Wireless coordinate reader and switch state detection system for coordinate indicator

• US 5,220,324 A
• Filed: 06/12/1991
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Morita, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krakovsky, Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/714,202
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 341/32, 341/5, 340/870.31, 367/907, 178/18, 178/19, 74/471, 395/775
• US Class Current: 341/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A wireless coordinate reader composed of:

a sense line plate having a plurality of excitation lines and a plurality of sense lines arranged thereon; a coordinate indicator including a resonant circuit having a resonance frequency in proximity to the frequency of an excitation signal and composed of a coil and a first capacitor, and a switch circuit connected in parallel with the resonant circuit and composed of at least one series circuit of a switch and a resistor, and a second capacitor connected in series with one end of the the circuit; an amplification detection circuit for detecting the magnitude of an induction signal which is induced on a selected sense line when the excitation signal is applied to a selected excitation line and the coordinate indicator is placed above the sense line plate in the vicinity of the selected lines and for outputting an amplitude signal representative of the magnitude of the induction signal; a phase detection circuit for receiving a signal corresponding in phase to the excitation signal and the induction signal induced on the selected sense line for outputting a phase signal representing the relative phase of -the induction signal; and a controller for receiving the amplitude signal and signals, correcting height data extracted from the amplitude signal by coordinate data calculated on the basis of the amplitude signal, correcting the phase signal on the basis of the corrected height data, and determining the state of the switch from the corrected phase signal.

Claims

1. A wireless coordinate reader comprising:

(a) a sense line plate having a plurality of excitation lines and a plurality of sense lines arranged thereon;

(b) excitation signal delivery means for delivering an alternating excitation signal to a selected excitation line;

(c) a coordinate indicator including a resonant circuit having a resonance frequency value selected to cause said resonant circuit to induce a signal in at least one sense line in response to an excitation signal in an excitation line and composed of a coil and a first capacitor, and a switch circuit connected in parallel with said resonant circuit, said switch circuit comprising at least one series circuit composed of a switch and a resistor, and a second capacitor connected in series with one end of said series circuit;

(d) an amplification detection circuit for detecting the magnitude of an induction signal which is induced on a selected sense line when the excitation signal is applied to a selected excitation line and said coordinate indicator is placed above said sense line plate at a location at least approximately above the selected lines and for outputting an amplitude signal representative of the magnitude of the induction signal;

(e) a phase detection circuit for receiving a signal derived from the excitation signal and the induction signal induced on the selected sense line for outputting a phase signal representing the phase of said induction signal relative to the phase of said excitation signal; and

(f) a controller connected for receiving said amplitude signal and said phase signal, correcting height data extracted from said amplitude signal by coordinate data calculated on the basis of said amplitude signal, correcting said phase signal on the basis of the corrected height data, and determining the state of said switch from the corrected phase signal.

2. A reader as defined in claim 1 wherein said switch circuit comprises a plurality of series circuits each composed of a switch and a resistor, with all of said series circuits being connected in parallel.

3. Method of determining the state of switches of a coordinates indicator in a wireless coordinate reader according to claim 2, comprising:

(a) selecting an excitation line and a sense line and receiving said amplitude signal from said amplification detection circuit and said phase signal from said phase detection circuit;

(b) calculating coordinate data of the position of said coordinate indicator on the basis of the received amplitude signal;

(c) extracting an amplitude signal associated with an induction signal induced on a sense line having a specific positional relation with the position of said coordinate indicator from said amplitude signal, as a height detection signal;

(d) correcting said height detection signal by the coordinate data and calculating height data representing the height of said coordinates indicator above said sense line plate;

(e) extracting a phase signal associated with an induction signal induced in a sense line having a specific positional relation with the position of said coordinate indicator from said phase signal, as a switch detection phase signal;

(f) correcting said switch detection phase signal by said height data and calculating a switch phase signal; and

(g) determining the state of said switches of said coordinate indicator on the basis of said switch phase signal.