Audio frequency based data capture tablet

• US 4,912,466 A
• Filed: 09/15/1988
• Issued: 03/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NPD Research Incorporated 900 West Shore Road Port Washington New York
• Original Assignee: The NPD Group, Inc. (Information Resources Incorporated)
• Inventors: Call, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US07/245,740
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 455/2, 379/92, 379/97, 358/84, 235/386, 235/436, 235/454, 235/462, 250/221, 250/557, 341/5, 341/20, 341/21, 340/709, 340/825.73, 340/825.74, 340/870.28, 340/870.29, 367/197, 434/322, 434/350, 434/351, 434/116, 178/87, 178/18
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions

Abstract

An audio frequency based data capture tablet (26) includes a working surface (210) upon which a data collection document having marked responses is placed. A movable cursor (212, 222), which is mechanically disposed above the working surface (210), produces an audio signature indicating both its position and relative motion orthogonally. shaded bars (214, 216) along the top and sides of the tablet (26) which comprise binary encoded sections, cause a composite of audio frequencies to be produced. The intersecting members (212, 222) of the movable cursor are orthogonally disposed with the x-axis member including seven phototransistors (220) as does the y-axis member (225), with each of the phototransistors (220, 223) being uniquely associated with an audio frequency oscillator (330-342, 334-356) whose outputs are mixed and combined (400) to provide a composite audio signature; and optically alignable with the shaded bars (214, 216). The movable intersecting members (214, 222) also comprise a plurality of windows (225, 227), with the intersecting windows (225, 227) being aligned so as to intersect over a marked response area (229) to define the unique position of the answer along the working surface (210).

Claims

1. An audio frequency based data capture tablet apparatus for converting marked data responses into corresponding audio information, said tablet comprising:

a working surface capable of receiving a data collection document thereon having collected information stored therein in a response area in the form of marked data substantially orthogonally definable on said working surface;

a pair of substantially normal binary encoded optically readable sections associated with said work surface and capable of orthogonally defining a plurality of unique positions on said document response area disposed on said working surface;

a movable cursor means mechanically disposed above said working surface and comprising a normal pair of orthogonally movable intersecting members, one of said members being movable along an x-axis and the other of said members being movable along a y-axis to uniquely define an aligned position on said document response area where a given response has been marked, each of said members comprising a plurality of spaced apart windows optically alignable over a plurality of possible marked responses to a given data collection inquiry, said windows intersecting over the marked answer to said inquiry, said members further comprising a plurality of spaced apart phototransistors optically alignable over said binary encoded optically readable sections in conjunction with said orthogonal movement of said members, each of said binary encoded optically readable sections comprising a plurality of unique optically readable binary patterns uniquely defining said position, each of said phototransistors being selectively connected to drive a voltage controlled audio oscillator means for providing a unique audio frequency output dependent on the binary coded pattern present in said binary encoded optically readable section associated with said phototransistors at said aligned position on said document response area where said given response has been marked, said phototransistor enabling said voltage controlled audio oscillator means when said phototransistor is enabled by reading said binary coded pattern, said movable cursor means producing a composite of audio frequencies when said cursor means is at said aligned position on said document response area, said phototransistors associated with said x-axis movable member being capable of producing a first pattern of a plurality of different spaced apart predetermined audio frequencies in conjunction with said voltage controlled audio oscillator means and said phototransistors associated with said y-axis movable member being capable of producing a second pattern of a plurality of different spaced apart predetermined audio frequencies in conjunction with said voltage controlled oscillator means;

whereby said composite of audio frequencies is provided at said aligned position for providing a unique audio signature corresponding to said marked response area position for converting the marked answer to said given data collection inquiry into corresponding audio information.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said binary encoded optically readable sections further comprise a resistance slide wire embedded therein, each of said movable members having an electrical wire pick-up means disposed thereon in electrical alignment with said slide wire, said electrical wire pick-up means being electrically connected to an input of a voltage controlled audio oscillator means for producing an audio output based on the position of said wire pick-up along said slide wire, said wire pick-up producing a voltage proportional to said position as said input, said wire pick-up and slide wire providing an expanded resolution mode complementary to said phototransistor.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said different spaced apart audio frequencies are substantially spaced apart by 100 Hz.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said x-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 300 Hz and 1000 Hz.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said y-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 1100 Hz and 1800 Hz.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said x-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 300 Hz and 1000 Hz.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said y-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 1100 Hz and 1800 Hz.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said y-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 1100 Hz and 1800 Hz.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said different spaced apart audio frequencies are substantially spaced apart by 100 Hz.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first pattern of audio frequencies comprises seven unique frequencies.

11. A apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said second pattern of audio frequencies comprises seven unique frequencies.

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said y-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 1100 Hz and 1800 Hz.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein said different spaced apart audio frequencies are substantially spaced apart by 100 Hz.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said x-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 300 Hz and 1000 Hz.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein said different spaced apart audio frequencies are substantially spaced apart by 100 Hz.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said y-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 1100 Hz and 1800 Hz.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 16 wherein said second pattern of audio frequencies comprises seven unique frequencies.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second pattern of audio frequencies comprises seven unique frequencies.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising additional sensor means for providing supplemental audio information corresponding to said marked response area.

20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said phototransistors is associated with a different audio frequency.

21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20 wherein said first pattern of audio frequencies at said aligned position is capable of selectively comprising one or more of said plurality of different audio frequencies dependent on which phototransistors are enabled by said binary coded pattern when read.

22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said second pattern of audio frequencies at said aligned position is capable of selectively comprising one or more of said plurality of different audio frequencies dependent on which phototransistors are enabled by said binary coded pattern when read.

23. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20 wherein said second pattern of audio frequencies at said aligned position is capable of selectively comprising one or more of said plurality of different audio frequencies dependent on which phototransistors are enabled by said binary coded pattern when read.

24. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20 wherein said different spaced apart audio frequencies are substantially spaced apart by 100 Hz.

25. An apparatus in accordance with claim 24 wherein said x-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 300 Hz and 1000 Hz.

26. An apparatus in accordance with claim 25 wherein said y-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 1100 Hz and 1800 Hz.

27. An apparatus in accordance with claim 24 wherein said y-axis phototransistors produce a pattern of said audio frequencies substantially between 1100 Hz and 1800 Hz.

28. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first pattern of audio frequencies at said aligned position is capable of selectively comprising one or more of said plurality of different audio frequencies dependent on which phototransistors are enabled by said binary coded pattern when read.

29. An apparatus in accordance with claim 28 wherein said second pattern of audio frequencies at said aligned position is capable of selectively comprising one or more of said plurality of different audio frequencies dependent on which phototransistors are enabled by said binary coded pattern when read.

30. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second pattern of audio frequencies at said aligned position is capable of selectively comprising one or more of said plurality of different audio frequencies dependent on which phototransistors are enabled by said binary coded pattern when read.

31. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising mixing means associated with said first pattern audio oscillator means output for mixing said first pattern of audio frequencies together at said aligned position to produce a composite audio information signal associated with said x-axis member.

32. An apparatus in accordance with claim 31 wherein said mixing means further comprises means associated with said second pattern audio oscillator means output for mixing said second pattern of audio frequencies together at said aligned position to produce a composite audio information signal associated with the y-axis member.

33. An apparatus in accordance with claim 32 wherein mixing means further comprises means for combining said associated composite audio information signals for producing said composite of audio frequencies when said cursor means is at said aligned position.

34. An apparatus in accordance with claim 33 wherein each of said phototransistors is associated with a different audio frequency.

35. An apparatus in accordance with claim 34 wherein said first pattern of audio frequencies at said aligned position is capable of selectively comprising one or more of said plurality of different audio frequencies dependent on which phototransistors are enabled by said binary coded pattern when read.

36. An apparatus in accordance with claim 35 wherein said second pattern of audio frequencies at said aligned position is capable of selectively comprising one or more of said plurality of different audio frequencies dependent on which phototransistors are enabled by said binary coded pattern when read.

37. An apparatus in accordance with claim 31 wherein each of said phototransistors is associated with a different audio frequency.

38. An apparatus in accordance with claim 37 wherein said mixing means further comprises means associated with said second pattern audio oscillator means output for mixing said second pattern of audio frequencies together at said aligned position to produce a composite audio information signal associated with the y-axis member.