiating emission of light at the first frequency; receive at least one detector signal from the at least one detector; and determine the distinct optical property from the at least one detector signal.

System and method of pointer detection for interactive input

An interactive input system comprises imaging devices with different viewpoints and having at least partially overlapping fields of view encompassing a region of interest. At least two of the imaging devices have different focal lengths. Processing structure processes image data acquired by the imaging devices to detect the existence of a pointer and determine the location of the pointer within the region of interest.

Interactive input system and method

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.

Illumination structure for an interactive input system

An interactive input system comprises a display panel; a first illumination source providing illumination across an outer surface of the display panel such that when a pointer is brought into proximity with the outer surface, the pointer reflects illumination from the first illumination source through the display panel; at least one imaging device having a field of view aimed at an opposite outer surface of the display panel, the at least one imaging device capturing images including illumination reflected by the pointer through the display panel; and processing structure in communication with the at least one imaging device, said processing structure processing the captured images to determine a location of the pointer relative to the outer surface.

A pen tool for use with a machine vision interactive input system comprises an elongate body, a tip on the body and a variable reflector disposed on the body. The variable reflector comprises a reflecting portion and an attenuating portion configured to control the amount of illumination reflected by the reflecting portion.

Interactive input system and pen tool therefor

A camera-based touch system () includes a passive touch surface () and at least two cameras () associated with the touch surface. The at least two cameras () have overlapping fields of view (FOV) encompassing the touch surface. The at least two cameras () acquire images of the touch surface from different locations and generate image data. A processor () receives and processes image data generated by the at least two cameras to determine the location of the pointer relative to the touch surface when the pointer is captured in images acquired by the at least two cameras. Actual pointer contact with the touch surface and pointer hover above the touch surface can be determined.

Camera-based touch system

An input panel for an interactive input system comprises an optical waveguide; a first radiation source directing radiation into said optical waveguide, said radiation undergoing total internal reflection within said optical waveguide; a diffusion layer adjacent to and on one side of the optical waveguide, totally internally reflected light being frustrated and escaping the optical waveguide in response to pointer contacts on the diffusion layer; a second radiation source directing radiation towards another side of the optical waveguide that is opposite the one side; and at least one imaging device having a field of view looking at the optical waveguide and capturing image frames, wherein said first and second radiation sources are turned on and off in succession and wherein said first radiation source is turned off when said second radiation source is on and wherein said first radiation source is turned on when said second radiation source is off.

Interactive input system with improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and image capture method

A video conferencing display device a display panel, at least one imaging device and processing structure. The at least one imaging device has a field of view aimed at an inner surface of the display panel and captures images through the display panel such that when a user is positioned adjacent an outer surface of the display panel, the user appears in the captured images. The processing structure communicates with the at least one imaging device and processes the captured images to create a direct eye image for transmission to a remote device over a network.

Video conferencing display device

A passive touch system includes a passive touch surface and at least two cameras associated with the touch surface. The at least two cameras acquire images of the touch surface from different locations and have overlapping fields of view. A processor receives and processes images acquired by the at least two cameras to detect the existence of a pointer therein and to determine the location of the pointer relative to the touch surface. Actual pointer contact with the touch surface and pointer hover above the touch surface can be determined.

Passive touch system and method of detecting user input

An image projecting method comprises determining the position of a projection surface within a projection zone of at least one projector based on at least one image of the projection surface, the projection zone being sized to encompass multiple surface positions and modifying video image data output to the at least one projector so that the projected image corresponds generally to the projection surface.

Image projection methods and interactive input/projection systems employing the same

A touch system includes a touch surface and at least two cameras associated with the touch surface. The at least two cameras acquire images of the touch surface from different locations and having overlapping fields of view. A digital signal processor is associated with each camera. The digital signal processors process pixel data acquired by selected pixel subsets of the at least two digital cameras to generate pointer characteristic data when a pointer exists in the acquired images. The pointer characteristic data identifies edges of the pointer. A master digital signal processor triangulates the edge information in the pointer characteristic data to determine a bounding area that represents a pointer perimeter.

Size/scale and orientation determination of a pointer in a camera-based touch system

A touch system comprises a touch surface and at least one camera acquiring images of the touch surface. A pointer contact data generator generates pointer position data in response to pointer contact with the touch surface, the pointer position data representing where on the touch surface pointer contact is made. A processor communicates with the at least one camera and the pointer contact data generator. The processor analyzes acquired images to determine the type of pointer used to contact the touch surface, and processes the pointer position data in accordance with the determined type of pointer. In the preferred embodiment the processor distinguishes between pointer tip touch surface contacts, pointer backend touch surface contacts and finger touch surface contacts. A writing function is invoked in response to pointer tip touch surface contacts. An erase function is invoked in response to pointer backend touch surface contacts. Mouse events are generated in response to finger touch surface contacts.

System and method for differentiating between pointers used to contact touch surface

An interactive input system comprises a touch surface, and imaging system associated with the touch surface and processing structure. The imaging system comprises an optical sensor array that spans at least a portion of the area of the touch surface, and the processing structure communicates with the imaging system and analyzes images received by the imaging system to determine whether at least one pointer is near to the touch surface and the location of the at least one pointer in respect of the touch surface based at least in part on the edge sharpness of the at least one pointer.

Method for determining the location of a pointer in a pointer input region, and interactive input system executing the method

A gesture recognition method includes detecting multiple pointers in close proximity to a touch surface to determine if the multiple pointers are being used to perform a known gesture. When the multiple pointers are being used to perform a known gesture, executing a command associated with the gesture. A touch system incorporating the gesture recognition method is also provided.

Gesture recognition method and touch system incorporating the same

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Calgary, Canada

Gerald D Morrison