Interactive Display System and Method

Abstract

The present disclosure describes an interactive display system, method and computer readable medium. In one embodiment, an interactive display surface having one or more computer generated patterns printed thereon may be utilized in conjunction with an electronic pen in order to identify the absolute position of the pen relative to the interactive display surface. In one embodiment, the absolute position of the electronic pen may be transmitted to a computer system and utilized to control one or more programs running on the computer system. In one embodiment, the visual output of the computer system may be superimposed upon the interactive display surface using one or more projectors. The computer generated patterns may have a predefined association with a control operation of the computer system such that placing the electronic pen in proximity to the associated generated pattern causes the computer system to execute the associated control operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented interactive display method comprising:
 identifying an absolute position of an electronic pen relative to an interactive display surface having one or more computer generated patterns imprinted thereon, the electronic pen having an infrared camera for reading the computer generated patterns upon the interactive display surface and a processor for decoding the patterns read by the infrared camera upon the interactive display surface, wherein the decoded patterns indicate the absolute position of the electronic pen with respect to the interactive display surface; and   wherein the electronic pen further comprises an inkless stylus.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the computer generated patterns imprinted on the interactive display surface have a predefined association with a control operation of a computer system in communication with the electronic pen such that placing the electronic pen in proximity to the associated generated pattern causes the computer system to execute the associated control operation. 
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 generating a hyperlink between the computer generated pattern and the associated control operation; and   activating the hyperlink to execute the associated control operation.   
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising superimposing a visual output of the computer system upon the interactive display surface using one or more projectors. 
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the interactive display surface is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the interactive display surface is substantially flexible. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the interactive display surface further comprises a substantially transparent anti-reflective layer. 
     
     
         8 . An interactive display system comprising:
 a computer processor operative to:   identify an absolute position of an electronic pen relative to an interactive display surface having one or more computer generated patterns imprinted thereon, the electronic pen having an infrared camera for reading the computer generated patterns upon the interactive display surface and a processor for decoding the patterns read by the infrared camera upon the interactive display surface, wherein the decoded patterns indicate the absolute position of the electronic pen with respect to the interactive display surface; and   wherein the interactive display surface further comprises a magnetic adhesive.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein one or more of the computer generated patterns imprinted on the interactive display surface have a predefined association with a control operation of a computer system in communication with the electronic pen such that placing the electronic pen in proximity to the associated generated pattern causes the computer system to execute the associated control operation. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is operative to superimpose a visual output of the computer system upon the interactive display surface using one or more projectors. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is operative to identify a scale of the computer system visual output and adjust the scale of the interactive display surface to substantially match the scale of the computer system visual output. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is operative to identify dimensions of the computer system visual output and adjust the dimensions of the interactive display surface to substantially match the dimensions of the computer system visual output. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic pen further comprises a microphone for capturing audio information. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic pen further comprises an audio receiver for transmitting audio information. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for providing an interactive display comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to:
 identify an absolute position of an electronic pen relative to an interactive display surface having one or more computer generated patterns imprinted thereon, the electronic pen having an infrared camera for reading the computer generated patterns upon the interactive display surface and a processor for decoding the patterns read by the infrared camera upon the interactive display surface, wherein the decoded patterns indicate the absolute position of the electronic pen with respect to the interactive display surface; and   wherein the interactive display surface further comprises a magnetic adhesive.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein one or more of the computer generated patterns imprinted on the interactive display surface have a predefined association with a control operation of a computer system in communication with the electronic pen such that placing the electronic pen in proximity to the associated generated pattern causes the computer system to execute the associated control operation. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the interactive display surface is shaped to resemble a keyboard and wherein the control operation comprises one or more keyboard functions. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the interactive display surface further comprises one or more thumbnail images, each thumbnail image resembling a keyboard button. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the interactive display surface is shaped to resemble a mouse pad and wherein the control operation comprises one or more mouse functions. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the interactive display surface is shaped to resemble a color palette and wherein the control operation comprises one or more color palette functions.