Ultrasonic pen-type data input device
First Claim
1. A position indicating apparatus for use in an acoustic digitizer system for indicating a location of said position indicating apparatus comprising:
- magnetic pulse generating means for emitting magnetic synchronization pulses at predetermined time intervals; and
sonic pulse generating means for emitting sonic pulses at said predetermined time intervals,whereby said magnetic synchronization pulses and said sonic pulses are simultaneously emitted at said predetermined time intervals from the location of said position indicating apparatus at said predetermined time intervals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer data input device is provided which is characterized by a wireless pen for moving over the surface of a tablet. The pen will simultaneously emit magnetic pulses and ultrasonic pulses. The tablet will be equipped with a magnetic detection coil and two microphones. The magnetic detection coil will nearly instantaneously detect the magnetic pulse and serve as a time reference for determining the time it takes to detect the ultrasonic pulses. The detection circuitry will detect a specific point within the ultrasonic pulse and the time travel of the sonic pulse to the two microphones will be used to determine the distance of the pen from the two microphones yielding the position of the pen over the surface of the tablet.
104 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. A position indicating apparatus for use in an acoustic digitizer system for indicating a location of said position indicating apparatus comprising:
-
magnetic pulse generating means for emitting magnetic synchronization pulses at predetermined time intervals; and sonic pulse generating means for emitting sonic pulses at said predetermined time intervals, whereby said magnetic synchronization pulses and said sonic pulses are simultaneously emitted at said predetermined time intervals from the location of said position indicating apparatus at said predetermined time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A position detecting apparatus for use in an acoustic digitizer system comprising:
-
magnetic pulse detecting means for detecting magnetic synchronization pulses; first sonic pulse detecting means for detecting sonic pulses in a predetermined frequency range at a first detection location; and second sonic pulse detecting means for detecting sonic pulses in said predetermined frequency range, said second sonic pulse detecting means detecting said sonic pulses at a second detection location, said first and second detection locations being separated by a predetermined distance. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. An acoustic digitizer system comprising;
-
position indicating means for simultaneously generating a magnetic synchronization signal and a sonic location signal, wherein said magnetic synchronization signal propagates at a rate significantly faster than the speed of sound; and position detector means having first and second sonic signal detection means and magnetic synchronization signal detection means, wherein said position detector means determines the time difference between the detection of said magnetic synchronization signal and the time when said first and second sonic signal detection means detect said sonic location signal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A method of acoustically digitizing data input comprising the steps of:
-
emitting a magnetic synchronization pulse at a desired location over a detection tablet; emitting a sonic location signal simultaneously with said magnetic synchronization; detecting the magnetic synchronization pulse; starting a counter which increments at a predetermined frequency; storing the value of said counter in a first memory register when said conic location signal is detected at a first detection location; and storing the value of said counter in a second memory register when said sonic location signal is detected at a second detection location. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
Specification