Interactive control system, methods of making the same, and devices incorporating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9120180-B2
Application number	US-201313938072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2013
Priority date	Jul 12, 2012
Publication date	Sep 1, 2015
Grant date	Sep 1, 2015

Abstract

Numerous embodiments of interactive control systems, methods of making the same, and devices incorporating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a light-resistant material; light-transmissive holes penetrating in a light-transmissive pattern through the light resistant material; and a lens disposed adjacent to the light-transmissive pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a light-resistant material;
light-transmissive holes penetrating in a light-transmissive pattern through the light resistant material;
a lens disposed adjacent to the light-transmissive pattern; and
a sensing system configured to detect light transmitted along an optical path extending through the lens and at least one of the light-transmissive holes.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light-resistant material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a metal, a ceramic, and a polymer.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the light-transmissive holes are substantially invisible.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein all of the light-transmissive holes are substantially invisible.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lens is disposed along the optical path between the light-transmissive pattern and the sensing system.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensing system is configured to detect the light reflected from a surface remotely located from the pattern.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system further comprises a controller coupled to the sensing system, wherein the controller is configured to control an operation of the device based on the detected light.

8. A system, comprising:
a light-resistant material;
light-transmissive holes penetrating in a light-transmissive pattern through the light resistant material;
a lens arranged adjacent to the light-transmissive pattern such that light transmitted through the lens is transmittable through the light-transmissive holes; and
a projection system operative to project an image through the lens, the projection system including:
a light source configured to generate light; and
a light-modification system configured to modify the generated light.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the light-resistant material at least partially defines an exterior surface of a device configured to perform at least one function.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system further comprises a controller coupled to the projection system, wherein the controller is configured to control an operation of the projection system based on the at least one function supported by the device.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the projection system is operative to project the image onto a target surface located at a distance in a range between one inch and five feet away from the pattern.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the projection system is operative to project the image onto a target surface located at a distance in a range between six inches and one foot away from the pattern.

13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising the device, wherein the device is at least one selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, laptop computer, a watch and a thermostat.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the system further comprises a controller coupled to the projection system, wherein the controller is configured to modify the image projected by the projection system.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to control an operation of the light-modification system to modify the image projected by the projection system.

16. A system, comprising:
a light-resistant material;
light-transmissive holes penetrating in a light-transmissive pattern through the light resistant material;
a sensing system having a field of view and operative to detect light transmitted through at least one of the light-transmissive holes from an image reflected by a surface; and
a controller coupled to the sensing system, the controller configured to determine a position of an object disposed within the field of view relative to the image.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the light-resistant material at least partially defines an exterior surface of a device operative to perform at least one function.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to control an operation of the device based on the determined position.

19. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a projection system operative to project an image through at least one of the light-transmissive holes onto a target surface located remotely from the pattern.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to modify the image projected by the projection system based on the interaction of an object with the projected image.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the projection system and the sensing system are configured such that light projected by the projection system and light detected by the sensing system is transmitted through at least one common light-transmissive hole.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the projection system and the sensing system are configured such that light projected by the projection system and light detected by the sensing system is transmitted through different light-transmissive holes.

Assignees

• Electro Scient Ind Inc
• Electro Scient Ind Inc

Inventors

• Reichenbach Robert
• Alpay Mehmet
• Darwin Michael
• Howerton Jeffrey

Classifications

• G02B27/0093 Primary

  with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking · CPC title

• B23K26/38

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• G06F1/1684 Primary

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06F2203/0339

  Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys · CPC title

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title