Patent Publication Number: US-9904415-B2

Title: Interactive projection display system and input device thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The instant disclosure relates to an interactive display system and an input device thereof, particularly to an interactive display system and an input device thereof that make a motion trajectory of a touch portion of the input device upon a projection screen correspondingly displayed as images. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With the technology well developed, the dependence on the electric products has gradually increased in our daily lives. Laptops, mobile phones, digital players, optical projectors and the like have been essential tools in this generation. The above electric products all have an input interface for a user to input an instruction and the instruction will be automatically executed by the operation system inside the electric products. 
     Nowadays, desktop computers, laptops and other similar host devices can&#39;t be more important in our work or study. Moreover, because more and more presentation software have been published, people often save the edited presentation information in their host devices in advance and then show the saved presentation information as displayed images via their host devices. In order to display the presentation information for plenty of audiences, a projector that is electrically connected to the host device is often used so as to project images on the projection screen to generate projecting images. Thereby, via the projector, speakers or lecturers can have the presentation information show for the audiences effectively and vividly, and also the audiences can discuss on and ask questions about the presentation information more conveniently. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosed embodiments include an interactive display system and an input device thereof. 
     One interactive display system provided by a disclosed embodiment comprises at least an input device and an image interaction module. The input device has a touch portion and the touch portion has at least one built-in first light-emitting module for generating invisible light and at least one built-in second light-emitting module for generating visible light. The image interaction module comprises a display module, a first image-capturing module, a second image-capturing module and a processing unit. The first image-capturing module captures the invisible light generated by the first light-emitting module, the second image-capturing module captures the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module and the processing module is coupled to the first image-capturing module and the second image-capturing module. The processing module captures the invisible light generated by the first light-emitting module via the first image-capturing module so as to determine and obtain a position of the touch portion of the input device. Also, the processing module captures the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module via the second image-capturing module according to the position of the touch portion, so as to determine and obtain a predetermined color light source provided by the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module. Finally, the display module projects a specific function onto a projection screen according to the predetermined color light source and a motion trajectory of the touch portion of the input device on the projection screen. 
     One input device provided by a disclosed embodiment is used in an image interaction module to form an interactive display system. The image interaction module comprises a display module, a first image-capturing module, a second image-capturing module, and a processing module coupled to the first image-capturing module and the second image-capturing module. The input device is characterized as follows. The input device has a touch portion, and the touch portion has at least one built-in first light-emitting module for generating invisible light and at least one built-in second light-emitting module for generating visible light. The processing module captures the invisible light generated by the first light-emitting module via the first image-capturing module so as to determine and obtain a position of the touch portion of the input device. Also, the processing module captures the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module via the second image-capturing module according to the position of the touch portion, so as to determine and obtain a predetermined color light source provided by the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module. Finally, the display module projects a specific function onto a projection screen according to the predetermined color light source and a motion trajectory of the touch portion of the input device on the projection screen. 
     To sum up, because of the features that “the touch portion has at least one built-in first light-emitting module for generating invisible light and at least one built-in second light-emitting module for generating visible light” and that “the image interaction module comprises a first image-capturing module for capturing the invisible light generated by the first light-emitting module and a second image-capturing module for capturing the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module”, according to “a predetermined color light source provided by the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module” and “a motion trajectory of the touch portion of the input device on the projection screen”, the display module of the image interaction module projects a specific function corresponding to “the predetermined color light source provided by the touch portion” and “the motion trajectory of the touch portion” onto the projection screen in the interactive display system and the input device thereof provided by the instant disclosure. For example, the specific function is track images corresponding to the predetermined color light source. 
     For further understanding of the instant disclosure, reference is made to the following detailed description illustrating the embodiments and examples of the instant disclosure. The description is only for illustrating the instant disclosure, not for limiting the scope of the claim. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram of an interactive display system according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  shows a function block diagram of an interactive display system according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic diagram of a pen-shaped input device according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic diagram of an eraser-shaped input device according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic diagram of an interactive display system using a built-in operation system according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure; and 
         FIG. 6  shows a function block diagram of an interactive display system using a built-in operation system according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The aforementioned illustrations and following detailed descriptions are exemplary for the purpose of further explaining the scope of the instant disclosure. Other objectives and advantages related to the instant disclosure will be illustrated in the subsequent descriptions and appended drawings. 
     The aforementioned illustrations and following detailed descriptions are exemplary for the purpose of further explaining the scope of the instant disclosure. Other objectives and advantages related to the instant disclosure will be illustrated in the subsequent descriptions and appended drawings. The following description is going to illustrate an interactive display system and an input device thereof provided by the instant disclosure with figures; however, it is not restricted by the embodiments below. It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, and the like, may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the instant disclosure. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     [One Embodiment of the Interactive Display System] 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1-4 ,  FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram of an interactive display system according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure,  FIG. 2  shows a function block diagram of an interactive display system according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure,  FIG. 3  shows a schematic diagram of a pen-shaped input device according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure, and  FIG. 4  shows a schematic diagram of an eraser-shaped input device according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
     The interactive display system  100  comprises M input devices  110  and M image interaction modules  120 , wherein M is a positive integer larger than 1.  FIG. 1  shows the practical operation environment and thus there are only one pen-shaped input device and one eraser-shaped shown, but it is not limited thereto. Each input device  110  comprises a touch portion  114  and at least two built-in light-emitting modules inside the touch portion  114 . The touch portion  114  is configured at one terminal of the input device  110 , and the two light-emitting modules include a first light-emitting module  1141 A used to generate invisible light IVL and a second light-emitting module  1141 B used to generate visible light VL, but it is not limited thereto. The image interaction module  120  comprises a display module  122 , a first image-capturing module  124 , a second image-capturing module  126  and a processing module  127 . The first image-capturing module  124  and the second image-capturing module  126  captures the invisible light IVL generated by the first light-emitting module  1141 A and the visible light VL generated by the second light-emitting module  1141 B, respectively. In addition, the processing module  127  is coupled to the first image-capturing module  124  and the second image-capturing module  126 . The display module  122  connects to an operation system  130  via a transmission channel  150 . In details, information is transmitted between the operation system  130  and the image interaction module  120  via the transmission channel  150 , such that screen images of the saved information in the operation system  130  are projected onto a projection screen  140  via the image interaction module  120  so as to display corresponding projected images. Generally, the projection screen  140  is arranged in front of the display module  122  of the image interaction module  120 , and the background of the projection screen  140  is white so that the image interaction module  120  can generate projected images onto the projection screen  140 . The projection screen  140  does not have an actual interaction with other elements and can be just a plane for projection so the projection screen  140  is not shown in the function block diagram of  FIG. 2 . However, it does not mean there is no need to have the projection screen  140  in the interactive display system  100 . 
     Moreover, the display module  122  is connected to the operation system  130  via the transmission channel  150  so as to receive the screen images of the operation system  130 , and the display module  122  projects the screen images of the operation system  130  onto the projection screen  140  to generate projected images. The transmission channel  150  can be a transmission cable or a wireless transmission channel satisfied with wireless communication protocol. For example, as a signal connection between the image interaction module  120  and the operation system  130  is a wired electrical connection, the operation system  120  has an image transmission wire (not shown) and the operation system  130  has a port corresponding to the image transmission wire (not shown), such as a VGA port or a HDMI port. The image transmission wire plugs into the port so the operation system  130  is electrically connected to the image interaction module  120 , and electrical signals are further transmitted to the image interaction module  120 . As a signal connection between the image interaction module  120  and the operation system  130  is a wireless electrical connection, the image interaction module  120  and the operation system  130  are connected wirelessly via Bluetooth or wireless net. Thereby, the image interaction module  120  receives wireless signals from the operation system  130  and displays images corresponding to the wireless signals onto the projection screen  140 . The wireless signals can be radio frequency signals (RF signals), wherein the typically available frequency ranges are a low-frequency range 30 KHz-300 KHz, a medium-frequency range 300 KHz-3 MHz and a high-frequency range 30 GHz-300 GHz. Additionally, a lower-frequency range 3 KHz-30 KHz or a higher-frequency range 30 GHz-300 GHz are likely to be used depending on needs, and it is not limited thereto. 
     Specifically, the screen images of the operation system  130  are displayed by a display device electrically connected to the operation system  130  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT) or the like. In addition, the screen images of the operation system  130  can also be projected onto the projection screen  140  directly via the image interaction module  120 . For example, if the operation system  130  is a desktop, instead of electrically connecting the desktop to the crystal display, the user can operates the desktop smoothly and continuously by electrically connecting the desktop to the image interaction module  120  directly, which makes the projected images generated by the image interaction module  120  equal to the screen images of the operation system  130 . Therefore, whether to use a display device or not is not restricted herein. 
     In practice, the first image-capturing module  124  and the second image-capturing module  126  are elements that can sense images and are made of charge coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), but it is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the touch portion  114  of the input device  110  is a light-emitting portion, and the light-emitting portion comprises a first light-emitting module  1141 A for generating invisible light IVL (such as an invisible infrared source), a second light-emitting module  1141 B for generating visible light VL (such as a visible single color light source), a battery unit  1142  and a sensing unit  1143 . Further, the battery unit  1142  is electrically connected to the first light-emitting module  1141 A and the second light-emitting module  1141 B for providing electrical power BV during operation. The sensing unit  1143  is electrically connected to the first light-emitting module  1141 A and the second light-emitting module  1141 B for determining whether the input device  110  is very close to the projection screen  140  or directly touches the projection screen  140 . For example, in conjunction  FIGS. 1-3 , when the “touch type” sensing unit  1143  of a pen-shaped input device directly touches the projection screen  140 , the sensing unit  1143  transmits light-emitting signals LS to the first light-emitting module  1141 A and the second light-emitting module  1141 B respectively, so as to trigger the first light-emitting module  1141 A and the second light-emitting module  1141 B to generate invisible light the IVL and the visible light VL respectively. In conjunction with  FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , when the “non-touch type” sensing unit  1143  of an eraser-shaped input device is very close to the projection screen  140 , the sensing unit  1143  transmits light-emitting signals LS to the first light-emitting module  1141 A and the second light-emitting module  1141 B respectively, so as to trigger the first light-emitting module  1141 A and the second light-emitting module  1141 B to generate the invisible light IVL and the visible light VL respectively. Moreover, the sensing unit  1143  of a pen-shaped input device can also be a “non-touch type” sensing unit, the sensing unit  1143  of an eraser-shaped input device can also be a “touch type” sensing unit, and it is not limited thereto. 
     In practice, when the interactive display system  100  is in a normal operation mode, the processing module  127  captures the invisible light IVL generated by the first light-emitting module  1141 A via the first image-capturing module  124 , so as to determine and obtain a position of the touch portion  114  of the input device  110 , such as coordinates, and to locate the touch portion  114 . At the same time, according to the position of the touch portion  114 , the processing module  127  captures the visible light VL generated by the second light-emitting module  1141 B via the second image-capturing module  126 , so as to determine and obtain a predetermined color light source provided by the visible light VL generated by the second light-emitting module  1141 B. Thereby, the display module  122  of the image interaction module  120  projects a specific function (such as track images corresponding to the predetermined color light source, but it is not limited thereto) corresponding to “the motion trajectory of the touch portion  114 ” and “the predetermined color light source provided by the touch portion  114 ” according to “the predetermined color light source provided by the visible light VL generated by the second light-emitting module  1141 B” and “the motion trajectory of the touch portion  114  of the input device  110  on the projection screen  140 ”. In other words, when the interactive display system  100  is in the normal operation mode, in this embodiment, the motion trajectory of the touch portion  114  of the input device  120  on the projection screen  140  is projected via the display module  122  of the image interaction module  120 , so that track images are generated together with the projected images originally projected by the display module  122  according to the motion trajectory of the touch portion  114 . 
     Further, the touch portion  114  of the input device  110  is arranged with a plurality of replaceable covers  1141 C (in this embodiment, merely one replaceable cover  1141 C shown in  FIGS. 3-4 ), and one of the replaceable covers  1141 C is arranged on the touch portion  114  to cover the first light-emitting module  1141 A and the second light-emitting module  1141 B. Moreover, the replaceable covers  1141 C have different colors. When the replaceable cover  1141 C arranged on the touch portion  114  has a predetermined color, the visible light VL generated by the second light-emitting module  1141 B passes through the replaceable cover  1141 C arranged on the touch portion  114  so as to provide a predetermined color light source corresponding to the predetermined color of the replaceable cover  1141 C. For example, if the replaceable cover  1141 C arranged on the touch portion  114  is red, and the motion trajectory that the user makes via the input device  110  on the projection screen  140  would show as the screen images of the operation system  130  which are also red. Likewise, if the replaceable cover  1141 C arranged on the touch portion  114  is blue, and the motion trajectory that the user makes via the input device  110  on the projection screen  140  would show as the screen images of the operation system  130  which are also blue. 
     In addition, in conjunction with  FIGS. 5-6 , in addition to the external operation system  130  (as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 ), the built-in operation system  130  can also be used, such as the Android system. The built-in operation system  130  is built inside the image interaction module  120 , so that the design of the image interaction module  120  can be modularized, which beautifies the appearance of the interactive display system  100  and also increases the convenience when using the interactive display system  100 . In other words, based on different needs of users, the operation system  130  used in the instant disclosure can be an external operation system  130  (such as the Windows system built in the laptop) or a built-in operation system  130  (such as the Android system built in the image interaction module  120 ), and it is not limited thereto. 
     To sum up, because of the features that “the touch portion has at least one built-in first light-emitting module for generating invisible light and at least one built-in second light-emitting module for generating visible light” and that “the image interaction module comprises a first image-capturing module for capturing the invisible light generated by the first light-emitting module and a second image-capturing module for capturing the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module”, according to “a predetermined color light source provided by the visible light generated by the second light-emitting module” and “a motion trajectory of the touch portion of the input device on the projection screen”, the display module of the image interaction module projects a specific function corresponding to “the predetermined color light source provided by the touch portion” and “the motion trajectory of the touch portion” onto the projection screen in the interactive display system and the input device thereof provided by the instant disclosure. For example, the specific function is track images corresponding to the predetermined color light source. 
     The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.