Virtual and configurable touchscreens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9317150-B2
Application number	US-201314142815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2013
Priority date	Dec 28, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods may provide virtual and configurable touchscreens. The systems and methods may include a plurality of micro impulse radar (MIR) transceivers and logic to determine a location of an input object such as a finger or pointer based on signals from the plurality of MIR transceivers. The MIR transceivers may also create a virtual touchscreen in a plane coincident (adjacent) to or spaced apart from (offset) with respect to a display screen. The MIR transceivers may also map the location of the input object to a position on the display screen. In one example, the system uses triangulation to determine the location of the input object in a virtual plane that creates the virtual touchscreen.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system comprising:
a display screen;
a plurality of micro impulse radar (MIR) transceivers, wherein the MIR transceivers are disposed in a fixed position to transmit and receive MIR signals; and
logic, implemented at least partly in fixed-functionality hardware, to,
use triangulation to determine a location of an object based on signals from the plurality of MIR transceivers, and
map the location of the object to a position on the display screen,

wherein the logic is to determine one or more of a composition or a size of the object based on one or more of a timing of return signals associated with the MIR transceivers, a strength of return signals associated with the MIR transceivers or a frequency of transmitted signals associated with the MIR transceivers.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the logic is to determine the location of the object in a virtual plane.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the virtual plane is to be coincident with the display screen.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the virtual plane is to be offset from the display screen.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the logic is to determine and adjust the position of one or more planes of a virtual touchscreen.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the logic is to,
use triangulation to determine locations of a plurality of objects in a corresponding plurality of virtual planes that are offset from the display screen, and
map the locations of the plurality of objects to positions on the display screen.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the logic is to distinguish the object from one or more other objects.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a base, wherein the base supports and positions the plurality of micro impulse radar (MIR) transceivers relative to the display screen.

9. A method comprising:
using triangulation to determine a location of an object based on signals from a plurality of micro impulse radar (MIR) transceivers, wherein the MIR transceivers are disposed in a fixed position to transmit and receive MIR signals;
mapping the location of the object to a position on a display screen; and
determining one or more of a composition or a size of the object based on one or more of a timing of return signals associated with the MIR transceivers, a strength of return signals associated with the MIR transceivers or a frequency of transmitted signals associated with the MIR transceivers.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the location of the object includes determining the location of the object in a virtual plane.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the virtual plane is coincident with the display screen.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the virtual plane is offset from the display screen.

13. An apparatus comprising:
logic, implemented at least partly in one or more of configurable logic or fixed-functionality hardware, to,
use triangulation to determine a location of an object based on signals from a plurality of micro impulse radar (MIR) transceivers, wherein the MIR transceivers are disposed in a fixed position to transmit and receive MIR signals,
map the location of the object to a position on a display screen, and
determine one or more of a composition or a size of the object based on one or more of a timing of return signals associated with the MIR transceivers, a strength of return signals associated with the MIR transceivers or a frequency of transmitted signals associated with the MIR transceivers.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the logic is to determine the location of the object in a virtual plane.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the virtual plane is to be coincident with or offset from the display screen.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the logic is to,
use triangulation to determine locations of a plurality of objects in a corresponding plurality of virtual planes that are offset from the display screen, and
map the locations of the plurality of objects to positions on the display screen.

17. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions which, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:
use triangulation to determine a location of an object based on signals from a plurality of micro impulse radar (MIR) transceivers, wherein the MIR transceivers are disposed in a fixed position to transmit and receive MIR signals,
map the location of the object to a position on a display screen, and
determine one or more of a composition or a size of the object based on one or more of a timing of return signals associated with the MIR transceivers, a strength of return signals associated with the MIR transceivers or a frequency of transmitted signals associated with the MIR transceivers.

18. The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, if executed, cause the computing device to determine the location of the object in a virtual plane.

19. The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the virtual plane is to be coincident with the display screen.

20. The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the virtual plane is to be offset from the display screen.

21. The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, if executed, cause the computing device to:
use triangulation to determine locations of a plurality of objects in a corresponding plurality of virtual planes that are offset from the display screen; and
map the locations of the plurality of objects to positions on the display screen.

22. The at least one computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, if executed, cause a computing device to distinguish the object from one or more other objects.

Assignees

• Gwin Paul J
• Sprenger Mark E
• Bollengier William S
• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Gwin Paul J
• Sprenger Mark E
• Bollengier William S

Classifications

• G06F3/0433

  in which the acoustic waves are either generated by a movable member and propagated within a surface layer or propagated within a surface layer and captured by a movable member · CPC title

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• G06F2203/04101

  2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup · CPC title

• G06F3/041 Primary

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title