The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 07, 2001
Carlo Tomasi, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abbas Rafii, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Canesta, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A system used with a virtual device inputs or transfers information to a companion device, and includes two optical systems OS , OS . In a structured-light embodiment, OS emits a fan beam plane of optical energy parallel to and above the virtual device. When a user-object penetrates the beam plane of interest, OS registers the event. Triangulation methods can locate the virtual contact, and transfer user-intended information to the companion system. In a non-structured active light embodiment, OS is preferably a digital camera whose field of view defines the plane of interest, which is illuminated by an active source of optical energy. Preferably the active source, OS , and OS operate synchronously to reduce effects of ambient light. A non-structured passive light embodiment is similar except the source of optical energy is ambient light. A subtraction technique preferably enhances the signal/noise ratio. The companion device may in fact house the present invention.