Position Detecting System and Apparatuses and Methods For Use and Control Thereof

• US 20080128180A1
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: N-Trig Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: N-Trig Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Ben-Eliyahu, Avi Ezer, Perski, Haim
• Application Number:
  US11/791,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20080128180A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A position detection system, comprising: at least one pointer, comprising: a wave generating oscillator section; a power supply section powering the oscillator section, and an energy pick-up circuit which supplies energy to the power supply section from an excitation signal received by the circuit; and, a detector, comprising a sensor operative to detect the position of the at least one pointer from a wave generated by the wave generating section.

Claims

1. A position detection system, comprising:

at least one pointer, comprising;

a wave generating oscillator section capable of generating oscillating electrical signals;

a power supply section powering generation of said electrical oscillating signals by said oscillator section; and

an energy pick-up circuit which supplies energy to the power supply section from an excitation signal received by said circuit; and

,

a detector, comprising a sensor operative to detect the position of said at least one pointer from a wave generated by the wave generating section.

2. A position detection system according to claim 1, wherein the excitation signal is transmitted from said detector.

3. A position detection system according to claim 1, wherein said power supply produces a DC voltage to power the oscillator section.

4. A position detection system according to claim 1, wherein said energy pick-up circuit comprises a coil which is excited by the excitation signal.

5. A position detection system according to claim 1, wherein said power supply section further comprises a rechargeable battery.

6. A position detection system according to claim 5, wherein said rechargeable battery recharges from energy derived by said energy pick-up circuit.

7. A position detection system according to claim 1, wherein said power supply section further comprises a capacitor that is charged from the energy pick-up circuit.

9. A position detection system according to claim 2, wherein said pointer further comprises a transmission section that is powered by a transmission power supply section.

10. A position detection system according to claim 9, wherein said transmission power supply section is comprised of a transmission power supply section energy pick-up circuit which is excited by the excitation signal circuit and which supplies energy to the power supply section from the excitation signal.

11. A position detection system according to claim 10, wherein said transmission power supply section energy pick-up circuit comprises a coil which is excited by the excitation signal.

12. A position detection system according to claim 9, wherein said transmission power supply section energy pick-up circuit further comprises a rechargeable battery.

13. A position detection system according to claim 1, wherein said oscillator section further comprises at least a variable element responsive to pressure exerted on said pointer by a user.

14. A position detecting system according to claim 13, wherein when said pressure is exerted, a first frequency generated by said oscillator section changes to a second frequency.

15. A position detecting system according to claim 14, wherein said first frequency corresponds to at least a first executable command and wherein said second frequency corresponds to a second executable command on said detector.

16. A position detecting system according to claim 13, wherein said variable element is a capacitor.

17. A position detecting system according to claim 13, wherein said variable element is a resistor.

18. A position detecting system according to claim 13, wherein said variable element is an inductor.

20. A position detection system according to claim 1, wherein said detector is a display.

21. A position detection system according to claim 2, wherein said oscillator section generates a wave at a frequency independent of said excitation signal.

22. A position detection system according to claim 2, wherein said pointer further comprises at least one synchronization circuit which synchronizes said oscillator section wave generation with said excitation signal.

23. A position detecting system according to claim 1, wherein said detector is at least one of:

a personal computer, a personal data assistant, a tablet or a mobile phone.

8. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

24. A pointer, comprising:

a wave generating oscillator section capable of generating oscillating electrical signals;

a power supply section powering said generation of said electrical oscillating signals by said oscillator section; and

an energy pick-up circuit which supplies energy to the power supply section from an excitation signal received by said circuit; and

,

a transmission section that transmits a signal generated by the oscillator section

25. A pointer according to claim 24, wherein said power supply produces a DC voltage to power the oscillator section.

26. A pointer according to claim 24, wherein said power supply section further comprises at least one synchronization circuit which synchronizes said oscillator section signal generation with said excitation signal.

27. A pointer according to claim 24, wherein said energy pick-up circuit comprises a coil which is excited by the excitation signal.

28. A pointer according to claim 24, wherein said power supply section further comprises a rechargeable battery, wherein said rechargeable battery recharges from energy derived by said energy pick-up circuit.

30. A pointer according to any claim 24, wherein said power supply section further comprises a capacitor.

31. A pointer according to claim 30, wherein said capacitor is charged from said energy pick-up circuit.

33. A pointer according to claim 24, further comprising at least a transmission power supply section powering the transmission section.

34. A pointer according to claim 33, wherein said transmission power supply section is comprised of a transmission power supply section energy pick-up circuit which is excited by the excitation signal and which supplies energy to the transmission power supply section from the excitation signal.

35. A pointer according to claim 34, wherein said transmission power supply section energy pick-up circuit comprises a coil which is excited by the excitation signal.

36. A pointer according to claim 34, wherein said transmission power supply section energy pick-up circuit further comprises a rechargeable battery.

37. A pointer according to claim 24, wherein said oscillator section generates a signal at a frequency independent of said excitation signal.

38. A pointer according to claim 24, wherein said oscillator section further comprises at least a variable element responsive to pressure exerted on said pointer by a user.

39. A pointer according to claim 38, further comprising a button located on an exterior of said pointer wherein said button controls said at least a variable element responsive to pressure exerted on it from said button.

41. A pointer according to claim 38, wherein when said pressure is exerted, a first frequency generated by said oscillator section changes to a second frequency.

42. A pointer according to claim 41, wherein said second frequency is one of a relatively narrow range of frequencies.

44. A pointer according to claim 39, wherein said variable element is a capacitor.

45. A pointer according to claim 39, wherein said variable element is a pressure sensitive resistor.

46. A pointer according to claim 39, wherein said variable element is an inductor.

29. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

47. A method for providing energy to a pointer, comprising:

transmitting an excitation signal from a detector;

generating a DC voltage from said excitation signal; and

,

powering generation of electrical oscillating signals by an oscillator from said DC voltage.

48. A stylus for use in a digitizer system, comprising:

a stylus tip;

at least one moving element located in the stylus, wherein said at least one moving element moves in response to pressure applied on the stylus tip;

at least one elastic element fitted around an outer circumference of said at least one moving element and coupled to a housing of the stylus such that during said motion of said moving element, torsion is applied to said elastic element and wherein said elastic element torsion opposes motion of said moving element and returns said moving element to a condition that existed prior to said motion.

49. A stylus according to claim 48, wherein said elastic element is an o-ring.

50. A stylus according to claim 48, wherein said moving element is a conductive element.

51. A stylus according to claim 48 further comprising a variable element, wherein said variable element modulates in response to motion of said at least one moving element towards said variable element.

52. A stylus according to claim 50, wherein said conductive element is a ferrite.

53. A stylus according to claim 51, wherein said variable element is a resistor.

54. A stylus according to claim 51, wherein said variable element is a capacitor.

55. A stylus according to claim 51, further comprising an oscillator section in operative communication with said variable element.

56. A stylus according to claim 51, wherein pressure exerted on said stylus tip causes motion of said at least one moving element towards said variable element.

57. A stylus for use in a digitizer system, comprising:

a stylus tip;

an oscillator producing an electrical signal; and

a variable element forming a part of the oscillator,

wherein the stylus is operative when pressure is exerted on a tip thereof to transmit pressure via a force transmitting element to said variable element such that the value of said variable element modulates in response to pressure exerted on said stylus tip.

58. A stylus according to claim 57, further comprising at least one o-ring positioned around said force transmitting element and coupled to a housing of said stylus such that during motion of said force transmitting element, torsion is applied to said o-ring and wherein said o-ring torsion opposes motion of said force transmitting element towards said variable element.

59. A stylus according to claim 58, wherein said o-ring torsion provides a force to return said force transmitting element to a condition that existed prior to said motion towards said variable element.

60. A stylus according to claim 57, wherein said variable element is a variable resistor.

61. A stylus according to claim 57, wherein said variable element is a variable capacitor.

62. A pointer, comprising:

a wave generating oscillator section capable of generating oscillating electrical signals responsive to an excitation signal;

a transmission section that transmits a signal generated by the oscillator section;

a power supply section powering said transmission section; and

an energy pick-up circuit which supplies energy to the power supply section from an excitation signal received by said circuit.

63. A pointer according to claim 62, wherein said power supply produces a DC voltage to power the transmission section.

64. A pointer according to claim 62, wherein said energy pick-up circuit comprises a coil which is excited by the excitation signal.

65. A pointer according to claim 62, wherein said power supply section further comprises a rechargeable battery, wherein said rechargeable battery recharges from energy derived by said energy pick-up circuit.

66. A pointer according to claim 62, wherein said power supply section further comprises a capacitor that is charged from said energy pick-up circuit.