Code-based, electromagnetic-field-responsive graphic data-acquisition system

• US 5,248,856 A
• Filed: 10/07/1992
• Issued: 09/28/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polyvision Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microfield Graphics, Inc. (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mallicoat, Samuel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schreyer, Stafford
• Application Number:
  US07/958,076
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/20, 340/706, 340/707
• US Class Current: 178/18.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0423 using sweeping light beams, e.g. using rotating or vibrating mirror

Abstract

An electromagnetic-field-responsive (preferably optical), code-based, graphic data-acquisition system for tracking the operational status of a mobile write-effective component (stylus, eraser, etc.) in relation to a defined writing-surface area. The preferred embodiment features an active optical structure which is disposed adjacent the writing-surface area for creating, by scanning, a defined zone of optical radiation, optically reactive, retroreflective code structure which is joined to the mobile component and which is capable of reacting (reflecting the same) to radiation within the zone when the code structure intersects the zone, a reaction monitoring structure for monitoring the reaction behavior of the code structure and for producing a related response, and interpretation structure which acquires that response and determines therefrom the desired operational-status-tracking information. Modification to this preferred structure are also illustrated and discussed.

Claims

1. A graphic data-acquisition system for noting the character, and for tracking the positional status, relative to a defined writing-surface area, of a mobile write-effective component in the system comprising

scanning light-beam-source structure disposed adjacent such writing-surface area and operable to create a defined pattern of scanned light within and covering a scanning zone spaced closely adjacent and generally spanning the writing-surface area,

light-retroreflecting, selected-characteristic-identifying code structure joined to the mobile component for the retroreflection of light impinging the code structure within said scanning zone, including the retroreflection of encoded, characteristic-identifying information

light-retroreflection monitoring structure positioned adjacent the writing-surface area for receiving such retroreflection, and for producing a signal related thereto, and

interpretation structure operatively connected to said monitoring structure for acquiring and interpreting positional and component-characteristic-identifying information from such a produced signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said component comprises an instrumentality for effecting writing on such writing-surface area.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said writing-surface area is constructed as a part of a structure which permits imagery back projection, and said component comprises an instrumentality for writing by effecting such projection.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said component comprises an instrumentality for effecting deleting of writing on such writing-surface area.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said deleting instrumentality has a round deleting expanse.

6. The system of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said code structure take the form of a selected arrangement of differentiated-retroreflecting regions.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said regions form a bar code.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said regions are generally distributed unilinearally.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said regions are generally distributed bilinearally.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said code structure is distributed circumferentially on a generally cylindered surface linked with said component.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said bar code is distributed circumferentially on a general cylindrical surface linked with said component.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said bar code is distributed with angular uniformity on said cylindrical surface.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said bar code is distributed with angular variance on said cylindrical surface.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein said regions, as viewed by said monitoring structure within said zone, appear differently, depending upon the angular disposition of said component relative to the writing-surface area, said monitoring structure'"'"'s produced signal has features related to such angular-disposition appearance differences, and said interpretation structure is constructed to understand such signal features, thus to interpret properly the component'"'"'s angular disposition relative to the writing-surface area.

15. The system of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said code structure is designed to indicate the functional nature of said component.

16. The system of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said code structure is designed to indicate aspects of said component'"'"'s size and shape.

17. The system of claim 2, wherein said code structure is designed to indicate said instrumentality'"'"'s writing color.

18. The system of claim 6, wherein said code structure is designed to indicate aspects of said component'"'"'s size and shape.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said component comprises an elongate instrumentality including, adjacent one end, a writing-tip region for effecting writing on such writing-surface area, said code structure is displaced longitudinally along the length of said component relative to said region, and said interpretation structure is designed, under circumstances with writing effection occurring with the long axis of said component disposed in a non-normal, angular relationship to the writing-surface area, to produce a positional interpretation regarding the component which corrects for parallax.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said component comprises a writing instrumentality having a writing-tip region, changes in whose angular disposition relative to the writing-surface area create, during a write-effecting operation, related changes in the effective width of a written line, and said interpretation structure, in cooperation with said code structure and said monitoring structure, is designed to take such line-width considerations into account.

21. A graphic data-acquisition system for noting the character, and for tracking the positional status, relative to a defined writing-surface area, of a mobile writing instrument in the system comprising

scanning light-beam-source structure disposed adjacent such writing-surface area and operable to create a defined pattern of scanned light within and covering a scanning zone spaced closely adjacent and generally spanning the writing-surface area,

instrument-character-specific bar-code structure joined to said instrument for reflecting light impinging the instrument within said scanning zone,

light-reflection monitoring structure positioned adjacent the writing-surface area for receiving such reflection and for producing a writing-related signal associated therewith, and

interpretation structure operatively connected to said monitoring structure for acquiring and interpreting positional and component-characteristic-identifying information from such a produced signal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said bar-code structure takes the form of a selected arrangement of differentiated-reflecting regions.

23. A graphic data-acquisition system for noting the character, and for tracking the positional status, relative to a defined writing-surface area, of a mobile erasing instrument in the system comprising

scanning light-beam-source structure disposed adjacent such writing-surface area and operable to create a defined pattern of scanned light within and covering a scanning zone spaced closely adjacent and generally spanning the writing-surface area,

instrument-character-specific bar-code structure joined to said instrument for reflecting light impinging the instrument within said scanning zone,

light-reflection monitoring structure positioned adjacent the writing-surface area for receiving such reflection and for producing an erasing-related signal associated therewith, and

interpretation structure operatively connected to said monitoring structure for acquiring and interpreting positional and component-characteristic-identifying information from such a produced signal.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said bar-code structure takes the form of a selected arrangement of differentiated-reflecting regions.

25. A graphic data-acquisition system for following the operational performance of a mobile write-effective component relative to a defined writing-surface area comprising

scanning light-beam-source structure disposed adjacent such writing-surface area and operable to create a defined pattern of scanned light within and covering a scanning zone spaced closely adjacent and generally spanning the writing-surface area,

component-specific, light-reflective bar-code structure joined to said component for reflecting light impinging the component within said scanning zone,

light-reflection monitoring structure positioned adjacent the writing-surface area for receiving such reflection and for producing a signal related thereto, and

interpretation structure operatively connected to said monitoring structure for receiving such a produced signal, and for acquiring therefrom operational-performance-following information regarding said component.

26. An optically based, graphic data-acquisition system for tracking, in relation to a defined writing-surface area, the operational status of a mobile write-effective component in the system comprising

active optical structure disposed adjacent such area for creating, closely adjacent and generally spanning the writing-surface area, a defined zone of optical radiation,

optically reactive code structure joined to the mobile component and operable to react to such radiation with the code means in a condition optically engaging said zone,

reaction monitoring structure positioned adjacent the writing-surface area for monitoring any such reactive behavior of said code structure, and for producing a response which is related to monitored, reactive behavior of the code structure, and

interpretation structure operatively connected to said monitoring structure for acquiring from such a response operational-status-tracking information regarding said component.

27. An optically based, one-to-one, graphic data-acquisition system for tracking, in relation to a defined writing-surface area, the operational status of a mobile, write-effective component in the system comprising

active optical transceiver structure disposed at a selected station adjacent such area for creating, closely adjacent and generally spanning the writing-surface area, a defined zone of optical radiation, and for monitoring, and generating a response related to any such radiation which is reflected from a location within said zone,

optically reactive code structure joined to the mobile component for producing such reflection under circumstances with the code means optically engaging said zone, and

interpretation structure operatively connected to said transceiver structure for acquiring from such a transceiver response operational-status-tracking information regarding said component.

28. A graphic data-acquisition system for tracking, in relation to a defined writing-surface area, the operational status of a mobile, write-effective component in the system comprising

active electromagnetic-field transceiver structure disposed at a selected station adjacent such area for creating, closely adjacent and generally spanning the writing-surface area, a defined zone of electromagnetic-field radiation, and for generating a response related to the receipt from said zone of any return electromagnetic-field radiation which is specifically associated with such created radiation,

passive electromagnetic-field code structure joined to the mobile component for producing such specifically associated return radiation under circumstances with the code structure field-electromagnetically engaging the zone, and

interpretation structure operatively connected to said transceiver structure for acquiring from such a transceiver response operational-status-tracking information regarding said component.