Cursor device for a capacitive coupling tablet

• US 5,041,820 A
• Filed: 09/24/1987
• Issued: 08/20/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentel Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Pentel Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kazama, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HJERPE, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US07/100,749
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/709, 340/710, 178/18, 178/19, 178/20
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/004 for measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2415 adapted for encoders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A cursor device for a capacitive coupling tablet used as a digitizer for inputting a figure or pattern. An index indicative of a coordinate position on a tablet to be input is displayed on a pane mounted on a window of a housing, and on the side opposite the pane are carried a detection electrode corresponding to the index and a signal transmission wire extending from the electrode. The detection electrode is capacitively coupled to a few conductors adjacent to each other within the table to detect pulses having a level related to the distance from these conductors. In this case, the level of the pulse detected from the conductors present at a position crossed to the signal transmission wire tends to relatively lower, and therefore, a shield layer distributed around the electrode is formed on the pane to solve such inconveniences.

Claims

1. A cursor device for use with a capacitive coupling tablet including therein two groups of conductors arranged spaced apart in a two-dimensional matrix, each group of the conductors being sequentially energized pulsewise, the cursor device comprising:

a housing manually movable on the tablet and having a window opposable to the tablet;

a transparent dielectric pane fitted in the window and having an index formed thereon for indicating a coordinate position on the tablet;

an electrode disposed under the pane at a position just under the index for detecting pulse signals from the conductors in the tablet through capacitive coupling with the conductors;

a shielded wire extending under the pane from the electrode for transmitting the signals detected by the electrode, a shielding part of the shielded wire being grounded; and

a transparent conductive layer formed on the pane to evenly cover the electrode and its surrounding region for capacitively coupling with tablet conductors around the electrode, the conductive layer being grounded.

2. A cursor device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a lining formed of a conductive material, and the transparent conductive layer on the pane is connected to the lining through a conductive rubber and grounded through the lining.

3. A cursor device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent dielectric pane comprises a transparent synthetic resin panel, and the transparent conductive layer comprises a transparent conductive sheet attached onto the panel.

4. A cursor device for indicating a coordinate position on a tablet having therein a two-dimensional matrix of conductors sequentially energized pulsewise, said cursor device comprising:

an electrode for receiving pulse signals from the energized conductors through capacitive coupling with the conductors to indicate a coordinate position on the tablet;

a shielded wire extending from the electrode for transmitting the pulse signals received by the electrode to an amplifier, a shielding part of the shielded wire being grounded;

a transparent dielectric plate disposed over the electrode and the shielded wire in the vicinity of the electrode and having an index thereon for indicating a position of the electrode thereunder; and

a transparent conductive layer formed on the upper surface of the plate and being grounded for capacitively coupling with the tablet conductors around the electrode, the conductive layer being distributed so as to evenly cover the electrode and its surrounding region.

5. A cursor device according to claim 4, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises a transparent conductive sheet attached onto the transparent dielectric plate.

6. A cursor device according to claim 4, wherein the transparent dielectric plate comprises a transparent synthetic resin panel.

7. A cursor device according to claim 4, wherein the transparent conductive layer has a distribution area sufficient to cover thereunder five successive parallel tablet conductors.

8. A cursor device for use on a tablet having a matrix of tablet conductors energized by sequential pulses, comprising:

a housing manually movable on a tablet and having an opening therein over the tablet during use;

a transparent dielectric member in the opening and having indicia thereon to define a coordinate position; and

capacitive coupling means for detecting pulses from the tablet conductors comprising an electrode disposed under the transparent member at said coordinate position;

a shielded wire extending under the transparent dielectric member from the electrode and having a grounded shield, and a transparent conductive layer disposed over the transparent dielectric member, said transparent conductive layer being grounded and being of sufficient area to at least cover said electrode and the tablet conductors located in the region near and around said electrode during use of the cursor device.

9. A cursor device according to claim 8, wherein the housing has a lining composed of conductive material which is grounded and conductive rubber connecting the transparent conductive layer to the lining.

10. A cursor device according to claim 8, wherein the transparent dielectric member comprises a transparent synthetic resin panel, and the transparent conductive layer comprises a transparent conductive sheet attached onto the panel.

11. A cursor device according to claim 8, wherein the area of the transparent conductive layer is substantially greater than the area of the shielded wire under the transparent dielectric member.

12. A cursor device according to claim 11, wherein the transparent conductive layer covers the shielded wire along its entire length under the transparent dielectric member.

13. In a cursor device for use on a tablet having a matrix of tablet conductors energized by sequential pulses, the improvement comprising:

a transparent dielectric member facing the tablet during use and having indicia thereon to define a coordinate position; and

capacitive coupling means for detecting pulses from the tablet conductors comprising a conductive means disposed under the transparent member at said coordinate position, a shielded conductor extending under the transparent dielectric member from the conductive means and having a grounded shield, and a transparent conductive layer disposed over the transparent dielectric member, said transparent conductive layer being grounded and being of sufficient area to at least cover said conductive means and the tablet conductors located in the region near and around said conductive means during use of the cursor device.

14. A cursor device according to claim 13, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises a transparent conductive sheet attached onto the transparent dielectric member.

15. A cursor device according to claim 13, wherein the transparent dielectric member comprises a transparent synthetic resin panel.

16. A cursor device according to claim 13, wherein the transparent conductive layer has sufficient area to cover five adjacent tablet conductors.

17. A cursor device according to claim 13, wherein the area of the transparent conductive layer is substantially greater than the area of the shielded conductor under the transparent dielectric member.

18. A cursor device according to claim 17, wherein the transparent conductive member covers the shielded conductor along its entire length under the transparent dielectric member.