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Optical coordinate input apparatus and position indicator thereof

  • US 5,148,016 A
  • Filed: 10/02/1990
  • Issued: 09/15/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An optical coordinate input apparatus comprising:

  • a position indicator having a mirror portion with mirrored surfaces in planes perpendicular to plane XY over which the position indicator is movable, the mirrored surfaces being substantially equidistant from a central axis extending perpendicular to the plane XY;

    a light source for emitting laser beams;

    a first rotary mirror having a rotational axis perpendicular to the plane XY;

    a second rotary mirror disposed at a position removed from said first rotary mirror by a known distance and having a rotational axis perpendicular to the plane XY;

    an optical system for directing said laser beams emitted from said light source to be incident on said first rotary mirror and said second rotary mirror;

    a first photosensor for detecting said laser beam which is (a) incident on said first rotary mirror, (b) reflected by said first rotary mirror and a mirrored surface of said position indicator to traverse the same optical path as one of the laser beams incident on said mirrored surface, and (c) incident on said first rotary mirror before being reflected so as to be thus detected;

    a second photosensor for detecting said laser beam which is (a) incident on said second rotary mirror, (b) reflected by said second rotary mirror and a mirrored surface of said position indicator to traverse the same optical path as another of the laser beams incident on said mirrored surface, and (c) incident on said second rotary mirror before being reflected so as to be thus detected;

    angle detection means for detecting the rotational angles of said first rotary mirror and said second rotary mirror; and

    coordinate calculating means for calculating a coordinate of a central position of said mirrored surface of said position indicator in accordance with an output signal from said first photosensor, an output signal from said second photosensor, and in response to the detected angles and the known distance.

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