ACTIVE DISPLAY FEEDBACK IN INTERACTIVE INPUT SYSTEMS

1 . A method for distinguishing between a plurality of pointers in an interactive input system comprising:

calculating a plurality of potential coordinates for a plurality of pointers in proximity of an input surface of the interactive input system;

displaying visual indicators associated with each potential coordinate on the input surface; and

determining real pointer locations and imaginary pointer locations associated with each potential coordinate from the visual indicators.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein displaying visual indicators comprises:

displaying a first set of visual indicators at each potential coordinate;

capturing with an imaging system of the interactive input system a first image set of the input surface while the first set of visual indicators is displayed;

displaying a second set of visual indicators at each potential coordinate; and

capturing with the imaging system a second image set of the input surface while the second set of visual indicators is displayed.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein determining real pointer locations and imaginary pointer locations comprises processing the first image set and second image set to identify at least one real pointer location from the potential coordinates.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein said processing further comprises determining a difference in reflected light intensity at each potential coordinate between the first image set and the second image set.

5 . The method of claim 2 wherein the first set of visual indicators comprises dark spots and the second set of visual indicators comprises bright spots.

6 . The method of claim 2 wherein the first set of visual indicators comprises spots with gradient shading from bright to dark and the second set of visual indicators comprises spots with gradient shading from dark to bright.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging system comprises at least two imaging devices looking at the input surface from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

8 . A method for distinguishing at least two pointers in an interactive input system comprising the steps of:

calculating touch point coordinates associated with each of the at least two pointers in contact with an input surface of the interactive input system;

displaying a first visual indicator on the input surface at regions associated with a first pair of touch point coordinates and displaying a second visual indicator on the input surface at regions associated with a second pair of touch point coordinates;

capturing with an imaging system a first image of the input surface during the display of the first visual indicator and the second visual indicator on the input surface at the regions associated with the first and second pairs of touch point coordinates;

displaying the second visual indicator on the input surface at regions associated with the first pair of touch point coordinates and displaying the first visual indicator on the input surface at regions associated with the second pair of touch point coordinates;

capturing with the imaging device system a second image of the input surface during the display of the second visual indicator on the input surface at the regions associated with the first pair of touch point coordinates and the first visual indicator on the input surface at the regions associated with the second pair of touch point coordinates; and

comparing the first image to the second image to verify real touch point coordinates from the first pair and second pair of touch point coordinates.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein said comparing further comprises:

determining a difference in reflected light at the regions associated with the real touch point coordinates between the first image and the second image.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the first visual indicator is a dark spot and the second visual indicator is a bright spot.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the imaging device system comprises at least two imaging devices looking at the input surface from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

12 . An interactive input system comprising:

a touch panel having an input surface;

an imaging device system operable to capture images of an input area of the input surface when at least one pointer is in contact with the input surface; and

a video control device operatively coupled to the touch panel, the video control device enabling displaying of an image pattern on the input surface at a region associated with the at least one pointer, wherein the image pattern facilitates verification of the location of the at least one pointer.

13 . The interactive input system according to claim 12 , wherein the image pattern comprises a first image and a consecutive second image for generating contrast, the contrast adapted to verify the at least one pointer being within the region based on the images captured by the imaging device system.

14 . The interactive input system according to claim 13 , wherein the first image comprises a dark spot and the second image comprises a bright spot.

15 . The interactive input system according to claim 12 , further comprising a video interface operatively coupled to the video control device, the video interface adapted to provide video synchronization signals to the video control device for processing, wherein based on the processing, the video control device interrupts a first image displayed on the input surface and displays the image pattern.

16 . The interactive input system according to claim 12 , wherein the imaging device system comprises at least two imaging devices looking at the input area of the input surface from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

17 . The interactive input system according to claim 16 , wherein the imaging device system further comprises at least one first processor that is adapted to receive the captured images and generate pixel data associated with the captured images.

18 . The interactive input system according to claim 17 , further comprising a second processor operatively coupled to the at least one first processor and the video control device, wherein based on the verification the second processor receives the generated pixel data and generates location coordinate data corresponding to the verified pointer location.

19 . The interactive input system according to claim 18 , wherein the second processor comprises an image processing unit that is adapted to generate the image pattern for display by the video control device.

20 . The interactive input system according to claim 19 , wherein the image pattern comprises:

a first image comprising a first intensity gradient that changes from a dark color to a light color in a direction moving toward the at least one imaging device system; and

a second image comprising a second intensity gradient that changes from a light color to a dark color in a direction moving away from the at least one imaging device system.

21 . A method for determining a location for at least one pointer in an interactive input system comprising:

calculating at least one touch point coordinate of at least one pointer on an input surface;

displaying a first visual indicator on the input surface at a region associated with the at least one touch point coordinate;

capturing a first image of the input surface using an imaging system of the interactive input system while the first visual indicator is displayed;

displaying a second visual indicator on the input surface at the region associated with the at least one touch point coordinate;

capturing a second image of the input surface using the imaging system while the second visual indicator is displayed; and

comparing the first image to the second image to verify the location on the input surface of the at least one pointer.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein said comparing comprises:

determining a difference in reflected light at the region associated with the at least one touch point coordinate between the first image and the second image.

23 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first visual indicator is a dark spot and the second visual indicator is a light spot.

24 . The method of claim 21 wherein the first visual indicator is a spot with gradient shading from light to dark and the second visual indicator is a spot with gradient shading from dark to light.

25 . The method of claim 21 wherein the imaging device system comprises at least two imaging devices looking at the input surface from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

26 . A method for determining at least one pointer location in an interactive input system comprising:

displaying a first pattern on an input surface of the interactive input system at regions associated with the at least one pointer;

capturing with an imaging device system a first image of the input surface during the display of the first pattern;

displaying a second pattern on the input surface at the regions associated with the at least one pointer;

capturing with the imaging device system a second image of the input surface during the display of the second pattern; and

processing the first image from the second image to calculate a differential image to isolate change in ambient light.

27 . The method of claim 26 wherein the first pattern comprises a spot with gradient shading from light to dark and the second pattern comprises a spot with gradient shading from dark to light.

28 . The method of claim 26 wherein the first pattern and second pattern have a frequency selected to filter out ambient light sources.

29 . The method of claim 28 wherein the frequency is 120 hertz.

30 . An interactive input system comprising:

a touch panel having an input surface;

an imaging device system operable to capture images of the input surface;

at least one active pointer contacting the input surface, the at least one active pointer having a sensor for sensing changes in light from the input surface; and

a video control device operatively coupled to the touch panel and in communication with the at least one active pointer, the video control device enabling displaying of an image pattern on the input surface at a region associated with the at least one pointer, the image pattern facilitating verification of the location of the at least one pointer.

31 . The interactive input system according to claim 30 , wherein the image pattern comprises a first image and a consecutive second image for generating contrast, the contrast adapted to verify the at least one pointer being within the region based on the images captured by the imaging device system.

32 . The interactive input system according to claim 31 , wherein the first image comprises a dark spot and the second image comprises a bright spot.

33 . The interactive input system according to claim 30 , further comprising a video interface operatively coupled to the video control device, the video interface adapted to provide video synchronization signals to the video control device for processing, wherein based on the processing, the video control device interrupts a first image displayed on the input surface and displays the image pattern.

34 . The interactive input system according to claim 30 , wherein the imaging device system comprises at least two imaging devices looking at the input surface from different vantages and having overlapping fields of view.

35 . The interactive input system according to claim 30 wherein the video controller is in communication with the active pointer via a wireless radio frequency link.

36 . The interactive input system according to claim 30 wherein the video controller is in communication with the active pointer via a high frequency IR channel.

37 . A computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising:

program code for calculating a plurality of potential coordinates for a plurality of pointers in proximity of an input surface of an interactive input system;

program code for causing visual indicators associated with each potential coordinate to be displayed on the input surface; and

program code for determining real pointer locations and imaginary pointer locations associated with each potential coordinate from the visual indicators.

38 . A computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising:

program code for calculating a pair of touch point coordinates associated with each of the at least two pointers in contact with an input surface of an interactive input system;

program code for causing a first visual indicator to be displayed on the input surface at regions associated with a first pair of touch point coordinates and for causing a second visual indicator to be displayed on the input surface at regions associated with a second pair of touch point coordinates;

program code for causing an imaging system to capture a first image of the input surface during the display of the first pattern and the second pattern on the input surface at the regions associated with the first and second pairs of touch point coordinates;

program code for causing the second pattern to be displayed on the input surface at the regions associated with the first pair of touch point coordinates and for causing the first pattern to be displayed on the input surface at regions associated with the second pair of touch point coordinates;

program code for causing the imaging device system to capture a second image of the input surface during the display of the second pattern on the input surface at the regions associated with the first pair of touch point coordinates and the first pattern on the input surface at the regions associated with the second pair of touch point coordinates; and

program code for comparing the first image to the second image to verify real touch point coordinates from the first pair and second pair of touch point coordinates.

39 . A computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising:

program code for calculating at least one touch point coordinate of at least one pointer on an input surface;

program code for causing a first visual indicator to be displayed on the input surface at a region associated with the at least one touch point coordinate;

program code for causing a first image of the input surface to be captured using an imaging system while the first visual indicator is displayed;

program code for causing a second visual indicator to be displayed on the input surface at the region associated with the at least one touch point coordinate;

program code for causing a second image of the input surface to be captured using the imaging system while the second visual indicator is displayed; and

program code for comparing the first image to the second image to verify the location on the input surface of the at least one pointer.

40 . A computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising:

program code for causing a first pattern to be displayed on an input surface of an interactive input system at regions associated with at least one pointer;

program code for causing a first image of the input surface to be captured with an imaging device system during the display of the first pattern;

program code for causing a second pattern to be displayed on the input surface at the regions associated with the at least one pointer;

program code for causing with the imaging device system to capture a second image of the input surface during the display of the second pattern; and

program code for processing the first image from the second image to calculate a differential image to isolate change in ambient light.