Touch control virtual screen apparatus

A touch control virtual screen apparatus is provided. The touch control virtual screen apparatus includes a screen, an optical structure, and a detection module. The screen is adapted for emitting light. The optical structure includes at least one optical lens, and is adapted for configuring an image of a virtual screen in a space corresponding to a screen image, in accordance with the optical imaging principle. The detection module is adapted for detecting whether a user touches the image of the virtual screen, and detecting a signal corresponding to a position of the virtual screen being touched, and converting the signal into the position and a related instruction corresponding to the position. In such a way, the user is allowed to operate digital content displayed on a virtual screen in a touch control manner, without directly touching the screen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a touch control virtual screen apparatus. The touch control virtual screen apparatus is adapted for displaying an image of a screen on a virtual screen provided in a space by an optical lens system. The appearance and disappearance of image displayed on the virtual screen can be controlled by the user. A detection module is employed for detecting whether the virtual screen is touched or not, and converting the signal into a corresponding position of the screen and a corresponding instruction thereof.

2. The Prior Arts

Currently, image displaying technologies are fast developed. Correspondingly, the image displaying technologies are then desired to be developed for more applications, for example, displaying images of a variety of sizes or higher image qualities. However, by all means, a substantive screen is always required for displaying images. Such a substantive screen occupies a certain space and spaces therearound. The substantive screen may even leave the space behind the substantive screen useless. Recently, the development of liquid crystal display (LCD) and digital light processing (DLP) projection products has to some degree overcome the shortcoming of conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays (e.g., bulkiness and heaviness), and achieves lightness and better portability (e.g., notebook computer). The projection products are now even modified by directly or indirectly combining with a variety of digital products so as to achieve multi-function performance, and thus saving occupied space, and improving space utilization. However, no matter how space effective it could be, a conventional substantive screen more or less has to occupy a certain space in application, especially in an office environment which lacks spaces very much.

Typically, projection display screens including front-projection projectors, rear-projection screen flat planes, and rear-projection televisions, are display screens which occupy least spaces. However, a front-projection projector requires a substantive projection board or a projection flat plane, which will physically occupy a space in front of the user. Further, the space between the front-projection projector and the projection board must be unblocked. As to the rear-projection screen flat plane and the rear-projection television, although they are often disposed at a wall and do not occupy a desktop horizontal space, they inevitably occupy vertical wall space, whether they are in operation or not.

Recently, virtual screens which do not occupy substantive space have been proposed for research and development. Specifically, desktop virtual screen projection system has been put with much effort for development. The desktop virtual screen projection system is featured in disposing a projector at a ceiling or under a desk, which projects images onto the desk. When the desktop virtual screen projection system is not used for displaying, the desk is free for general purpose use.

There are many image displaying technologies concerning displaying images in a 3D space, or displaying an entire 3D image in space. For example, according to one conventional technology, vapor is generated to configure a projection interface, so as to allow projecting images thereon and displaying images in the space. According to another conventional technology, micro-particles are ejected out, and laser is projected on the ejected micro-particles so as to configure a simple pattern thereon. According to a further conventional technology, an entire 3D image can be produced in a 3D space for allowing many people viewing from different angles. In this case, an actuality system includes a very fast rotated thin film serving as a projection interface, and provides a laser synchronously projecting on the rotated thin film. When the thin film is rotated to different angles, corresponding contents are projected by the laser. In such a way, correct image contents can be viewed from any angle. However, all of the foregoing 3D image displaying technologies substantially occupy a substantive space or at least requires medium in a certain space. As such, such virtual screens for 3D image displaying are not suitable for office or family use.

Therefore, it is very desirable to provide a virtual screen for displaying a virtual screen image in a space adapted for daily life use. It is further desired that a horizontal substantive space or a vertical substantive space of such a virtual screen an also be effectively utilized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a solution for the problem of substantive screens occupying substantive space, and to further provide a solution to the problem of the conventional technologies (i.e., requiring a clear desktop, occupying a substantive space, requiring a spatial medium) which are not suitable for office and family use.

For achieving the foregoing objective of the present invention, the present invention provides a touch control virtual screen apparatus. The touch control virtual screen apparatus includes a screen, an optical structure, and a detection module. The screen is adapted for emitting light. The optical structure includes at least one optical lens, and is adapted for configuring an image of a virtual screen in a space corresponding to a screen image, in accordance with the optical imaging principle. The detection module is adapted for detecting whether a user touches the image of the virtual screen, and detecting a signal corresponding to a position of the virtual screen being touched, and converting the signal into the position and a related instruction corresponding to the position. In such a way, the user is allowed to operate digital content displayed on a virtual screen in a touch control manner, without directly touching the screen.

The present invention provides a touch control virtual screen apparatus. According to embodiments of the present invention, the touch control virtual screen apparatus is adapted for displaying a virtual screen in a space a certain distance away. When the touch control virtual screen apparatus is not in use, the virtual screen disappears without occupying any substantive space. The user is allowed to touch control the content displaying on the virtual screen. For example, the screen, the optical structure, and the detection module can be assembled and hid beneath the desktop without occupying any desktop space. In operation, the image of the virtual screen of the screen is displayed in a space on the desktop. In this manner, the displayed virtual screen image can be conveniently displayed as desired.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the touch control virtual screen apparatus is adapted for arbitrarily setting an angle and a position for displaying the image of the virtual screen, for publicly displaying the image of the virtual screen. The touch control virtual screen apparatus is also adapted for clearly displaying the image of the virtual screen in a specific angle range and at a specific position only, while a personal at other positions or other angles can not view or cannot clearly view the image of the virtual screen. In this manner, the touch control virtual screen apparatus is adapted for avoiding from being peeked, and thus achieving better protection for privacy.

Furthermore, the touch control virtual screen of the touch control virtual screen apparatus is not substantive, and therefore when touch controlling the virtual screen, there is no real key being substantively touched, and thus it won't raise cross infection caused by substantively touching a same control key. In this manner, the touch control virtual screen apparatus is specifically suitable for public places, such as hospitals, entertainment places, clubs, shopping malls, for reducing the risks of contagious infection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides a touch control virtual screen apparatus including a screen, an optical structure, and a detection module. According to the optical imaging principle, an image of the virtual screen can be displayed by the optical structure in a space corresponding to a screen image. The detection module is adapted to detect whether the virtual screen is touched by a user or not, so as to further allow the user to operate a digital content displayed on the virtual screen by directly touching the virtual screen.

FIG. 1is a first imaging embodiment illustrating a touch control virtual screen according to the present invention. Referring toFIG. 1, the touch control virtual screen includes a screen10and an optical structure20, and is constructed in a manner of refraction. The optical structure20is at lest an optical lens. In a preferred embodiment, the optical structure20is a Fresnel lens. The optical structure20displays a virtual image of an image of the screen10at a virtual screen11in a 3D space. The imaging position of the virtual image displayed on the virtual screen11can be adjusted by adjusting an object distance (i.e., a distance from the optical structure20to the screen10), or replacing an optical structure20of a lens having a different focal length. In accordance with the first imaging embodiment, a viewer is allowed to view the virtual image displayed on the virtual screen in the space by viewing from a correct angle only. When viewing from other angles, the viewer is incapable of viewing the virtual screen11. As such, the embodiment is adapted to achieve a better information security.

FIG. 2is a second imaging embodiment illustrating a touch control virtual screen according to the present invention. Referring toFIG. 2, the touch control virtual screen includes a screen10and an optical structure30, and is constructed in a manner of reflection. The optical structure30is substantially configured as a hollow ellipsoid. An inside surface of the hollow ellipsoid is a reflective surface. The screen10is accommodated inside the hollow ellipsoid. The hollow ellipsoid is configured with an opening31, and is equipped with an optical lens32assembled to the opening31and corresponding to the screen10. As shown inFIG. 2, after being reflected for two times at the inside reflective surface of the optical structure30, the image of the screen10configures a real image of a virtual screen across the optical lens32.

With respect to the second imaging embodiment, the viewer is absolutely free of restriction of viewing angles. In other words, a convergent real image of the virtual screen11can be viewed from any angle over the optical lens32. As such, the second imaging embodiment of the present invention does not concern about the information security factor. On the contrary, the second imaging embodiment of the present invention is concerned more with totally and publicly displaying the virtual screen11in the space. This characteristic is more adapted for applications for public displaying purpose.

FIG. 3is a third imaging embodiment illustrating a touch control virtual screen according to the present invention. Referring toFIG. 3, it shows a modification of the second imaging embodiment ofFIG. 2. The touch control virtual screen includes a screen10and an optical structure30′, and is also constructed in a manner of reflection. Specifically, comparing with the optical structure30ofFIG. 2, the optical structure30′ of the embodiment is substantially a hollow ellipsoid of the optical structure30having an end removed away from one side of the hollow ellipsoid. The removed end is patched with a flat plane33′. An inside surface of the optical structure30′ is a reflective surface, while the flat plane33′ does not reflect the screen10. The screen10is accommodated inside the hollow ellipsoid. The hollow ellipsoid is configured with an opening31′, and is equipped with an optical lens32′ assembled to the opening31′ and corresponding to the screen10. As shown inFIG. 3, after being reflected for two times at the inside reflective surface of the optical structure30′, the image of the screen10configures a real image across the optical lens32′ serving as a virtual screen.

With respect to the third imaging embodiment, because the flat plane33′ of the optical structure33does not reflect the screen10, the viewer is allowed to view the real image of the virtual screen11over the optical lens32′ from a viewing angle at the same side of the flat plane33′ only. In other words, viewers at the opposite side of the flat plane33cannot view the real image of the virtual screen11. The modification of the optical structure30′, achieves better privacy protection by decreasing the reflection range. Further, in order to avoid reflection interference of the screen10inside the optical structure30′, an inside surface of the flat plane33′ is preferably configured with a non-light-reflective plane.

In accordance with the exemplifications of the second and the third imaging embodiments, it can be learnt that the application of the virtual screen in the reflection manner can be flexibly applied. It allows the user to modify the optical structure according to the purpose and place of using the touch control virtual screen, so as to satisfy different requirement for privacy protection.

Preferably, the screen10of the foregoing embodiments ofFIGS. 1,2, and3, are LCD screens. However, other kinds of screens capable of emitting light can also be used.

As discussed above, the three imaging embodiments of the virtual screens of the present invention are constructed in manners of refraction and reflection, respectively. Further, the operation and application of the present invention can be practically complied by a user. Assisted by a detection module, the user can input instruction or operate the displayed virtual screen.

FIG. 4is a first touch controlling embodiment illustrating a touch control virtual screen apparatus according to the present invention. Referring toFIG. 4, the touch control virtual screen apparatus includes a screen10, an optical structure40, and a detection module50. The detection module50is adapted for detecting a motion of a hand of a user70, so as to achieve a touch control on a virtual screen11image.

The screen10is connected to a host computer60.

The optical structure40includes a reflective mirror41and an optical lens42, and is adapted for displaying an image of a virtual screen corresponding to an image of the screen10in a space.

The detection module50includes a camera51, a signal transceiver52, and is connected to the host computer60.

In operation, an image of the virtual screen11of the screen10is configured in the space by reflection of the reflective mirror41and transmittance via the optical lens42. The signal transceiver52of the detection module50emits a linear signal. The linear signal is intercrossed in the space, thus configuring a signal plane, as shown inFIG. 4. According to the embodiment, the signal plane and the image of the virtual screen11are intensively overlapped, by properly adjusting the linear signal.

When a hand of the user70touches the virtual screen11, the signal plane emitted by the signal transceiver52is synchronously received, so as to configure an apparent image reflection signal. The camera51detects and analyzes the image reflection signal to obtain a position where the finger of the user touches on the virtual screen11, and a signal instruction thereof. The position and the signal instruction are then transmitted to the host computer60for processing. After being processed by the host computer60, the position and the instruction signal corresponding to the virtual screen11are converted into a position and a signal instruction corresponding to the screen10. In such a way, the user70can touch control the digital content displayed on the virtual screen11, so as to practically operate the screen10.

In the embodiment, the camera51of the detection module50for example is an infrared ray (IR) camera, and the signal transceiver52is an IR laser emitter.

FIG. 5is a second touch controlling embodiment illustrating a touch control virtual screen apparatus according to the present invention. Referring toFIG. 5, the second touch controlling embodiment of the present invention is similar with that of the first touch controlling embodiment as shown inFIG. 4, except the difference between the detection modules thereof.

In the second touch controlling embodiment of the present invention, the detection module50′ is a stereo camera connected to the host computer60. The stereo camera is adapted for viewing or observing an action of the user. In this manner, the stereo camera observes and calculates a depth of each pixel point of the image of the virtual screen11. As such, by observing the action of the user, the stereo camera determines a 3D spatial position of the finger by analyzing the observed data, and thus determining the exact position where the finger touches on the virtual screen11, according to the 3D spatial position of the finger. Therefore, the detection module50′ transmits obtained signal to the host computer60. The host computer60converts the position where the finger touches on the virtual screen11and a corresponding instruction into a position and an instruction corresponding to the screen10.

FIG. 6is a third touch controlling embodiment illustrating a touch control virtual screen apparatus according to the present invention. Referring toFIG. 6, the structure and operation of the embodiment is substantially similar with the first touch controlling embodiment as shown inFIG. 4, and the second touch controlling embodiment as shown inFIG. 5. However, the third touch controlling embodiment of the present invention differs from the first touch controlling embodiment as shown inFIG. 4, and the second touch controlling embodiment as shown inFIG. 5, in that it assembles the screen10, an optical structure80, the detection module50, and the host computer60under a desktop90. The desktop90is light transparent. The embodiment is further different from the foregoing in that the optical structure80is an optical lens. The optical lens is adapted for imaging in a manner as shown inFIG. 1, in which an image of the screen10is refracted by the optical structure80to construct a virtual screen11across the transparent desktop. An image of the virtual screen11is then displayed in the 3D space over the desktop90. Of course, the present invention can also be applied by employing the optical structure40ofFIG. 4in arriving similar performance of the optical structure80.

According to the third touch controlling embodiment of the present invention as shown inFIG. 6, those substantive elements of the present invention can be hid beneath or inside the desktop90or other furniture, appliance. Generally speaking, those used to hide the substantive elements of the present invention should include a light transparent panel, such as a light transparent panel of a closet, a light transparent board of a compartment. In such a way, the present invention does not occupy external spaces, and is effective in space utilization.

In operation, the virtual screen11of the screen10can be displayed in a space over the desktop90. Such a virtual screen11can be arbitrarily and inconspicuously operated.