Abstract: A virtual multi-touch input device uses an optical camera system and a processor to detect locations and motions of objects in a virtual working area and to transfer information about the locations and motions of the objects to a host device, such as a personal computer (PC) or a cellular phone. When the user's finger or objects touch a region of interest lit by a flat fan beam of light, the lit portions of the finger or objects are imaged by the optical camera system and the processor processes the images to obtain the locations of the finger or objects. Based on the motions or a movement pattern (gesture) of the finger or objects, the processor produces the multi-touch information for controlling a computing device and associated displays.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method that includes capturing images of a working area that includes indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys and detecting a selected key of the plurality of keys. The detecting of the selected key includes detecting an object in the working area by analyzing the captured images for variations in light intensity in the captured images. The detecting of the object includes generating a first row histogram based on the light intensity in each of the rows in each of the captured images, generating a first column histogram based on the light intensity in each of the columns in each of the captured images, and determining an identification of the selected key based on the first row histogram and the first column histogram. The method also includes outputting the identification of the selected key to a host device.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method that includes capturing images of a working area that includes indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys and detecting a selected key of the plurality of keys. The detecting of the selected key includes detecting an object in the working area by analyzing the captured images for variations in light intensity in the captured images. The detecting of the object includes generating a first row histogram based on the light intensity in each of the rows in each of the captured images, generating a first column histogram based on the light intensity in each of the columns in each of the captured images, and determining an identification of the selected key based on the first row histogram and the first column histogram. The method also includes outputting the identification of the selected key to a host device.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method that includes capturing images of a working area that includes indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys and detecting a selected key of the plurality of keys. The detecting of the selected key includes detecting an object in the working area by analyzing the captured images for variations in light intensity in the captured images. The detecting of the object includes generating a first row histogram based on the light intensity in each of the rows in each of the captured images, generating a first column histogram based on the light intensity in each of the columns in each of the captured images, and determining an identification of the selected key based on the first row histogram and the first column histogram. The method also includes outputting the identification of the selected key to a host device.

Abstract: A virtual multi-touch input device uses an optical camera system and a processor to detect locations and motions of objects in a virtual working area and to transfer information about the locations and motions of the objects to a host device, such as a personal computer (PC) or a cellular phone. When the user's finger or objects touch a region of interest lit by a flat fan beam of light, the lit portions of the finger or objects are imaged by the optical camera system and the processor processes the images to obtain the locations of the finger or objects. Based on the motions or a movement pattern (gesture) of the finger or objects, the processor produces the multi-touch information for controlling a computing device and associated displays.