Integration of pen-based capability into a field emission device system

• US 5,554,828 A
• Filed: 01/03/1995
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Primm, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/367,558
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/70, 345/104, 345/173, 345/174, 345/156, 313/309, 313/336, 313/351, 313/495, 313/496
• US Class Current: 178/19.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser

Abstract

A field emission device pen-based system comprising a pen stylus 20 and a field emission device having a cathode 2 coupled to an anode 1, row and column drivers 68 and 66 coupled to the cathode and to a controller 64, row and column lines 96 and 98 respectively coupled to the row and column drivers 68 and 66, and receive circuitry 81 and 91 coupled to the controller 64 and to the row and column lines 96 and 98; wherein the row and column drivers 68 and 66 send a pulse on the row and column lines 96 and 98 in response to an input signal from the controller 64, and the receive circuitry 81 and 91 receive a pulse from the stylus on the row and column lines 98 and 96. The receive circuitry 81 and 91 send an output signal to the controller 64 responsive to the received pulses and the controller 64 determines the x-y location of the stylus 20 based on that output signal.

Claims

1. An electrographic system comprising:

a field emission device having a cathode coupled to an anode, row and column drivers coupled to said cathode and to a controller, and row and column lines respectively coupled to said row and column drivers;

receive circuitry coupled to said controller and said row and column lines; and

a stylus coupled to said field emission device;

wherein said row and column drivers send a pulse on said row and column lines in response to an input signal from said controller, and said receive circuitry receives said pulse as affected by said stylus on said row and column lines.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stylus detects said pulse and outputs said affected pulse.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stylus comprises inductive and capacitive circuitry.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stylus outputs a voltage pulse.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stylus outputs a current pulse.

7. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said receive circuitry sends an output signal to said controller based on said output pulse.

8. The system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said controller determines the x-y location of said stylus based upon said output signal.

9. The system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said controller sends a video data signal to said row and column drivers in response to said determination.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pulses are sent by said row and column drivers and said affected pulse is received by said receive circuitry during the non-active time between each frame.

11. The system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said stylus transmits and receives said pulse from said anode side of said field emission device.

12. The system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said stylus transmits and receives said pulse from said cathode side of said field emission device.

13. The system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said controller sends a controller signal to a host processor in response to said determination.

4. An electrographic system comprising:

a field emission device having a cathode coupled to an anode, row and column drivers coupled to said cathode and to a controller, and row and column lines respectively coupled to said row and column drivers;

receive circuitry coupled to said controller and said row and column lines; and

a stylus coupled to said field emission device;

said stylus outputing a pulsed light;

wherein said receive circuitry receives said pulse from said stylus on said row and column lines.

14. The system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said row and column lines convert said pulsed light into an electric signal.

15. An electrographic apparatus comprising:

a field emission device having a cathode coupled to an anode, and row and column lines coupled to said cathode;

signal sending means coupled to said cathode for sending pulses to said row and column lines;

signal receiving means coupled to said cathode for receiving pulses from said row and column drivers;

control means coupled to said signal sending means and said signal receiving means; and

a stylus means moveable in adjacency about said field emission device for select interaction therewith to effect the derivation of position signals;

wherein said signal sending means sends said pulses on said row and column lines in response to an input signal from said control means, and said signal receiving means receives said pulses on said row and column lines.

16. The apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said control means is responsive to said position signals for deriving a x-coordinate and a y-coordinate of said stylus means.

17. The apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said stylus means detects said sending pulse and transmits said receiving pulse.

18. A method for generating coordinate signals in conjunction with a surface of a field emission device having a cathode coupled to an anode, row and column drivers coupled to said cathode and to a controller, and row and column lines respectively coupled to said row and column drivers, comprising the steps of:

providing pulses to said row and column lines;

receiving with receive circuitry from said row and column lines said pulses as affected by a stylus positioned proximate to selected said row and column lines; and

determining an x-position and y-position of said stylus from said affected pulses.

20. The method in accordance with claim 18 wherein said pulses from said stylus are current pulses.

21. The method in accordance with claim 18 wherein said pulses from said stylus are voltage pulses.

22. The method in accordance with claim 18 further including the step of sending said position data to a host processor.

23. The method in accordance with claim 18 further including the step of displaying a video image on said field emission display in response to said determination.

19. A method for generating coordinate signals in conjunction with a surface of a field emission device having a cathode coupled to an anode, row and column drivers coupled to said cathode and to a controller, and row and column lines respectively coupled to said row and column drivers, comprising the steps of:

receiving with receive circuitry from said row and column lines pulses from a stylus positioned proximate to selected said row and column lines; and

determining an x-position and y-position of said stylus from said pulses.

24. The method in accordance with claim 19 wherein said pulses from said stylus are light pulses.

25. The method in accordance with claim 24 further including the step of converting said light pulses into an electrical pulse.

26. An improved field emission device of the type which includes an anode plate having a phosphor coating on an electrically conductive film;

a cathode plate having electron-emitting microtips and mutually orthogonal cathode electrodes and gate electrodes, each intersection of the electrodes defining a pixel; and

facilities for periodically applying first electrical signals to the conductive film and the electrodes during active periods so that portions of the phosphor coating luminesce to create an image;

wherein the improvement comprises;

circuitry for applying second electrical signals to the electrodes during the non-active periods following the periodic active periods;

a manipulable member capable of being located sufficiently close to the electrode intersections for affecting the second signals; and

circuitry for receiving the member-affected second signals and for determining the position of the pen therefrom.