Abstract: A pointer coordinate detection method for a touch system includes the steps of: capturing an image window looking across a plate surface with at least one image sensor; identifying a height coordinate of a pointer relative to the touch system according to a variation of each column of pixels in the image window; and calculating a plane coordinate of the pointer relative to the touch system according to an image position of the pointer in the image window. The present invention further provides a touch system.

Abstract: An optical touch control method includes steps of: providing a bright background from at least one edge of a touch surface in a first period; providing illumination light to the touch surface in a second period; capturing a first image of an indicator object blocking a portion of the bright background in the first period; and capturing a second image of the indicator object reflecting the illumination light in the second period. An optical touch system is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention discloses embodiments for an optical touch systems and methods. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to an optical touch system that includes at least two image sensors configured to detect a plurality of objects over a touch surface to generate a plurality of object images; a plurality of first light receiving elements, wherein the first light receiving elements are arranged on a side of the touch surface along a first direction and are configured to detect the objects; and a processing unit configured to calculate a plurality of candidate coordinate data, based on the object images, and select the coordinate data that represents coordinate data of the objects from the candidate coordinate data, based on detection data of the first light receiving elements.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for acquiring object image of a pointer are provided. The apparatus is suitable for an optical touch system and is used for acquiring an object image of a pointer when the pointer interacts with a touch surface of the optical touch system. The apparatus includes an image sensor and a processing circuit. The image sensor is used for acquiring an image of the touch surface. When the pointer approaches the touch surface, the processing circuit compares at least a part of the information of a sensed image with a threshold value, so as to determine a comparison range. Then, the processing circuit determines another threshold value according to the image information in the comparison range. Afterwards, the processing circuit compares the image information in the comparison range with the aforementioned another threshold value, so as to acquire an object image of the pointer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positioning method for a touch system that obtains a pair of current correct positions according to the following steps: obtaining two pairs of possible positions from a current frame to be compared with a pair of previous correct positions obtained from a previous frame; or comparing four pairs of possible positions with each other obtained from the current frame. The present invention further provides a touch system.

Abstract: A touch-control system adapted to be used with a plurality of pointers is provided. The touch-control system includes a touch-control panel, a first pointer sensing module, a second pointer sensing module and a processing circuit. The first pointer sensing module is configured to sense a first set of image information of the pointers and accordingly calculate a first candidate coordinate group of the pointers. The second pointer sensing module is configured to sense a second set of image information of the pointers. The processing circuit is electrically coupled to the first and second pointer sensing modules and configured to select, according to the second set of image information, two or more coordinate positions in the first candidate coordinate group to as actual coordinate positions of the pointers.

Abstract: An electronic system includes a device having a screen and an optical touch device. The optical touch device monitors the activity of an object on the screen of the device. When the object performs an operation in a first region of the screen, the optical touch device generates first data; and when the object performs an operation outside the first region, the optical touch device generates second data, wherein the first data and the second data are of different data types.

Abstract: A locus smoothing method processes a current estimated displacement according to a predetermined number of previous output smoothed displacements. The locus smoothing method includes the steps of: accumulating a predetermined number of previous output smoothed displacements to produce an accumulated displacement and recording a last output smoothed displacement; estimating a current estimated displacement; forming a digital filter according to the accumulated displacement, the last output smoothed displacement and the current estimated displacement; processing the current estimated displacement with the digital filter to produce a current smoothed displacement; and transmitting the current smoothed displacement to an image display. The present invention further provides a navigation device having smooth locus.

Abstract: An optical operation system includes an image sensing apparatus and a processing circuit. The image sensing apparatus is disposed at an edge of an operation plane and includes a first sensing array and a second sensing array. The first sensing array is configured to capture images at a first height above the operation plane and accordingly generate a first output signal. The second sensing array is configured to capture images at a second height above the operation plane and accordingly generate a second output signal; wherein the first height is greater than the second height. The processing circuit is electrically connected to the image sensing apparatus and configured to receive the first output signal and the second output signal and accordingly generate a first control command and a second control command, respectively.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an exposure condition of an optical sensor module includes the following steps, (A) receiving reflected light reflected by a working surface; (B) generating an image signal by exposing the optical sensor module to the reflected light, in which the image signal includes a plurality of luminance signals and an image quality signal; (C) setting an exposure condition of the optical sensor module according to part of the luminance signals; (D) repeating Step (B) and Step (C) under different exposure conditions so that the optical sensor module generates a plurality of image quality signals; and (E) setting an optimal exposure condition corresponding to the working surface according to the image quality signals under the different exposure conditions. The optical sensor module is applicable to a pointing device.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for acquiring object image of a pointer are provided. The apparatus is suitable for an optical touch system and is used for acquiring an object image of a pointer when the pointer interacts with a touch surface of the optical touch system. The apparatus includes an image sensor and a processing circuit. The image sensor is used for acquiring an image of the touch surface. When the pointer approaches the touch surface, the processing circuit compares at least a part of the information of a sensed image with a threshold value, so as to determine a comparison range. Then, the processing circuit determines another threshold value according to the image information in the comparison range. Afterwards, the processing circuit compares the image information in the comparison range with the aforementioned another threshold value, so as to acquire an object image of the pointer.

Abstract: An image processing method is applicable to a pointing device. The pointing device generates a displacement signal by moving relative to a working surface and detecting an image of a part of the working surface. The method includes the following steps. A first original image is obtained. The first original image is uniformly divided into a plurality of blocks. A block brightness value of each block is adjusted. A complexity signal representing a plurality of gradient values of each block is generated. The blocks are sequentially adjusted according to the adjusted block brightness value and complexity signal, so as to generate a first adjusted image corresponding to the first original image.

Abstract: An optical touch system, an apparatus and a method for calculating the position of an object are provided. The apparatus includes an image sensor and a processing circuit. The processing circuit selects at least one dot from a curve segment of a brightness distribution profile obtained from a background image, wherein the curve segment corresponds to an imaging range of an object. And the processing circuit regards the column pixel brightness value corresponding to the dot as a brightness reference value. Afterwards, the processing circuit calculates brightness difference between the brightness reference value and the column pixel brightness values corresponding to the dots of a curve segment of a brightness distribution profile obtained from a sensed image, so as to further calculate a gravity of the imaging range. After that, the processing circuit regards the gravity as a representative position of the object in the sensed image.

Abstract: An optical touch panel system includes: a reflective element disposed on a first side of the touch control area; two lighting elements respectively disposed on a second side and a third side of the touch control area, wherein the second side and the third side are adjacent to each other, and the third side is opposite the first side; a first light projection apparatus including a mirror and a light generator, disposed on the first side and at a location adjacent to a fourth side of the touch control area; an image sensor capturing a first picture and a second picture respectively when the light generator is inactivated and activated; and a processor calculating a coordinate of the object according to geometrical information of an projected object image and a projected mirror image of the object in the first picture and the second picture.

Abstract: A first image sensor captures a first image of a panel of a touch screen. The first image includes a first object, a second object, a first set of reference marks, a second set of reference marks, and a first boundary mark. The touch screen establishes relationships of relative positions among the first image sensor, the first object, the second object, and the reference marks according to positions of the first object, the second object, and the reference marks in the first image. And the touch screen calculates a relative position between the first image sensor and the panel according to the relationships of relative positions among the first image sensor, the first object, the second object, and the reference marks and relative positions among the first object, the second object, and the panel.

Abstract: An image processing method of a optical navigator includes the steps of: capturing a first image and calculating an average brightness of the first image; determining whether the average brightness is between a first threshold value and a second threshold value; when the average brightness is between the first and second threshold values, determining whether the first image is attenuated by an attenuation value; when the first image is not attenuated by the attenuation value, updating the attenuation value and a gain; attenuating the first image with the updated attenuation value and amplifying the attenuated first image with the gain; and comparing the attenuated and amplified first image with a reference image to obtain a displacement. The present invention further provides an optical navigator.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for acquiring object image of a pointer are provided. The apparatus is suitable for an optical touch system and is used for acquiring an object image of a pointer when the pointer interacts with a touch surface of the optical touch system. The apparatus includes an image sensor and a processing circuit. The image sensor is used for acquiring an image of the touch surface. When the pointer approaches the touch surface, the processing circuit compares at least a part of the information of a sensed image with a threshold value, so as to determine a comparison range. Then, the processing circuit determines another threshold value according to the image information in the comparison range. Afterwards, the processing circuit compares the image information in the comparison range with the aforementioned another threshold value, so as to acquire an object image of the pointer.

Abstract: An optical sensing system includes a sensing area, a reflective mirror, a first image-sensing device, a second image-sensing device, and a processing circuit. The sensing area is an area in which a plurality of pointing objects may execute touch operation. The reflective mirror generates a mirror image of the sensing area. The first image-sensing device and the second image-sensing device respectively capture images including all or part of the pointing objects in the sensing area, and all or part of the pointing objects in the reflective mirror. The processing circuit generates candidate coordinates according to the images captured by the first and the second image-sensing devices, and obtains the locations of the pointing objects from the candidate coordinates by means of the symmetric relationship between the point objects and the corresponding mirror images with respect to the reflective mirror. In this way, the optical sensing system can perform multi-touch operation.

Abstract: An optical touch system includes an image sensor for detecting at least one object and a processor coupled to the image sensor. The processor is configured to determine the number of pixel clusters created by the at least one object on an image generated from the image sensor and to generate gesture information when the number of pixel clusters is greater than a predetermined pixel cluster number.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical touch panel system and a positioning method for positioning an object in a touch control area. The system includes: at least two reflective elements respectively disposed on a first side and a second side of the touch control area, wherein the sum of lengths of the first side and the second side is larger than the sum of lengths of the two reflective elements; two lighting elements respectively disposed on a third side and a fourth side of the touch control area; an image sensor forming projected images by capturing an image of the object and at least one mirror image of the object formed by the two reflective elements; and a processor calculating the coordinates of the object according to geometric information of the projected images.