Patent ID: 7466308

Claim:
A method for providing an input to an application executing on a computer system having an interactive display surface, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a digital video camera mounted behind the display surface, the display surface being translucent, the digital video camera being responsive to infrared (IR) light and the digital video camera being responsive only to IR light reflected from an article in contact with or a short distance above the display surface; (b) providing an infrared (IR) light source comprising a plurality of IR light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted such that the IR light produced by the LEDs is directed toward the underside of the display surface; (c) disposing a baffle between the IR light source and the digital video camera to prevent IR light that is directly emitted from the IR light source from entering the digital video camera; (d) associating a set of orthogonal X and Y axes with the display surface; (e) determining an identifying code selected to be detectable by the interactive display surface when the identifying code is positioned adjacent to the interactive display surface by a user engaging the interactive display surface; (f) selecting an article, the article being configured to be removably affixed to at least a portion of a user's hand so that the article need not be grasped by the user when engaging the interactive display surface; and (g) providing the identifying code on the article, such that when the article is positioned adjacent to the interactive display surface by the user appropriately moving the at least the portion of the user's hand, the interactive display surface detects the identifying code.