Tablet position digitizer

• US 5,414,226 A
• Filed: 02/19/1993
• Issued: 05/09/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Graphtec Corporation (AI Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsushima, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/020,330
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/20
• US Class Current: 178/18.07
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

In this digitizer, when the coil of the position indicator is placed near a plurality of conductors of the tablet, an oscillator arrangement is formed through the amplifier, and a position indicated by the position indicator is determined by detecting magnetic fields generated by the position indicator when the oscillator arrangement oscillates. In addition, when the position indicator is placed near the tablet, an oscillator arrangement is constituted by the position indicator and two conductors of the tablet at a timing at which the position of the position indicator is measured.

Claims

1. A digitizer constituted by a tablet and a position indicator to determine coordinates indicated by said position indicator on said tablet, comprising:

a set of coordinate determining conductor groups arranged on said tablet;

a first set of oscillation elements, having at least a first element and a second element, arranged on said tablet;

at least a second oscillation element coupled to said first set of oscillation elements, said second oscillation element having an input and an output wherein said input of said second oscillation element is connected to said first element of the first set of oscillation elements and said output of said second oscillation element is connected to said second element of the first set of oscillation elements; and

a third oscillation element arranged on said position indicator,

wherein when said position indicator is placed at an arbitrary position on said tablet, said first set of oscillation elements, said second oscillation element, and said third oscillation element constitute an oscillator system to generate a coordinate signal such that the coordinates indicated by said position indicator are determined based on a plurality of signals generated in the coordinate determining conductor groups by causing magnetic fields and electric fields, generated by said position indicator when said oscillator system oscillates, to act on said coordinate determining conductors groups.

3. A digitizer according to claim 1, wherein said third oscillation element of said position indicator is variably changed by a switch of said position indicator, and

oscillation frequencies of said oscillator system are variably changed by said switch of said position indicator, so that an ON/OFF operation of said switch of said position indicator is identified on the basis of the oscillation frequency of said oscillator system.

4. A digitizer according to claim 1, wherein said third oscillation element of said position indicator is variably changed by a writing pressure of an operator, and

oscillation frequencies of said oscillator system are variably changed by said writing pressure, so that a writing pressure information of said position indicator is detected on the basis of the oscillation frequency of said oscillator system.

5. A digitizer according to claim 1, wherein said first oscillation elements comprise a set of two-phase grid structures having a X direction and a Y direction, wherein a first structure of said set of two-phase grid structures is arranged in the X direction, and a second structure of said set of two-phase grid structures is arranged in the Y direction.

6. A digitizer according to claim 5, wherein one of said two-phase grid structures is connected through a polarity inverter at the input of said second oscillation element.

7. A digitizer according to claim 1, wherein said second oscillation element comprises a signal amplifier.

8. A digitizer according to claim 7, wherein said signal amplifier comprises:

a first amplification means to amplify an input signal proportionally, said first amplification means having an input and an output; and

a second amplification means to amplify said output of said first amplification means to a saturation level.

14. A digitizer according to claim 1, wherein said third oscillation element of said position indicator is variably changed by a writing pressure of an operator, and

oscillation frequencies of said oscillator system are variably changed by said writing pressure, so that a writing pressure information of said position indicator is detected on the basis of the oscillation frequency of said oscillator system.

2. A digitizer constituted by a tablet and a position indicator and designed to determine coordinates indicated by said position indicator on said tablet, comprising:

a plurality of first oscillation elements arranged at predetermined positions on said tablet;

a second oscillation element with an input and an output;

a selection means, which has respective connections that sequentially selects a set of first oscillation elements from said plurality of first oscillation elements, wherein a first selected oscillation element of said selected set of first oscillation elements is coupled to the input of the second oscillation element, and a second selected oscillation element of said selected set of first oscillation elements is coupled to the output of the second oscillation element; and

a third oscillation element arranged on said position indicator,

wherein when said position indicator is placed at an arbitrary position on said tablet, said selected set of first oscillation elements, said second oscillation element, and third oscillation element constitute an oscillator system, and

the coordinates indicated by said position indicator are determined on the basis of outputs from the oscillation of said oscillator systems formed of a set of different first oscillation elements sequentially selected by said selection means.

9. A digitizer according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of first oscillation elements comprise an X-axis loop coil group sequentially arranged in a X direction, and an Y-axis loop coil group sequentially arranged in a Y direction,

said selection means comprises an X-axis scanner to select a x-axis first oscillation element from said X-axis loop coil group and a Y-axis scanner to select a Y-axis first oscillation element from said Y-axis loop coil group, and

said X-axis first oscillation element is connected to the input of said second oscillation element, and said Y-axis first oscillation element is connected to the output of said second oscillation element.

10. A digitizer according to claim 2, wherein

said plurality of first oscillation elements comprise an x-axis loop coil group sequentially arranged in a X direction, and a Y-axis loop coil group sequentially arranged in a Y direction;

said selection means comprises

an X-axis scanner, which is selectively switched to a X-axis first scanner mode connected to the input of said second oscillation element by selecting one first oscillation element from said X-axis loop coil group, and to a X-axis second scanner mode connected to the output of said second oscillation element by selecting all the coils of said X-axis loop coil group, and

a Y-axis scanner, which is selectively switched to one of a Y-axis first scanner mode connected to the input of said second oscillation element by selecting one first oscillation element from said Y-axis loop coil group, and a Y-axis second scanner mode connected to the output of said second oscillation element by selecting all the coils of said Y-axis loop coil group; and

when said X-axis scanner is in said X-axis first scanner mode, said Y-axis scanner is set to the Y-axis second scanner mode, and when said X-axis scanner is in the X-axis second scanner mode, said Y-axis scanner is set to the Y-axis first scanner mode.

11. A digitizer according to claim 2, wherein said second oscillation element comprises a signal amplifier.

12. A digitizer according to claim 11, wherein said signal amplifier comprises:

a first amplification means to amplify an input signal proportionally, said first amplification means having an input and an output; and

a second amplification means to amplify the output of said first amplification means to the saturation level.

13. A digitizer according to claim 2, wherein said third oscillation element of said position indicator is variably changed by a switch of said position indicator, and

oscillation frequencies of said oscillator system are variably changed by said switch of said position indicator, so that an ON/OFF operation of said switch of said position indicator is identified on the basis of the oscillation frequency of said oscillator system.