Cordless position detection apparatus

• US 5,557,076 A
• Filed: 11/14/1994
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mikron Gesellschaft FUER Integrierte Mikroelectronik mbH
• Original Assignee: Mikron Gesellschaft FUER Integrierte Mikroelectronik mbH
• Inventors: Rohrmulle, Josef, Hahn, Dietrich, Wieczorek, Rudi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/339,699
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19
• US Class Current: 178/18.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A cordless position detection apparatus includes a position detection area and a pointer. A plurality of conductors are arranged side-by-side in the position detection area. The position detection area has a selection circuit for selecting single conductors, and a transmitting circuit that provides a transmitting signal having at least one harmonic to a selected conductor. A pointer for use with the position detecting area includes a resonance circuit which is tuned to an harmonic of the transmitting signal. The pointer is excited by the transmitting signal to oscillate and radiates a receiving signal. A receiving circuit in the detection apparatus detects the receiving signal in a selected conductor and processing means uses this received signal to determine a position indicated by the pointer.

Claims

1. A cordless position detection apparatus, comprising:

a position detection area in which a plurality of conductors are provided that are arranged in direction of the measurement of the position side

a selection circuit for selecting single conductors;

a transmitting circuit that provides a transmitting signal to a selected conductor said transmitting signal comprising at least one harmonic;

a pointer comprising a resonance circuit that is excited by the transmitting signal to oscillate and that radiates a receiving signal;

a receiving circuit for detecting the receiving signal in a selected conductor; and

processing means for determining a position indicated by the pointer by processing the receiving signals detected by the receiving circuit, wherein the resonance circuit is tuned to an harmonic of the transmitting signal.

2. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting signal comprises square pulses.

3. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting signal comprises a dead time.

4. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the detection of the receiving signal is carried out in said dead time or the transmitting signal.

5. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a position detection area comprises two sets of conductors that are orthogonal to each other and the single conductors of which are arranged side by side in direction of the measurement of the position.

6. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein conductors from different sets of conductors are provided for transmitting or emitting and receiving.

7. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a transmission-reception switch is provided for each set of wires.

8. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1 with a synchronization to a close and periodic source of noise.

9. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position detection area comprises a graphic- and/or menutable.

10. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein cordless position detection apparatus switches on and off respectively, by bringing or removing the pointer to and from the position dection area;

respectively.

11. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more pressure sensors are provided in the pointer.

12. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one pressure sensor is a resistance sensor.

13. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one pressure sensor is a capacitive sensor.

14. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one pressure sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.

15. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one pressure sensor comprises a function switch, that enables operation of the pressure sensor.

16. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or a plurality of switches are provided in the pointer.

17. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein energy is taken from the pointer from the resonance circuit to supply a circuit or circuit assembly.

18. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the circuit comprises a data memory.

19. A cordless position detection apparatus, particularly according to claim 17, wherein the circuit comprises an A/D converter.

20. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the circuit transmits information to the conductors in the position detection area and/or that the circuit receives information of the conductors in the position detection area.

21. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the information contains information about the states of the switches located at the pointer.

22. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the information contains information about the relative position of at least two coils in the pointer and/or a non-circular shaped coil with respect to the position detection area.

23. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 20, wherein a circuit or sub-circuit is provided in the circuit or circuit assembly for the transmission of information from the pointer that modulates the receiving signal.

24. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a sub-circuit is provided in the pointer for the transmission of information that demodulates the transmitting signal.

25. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the information is protected by a cryptographic algorithm.

26. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a (de-)coding key and (de-)coding information, respectively, is stored in the data memory of the circuit.

27. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the information and/or the memory contains a password.

28. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the information and/or data memory contains signature specific data.

29. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cordless position detection apparatus or parts of it are connected to other devices that transmit data.

30. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the circuit in the pointer comprises an oscillator.

31. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 18, wherein means are provided to read out the time of operation from the data memory in the pointer.

32. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a further pen or at least a further coil are provided in a pointer.

33. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pointer or pen comprises a plurality of sensors that are arranged under a common key or push-button.

34. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pointer comprises a non-circular coil.

35. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the further pointers or the further coils are distinguishable for said processing means.

36. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pointer comprises a non-circular coil by means of which a rotation of the pointer in a plane can be detected.

37. A cordless position detection apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two coils are provided in a pointer by which a rotation of the pointer can be recognized, said coils having different frequencies and/or different codes and/or different passwords to distinguish then.

38. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 36, wherein at least two distinguishable pointers are provided.

39. A cordless position detection apparatus according to any of the claim 36, wherein the pointer comprises at least two additional sensors.

40. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the sensors are arranged under a common key or push-button.

41. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 36, wherein at least one pointer comprises an A/D converter.

42. A cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 36, wherein information about the relative position of at least two coils in the pointer and of at least two pointers, respectively, and/or of one non-circular shaped coil with respect to the position detection area is transmitted from the pointer.

43. A cordless position detection apparatus comprising a position detection area and a pointer, wherein a coil arranged around the position detection area is provided in order to supply energy to a first resonance circuit in the pointer.

44. The cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 43, wherein a switch, is provided in a second resonance circuit comprising the coil arranged around the position detection area and a capacitor to switch on and off the resonance circuit.

45. The cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the switch is a transistor.

46. A cordless position detection apparatus comprising:

a position detection area and a pointer, wherein the pointer comprises a resonance circuit and a plurality of pressure sensors, said pointer comprising means for translating the pressure values sensed by the pressure sensors into a time duration (t₁, t₂) during which characteristics of the oscillation in said resonance circuit are changed.

47. The cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the characteristics comprise the amplitude of the oscillation in said resonance circuit.

48. The cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said pressure sensors are pressure-sensitive resistors forming part of a multivibrator.

55. The cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said pressure sensors are pressure-sensitive resistors forming part of a multivibrator.

49. A cordless position detection apparatus comprising:

a position detection area in which a plurality of conductors are provided that are arranged in direction of the measurement of the position side by side;

a selection circuit for selecting single conductors;

a transmitting circuit that provides a transmitting signal to a selected conductor;

a pointer comprising a resonance circuit that is excited by the transmitting signal to oscillate and that radiates a receiving signal;

a receiving circuit for detecting the receiving signal in a selected conductor; and

processing means for determining a position indicated by the pointer by processing the receiving signals detected by the receiving circuit;

wherein the pointer further comprises a switch and a control circuit, said control circuit being adapted to open and close the switch to thereby enable or disable an oscillation in the resonance circuit whereby coded information can be transmitted from the pointer to the position detection area.

50. A cordless position detection apparatus comprising:

a position detection area in which a plurality of conductors are provided that are arranged in direction of the measurement of the position side by side;

a selection circuit for selecting single conductors;

a transmitting circuit that provides a transmitting signal to a selected conductor;

a pointer comprising a resonance circuit that is excited by the transmitting signal to oscillate and that radiates a receiving signal;

a receiving circuit for detecting the receiving signal in a selected conductor;

processing means for determining a position indicated by the pointer by processing the receiving signals detected by the receiving circuit; and

a control circuit adapted to enable or disable the transmitting signal, whereby coded information can be transmitted from the position detection area to the pointer.

51. A cordless position detection apparatus comprising:

a position detection area in which a plurality of conductors are provided that are arranged in direction of the measurement of the position side by side;

a selection circuit for selecting single conductors;

a transmitting circuit that provides a transmitting signal to a selected conductor;

a pointer comprising a resonance circuit that is excited by the transmitting signal to oscillate and that radiates a receiving signal;

a receiving circuit for detecting the receiving signal in a selected conductor; and

processing means for determining a position indicated by the pointer by processing the receiving signals detected by the receiving circuit;

wherein the pointer comprises a plurality of pressure sensors arranged under a common key or push button and wherein the resonance circuit comprises a coil that is non-circular.

52. The cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 51, wherein the coil is elliptically shaped.

53. The cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 51, wherein the four pressure sensors are arranged under the common key so as to form the corners of a parallelogram.

56. The cordless position detection apparatus according to claim 52, wherein the four pressure sensors are arranged under the common key so as to form the corners of a parallelogram.

54. A cordless position detection apparatus comprising:

a position detection area in which a plurality of conductors are provided that are arranged in direction of the measurement of the position side by side;

a selection circuit for selecting single conductors;

a transmitting circuit that provides a transmitting signal to a selected conductor;

a pointer comprising a resonance circuit that is excited by the transmitting signal to oscillate and that radiates a receiving signal;

a receiving circuit for detecting the receiving signal in a selected conductor; and

processing means for determining a position indicated by the pointer by processing the receiving signals detected by the receiving circuit;

wherein the pointer comprises a plurality of pressure sensors arranged under a common key or push button and at least a second resonance circuit.