Patent ID: 8089456

Claim:
A method for inputting commands, comprising the steps of: generating a virtual image of an input device by illuminating a hologram of said input device, said hologram being prerecorded on a holographic support; optically detecting an intended operation of said input device based on an actual position of an actuator with respect to said virtual image of said input device, based on at least one predetermined position of said actuator with respect to said virtual image of said input device, wherein each predetermined position corresponds to a distinct operation of said input device; and issuing at least one command signal for executing the intended operation of said input device as optically detected, said optical detection step comprising: providing at least one actuation hologram corresponding to said actuator being placed at the at least one predetermined position with respect to said virtual image of said input device, wherein the at least one actuation hologram is prerecorded, separately from the hologram of said input device, with an object beam illuminating on said actuator and at least one respective reference beam; illuminating said actuator placed at the actual position of said actuator with the object beam; detecting an actuation detection beam generated by an interaction between the object beam and the actuator; identifying one reference beam, among the at least one respective reference beam, that conforms to the actuation detection beam; and determining the predetermined position of said actuator corresponding to the identified reference beam and designating the operation corresponding to the identified predetermined position of said actuator as the intended operation.