Platform for item sensing and identification
First Claim
1. A platform for sensing physical objects having electromagnetically actuable tags associated therewith, the platform comprising:
- a. a sensing surface having a sensing area;
b. beneath the sensing surface, an array of coils;
c. control circuitry for (i) causing at least one of the coils to generate a time-varying interrogation signal, the interrogation signal interacting with tags disposed on the surface within the sensing area, (ii) receiving a signal indicative of the interrogation signal as affected by the tags and their proximities to the various coils, and (iii) based on the received signal, determining positions for each of the objects within the sensing area; and
d. a display generator for creating displays relating to the sensed objects derived from the tags associated therewith, the displays remaining in proximity to the sensed objects notwithstanding movement thereof on the sensing surface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The response of an object to a single time-varying magnetic field is sensed to determine object position and/or manipulation on a horizontal or vertical surface. A time-varying interrogation signal, which interacts with tags disposed on the surface, is read by an array of sensing coils. Control circuitry receives signals from the sensing coils representing this interaction and, based thereon, determines the identity, position, and manipulation of each of the objects based on the sensed signals and the known positions of the sensing coils. Feedback to the user can be provided in the form of a localized output (e.g. light, sound, heat, etc.) physically coincident with the object.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A platform for sensing physical objects having electromagnetically actuable tags associated therewith, the platform comprising:
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a. a sensing surface having a sensing area;
b. beneath the sensing surface, an array of coils;
c. control circuitry for (i) causing at least one of the coils to generate a time-varying interrogation signal, the interrogation signal interacting with tags disposed on the surface within the sensing area, (ii) receiving a signal indicative of the interrogation signal as affected by the tags and their proximities to the various coils, and (iii) based on the received signal, determining positions for each of the objects within the sensing area; and
d. a display generator for creating displays relating to the sensed objects derived from the tags associated therewith, the displays remaining in proximity to the sensed objects notwithstanding movement thereof on the sensing surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A platform for sensing physical objects having electromagnetically actuable tags associated therewith, the platform comprising:
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a. a sensing surface having a sensing area;
b. beneath the sensing surface, a series of coils;
c. control circuitry for (i) causing at least one of the coils to generate a time-varying interrogation signal, the interrogation signal interacting with tags disposed on the surface within the sensing area, the tags being configured to respond to the interrogation signal based on a physical condition of the object, (ii) receiving a signal indicative of the interrogation signal as affected by the tags and their proximities to the various coils, and (iii) based on the received signal, determining the physical condition for each of the objects within the sensing area. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of sensing physical objects having electromagnetically actuable tags associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a sensing surface having a sensing area;
b. causing generation of at least one time-varying interrogation signal within the sensing area, the at least one interrogation signal interacting with tags disposed on the surface within the sensing area;
c. receiving a signal indicative of the at least one interrogation signal as affected by the tags;
d. based on the received signal, determining positions for each of the objects within the sensing area; and
e. displaying information relevant to the sensed objects and derived from the tags associated therewith, the display remaining in proximity to the sensed objects notwithstanding movement thereof on the sensing surface - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of sensing physical objects having electromagnetically actuable tags associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a sensing surface having a sensing area;
b. causing generation of at least one time-varying interrogation signal within the sensing area, the at least one interrogation signal interacting with tags disposed on the surface within the sensing area, the tags being configured to respond to the interrogation signal based on a physical condition of the object;
c. receiving a signal indicative of the at least one interrogation signal as affected by the tags; and
d. based on the received signal, determining the physical condition for each of the objects within the sensing area. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification