INPUT DEVICE AND DISPLAY SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME

• US 20110043492A1
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Elsasser, Gary, Zolnowsky, Jeff, Cochran, Michael, Kim, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,519,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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

An input device capable of optically communicating with an electronic apparatus is provided. The input device includes a light source, a force sensor, and a controller. The force sensor is configured to sense a force applied to a tip of the input device and generate a first sensing signal corresponding to the sensed force. The controller is electrically connected to the light source and the force sensor, and configured to receive the first sensing signal and control the light source to generate light pulses in response to the first sensing signal according to a predefined protocol.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising:

a light source;

a force sensor for sensing a force applied to a tip of the input device and generating a first sensing signal corresponding to the sensed force; and

a controller electrically connected to the light source and the force sensor, the controller receiving the first sensing signal and controlling the light source to generate light pulses in response to the first sensing signal according to a predefined protocol.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the light source to generate the light pulses by turning the light source on and off alternatively.

3. The input device according to claim 2, wherein the controller further controls amplitudes of the light pulses by varying current or voltage through the light source.

4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the force sensor is a strain gauge or a force-sensing resistor.

5. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer for measuring an acceleration of the input device and generating a second sensing signal associated therewith to the controller, wherein the controller controls operation of the light source in response to the second sensing signal according to the predefined protocol.

6. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a gyroscope for measuring an angular velocity of the input device and generating a third sensing signal associated therewith to the controller, wherein the controller controls operation of the light source in response to the third sensing signal according to the predefined protocol.

7. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of buttons for a user to input a plurality of fourth sensing signals to the controller, wherein the controller controls operation of the light source in response to the input sensing signal according to the predefined protocol.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the light source emits light having a first wavelength, and wherein the input device further comprises an additional light source for emitting light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength.

9. An input device for optically communicating with an electronic apparatus according to a predefined protocol, the electronic apparatus having a drawing application installed therein, the input device comprising:

a light source;

a force sensor for sensing a force applied to a tip of the input device and generating a first sensing signal corresponding to the sensed force; and

a controller electrically connected to the light source and the force sensor, the controller receiving the first sensing signal and controlling the light source to generate light pulses in response to the first sensing signal according to the predefined protocol;

wherein the light pulses are received by the electronic apparatus and translated into a command sequence for setting drawing attributes of the drawing application.

10. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the controller controls the light source to generate the light pulses by turning the light source on and off alternatively.

11. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the controller further controls amplitudes of the light pulses by varying current or voltage through the light source.

12. The input device according to claim 9, further comprising an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a plurality of buttons for providing one or more sensing signals to the controller, wherein the controller controls operation of the light source in response to the sensing signals according to the predefined protocol.

13. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the predefined protocol defines a relation between the drawing attributes and physical characteristics of the light pulses.

14. A display system, comprising:

an input device, comprising;

a light source;

a force sensor for sensing a force applied to a tip of the input device and generating a first sensing signal corresponding to the sensed force; and

a controller electrically connected to the light source and the force sensor, the controller receiving the first sensing signal and controlling the light source to generate light pulses in response to the first sensing signal according to a predefined protocol; and

an electronic apparatus having a drawing application installed therein, comprising;

a display unit;

a photo sensor for receiving the light pulses; and

a processor electrically connected to the display unit and the photo sensor, the processor generating coordinates of the input device and a command sequence associated with the drawing application in response to the light pulses.

15. The display system according to claim 14, wherein the drawing application generates display information to be displayed on the display unit according to the command sequence and the coordinates.

16. The display system according to claim 14, wherein the photo sensor translates the received light pulses into electrical signals, and the electrical signals are received by the processor and translated into the command sequence according to the predefined protocol.

17. The display system according to claim 14, wherein the command sequence is for setting drawing attributes of the drawing application, and the drawing attributes comprises line width, color selection, color intensity, point size, brush type, rotation angle, and combination thereof.

18. The display system according to claim 17, wherein the predefined protocol defines a relation between the drawing attributes and physical characteristics of the light pulses.

19. The display system according to claim 14, wherein the input device further comprises an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a plurality of buttons for providing one or more sensing signals to the controller, wherein the controller controls operation of the light source in response to the sensing signals according to the predefined protocol.

20. The display system according to claim 14, wherein controller controls the light source to generate the light pulses by turning the light source on and off alternatively and by varying current or voltage through the light source.