METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR VIRTUAL TOUCHSCREEN COMPUTER INTERFACE CONTROLLER

摘要

An interface controller (100) for a computer or other data processor which does not require physical contact between a pointing device and the controller. Methods and apparatus are disclosed for detecting a coordinate position (105) associated with the violation of a plane or field (103) in space by a pointing device (104) such as a user's finger, and using the detected coordinates as input for controlling a data processor such as a digital computer (101). The interface (100) controller is especially useful for controlling computers in which the user is presented not with a physical interface screen such as a CRT monitor, but with a projected virtual image (111) of the screen.