Device for simultaneous creation and detection of markings

• US 4,475,240 A
• Filed: 11/09/1981
• Issued: 10/02/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asea Aktiebolag (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Asea Aktiebolag (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Brogardh, Torgny, Ovren, Christer
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, John C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parker, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US06/319,649
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 382/3, 382/13, 382/59, 382/17, 178/18-20, 250/216, 250/227, 250/566, 250/567, 250/96.1, 250/96.24, 250/111, 250/380, 356/222, 356/369, 356/419, 356/435, 356/406, 356/407, 356/416, 358/285, 358/294, 358/94, 358/200, 235/491, 235/455, 235/454, 235/472
• US Class Current: 382/314
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/12 Details of acquisition arrangements; Constructional details thereof

Abstract

Device for simultaneous generation and detection of markings (e.g. handwriting) comprising at least one marking member and at least one optical sensor, which is arranged to sense at least one optical property of the surface on which the marking is being made, the marking member being arranged to change said at least one property of the surface on which the marking is made, said optical sensor being arranged to sense the direction of said marking relative to the orientation of the device.

Claims

1. A device for the simultaneous generation and detection of a marking on a surface to be marked, comprising:

at least two light sources for emitting non-identical emission spectra;

first means for multiplexing said at least two light sources to radiate said surface with said non-identical emission spectra;

at least one marking member for changing at least one optical property of the surface to be marked, said optical property being defined within at least two separated wavelength ranges of an optically detectable spectrum;

sensor means for sensing said at least one optical property within said at least two separated wavelength ranges and producing respective detecting signals representative thereof;

a computing unit responsive to said detecting signals for effecting the mark sensing to determine the direction of said marking relative to the orientation of said at least one marking member independently of at least one of the distance and inclination of said at least one marking member relative to the mark, ambient light, and optical transmission of signals representing said at least one optical property; and

second means for demultiplexing said detecting signals to said computing unit in synchronous relationship with said first means for multiplexing.

2. A device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one optical fiber provided with at least one optical branch, whereby incident light from said light-emitting means is fed to said at least one optical fiber and that incident light reflected from the mark is input to said sensor means via said at least one optical fiber and said at least one optical branch.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which said computing unit includes an electronic circuit responsive to said detecting signals for measuring at least one of the width or intensity of the mark.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said computing unit includes means for forming quotients from said detecting signals.

5. A device for the simultaneous generation and detection of a marking on a surface to be marked, comprising:

at least two light sources for emitting non-identical emission spectra;

means for multiplexing the non-identical emission spectra from said at least two light sources to be incident on said surface;

at least one marking member for changing at least one optical property of the surface to be marked, said optical property being defined within at least two separated wavelength ranges of an optically detectable spectrum;

at least one optical sensor for sensing said at least one optical property within said at least two separated wavelength ranges and producing respective detecting signals representative thereof; and

a computing unit responsive to said detecting signals for effecting the mark sensing operation to determine the direction of said marking relative to the direction of said at least one marking member independently of at least one of the distance and inclination of said at least one marking member relative to the mark, ambient light, and optical transmission of signals representing said at least one optical property.