Method and apparatus for recognition of writing, for remote communication, and for user defined input templates

• US 20040022454A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Original Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Inventors: Kasabach, Chris Dominick, Stivoric, John Michael, Teller, Eric, Pacione, Christopher, Gemperle, Francine Duskey
• Granted Patent: US 7,068,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/314
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/32 Digital ink

Abstract

A device including a housing, a writing tip connected to the housing, a writing surface position indicator, a processor in the housing, a memory device in the housing connected to the processor, and a sensor in the housing and cooperative with the writing surface position indicator. The device may be used to record writings and drawings applied to a surface by a user, to transmit that data to a remote device, to download data from remote devices, and to otherwise communicate with remote devices.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a writing tip connected to the housing;

a writing surface position indicator;

a processor in the housing;

a memory device in the housing connected to the processor; and

a sensor in the housing and cooperative with the writing surface position indicator.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the writing surface position indicator is removably fastenable to a writing surface.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of accelerometers connected to the writing tip.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a pressure sensor connected to the writing tip.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the writing surface position indicator includes a signal transmitter.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the sensor includes a signal receiver.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the sensor includes a second signal receiver.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the writing surface position indicator includes a second signal transmitter.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the writing surface position indicator includes a signal transmitter selected from the group consisting of a active signal transmitter and a passive signal transmitter.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein the writing surface position indicator includes a signal transmitter selected from the group consisting of an infrared signal transmitter, an ultrasonic signal transmitter, and an electromagnetic signal transmitter.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory device includes instructions stored thereon which when executed by the processor cause the processor to determine relative position between the writing tip and a writing surface.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein:

the sensor periodically receives a signal from the writing surface position indicator; and

the memory device includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to periodically update the relative position between the writing tip and the writing surface.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory device includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize data written with the writing tip on a writing surface.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the memory device includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute commands in response to the recognized data.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the memory device includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize a user-defined interface defined by the recognized data.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a base connected to the housing.

17. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a writing tip connected to the housing;

a writing surface position indicator;

a plurality of accelerometers connected to the housing;

a pressure sensor connected to the writing tip;

a processor in the housing;

a memory device in the housing connected to the processor; and

a sensor in the housing and cooperative with the writing surface position indicator.

18. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a writing tip connected to the housing;

means for providing a signal indicative of a writing surface;

a sensor connected to the housing for receiving the signal.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising means for determining the relative position of the writing tip to the writing surface.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising means for tracking the relative position of the writing tip to the writing surface.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising means for recognizing data written on the writing surface in response to the means for tracking.

22. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a writing tip connected to the housing;

a processor in the housing;

a memory device in the housing connected to the processor and having stored thereon instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize an interface defined by writing on a writing surface.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the memory device includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize user interaction with the interface.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the memory device includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute commands based on the recognized interaction.

25. A method for determining a relative position between a writing instrument and a writing surface, comprising:

producing a signal at a fixed location relative to the writing surface;

receiving the signal at the writing instrument;

determining the relative position of the writing instrument relative to the fixed location.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein producing a signal is selected from the group consisting of producing an infrared signal, producing an ultrasonic signal, and producing an electromagnetic signal.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein producing a signal is selected from the group consisting of producing an active signal and producing a passive signal.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein determining the relative position includes determining the relative position by triangulation.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising producing a second signal from a second fixed location relative to the surface, wherein the fixed location and the second fixed location are spaced apart by a distance.

30. A method of tracking relative movement between a writing instrument and a writing surface, comprising:

determining movement of the writing instrument;

periodically producing a signal from a fixed location relative to the writing surface;

receiving the signal at the writing instrument; and

updating a position of the writing instrument relative to the writing surface.

31. A method for defining an interface, comprising:

monitoring movement of a writing instrument on a writing surface;

recognizing a command area on the writing surface defined by movement of the writing instrument;

associating a command with the command area; and

determining whether the writing instrument touches the writing surface within the command area.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising executing the command if the writing instrument touches the writing surface within the command area.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein monitoring movement of the writing instrument includes:

periodically producing a signal from a fixed location relative to the writing surface;

receiving the signal at the writing instrument; and

updating a position of the writing instrument relative to the fixed location.