FIBER OPTICS LIGHT PEN

• US 3,777,153 A
• Filed: 05/17/1972
• Issued: 12/04/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brent F. Anderson, Charles W. Bytheway, Don L. Olson
• Original Assignee: Brent F. Anderson, Charles W. Bytheway, Don L. Olson
• Inventors: Anderson, Brent F., Bytheway, Charles W., Olson, Don L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lawrence, James W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelms, D. C.
• Application Number:
  US05/254,205
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 250/219D,219CR,227 235/61.11E 350/96R,96B
• US Class Current: 250/227.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light

Abstract

A light pen for operator interface with the cathode ray tube display of a data processing system is disclosed. The light pen incorporates two fiber optics bundles; a first circle of fibers for sensing the CRT light that is emitted from the display in the target area, and a second ring of fibers, concentric about the first circle of fibers, for projecting a visible ring of light on the display which ring of light can encircle the target area. The projected ring of light provides for ease of identification of the desired data by accurately aiming the light pen at the target area. Additionally provided within the light pen is a light switch for initiating an interrupt function signal that then permits the operator to modify the data within the target area.

Claims

1. A light pen, comprising:

a generally cylindrical barrel having a central opening along its longitudinal axis;

a generally cylindrical stem assembled within the central opening of said barrel and having a central opening along its longitudinal axis, a forward threaded end, and a light switch aperture passing from its central opening to its outside surface;

a light switch spring compressively secured about the outside surface of said stem and within the central opening of said barrel and having a tip that is normally spring biased out of alignment with said light switch aperture;

a coil spring assembled about the outside surface of said forward end of said stem and within the central opening of said barrel;

a generally frusto-conical tip having a central opening along its longitudinal axis and threadedly attached to the forward end of said stem for spring biasing said stem in a forward direction along its longitudinal axis with respect to said barrel;

a fiber optics cable assembly passing into the rearward end of the central opening of said stem and;

including the central opening of said tip at the forward end of said stem;

a first fiber optics bundle arranged in a generally circular cross-section;

a second fiber optics bundle arranged in a generally ring-like cross-section concentric about said first fiber optics bundle;

including in said light switch aperture a random bundle of optical fibers arranged in a generally circular cross-section comprising;

a third fiber optics bundle;

a fourth fiber optics bundle;

a CRT light detector coupled to the rearward end of said first fiber optics bundle;

a visible light source coupled to the rearward end of said second and fourth fiber optics bundles; and

, a visible light detector coupled to the rearward end of said third fiber optics bundle.

2. A light pen, comprising:

a barrel having a central opening along its longitudinal axis;

a stem, assembled within the central opening of said barrel, having a tip at its forward end, a central opening along its longitudinal axis and a light switch aperture passing from its central opening to its outside surface;

a fiber optics cabLe assembly passing into the rearward end of the central opening of said stem and;

terminating in the forward end of said tip in a first fiber optics bundle having a generally circular cross-section;

a second fiber optics bundle having a generally ring-like cross-section and assembled concentric about said first fiber optics bundle;

terminating in said light switch aperture in a random bundle of optical fibers comprising;

a third fiber optics bundle;

a fourth fiber optics bundle;

said random bundle of optical fibers passing through said light switch aperture and terminating outside said stem.

3. The light pen of claim 2 further including a biasing spring assembled within the central opening of said barrel for spring biasing said stem and said tip in a forward direction along their longitudinal axis with respect to said barrel.

4. The light pen of claim 2 further including a light switch spring, assembled within the central opening of said barrel, having a lip that is biased out of alignment with said random bundle of optical fibers when said stem tip is biased by said biasing spring away from the forward end of said barrel but is biased in alignment with said random bundle of optical fibers when said stem tip is moved against said biasing spring bias toward the forward end of said barrel.

5. The light pen of claim 4 further including:

a CRT light detector coupled to the rearward end of said first fiber optics bundle;

a visible light source coupled to the rearward end of said second and fourth fiber optics bundles; and

, a visible light detector coupled to the rearward end of said third fiber optics bundle.

6. The light pen of claim 5 in which said light switch spring lip when biased in alignment with said random bundle of optical fibers reflects the light transmitted from said fourth fiber optics bundle back toward said third fiber optics bundle for activating said visible light detector.

7. The light pen of claim 2 wherein the central opening of said barrel is of a circular cross-section for rotating said barrel freely about said stem.

8. A light pen, comprising:

a barrel having a central opening along its longitudinal axis;

a stem assembled within the central opening of said barrel, having a central opening along its longitudinal axis and a light switch aperture passing from its central opening to its outside surface;

a tip at the forward end of said stem having a central opening along its longitudinal axis for receiving a fiber optics cable assembly;

a fiber optics cable assembly passing into the rearward end of the central opening of said stem and;

terminating in said central opening of said tip in a first fiber optics bundle arranged in a generally circular cross-section;

a second fiber optics bundle arranged in a generally ring-like cross-section concentric about said first fiber optics bundle;

terminating in said light switch aperture in a random bundle of optical fibers arranged in a generally circular cross-section and comprising;

a third fiber optics bundle;

a fourth fiber optics bundle;

said random bundle of optical fibers passing through said light switch aperture and terminating at the outside surface of said stem.

9. The light pen of claim 8 further including a coil spring assembled about the outside surface of said stem and within the central opening of said barrel for spring biasing said stem and said tip in a forward direction along their longitudinal axis with respect to said barrel.

10. The light pen of claim 8 further including a light switch spring compressively secured about the outside surface of said stem and within the central opening of said barrel and having a lip that is biased out of alignment with said random bundle of optical fibers when said stem and said tip are biased by said coil spring away from the forward end of said barrel but is biased in alignment with said random bundle of optical fibers when said stem and said tIp are moved against said coil spring bias toward the forward end of said barrel.

11. The light pen of claim 10 further including:

a CRT light detector coupled to the rearward end of said first fiber optics bundle;

a visible light source coupled to the rearward end of said second and fourth fiber optics bundles; and

, a visible light detector coupled to the rearward end of said third fiber optics bundle.

12. The light pen of claim 11 in which said light switch spring lip when biased in alignment with said random bundle of optical fibers reflects the light transmitted from said fourth fiber optics bundle back toward said third fiber optics bundle for activating said visible light detector.

13. The light pen of claim 8 wherein the central opening of said barrel is of a circular cross-section for rotating said barrel freely about said stem.