Path tracing apparatus and method

• US 20080272316A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloomfield Science Museum Jerusalem
• Original Assignee: Bloomfield Science Museum Jerusalem
• Inventors: Morris, Michael, Rofe, Arik, Ben Shalom, Amir, Greenwald, Oola
• Granted Patent: US 7,804,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/492.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421

Abstract

A low maintenance path tracing apparatus comprising at least one marker including an emitter of a tracer signal and a receiving medium for recording the path of the tracer signal. The apparatus further includes a power providing arrangement comprising a base unit which wirelessly provides power to the marker for powering the emitter.

Claims

1. A tracing apparatus comprising:

a. at least one remote marker comprising an emitter for emitting a tracer signal;

b. at least one receiving medium for receiving said tracer signal; and

c. at least one power providing arrangement comprising a base unit for wirelessly providing power to said remote marker.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said emitter emits radiation selected from the group comprising:

visible light, infrared, ultraviolet and radio waves.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receiving medium comprises a photosensitive material.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said photosensitive material is selected from the group comprising:

photochromic materials, photoluminescent materials, phosphorescent materials, thermochromic materials and polarising materials.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said photosensitive material comprises a matrix of photosensitive electronic components selected from the group comprising:

photodiodes, photovoltaic cells, photodetectors, photomultipliers and photoconductors.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base unit of said power providing arrangement comprises a primary inductive coil and said remote marker comprises a secondary inductive coil configured to couple inductively with said primary inductive coil.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base unit of said power providing arrangement comprises a light source and said remote marker comprises at least one photovoltaic cell.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base unit of said power providing arrangement comprises a high energy radio transmitter and said remote marker comprises an antenna tuned to receive a signal from said high energy radio transmitter.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base unit of said power providing arrangement comprises a high energy ultrasonic transmitter and said remote marker comprises a piezoelectric device for receiving a signal from said high energy ultrasonic transmitter.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 incorporated into a device for providing a demonstration in a science center.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 incorporated into a toy.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 incorporated into a writing apparatus.

14. A remote marker for use in the tracing apparatus of claim 1.

15. A base unit for use in the tracing apparatus of claim 1.

16. A method for tracing the trajectory of a remote marker comprising:

a. providing a base unit for wirelessly providing power to said remote marker;

b. providing power to said remote marker;

c. emitting a tracer signal from said remote marker;

d. providing at least one receiving medium configured to receive said tracer signal and to record the position at which said tracer signal is received; and

e. recording the path of said tracer signal.