Apparatus for Object Information Detection and Methods of Using Same

• US 20070062852A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: N-Trig Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Rimon, Ori, Perski, Haim, Kaplan, Amir, Zachut, Rafi
• Granted Patent: US 8,931,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/683
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2007/3611 with a playing surface playable on both sides
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/265 by skin resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/06 Games simulating outdoor ball games, e.g. hockey or football if physically beneficial for the human body A63B67/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/068 using magnetic power magnetic toys A63H33/26
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0692 Kicking
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/58 Wireless transmission of information between a sensor or probe and a control or evaluation unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/003 for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination coordinate measuring G01B7/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A system for determining information regarding at least one object, comprising: a sensor sensitive to capacitive coupling; at least one object adapted to create a capacitive coupling with the sensor when at least one signal is input to the sensor; a detector adapted to measure at least one output signal of said sensor associated with the at least one object, wherein the output signal associated with the at least one object is an object information code.

Claims

1. A system for determining information regarding at least one object, comprising:

a sensor sensitive to capacitive coupling;

at least one object adapted to create a capacitive coupling with the sensor when at least one signal is input to the sensor;

a detector adapted to measure at least one output signal of said sensor associated with the at least one object, wherein the output signal associated with the at least one object is an object information code.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one object is provided with a pattern of conductive areas containing the object information code.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the pattern of conductive areas is comprised of conductive tokens.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the pattern of conductive areas includes conductive and non-conductive areas to provide a binary object information code.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein the pattern of conductive areas is comprised of differently sized conductive areas such that some areas cause a different capacitive coupling than other areas.

6. A system according to claim 2, wherein the pattern of conductive areas is comprised of conductive areas, of which at least a first conductive area is located a first distance from a second conductive area which is located a second distance from at least a third conductive area.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the first and second distances are selected from a set of predefined different distances.

8. A system according to claim 2, wherein at least two of the conductive areas are selectively in conductive connection with each other.

9. A system according to claim 2, wherein the pattern of conductive areas forms at least one of a plurality of rows, a plurality of columns or a geometric shape.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the information is at least one of position, identity, or orientation of the object on the sensor.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the measurement of said at least one output signal is at least one of voltage, amplitude, phase, frequency, or correlation.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is comprised of two arrays of electrodes, a first array comprising a first set of electrodes and a second array comprising a second set of electrodes.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the first and second arrays are orthogonal.

14. A system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a source of the input signal adapted to input the at least one signal to the first set of electrodes; and

,

wherein the input signal is transferred to the second set of electrodes by the at least one object capacitively coupled to at least one of the second set of electrodes.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one object is one of a plurality of objects, each with a different object information code.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one object is a game piece.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one object is a pointing device.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein a pointing device is a stylus or mouse.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one object is a body part of a user.

20. A system according to claims 1, wherein at least one object comprises several surfaces, and wherein each surface comprises an information code.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein at least one object is a gaming die.

22. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a display having an image that can be changed electronically displayed thereon.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the display underlies the sensor and wherein the sensor is substantially transparent.

24. A system according to claim 22, wherein the system is a personal computer.