Using RF identification tags in writing instruments as a means for line style differentiation

• US 20030066691A1
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dʼhooge, Herman, Jelinek, Lenka M., Deleeuw, William C., Koizumi, David H., Brown, Frank T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,126,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

One aspect of the invention involves the output of a radio frequency (RF) identification tag by a writing instrument to indicate ink color or another characteristic associated with a line style parameter of the writing instrument. The RF identification tag is a wireless signal that uniquely identifies the line style parameters, such as physical-ink or virtual-ink color, produced when using the writing instrument. A writing tablet receives the RF identification tag and signals a computing device, responsible for displaying graphical representations made on the writing tablet, to display a portion of the graphical representation formed by that writing instrument with the characteristics of the line style parameters specified by the RF identification tag.

Claims

1. A writing instrument comprising:

a casing forming an interior cavity; and

a transponder placed within the interior cavity, the wireless transponder outputting a radio frequency (RF) identification tag that indicates a line style parameter of the writing instrument.

2. The writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the line style parameter relates to at least one ink color associated with the writing instrument.

3. The writing instrument of claim 2, wherein the wireless transponder outputs the RF identification tag by resonating a unique frequency corresponding to the ink color.

4. The writing instrument of claim 3, wherein the wireless transponder is an inductor-capacitor (LC) circuit.

5. The writing instrument of claim 4, wherein the LC circuit further includes an antenna.

6. The writing instrument of claim 2, wherein the transponder includes (i) a signal detector to rectify a color inquiry signal to produce a voltage and (ii) a color coding circuit to produce a signal at a selected frequency modulated with the RF identification tag.

7. The writing instrument of claim 6, wherein the color inquiry signal is produced by a writing tablet.

8. The writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the line style parameter relates to thickness of a line segment produced by the writing instrument.

9. The writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the line style parameter relates to a pattern of a line segment produced by the writing instrument.

10. The writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the line style parameter relates to a level of transparency associated with a line segment produced by the writing instrument.

11. The writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the line style parameter relates to a blending of at least one identical types of indicia and different types of indicia.

12. The writing instrument of claim 11, wherein one of the identical types of indicia include at least two ink colors.

13. A writing instrument comprising:

a casing containing a reservoir to store a writing solution and a writing head that dispenses some of the writing solution to form a line segment as pressure is applied thereto; and

a sleeve adapted for placement over an outer surface of the casing, the sleeve includes a transponder that periodically outputs a radio frequency (RF) identification tag to identify at least a color of the writing solution.

14. The writing instrument of claim 13, wherein the RF identification tag further identifies other indicia associated with line segment.

15. The writing instrument of claim 13, wherein the sleeve configured for attachment to the casing, the sleeve when attached includes a cylindrical aperture having an inner diameter substantially equivalent to a diameter formed by the outer surface of the casing.

16. The writing instrument of claim 15, wherein the sleeve is made of a generally pliable material.

17. The writing instrument of claim 14, wherein the wireless transponder is an inductor-capacitor (LC) circuit.

18. The writing instrument of claim 17, wherein the LC circuit further includes an antenna.

19. A writing tablet comprising:

a housing; and

internal logic employed within the housing, the internal logic includes a wireless receiver to receive incoming wireless signals from a writing instrument to indicate line style parameters associated with the writing instrument, the line style parameters include at least two of an ink color, a thickness for a line segment produced by the writing instrument, a selected pattern associated with the line segment when produced by the writing instrument, and animation effects.

20. The writing tablet of claim 19, wherein one of the wireless signals includes a radio frequency (RF) identification tag.

21. The writing tablet of claim 20, wherein the housing includes a screen.

22. The writing tablet of claim 21, wherein the wireless receiver is configured to detect the RF identification tag associated with the writing instrument only when the writing instrument is in contact with the screen.

23. A method comprising:

outputting a radio frequency (RF) identification tag by a writing instrument to indicate ink color of the writing instrument; and

displaying a portion of a graphical representation formed by the writing instrument in the color specified by the RF identification tag.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the outputting of the RF identification tag includes

receiving a color inquiry signal from a writing tablet used to convey graphical representations formed by the writing instrument to a computing device for display;

and

outputting a color reply signal from the writing instrument to acknowledge receipt of the color inquiry signal and provide the RF identification tag associated with the writing instrument.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the RF identification tag is a unique frequency, resonated by a transponder of the writing instrument, that corresponds to the ink color.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the RF identification tag is automatically output by the writing instrument.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein automatic output of the RF identification tag is periodic.