Spatula-shaped light pen

• US 4,472,710 A
• Filed: 02/04/1982
• Issued: 09/18/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazuo, Arai, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald L.
• Application Number:
  US06/345,511
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/707, 340/708, 250/208, 250/209, 250/578, 250/237 R, 235/472, 382/59, 178/18, 178/19
• US Class Current: 345/180
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light

Abstract

A light pen is provided with an elongated or spatula-shaped light receiving end which houses a plurality of optical fiber tubes in either a linear or two-dimensional array. The device is useful for simultaneously reading the coordinates of a plurality of points within a single scan period of a CRT image produced using the NTSC system. A slideable light interceptor may be provided in the operator of the light pen so as to limit the size or the proportion of the array receiving incident light.

Claims

1. A spatula-shaped light pen, comprising:

(a) at least three optical fibers (2) having light receiving ends arranged in a generally elongate array;

(b) a light receiving element (3) having a light receiving surface operatively coupled to opposite ends of said optical fibers; and

(c) a selectively adjustable light intercepting plate (4A) movably disposed over the light receiving ends of said optical fiber for intercepting light incident upon said array.

2. A light pen as claimed in claim 1, wherein said array is a linear array.

3. A light pen as claimed in claim 1, wherein said array is a two dimensional array, at least one dimension of which may be covered by said light intercepting plate.

4. A light pen as claimed in claim 1, further comprising bit coordinate generator means for reading coordinates of a plurality of continuous points selected with said light pen, external CPU means and refresh memory means for receiving image data from said CPU and transmitting image data thereto and receiving an output of said bit coordinate generator means, wherein image data corresponding to said read coordinates may be altered in said refresh memory means.