Method of generating digital ink thickness information

• US 20020163510A1
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Jian, Williams, Lyndsay
• Granted Patent: US 7,176,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method and system that converts ballistic movement of a pen (e.g., movement of a pen point across a surface) into thickness information for digital ink data. The pen includes at least one accelerometer that is used to generate the ballistic information. A thickness conversion component may be located on a computer that is remote from the pen, and the ballistic information is transmitted to the computer via a hardwired or wireless connection. The accelerometer generates the ballistic information in the form of pulses, the width of which is directly related to the acceleration of the pen movements. The thickness conversion component converts the acceleration information, with or without additional information such as coordinate information, into thickness information for digital ink. This thickness information may be used to generate variably thick lines, which may be useful for a variety of applications, for example, better display and improved recognition.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising,

a writing instrument that generates ballistic information from a user'"'"'s handwriting;

and

a conversion component that utilizes the ballistic information to generate line thickness information.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the writing instrument is a pen.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the writing instrument comprises an accelerometer configured to generate the ballistic information.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the accelerometer generates analog ballistic information, and wherein the writing instrument comprises an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog ballistic information to digital data.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the conversion component is located remote from the writing instrument, and further comprising transmitting the digital data to the conversion component.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the digital data is transmitted via a wireless connection.

7. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the digital data is transmitted via a hardwired connection.

8. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the accelerometer is configured to generate tilt information.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the conversion component generates thickness information based upon spacing of plots in a map of a plot of the ballistic information.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the thickness information is based upon the samples/unit distance of the plots.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the thickness information increases a thickness component as the samples/unit distance increase.

12. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the conversion component generates thickness information based upon wavelengths of the ballistic information.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the thickness information increases a thickness component as the wavelengths increase.

14. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the conversion component is located remote from the writing instrument, and further comprising transmitting the digital data to the conversion component.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the digital data is transmitted via a wireless connection.

16. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the digital data is transmitted via a hardwired connection.

17. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the ballistic information comprises tilt information.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the conversion component generates thickness information based upon spacing of plots in a map of a plot of the tilt information.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the thickness information is based upon the samples/unit distance of the plots.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the thickness information increases a thickness component as the samples/unit distance increase.

21. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the ballistic information comprises pulses having wavelengths.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the thickness information increases a thickness component as the wavelengths increase.