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Patent 2686785 Summary

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Claims and Abstract availability

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(12) Patent Application: (11) CA 2686785
(54) English Title: INTERACTIVE INPUT SYSTEM AND BEZEL THEREFOR
(54) French Title: SYSTEME D'ENTREE INTERACTIF ET CADRAN CONNEXE
Status: Dead
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • G06F 3/042 (2006.01)
  • G06F 1/16 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • KROEKER, WALLACE I. (Canada)
  • SIROTICH, ROBERTO A.L. (Canada)
  • HE, JOYCE (Canada)
  • WRIGHT, JOE (Canada)
(73) Owners :
  • SMART TECHNOLOGIES ULC (Canada)
(71) Applicants :
  • SMART TECHNOLOGIES ULC (Canada)
(74) Agent: SIM & MCBURNEY
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued:
(22) Filed Date: 2009-12-01
(41) Open to Public Inspection: 2011-06-01
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): No

(30) Application Priority Data: None

Abstracts

English Abstract




An interactive input system comprises at least one imaging device
having a field of view looking into a region of interest. At least one
radiation source
emits radiation into the region of interest. A pliable bezel at least
partially surrounds
the region of interest. The pliable bezel has a reflective surface in the
field of view of
said at least one imaging device.


Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.




-17-
What is claimed is:


1. An interactive input system comprising:
at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region
of interest;
at least one radiation source emitting radiation into said region of
interest; and
a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest, said
a bezel having a reflective surface in the field of view of said at least one
imaging
device.

2. An interactive input system according to claim 1 wherein said pliable
bezel comprises at least one strap, said pliable bezel bordering multiple
sides of said
region of interest.

3. An interactive input system according to claim 2 further comprising at
least one bezel guide adjacent the periphery of said region of interest around
which
said at least one strap is partially wrapped.

4. An interactive input system according to claim 3 further comprising a
plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said
region of
interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped.

5. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein one or more
of said bezel guides comprises retaining structure to retain said bezel.

6. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein each bezel
guide in the field of view of said at least one imaging device is coated with
a
reflective material.



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7. An interactive input system according to claim 6 wherein the reflective
surface of said bezel and the reflective coating on each said bezel guide is
retro-
reflective.

8. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein each bezel
guide in the field of view of said at least one imaging device is
substantially
transparent.

9. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein each bezel
guide is one of a cylindrical element, a curved element and a thin profile
element.
10. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein each bezel
guide comprises a plurality of bezel guide elements, the bezel being
interleaved
between the bezel guide elements.

11. An interactive input system according to claim 4 further comprising an
adjustment mechanism cooperating with said bezel to adjust the tension
thereof.

12. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein said radiation
source comprises a light source.

13. An interactive input system according to claim 12 wherein said light
source comprises one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

14. An interactive input system according to claim 5 wherein each LED is
an infrared LED.

15. An interactive input system according to claim 4 wherein said light
source is positioned adjacent said at least one imaging device.

16. An interactive input system according to claim 15 wherein said light
source comprise one or more LEDs.



-19-

17. An interactive input system according to claim 16 wherein each LED
is an infrared LED.

18. An interactive input system according to claim 1 further comprising
processing structure communicating with said at least one imaging device and
processing image data output thereby,

19, An interactive input system according to claim 18 wherein said region
of interest is generally rectangular and wherein said bezel extends along
multiple
sides of said region of interest.

20. An interactive input system according to claim 19 wherein said bezel
extends along three sides of said region of interest.

21, An interactive input system according to claim 20 comprising at least
two imaging devices looking into said region of interest from different
vantages and
having overlapping fields of view.

22. An interactive input system according to claim 21 comprising a
radiation source proximate each imaging device.

23. An interactive input system comprising:
at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a region
of interest; and
a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest, said
a bezel having a surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging
device.

24. An interactive input system according to claim 23 wherein said pliable
bezel comprises at least one strap, said pliable bezel bordering multiple
sides of said
region of interest.




-20-

25. An interactive input system according to claim 24 further comprising
at least one bezel guide adjacent the periphery of said region of interest
around which
said at least one strap is partially wrapped.

26. An interactive input system according to claim 25 further comprising a
plurality of bezel guides at spaced locations about the periphery of said
region of
interest around which said at least one strap is partially wrapped.

27. An interactive input system according to claim 26 wherein each bezel
guide is one of a cylindrical element, a curved element and a thin profile
element.
28. An interactive input system according to claim 26 wherein each bezel
guide comprises a plurality of bezel guide elements, the bezel being
interleaved
between the bezel guide elements.

29. An interactive input system according to claim 26 further comprising
an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said bezel to adjust the tension
thereof.
30. An interactive input system according to claim 23 wherein said pliable
bezel is inflatable,

31. An interactive input system according to claim 30 wherein said bezel
surrounds said region of interest and accommodates said at least one imaging
device.
32. An interactive input system according to claim 31 comprising a
plurality of imaging devices at different locations about the periphery of
said region
of interest, said bezel accommodating said imaging devices.

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.



CA 02686785 2009-12-01

INTERACTIVE INPUT SYSTEM AND BEZEL THEREFOR
Field Of The Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to interactive input systems
and
to a bezel therefor.

Background Of The Invention
[0002] Interactive input systems that allow users to inject input (eg. digital
ink, mouse events etc.) into an application program using an active pointer
(eg. a
pointer that emits light, sound or other signal), a passive pointer (eg. a
finger, cylinder
or other suitable object) or other suitable input device such as for example,
a mouse,
trackball or interactive tablet, are known. These interactive input systems
include but
are not limited to: touch systems comprising touch panels employing analog
resistive
or machine vision technology to register pointer input such as those disclosed
in U.S.
Patent Nos. 5,448,263; 6,141,000; 6,337,681; 6,747,636; 6,803,906; 7,232,986;
7,236,162; and 7,274,356 assigned to SMART Technologies ULC of Calgary,
Alberta, Canada, assignee of the subject application, the contents of which
are
incorporated by reference; touch systems comprising touch panels employing
electromagnetic, capacitive, acoustic or other technologies to register
pointer input;
tablet personal computers (PCs); touch-enabled laptop PCs; personal digital
assistants
(PDAs); and other similar devices.
[0003) Above-incorporated U.S. Patent No. 6,803,906 to Morrison et at.
discloses a touch system that employs machine vision to detect pointer
interaction
with a touch surface on which a computer-generated image is presented. A
rectangular bezel or frame surrounds the touch surface and supports digital
cameras at
its corners. The digital cameras have overlapping fields of view that
encompass and
look generally across the touch surface. The digital cameras acquire images
looking
generally across the touch surface from different vantages and generate image
data,
Image data acquired by the digital cameras is processed by on-board digital
signal
processors to determine if a pointer exists in the captured image data. When
it is
determined that a pointer exists in the captured image data, the digital
signal
processors convey pointer characteristic data to a master controller, which in
turn
processes the pointer characteristic data to determine the location of the
pointer in
(x,y) coordinates relative to the touch surface using triangulation. The
pointer


CA 02686785 2009-12-01

coordinates are conveyed to a computer executing one or more application
programs.
The computer uses the pointer coordinates to update the computer-generated
image
that is presented on the touch surface. Pointer contacts on the touch surface
can
therefore be recorded as writing or drawing or used to control execution of
application
programs executed by the computer.
10004] To enhance the ability to detect and recognize passive pointers brought
into proximity of a touch surface in touch systems employing machine vision
technology, it is known to employ illuminated bezels to illuminate generally
evenly
the region over the touch surface. for example, U.S. Patent No. 6,972,401 to
Akitt et
al. assigned to SMART Technologies ULC, discloses an illuminated bezel for use
in a
touch system such as that described in above-incorporated U.S. Patent No.
6,803,906.
The illuminated bezel emits infrared red or other suitable radiation over the
touch
surface that is visible to the digital cameras. As a result, in the absence of
a passive
pointer in the fields of view of the digital cameras, the illuminated bezel
appears in
captured images as a continuous bright or "white" band. When a passive pointer
is
brought into the fields of view of the digital cameras, the passive pointer
occludes
emitted radiation and appears as a dark region interrupting the bright or
"white" band
in captured images allowing the existence of the pointer in the captured
images to be
readily determined and its position triangulated. Although this illuminated
bezel is
effective, it is expensive to manufacture and can add significant cost to the
overall
touch system. It is therefore not surprising that alternative techniques to
illuminate
the region over touch surfaces have been considered.
[00051 U.S. Patent No. 7,283,128 to Sato discloses a coordinate input
apparatus including a light-receiving unit arranged in the coordinate input
region, a
retroreflecting unit arranged at the peripheral portion of the coordinate
input region to
reflect incident light and a light-emitting unit which illuminates the
coordinate input
region with light. The retroreflecting unit is a flat tape and includes a
plurality of
triangular prisms each having an angle determined to be equal to or less than
the
detection resolution of the light-receiving unit. Angle information
corresponding to a
point which crosses a predetermined level in a light amount distribution
obtained from
the light receiving unit is calculated. The coordinates of the pointer
position are
calculated on the basis of a plurality of pieces of calculated angle
information, the


CA 02686785 2009-12-01

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angle information corresponding to light emitted by the light-emitting unit
that is
reflected by the pointer.
[0006] Although the use of the retroreflecting unit to reflect and direct
light
into the coordinate input region is less costly than employing illuminated
bezels,
problems with such a retroreflecting unit exist. The amount of light reflected
by the
retroreflecting unit is dependent on the incident angle of the light. As a
result, the
Sato retroreflecting unit works best when the light is normal to its
retroreflecting
surface. However, when the angle of incident light on the retroreflecting
surface
becomes larger, the performance of the retroreflecting unit degrades resulting
in
uneven illumination of the bezel surrounding the coordinate input region. As a
result,
the possibility of false pointer contacts and/or missed pointer contacts is
increased.
Furthermore, prior retroreflective systems require relatively rigid bezels
typically
constructed of an inflexible material. For systems that must be portable, for
example,
in a military environment, these prior art systems are unsuitable. As will be
appreciated, improvements in illumination for machine vision interactive input
systems are desired.
[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel
interactive input system and bezel therefor.

Summary Of The Invention
[0008] Accordingly, in one aspect there is provided an interactive input
system
comprising at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a
region of
interest; at least one radiation source emitting radiation into said region of
interest;
and a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of interest,
said pliable
bezel having a surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging
device,
[0009] According to another aspect there is provided a interactive input
system
comprising at least one imaging device having a field of view looking into a
region of
interest; and a pliable bezel at least partially surrounding said region of
interest, said a
bezel having a surface in the field of view of said at least one imaging
device.


CA 02686785 2009-12-01
-4-

Brief Description Of The Drawings
[0010] Embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an interactive input system
comprising a pliable bezel;
[0012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a corner portion of the interactive
input system of Figure 1 showing the pliable bezel wrapped partially around a
bezel
guide that projects from a support frame assembly;
[00131 Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of an imaging assembly forming
part of the interactive input system of Figure 1;
[0014] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of a master controller forming
part of the interactive input system of Figure 1;
[0015] Figure 5a is a perspective view of the corner portion of Figure 2
showing the pliable bezel wrapped partially around an alternative bezel guide
that
projects from the support frame assembly;
100161 Figure 5b is a perspective view of the corner portion of Figure 2
showing the pliable bezel wrapped partially around yet another alternative
bezel guide
that projects from the support frame assembly;
[0017] Figure 5c is a perspective view of the corner portion of Figure 2
showing the pliable bezel wrapped partially around yet another alternative
bezel guide
that projects from the support frame assembly;
[0018] Figure 6a is a perspective view of the corner portion of Figure 2
showing the pliable bezel wrapped partially around a bezel guide arrangement
comprising a plurality of bezel guides that project from the support frame
assembly;
[00191 Figure 6b is a perspective view of the corner portion of Figure 2
showing the pliable bezel wrapped partially around an alternative bezel guide
arrangement comprising a plurality of bezel guides that project from the
support
frame assembly;
[00201 Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another portion of the interactive
input system of Figure 1 showing an alternative pliable bezel fastening
technique;
[00211 Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an alternative bezel guide
configuration for use in the interactive input system of Figure 1;


CA 02686785 2009-12-01

-5-
[0022] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of an interactive input system
comprising a pliable inflatable bezel;
[0023] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of an interactive input system
comprising an alternative pliable inflatable bezel;
[0024] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 10 taken along lines I1-
11;
[0025] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of an interactive input system
comprising yet another alternative pliable inflatable bezel; and
[0026] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 12 taken along lines 12
12.

Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiments
[0027] Turning now to Figure 1, an interactive input system that allows a user
to inject input such as digital ink, mouse events etc. into an application
program is
shown and is generally identified by reference numeral 100. In this
embodiment,
interactive input system 100 comprises a support frame assembly 102 that
surrounds a
touch surface 104. Imaging devices 106a and 106b are mounted on the support
frame
assembly 102 and look generally across the touch surface 104 from different
vantages
to detect pointers brought into proximity with the touch surface 104. The
imaging
devices 106a and 106b communicate with a master controller 108, which in turn
communicates with a general purpose computing device 1 10 executing one or
more
application programs. General purpose computing device 110 processes the
output of
the master controller 108 and provides display image output to a projection
device
112. Projection device 112 in turn projects an image onto the touch surface
104 that
reflects pointer activity. In this manner, the imaging devices 106a and 106b,
master
controller 108, general purpose computing device 110 and projection device 112
allow pointer activity proximate to the touch surface 104 to be recorded as
writing or
drawing or used to the control execution of one or more application programs
executed by the general purpose computing device 110.
[0028] The support frame assembly 102 in this embodiment comprises four
frame sections 130 that are mechanically fastened together adjacent their ends
to form
a generally rectangular support structure for the touch surface 104. Each
frame


CA 02686785 2009-12-01

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section 130 comprises a plurality of frame segments 132 with adjacent frame
segments 132 being joined by a lockable hinge 134. In this manner, when the
support
frame assembly 102 is disassembled, the frame sections 130 can be collapsed
for ease
of transport and storage. Legs 136 extend from the bottom frame sections 130
at
laterally spaced locations and terminate at feet 138. The feet 138 extend
forwardly
and rearwardly of the legs 136 by sufficient lengths so that the support frame
assembly 102 is self supporting. Braces (not shown) interconnect the legs 136
and
feet 138 to provide additional support. An L-shaped bracket 140 is fastened to
each
leg 136 intermediate its length. Each bracket 140 supports a respective one of
the
imaging devices 106a and 106b. In this manner, the imaging devices 106a and
106b
look upwardly across the touch surface 104 generally from opposite bottom
corners of
the touch surface. Each bracket 140 also supports a bezel retainer 142. Each
bezel
retainer 142 comprises a forwardly extending post 144. The touch surface 104
is a
sheet of flexible material that is securely fastened to the back of the
support frame
assembly 102.
f0029] Bezel guides 146 extend forwardly from the support frame assembly
102 adjacent the opposite top corners of the touch surface 104. Figure 2
better
illustrates one of the bezel guides 146. In this embodiment, each bezel guide
146 is in
the form of a cylindrical metal rod that is secured to the associated support
frame
section 130 by one or more suitable fasteners (not shown). The outer surface
of each
metal rod is coated with a retro-reflective surface, A pliable bezel 150
extends along
three sides of the touch surface. The bezel 150 partially wraps around each of
the
bezel guides 146 and has its opposite ends held by the bezel retainers 142. In
this
embodiment, the ends of the bezel 150 terminate in loops into which the posts
144 are
inserted. The length of the bezel 150 is chosen so that the bezel 150 remains
taut.
[0030] The bezel 150 in this embodiment is in the form of a strap formed from
a synthetic fabric such as for example nylon. The strap has a length that is
significantly larger than its width, The bezel 150 has an inwardly facing
surface that
is also coated with retro-reflective material. To take best advantage of the
properties
of the retro-reflective material, the bezel 150 is oriented so that its
inwardly facing
surface extends in a plane generally normal to that of the touch surface 104.


CA 02686785 2009-12-01

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[0031] The imaging device 106a positioned adjacent the bottom left corner of
the touch surface 104 is oriented so that it sees the inwardly facing surface
of the
portion of the bezel 150 that extends between the two bezel guides 146 and
between
the bezel guide 150 adjacent the top right corner of the touch surface 104 and
the
bezel retainer 142 adjacent the bottom right corner of the touch surface 104,
Similarly, the imaging device 106b positioned adjacent the bottom right corner
of the
touch surface 104 is oriented so that it sees the inwardly facing surface of
the portion
of the bezel 150 that extends between the two bezel guides 146 and between the
bezel
guide 150 adjacent the top left corner of the touch surface 104 and the bezel
retainer
142 adjacent the bottom left corner of the touch surface 104. In this manner,
the
fields of view of the imaging devices 106a and 106b overlap over a region of
interest
encompassing the entirety of the touch surface 104,
[0032] Turning now to Figure 3, one of the imaging assemblies 106a and 106b
is better illustrated. As can be seen, the imaging assembly comprises an image
sensor
160 such as that manufactured by Micron Technology, Inc. of Boise, Idaho under
model no. MT9V022 fitted with an 880 nm lens 162 of the type manufactured by
Boowon Optical Co. Ltd. under model no. BW25B. The lens 162 provides the image
sensor 160 with a field of view that is sufficiently wide so that pointer
contacts at any
position on the touch surface 104 are seen by the image sensor 160. The image
sensor
160 communicates with and outputs image frame data to a first-in first-out
(FIFO)
buffer 164 via a data bus 166. A digital signal processor (DSP) 168 receives
the
image frame data from the FIFO buffer 164 via a second data bus 170 and
provides
pointer data to the master controller 108 via a serial input/output port 172
when a
pointer exists in image frames captured by the image sensor 160. The image
sensor
160 and DSP 168 also communicate over a bi-directional control bus 174. An
electronically programmable read only memory (EPROM) 176 which stores image
sensor calibration parameters is connected to the DSP 168. A current control
module
178 is also connected to the DSP 168 as well as to an infrared (IR) light
source 180
comprising one or more IR light emitting diodes (LEDs), The configuration of
the
LEDs of the IR light source 180 is selected to generally evenly illuminate the
portion
of the bezel 150 in field of view of the imaging assembly. The imaging
assembly
components receive power from a power supply 182.


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[0033] Figure 4 better illustrates the master controller 108. Master
controller
108 comprises a DSP 200 having a first serial input/output port 202 and a
second
serial input/output port 204. The master controller 108 communicates with the
imaging assemblies 106a and 106b via first serial input/output port 202 over
communication lines 206. Pointer data received by the DSP 200 from the imaging
assemblies 106a and 106b is processed by DSP 200 to generate pointer location
data
as will be described. DSP 200 communicates with the general purpose computing
device 110 via the second serial input/output port 204 and a serial line
driver 208 over
communication lines 210. Master controller 108 further comprises an EPROM 212
that stores interactive input system parameters, The master controller
components
receive power from a power supply 214.
[0034] The general purpose computing device 110 in this embodiment is a
computer comprising, for example, a processing unit, system memory (volatile
and/or
non-volatile memory), other non-removable or removable memory (eg. a hard disk
drive, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM, DVD, flash memory, etc.) and a system
bus coupling the various computer components to the processing unit. The
computer
can include a network connection to access shared or remote drives, one or
more
networked computers, or other networked devices.
[0035] The interactive input system 100 is able to detect passive pointers P
such as for example, a user's finger, a cylinder or other suitable object as
well as
active pen tools P that are brought into proximity with the touch surface 104
and
within the fields of view of the imaging devices 106a and 106b. For ease of
discussion, the operation of the interactive input system 100, when a passive
pointer P
is brought into proximity with the touch surface 104, will be, described,
[00361 During operation, the DSP 168 of each imaging assembly 106a and
106b generates clock signals so that the image sensor 160 of each imaging
assembly
captures image frames at the desired frame rate. The DSP 168 also signals the
current
control module 178 of each imaging assembly 106a and 106b. In response, each
current control module 178 connects its associated 1R light source 180 to the
power
supply 182. When the 1R light sources 180 are on, the 1R light sources 180
flood the
region of interest over the touch surface 104 with infrared illumination. When
the
infrared illumination emitted by the IR light source 180 of imaging assembly
106a


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impinges on the portion of the bezel 150 and the bezel guides 146 within the
field of
view of its associated image sensor 160, the retro-reflective material coating
the
inwardly facing surface of the bezel 150 and coating the bezel guides 146
reflects the
infrared illumination back towards the image sensor 160. Likewise, when the
infrared
illumination emitted by the IR light source 180 of imaging assembly 106b
impinges
on the portion of the bezel 150 and the bezel guides 146 within the field of
view of its
associated image sensor 160, the retro-reflective material coating the
inwardly facing
surface of the bezel 150 and coating the bezel guides 146 reflects the
infrared
illumination back towards the image sensor 160. As a result, in the absence of
a
pointer P within the fields of view of the image sensors 160, the bezel 150
appears as
a bright "white" band having a substantially even intensity over its length in
image
frames captured by the imaging assemblies 106a and 106b.
[00371 When a pointer P is brought into proximity with the touch surface 104,
the pointer P occludes infrared illumination from impinging on the retro-
reflective
material coating the inwardly facing surface of the bezel 150 and/or bezel
guide 146
and as a result, a dark region interrupting the bright band that represents
the pointer P,
appears in image frames captured by the imaging assemblies 106a and 106b.
(00381 Each image frame output by the image sensor 160 of each imaging
assembly 106a and 106b is conveyed to the DSP 168. When the DSP 168 receives
an
image frame, the DSP 168 processes the image frame to detect the existence of
a
pointer therein and if a pointer exists, generates pointer data that
identifies the
position of the pointer within the image frame. The DSP 168 then conveys the
pointer
data to the master controller 108 via serial port 172 and communication lines
206.
[00391 When the master controller 108 receives pointer data from both
imaging assembles 106a and 106b, the master controller 108 calculates the
position of
the pointer in (x,y) coordinates relative to the touch surface 104 using well
known
triangulation such as that described in above-incorporated U.S. Patent No.
6,803,906
to Morrison et al. The calculated pointer position is then conveyed by the
master
controller 108 to the general purpose computing device 110. The general
purpose
computing device 110 in turn processes the received pointer position and
updates the
image data output provided to the projection device 112, if required, so that
the image
presented on the touch surface 104 can be updated to reflect the pointer
activity. In


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this manner, pointer interaction with the touch surface 104 can be recorded as
writing
or drawing or used to control execution of one or more application programs
running
on the general purpose computing device 110.
[0040] Although the bezel guides 146 are described above as being in the
form of generally cylindrical metal rods coated with retro-reflective
material,
alternatives are available. For example, Figure 5a shows an alternative bezel
guide
246 extending forwardly from the support frame assembly 102. In this
embodiment,
similar to the previous embodiment, the bezel guide 246 is in the form of a
generally
cylindrical rod secured to the associated frame section 130 by one or more
suitable
fasteners. The cylindrical rod however is formed of transparent material, such
as for
example glass or acrylic. In this manner, infrared illumination that is
emitted by the
1R light sources 180 passes through the bezel guide 246 and impinges on the
bezel
150 that is partially wrapped around the bezel guide. The infrared
illumination in turn
is reflected by the retro-reflective material coating on the inwardly facing
surface of
the bezel 150, back through the bezel 246 guide and toward to the imaging
devices
106a and 106b.
[0041] Figure 5b show yet another alternative bezel guide 346 extending
forwardly from the support frame assembly 102. In this embodiment, the bezel
guide
246 is in the form of a curved member secured to the associated frame section
130 by
one or more suitable fasteners. Similar to the bezel guide 146, the inwardly
facing
surface of the curved member is coated with retro-reflective material. In this
manner,
infrared illumination that is emitted by the iR light sources 180 and impinges
on the
bezel guide 346 is reflected by the retro-reflective material coating back
toward to the
imaging devices 106a and I06b.
[0042] Figure Sc show still yet another alternative bezel guide 446 extending
forwardly from the support frame assembly 102. In this embodiment, the bezel
guide
446 is in the form of a thin, generally rectangular projection secured to the
associated
frame section 130 by one or more suitable fasteners. The configuration of the
bezel
guide 446 is such that its presence does not significantly occlude the bezel
150 during
infrared illumination. As a result, the bezel guide 446 does not create a dark
line in
the white band normally seen by the image sensors 160 in the absence of a
pointer P.


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[00431 Rather than using a single bezel guide adjacent each top corner of the
touch surface 104, bezel guide arrangements comprising a plurality of bezel
guides
may be employed. For example, Figure 6a shows a bezel guide arrangement 500
comprising a plurality of bezel guides 546a to 546c, in this case three (3)
bezel guides
extending forwardly from the support frame assembly 102. In this embodiment,
each
of the bezel guides is in the form of a cylindrical metal rod that is secured
to the
associated frame section 130 by one or more suitable fasteners. The outer
surface of
the central bezel guide 546b is coated with a retro-reflective material. The
bezel
guides 546a to 546c are arranged in a row and are slightly spaced to provide
gaps
between adjacent bezel guides. The bezel 150 is interleaved between the bezel
guides
546a to 546c. As a result, the bezel 150 is held securely to the support frame
assembly 102. Interleaving the bezel 150 through the bezel guides 546a to 546c
also
helps to reduce slack formation in the bezel 150 and thus, inhibit sagging.
[0044] Figure 6b shows another bezel guide arrangement 600 comprising a
plurality of bezel guides 646a to 646c, in this case three (3) bezel guides
extending
forwardly from the support frame assembly 102. In this embodiment, each of the
bezel guides 646a to 646c is also in the form of a cylindrical metal rod that
is secured
to the associated frame section 130 by one or more suitable fasteners. The
bezel
guides 646a to 646c are arranged in a triangle and are slightly spaced to
provide gaps
between adjacent bezel guides. The pliable bezel 150 is interleaved between
the bezel
guides 646a to 646c in a manner which obviates the need to coat any of the
bezel
guides with retro-reflective material while still holding the bezel securely
to the
support frame assembly 102 thereby to inhibit slack formation and sagging.
[00451 In the embodiment of Figure 1, the bezel 150 is described as having
ends that terminate in loops through which the posts 144 of the bezel
retainers 142
pass. Alternative bezel configurations are however possible. For example, as
shown
in Figure 7, rather than terminating in loops, in this embodiment, hook and
loop fabric
is provided adjacent one or both ends of the bezel. Each end of the bezel 150
carrying
hook and loop fabric is wrapped around the post 144 of the bezel retainer and
brought
back into contact with itself to engage the hook and loop fabric. The
releasable hook
and loop fabric allows the tension of the bezel 150 to be adjusted to remove
slack and
inhibit sagging.


CA 02686785 2009-12-01

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[0046] Turning now to Figure 8, an alternative bezel guide configuration fbr
the interactive input system 100 is shown. In this embodiment, rather than
only using
bezel guides adjacent the top corners of the touch surface 104, bezel guides
746
extending forwardly from the support frame assembly 102 are also employed at
spaced locations along the top of the touch surface as well as adjacent the
bottom
corners of the touch surface 104 to further inhibit slack formation in the
bezel 150.
Similar to the embodiment of Figure 1, each bezel guide 746 is in the form of
a
cylindrical metal rod that is secured to the associated frame section 130 by
one or
more suitable fasteners. The outer surface of each metal rod is coated with
retro-
reflective material.
[0047] Although the bezel is described as being formed from synthetic
material such as for example nylon, other structurally suitable bezel
materials such as
for example, ductile metals, plastics, fabrics etc. may be employed. Also, the
bezel
need not be in the form of a single continuous strap. Rather, the bezel may
comprise
a plurality of bezel segments arranged end-to-end about the touch surface 104
and/or
arranged side-to-side.
[0048) If desired, the bezel guides may carry retaining structure to cooperate
with and retain the bezel. for example, one or more of the bezel guides may
carry
hook or loop fabric that cooperates with complimentary fabric on the bezel.
Alternatively, one or more of the bezel guides may comprise a clamp or other
suitable
mechanical fastener to retain the bezel. Also, if desired, the bezel guides
may be
integrally formed with the frame sections 130 or secured to the frame sections
130 by
other suitable means.
[0049] Although examples of bezel guide configurations are described above
and illustrated, alternative configurations may be employed. For example, each
bezel
guide may comprise a plurality of flattened prongs extending forwardly from
the
support frame assembly with the bezel woven through the prongs. Typically,
three
prongs would be employed. Similar to previous embodiments, the prongs are
coated
with retroreflective material and are flat to mitigate shadows.
[0050] Different bezel retainer configurations are also possible. For example,
one or both bezel retainers may comprise a ratchet or lever mechanism that
receives a
free end of the bezel and allows the tension applied to the bezel to be
adjusted.


CA 02686785 2009-12-01
-13-

Alternatively, one or both ends of the bezel 150 may be weighted to maintain
tension
in the bezel. In yet another embodiment, one or both bezel retainers may
comprise a
buckle and a clasp arrangement such as those commonly employed on knapsacks
and
other carrying cases, In this case, one of the buckle and clasp is attached to
one end
of the bezel and the other one of the buckle and clasp is attached to the
bracket 140.
When the buckle and clasp are engaged, the bezel can be adjusted through a
slider
loop to allow the tension of the bezel to be adjusted. The bezel may also be
formed of
elasticized material to assist in maintaining tension in the bezel.
(00511 Turning now to Figure 9, an alternative pliable bezel configuration for
the interactive input system 100 is shown. In this embodiment, similar to the
previous
embodiment, the bezel $50 extends along three sides of the touch surface 104.
Unlike
the previous embodiment however, the bezel 850 is in the form of an inflatable
C-
shaped element formed of two sheets of an air impermeable plastic coated
fabric
bonded together. The inwardly facing surface of the bezel 850 is coated with
retro-
reflective material. The bezel 850 is releasably fastened to the frame
sections by
suitable means such as for example, cooperating hook and loop fabric carried
by the
frame sections 130 and the bezel 850 obviating the need for the bezel
retainers 142 on
the brackets 140. In this manner, the bezel 850 can be easily removed from the
frame
sections 130 and deflated by opening a valve member (not shown) when not in
use.
Alternatively, the bezel 850 may be filled with foam as described in U.S.
Patent No.
4,624,877 and U.S. Patent No. 5,705,252 and be of similar composition to self
inflating mattresses such as the Therm-a-restTM brand produced by Cascade
Designs.
(00521 Figures 10 and 1 l show an inflatable bezel and imaging device
assembly 900 that is suitable for mounting on virtually any substantially flat
surface.
In this embodiment, the inflatable bezel and imaging device assembly 900 is
secured
to the frame 902 of a mobile projection screen by cooperating hook and loop
fabric on
the assembly 900 and frame 902. The inflatable bezel 950 extends along all
four sides
of the portion of the frame surface that defines the touch surface 104.
Imaging
devices 106 are positioned adjacent and accommodated by each corner of the
bezel
950. Cables extend from the imaging devices through the assembly to allow the
imaging devices to be connected to the master controller 108. The inwardly
facing
surface of the bezel 950 is coated with retro-reflective material 952. In this


CA 02686785 2009-12-01
-14-

embodiment, as the inflatable bezel and imaging device assembly 900 comprises
four
(4) imaging devices, pointer position coordinates are determined in the manner
disclosed in above-incorporated U.S. Patent No. 6,803,906 to Morrison et at.
[0053) Figures 12 and 13 show yet another inflatable bezel and imaging
device assembly 1000. In this embodiment, the bezel 1050 is integrally formed
with
and surrounds an inflatable sheet 1052 having a surface 1054 bounded by the
bezel
that defines the touch surface. Imaging devices 106 are positioned adjacent
and
accommodated by each corner of the bezel, Cables extend from the imaging
devices
through the assembly to allow the imaging devices to be connected to the
master
controller 108. The inwardly facing surface of the bezel 1050 is coated with
retro-
reflective material 1056. In this embodiment, the bezel 1050 and inflatable
sheet
1052 are filled with foam as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,624,877 and U.S,
Patent
No. 5,705,252 and are of similar composition to self inflating mattresses such
as the
Therm-a-restTM brand produced by Cascade Designs. When not in use, the
inflatable
sheet and bezel can be rolled into a deflated state.
[0054) In the embodiments described above, the inwardly facing surface of
the bezel is described as being coated by retro-reflective material. If
desired, rather
than including a continuous retro-reflecting coating, one or more distinct
bands of
retro-reflective material may be provided on the inwardly facing surface of
the bezel
as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0277694 to Hansen
et
al. filed on May 9, 2008 and assigned to SMART Technologies ULC of Calgary,
Alberta, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Alternatively,
rather than using retro-reflective material, highly reflective material may be
employed. The inwardly facing surface of the bezel may also be coated with
material
different than the retro-reflective material and highly reflective material
referred to
above. These coatings may comprise for example, a black coating, a light
absorbing
coating; a white coating, an energy reflecting coating; a film of
electroluminescent or
fluorescent material; a polarizing filter; an IR filter; or a combination or
two or more
of the aforementioned coatings. As long as the bezel provides a relatively
constant
background in relation to pointers brought into proximity of the touch surface
104, it
will be suitable for use. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art,
depending
on the coating(s) selected for the bezel, the IR light sources 180 of the
imaging


CA 02686785 2009-12-01

-15-
devices may or may not be required. To facilitate assembly of the interactive
input
system 100, regardless of the coating(s) selected for the bezel, opposite
sides of the
bezel may be coated in a substantially identical manner so that the bezel does
not need
to be oriented in any specific manner during assembly of the interactive input
system
100.
[0055] To reduce the effects of ambient light, the light emitted by the light
sources 180 may be modulated as described in U.S. Patent Application
Publication
No. 2009/0278794 to McReynolds et at. filed on May 9, 2008 and assigned to
SMART Technologies ULC of Calgary, Alberta, the content of which is
incorporated
herein by reference. To reduce the amount of data to be processed, only the
area of
the image frames occupied by the bezel need be processed. A bezel finding
procedure
similar to that described in the above-incorporated Hansen et at. published
U.S. Patent
Application, may be employed to locate the bezel in captured image frames. Of
course, those of skill in the art will appreciate that other suitable
techniques may be
employed to locate the bezel in captured image frames.
[0056] Although the support frame assembly 102 is described as being self-
supporting, if desired, the support frame assembly can be configured to be
attached to
a display unit (not shown) such as for example, a plasma television, a liquid
crystal
display (LCD) device, a flat panel display device, a cathode ray tube monitor
etc. and
surrounds the display surface 124 of the display unit. In this case, the image
data
output by the general purpose computing device 110 is fed to the display unit
obviating the need for the touch surface sheet or the projection device 112.
[0057] Alternatively, the support frame assembly may be configured to be
attached to a support surface such as for example, a wall surface or the side
of an
emergency service or military vehicle. As will be appreciated in this case,
the feet are
removed from the legs and the length of the legs can be shortened.
(0058) Although the light sources of the imaging assemblies 180 are described
as comprising IR LEDs, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the
imaging
devices may include different IR light sources. The light sources of the
imaging
assemblies alternatively may comprise light sources that emit light at a
frequency
different than infrared. As will be appreciated using light sources that emit
non-


CA 02686785 2009-12-01

-16-
visible light is preferred to avoid the light emitted by the light sources
from interfering
with the images presented on the touch surface 104.
[00591 Those of skill in the art will also appreciate that other processing
structures could be used in place of the master controller and general purpose
computing device. for example, the master controller could be eliminated and
its
processing functions could be performed by the general purpose computing
device.
Alternatively, the master controller could be configured to process the image
frame
data output by the image sensors both to detect the existence of a pointer in
captured
image frames and to triangulate the position of the pointer. Rather than using
a
separate master controller 108, the functionality of the master controller 108
may be
embodied in the DSP 168 of one of the imaging devices. Although the imaging
devices and master controller are described as employing DSPs, other
processors such
as microcontrollers, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing
units
(CPUs), or cell-processors could be used.
[0060) Although embodiments have been described, those of skill in the art
will appreciate that other variations and modifications may be made without
departing
from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

For a clearer understanding of the status of the application/patent presented on this page, the site Disclaimer , as well as the definitions for Patent , Administrative Status , Maintenance Fee  and Payment History  should be consulted.

Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date Unavailable
(22) Filed 2009-12-01
(41) Open to Public Inspection 2011-06-01
Dead Application 2015-12-01

Abandonment History

Abandonment Date Reason Reinstatement Date
2014-12-01 FAILURE TO REQUEST EXAMINATION
2014-12-01 FAILURE TO PAY APPLICATION MAINTENANCE FEE

Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Application Fee $400.00 2009-12-01
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 2 2011-12-01 $100.00 2011-11-29
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 3 2012-12-03 $100.00 2012-11-27
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 2013-08-01
Registration of a document - section 124 $100.00 2013-08-06
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 4 2013-12-02 $100.00 2013-11-29
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
SMART TECHNOLOGIES ULC
Past Owners on Record
HE, JOYCE
KROEKER, WALLACE I.
SIROTICH, ROBERTO A.L.
WRIGHT, JOE
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
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Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Abstract 2009-12-01 1 8
Description 2009-12-01 16 753
Claims 2009-12-01 4 112
Drawings 2009-12-01 12 211
Representative Drawing 2011-05-04 1 12
Cover Page 2011-05-11 1 37
Assignment 2009-12-01 5 170
Assignment 2013-08-01 18 734
Fees 2011-11-29 1 65
Assignment 2013-08-06 18 819
Assignment 2016-12-13 25 1,225