Method for object identification and sensing in a bounded interaction space

An improvement in a media table of the type consisting of a display device integrated with a tabletop that defines a display surface that supports a plurality of movable objects that can be placed on, and moved from place to place on, said surface by one or more users, said display device producing an image that includes at least one image component that coincides with and moves with a corresponding one of said movable objects, said improvement comprising:

• a data processor,
• at least two spaced-apart acoustic transmitters, each of which responds to commands from said data processor by emitting timed acoustic signals that propagate through said tabletop to each of said movable objects,
• an acoustic signal sensor carried by each given one of said movable objects for detecting the times of arrival of said acoustic signals at said given one of said movable objects,
• a wireless communication link coupling said each of said movable objects to said data processor for transmitting data indicative of said times of arrival to said data processor,
• a program executable by said data processor for deriving location data from said data indicative of said times of arrival and for generating said image based on said location data.

A media table comprising:

• a tabletop display for rendering a visual image presented on a tabletop surface that supports of plurality of movable objects each of which is identified by a unique identification code and each of which can be moved from place to place on said tabletop surface by one or more media table users,
• a position tracking system for producing location data indicating the current positions of each of said movable objects, said position tracking system comprising:
• a controller,
• at least two spaced apart transmitters coupled to said controller for emitting timed acoustic signals that traverse said tabletop surface to each of said objects,
• an acoustic signal sensor carried by each given one of said objects for detecting the times of arrival of said acoustic signals at said given one of said objects,
• a wireless communications network coupling said controller to each of said objects for receiving information indicative of said times of arrival of said acoustic signals at each of said from each of said objects, and
• a position processor for deriving said location data from said information indicative of said times of arrival, and
• a display processor coupled to said tabletop display and to said processor for deriving said visual image from said location data and displaying said visual image on said tabletop display.