Capturing handwriting
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving light from a moving writing instrument at an array of sensing elements of a sensor;
reading the sensing elements in sequence to generate a sequence of signals indicative of light sensed by the elements of the array; and
resetting each elements after it is read and before at least some of the other elements in the array are read.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Motion of a writing instrument is tracked from sensors located in the vicinity. The signals generated from the sensors are processed and used in a wide variety of ways.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving light from a moving writing instrument at an array of sensing elements of a sensor;
reading the sensing elements in sequence to generate a sequence of signals indicative of light sensed by the elements of the array; and
resetting each elements after it is read and before at least some of the other elements in the array are read. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method comprising:
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conveying light from a moving hand-held instrument;
sensing the light at two or more sensors, each of the two or more sensors comprising a two-dimensional array of sensing elements;
generating signals representing the two-dimensional locations on the arrays of light that is sensed; and
determining a sequence of three-dimensional positions of the moving writing instrument based on the signals.
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6. Apparatus comprising:
a writing instrument system that can track three-dimensional motion of the writing instrument. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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sending light from a moving writing instrument, the light being indicative of a position and path of the writing instrument; and
directly sensing, at one or more sensors spaced from the writing instrument, angles from which light is received from the writing instrument. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus comprising:
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a writing instrument;
an element that enables wireless transmission of a signal associated with motion of the writing instrument and tracking of the writing motion based on the signal; and
the element being built into a cell phone, a PDA, a webpad, or a clipboard.
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14. Apparatus comprising:
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two optical sensors separated by a known distance and arranged to, receive light from a source associated with a writing instrument, determine directions from which the light is received relative to a known direction, and provide signals representing the directions for use in determining a sequence of locations of the writing instrument; and
at least one of the two sensors comprising a CMOS of CCD array. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. Apparatus comprising:
a holder for a writing instrument, the writing instrument including electronic circuitry configured to be used in conjunction with tracking writing motion of the writing instrument, the writing instrument including a rechargeable battery connected to power the electronic circuitry, and the holder including a receptacle for the writing instrument and a recharging circuit connected to recharge the battery when the writing instrument is in the receptacle.
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18. Apparatus comprising:
- a CMOS sensor adapted to receive light associated with motion of a writing instrument and to provide signals indicative of an angle of receipt of the light with respect to a known direction; and
a lens aligned to direct the received light to the CMOS array. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- a CMOS sensor adapted to receive light associated with motion of a writing instrument and to provide signals indicative of an angle of receipt of the light with respect to a known direction; and
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25. A method comprising:
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modulating light that is conveyed from a moving writing instrument to light sensors spaced from the writing instrument at a predetermined frequency; and
using a phase locked loop associated with the sensors to lock onto the phase of the modulated light.
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26. Apparatus comprising:
- circuitry for tracking writing motion of a writing instrument using wireless transmission of signals between the writing instrument and a stationary element, the stationary element including a main processor and a separate preprocessor, the preprocessor being connected to perform at least data capture with respect to motion of the writing instrument, and the main processor being connected to perform at least data communication with respect to the tracking.
- View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
Specification