Abstract:
A system and corresponding method for providing a 3 dimensional (3-D) user interface display images in a 3-D coordinate system. Sensors are configured to sense user interaction within the 3-D coordinate system, so that a processor may receive user interaction information from the sensors. The sensors are able to provide information to the processor that enables the processor to correlate user interaction with images in the 3-D coordinate system. The system may be used for interconnecting or communicating between two or more components connected to an interconnection medium (e.g., a bus) within a single computer or digital data processing system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A graphical user interface (GUI) is a type of computer application user interface that allows people to interact with a computer and computer-controlled devices. A GUI typically employs graphical icons, visual indicators or special graphical elements, along with text, labels or text navigation to represent the information and actions available to a user. The actions are usually performed through direct manipulation of the graphical elements. 
     Holographic images can be created as single or consecutive images using available holographic technology. These technologies include mirrors, lasers, light and images strategically positioned to cause the proper reflection to yield a holographic image broadcast through an entry point in the laser and mirror positioning system. Black background and rooms with low or no light may enhance the appearance of the holographic image or images, which may also use a holographic plate as a display medium. Holographic systems may be large in size and spread out over a large broadcasting area or may be compact enough to fit in spaces smaller than a desk top. Holographic technology is only limited in size by the size of the component parts. By using holographic technology, images may be displayed multi-dimensionally, rather simply on a planar projection. 
     Currently progress has been made in technologies that can enhance the capability and range of holographic media in projects that employ multi-million mirror systems and via companies that have designed specialized high speed and high capacity micro processors for specialized jobs, other than holographic systems, where the technology could be applied to holographic technologies to make possible the proper positioning of millions of mirrors at a rate of between 24 to 60 or more frames of video per second, with corresponding synched audio. 
     Holographic displays generated over the last 20-year period utilize various configurations including lasers with images on glass plates such as an AGFA 8E75HD glass plate or other glass plates as well a laser such as a Spectra Physics 124B HeNe laser, a 35 mW laser diode system utilizing different processing methods such as pyrochrome processing. Split beam techniques can also be used Multi H 1  to Multi H 2 . Such configurations as 8×10, triethanolomine, from Linotronic 300 image setter film are also commonly utilized or a configuration with rear-illuminated for 30×40 cm reflection hologram, where a logo floats 18-inches in front of the plate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Some user interfaces have adopted a multi-dimensional interface approach. For example, the “heliodisplay” of 102 Technology, LLC of San Francisco, Calif. projects images into a volume of free space, i.e. into an aerosol mixture such as fog or a gas, and may operate as floating touchscreen when connected to a PC by a USB cable. However, with the heliodisplay, the image is displayed into two-dimensional space (i.e. planar). While the Heliodisplay images appear 3 dimensional (“3-D”), the images are planar and have no physical depth reference. 
     Unfortunately, theses existing uses have certain limitations in distribution and deployment. For example, functionally, the heliodisplay is a two dimensional display that projects against a curtain of air, or even glass. While, the heliodisplay may give the appearance of 3-D, the images displayed and the interface are 2-D. As such, the heliodisplay is not a true 3-D holographic display, and thus the interface operates on a two-dimensional plane, not taking advantage of a full three dimensional coordinate system. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an integrated User Interface that utilizes true 3-D technology to create a computing and multimedia environment where a user can easily navigate by touch, mouse or pointer system to effectively navigate the interface to raise the level of the user experience to a true 3-D environment, with the goal of attaining elements of the attenuated clarity, realism and benefits of that environment that match our day to day conventional interactions with the 3-D world. The present invention relates to the creation of a holographic user interface display system that combines physical media or digitally stored files with a digital holographic player hardware system. The result is the creation of a multimedia holographic user interface and viewing experience, where a variety of graphical schematics enabling cohesive access to information utilizing pyramids, blocks, spheres, cylinders, other graphical representations, existing templates, specific object rendering, free form association, user delegated images and quantum representations of information to form a user interface where the available tools combine over time to match a users evolving data and requests. 
     In one example embodiment of the invention, a system and corresponding method for providing a 3-D user interface involves display images in a 3-D coordinate system. Sensors are configured to sense user interaction within the 3-D coordinate system, so that a processor may receive user interaction information from the sensors. The sensors are able to provide information to the processor that enables the processor to correlate user interaction with images in the 3-D coordinate system. 
     Embodiments of the invention provide a holographic user interface which transforms the computing environment to enable a three dimensional holographic style user interface and display system. The system utilizes holographic projection technology along with programmed quadrant matrixes sensor field to create multiple methods to select and interact with data and user interface tools and icons presented in a holographic format. The system may be used for interconnecting or communicating between two or more components connected to an interconnection medium (e.g., a bus) within a single computer or digital data processing system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a holographic user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart diagram illustrating a method for providing a 3 dimensional (3-D) interface with a system; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a sensor field used in connection with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of a holographic user interface device according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a diagram of a holographic user interface according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A description of example embodiments of the invention follows. 
     The present invention, in accordance with one embodiment relates to the creation of a holographic user interface which transforms the computing environment to enable a three dimensional (3-D) holographic style user interface and display system. The system utilizes holographic projection technology along with programmed quadrant matrixes sensor field to create multiple methods to select and interact with data and user interface tools and icons presented in a holographic format. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a holographic user interface  100  according to one example embodiment of the present invention. The holographic user interface  100  includes a processor  114  that operates software  112 , controls a holographic image projector  116 , and processes information obtained from sensors  118   a ,  118   b . The projector may generate a 3-D display image  101 ,  102  within a 3-D coordinate system  150 . The sensors  118   a  and  118   b  may be directed toward the 3-D coordinate system to sense user interaction with images within the 3-D coordinate system. If a user were to interact with an image  101  or  102 , the sensors  118   a  and  118   b  would provide coordinate information that the processor can correlate with the projected images  101  and  102  in the 3-D coordinate system. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart that illustrates the method for providing a 3 dimensional (3-D) interface with a system. The interface generates ( 210 ) an image in a 3-D coordinate system. In operation, an embodiment of the interface deploys holographic information in the form of a user interface template as a default once turned on. Sensors on the interface sense ( 220 ) a user&#39;s interaction with the 3-D coordinate system. The sensing may occur through the use of matrixes or triangulated data points that correspond to specific functions and data display which the system is capable of displaying. The interface may then correlate ( 230 ) the user&#39;s interaction with an image in the 3-D coordinate system. By sensing and correlating interaction with the 3-D coordinate system, the interface allows a computer system or display to interact with a user. The holographic data displayed by the system becomes a result of a selection process by the user who triggers data being displayed by key strokes or by the use of a three dimensional interactive interface. Users location commands are read by the system at their exact points and then the system deploys the appropriate response or holographic media based upon the users specific request made via the location of that request. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a sensor field used in connection with embodiments of the present invention. The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3  includes four laser sensors  320   a - d . The manipulatable interface may be a relatable and interactive holographic media via the use of a sprocketed sensor system which deploys from the display either via a built in or retrofit hardware peripheral that creates a quadrilateral angle navigation system to determine the exact point  330  of a fingertip touch point  340  within a quadrant  310  (also referred to as a “3-D coordinate system”). This touch point, if effectively deployed by the user, is mapped to the image deployed by the holographic hardware and software system, as each image that is displayed in the system is displayed from an exacting point at an exacting place in space that has been preconfigured to match specific points on the quadrilateral sensor system. The points in space attached to programmed images are then matched to touch points made by the user. The touch point may trigger the same functions as a mouse and cursor. 
     One skilled in the art will recognize that other sensing configurations or devices may be used to sense a location within a 3-D coordinate system. For example, the sensors may be laser sensors configured to provide data to triangulate a point within the 3-D coordinate system, photo voltaic sensors, photo electric light sensors, or image sensors. The sensors may be programmed to identify the specific location of the touchpoint  330  that may extend through multiple planar images, to identify a single image located at a 3-D coordinate space. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a holographic user interface device  400  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The device  400  has a port  410  that may provide the output projector for the multi-dimensional display, and also the sensors for detecting user interaction. The projector and sensors map out a 3-D coordinate system  420  to serve as the holographic user interface. A communications port  430 , such as a universal serial bus (“USB”) port or wireless connection, serves to allow the device  400  to communicate with a computer system. The holographic system may be based upon our prior holographic system technology filing where the User Interface icons and documents may be saved to a fixed media form and activated by commands sent from the operating system to the device managing the index on the holographic fixed media system and display. Similarly, any system that utilizes holographic displays may also be manipulated and selected using the sensor interface system. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a diagram of a holographic user interface  500  according to another embodiment of the present invention. The holographic user interface device may operate with a projection screen  580 . Images  505  displayed by the projection screen  580  of the user interface  500  can include shapes, graphic images, animation sequences, documents, audiovisual programs, a logical display based upon the user&#39;s patterns of use with the system (such as always going online first, always working on a word document second and always viewing pictures or videos from the user&#39;s hard drive third). These icons could be presented to the user in an order of priority on the display representing the user&#39;s evolving use habits based upon history, including distinct changes based upon day, time and date. Traditional UI operating system icons. such as Word document icons and portable document format (“PDF”) icons, may be presented in a holographic format. Documents may be revised and read through in a traditional manner or documents, or any displayed item, may revert back to the flat display monitor based upon user command. 
     Those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that methods involved in providing a 3-D user interface with a system may be embodied in a computer program product that includes a computer usable medium. For example, such a computer usable medium can include a readable memory device, such as a solid state memory device, a hard drive device, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or a computer diskette, having stored computer-readable program code segments. The computer readable medium can also include a communications or transmission medium, such as electromagnetic signals propagating on a computer network, a bus or a communications link, either optical, wired, or wireless, carrying program code segments as digital or analog data signals. The program code enables and supports computer implementation of the operations described in  FIGS. 1 and 2  or other embodiments. 
     While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.