3-Dimensional digitizer pen
First Claim
1. An electronic pen for a digitizer capable of providing signals to a computer for pen movement in three dimensions relative to a planar tablet comprising:
- (a) a hollow, pen-shaped body member having a writing tip end;
(b) sensing means disposed in said body member adjacent said writing tip end and having wires thereof connectable to the computer for use in developing X- and Y-axis positional signals relative to movement of said writing tip end over the surface of the tablet;
(c) a pen member disposed in said body member for longitudinal slidable movement within said body member, said pen member having a writing tip passing out through said body member at said writing tip end and an opposite inner end;
(d) transducer means disposed within said body member for producing on output wires therefrom connected to the computer continuous Z-axis positional signals directly related to the pressing of said writing tip end against the surface of the tablet;
(e) means for indicating a first Z-axis positional signal as the starting point of a range of movement and said continuous Z-axis positional signals; and
,(f) means for indicating a second Z-axis positional signal as the ending point of a range of movement and said continuous Z-axis positional signals.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic pen for a digitizer capable of providing signals to a computer for pen movement in three dimensions relative to a planar tablet. There is a hollow, pen-shaped body member having a writing tip end. A sensing coil is disposed in the body member adjacent the writing tip end and having wires thereof connectable to the computer for use in developing X- and Y-axis positional signals relative to movement of the writing tip end over the surface of the tablet. A pen member is disposed in the body member for longitudinal slidable movement within the body member. The pen member has a writing tip passing out through the body member at the writing tip end and an opposite inner end. Finally, there is a linear position transducer disposed within the body member for producing on output wires therefrom connected to the computer Z-axis positional signals relative to the pressing of the writing tip end against the surface of the tablet. In the preferred embodiment, the linear position transducer comprises, a source of a light beam; an opto-sensor for developing a signal at an output thereof proportional to light impinging on an input surface thereof; and, a reflector operably connected to the inner end of the pen member for reflecting the light beam onto the input surface proportionally to the linear position of the pen member within the body member. Provision is also made for outputting the Z-axis signal as a series of equal steps throughout an initialized range of motion/pressure.
64 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electronic pen for a digitizer capable of providing signals to a computer for pen movement in three dimensions relative to a planar tablet comprising:
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(a) a hollow, pen-shaped body member having a writing tip end; (b) sensing means disposed in said body member adjacent said writing tip end and having wires thereof connectable to the computer for use in developing X- and Y-axis positional signals relative to movement of said writing tip end over the surface of the tablet; (c) a pen member disposed in said body member for longitudinal slidable movement within said body member, said pen member having a writing tip passing out through said body member at said writing tip end and an opposite inner end; (d) transducer means disposed within said body member for producing on output wires therefrom connected to the computer continuous Z-axis positional signals directly related to the pressing of said writing tip end against the surface of the tablet; (e) means for indicating a first Z-axis positional signal as the starting point of a range of movement and said continuous Z-axis positional signals; and
,(f) means for indicating a second Z-axis positional signal as the ending point of a range of movement and said continuous Z-axis positional signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In an electronic pen for a digitizer capable of providing signals to a computer having a hollow, pen-shaped body member having a writing tip end;
- sensing means disposed in the body member adjacent the writing tip end and having wires thereof connectable to the computer for use in developing X- and Y-axis positional signals relative to movement of the writing tip end over the surface of the tablet; and
, a pen member disposed in the body member for longitudinal slidable movement within the body member, the pen member having a writing tip passing out through the body member at the writing tip end and an opposite inner end, the improvement for providing for pen movement signals in three dimensions relative to a planar tablet comprising linear position transducer means disposed within the body member for producing on output wires therefrom connected to the computer Z-axis positional signals as a function of longitudinal movement of the pen member created by the pressing of the writing tip end against the surface of the tablet wherein said linear position transducer means comprises;(a) a source of a light beam; (b) opto-sensor means for developing a signal at an output thereof proportional to light impinging on an input surface thereof; and
,(c) reflector means operably connected to the inner end of the pen member for reflecting said light beam onto said input surface proportionally to the linear position of the pen member within the body member. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
- sensing means disposed in the body member adjacent the writing tip end and having wires thereof connectable to the computer for use in developing X- and Y-axis positional signals relative to movement of the writing tip end over the surface of the tablet; and
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15. In an electronic pen for a digitizer capable of providing signals to a computer having a hollow, pen-shaped body member having a writing tip end;
- sensing means disposed in the body member adjacent the writing tip end and having wires thereof connectable to the computer for use in developing X- and Y-axis positional signals relative to movement of the writing tip end over the surface of the tablet; and
, a pen member disposed in the body member for longitudinal slidable movement within the body member, the pen member having a writing tip passing out through the body member at the writing tip end and an opposite inner end, the improvement for providing for pen movement signals in three dimensions relative to a planar tablet comprising linear position transducer means disposed within the body member for producing on output wires therefrom connected to the computer continuous Z-axis positional signals as a function of longitudinal movement of the pen member created by the pressing of the writing tip end against the surface of the tablet wherein said linear position transducer means comprises;(a) opto-sensor means for developing a signal at an output thereof proportional to light impinging on an input surface thereof; (b) a source of a light beam disposed to direct said light beam onto said input surface; and
,(c) shutter means operably connected to the inner end of the pen member for blocking said light beam proportionally to the linear position of the pen member within the body member whereby said signal at said output is a continuous signal directly related to the linear position of said pen member. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
- sensing means disposed in the body member adjacent the writing tip end and having wires thereof connectable to the computer for use in developing X- and Y-axis positional signals relative to movement of the writing tip end over the surface of the tablet; and
Specification