Coordinates detecting apparatus with display unit of a type having separate control unit

• US 5,576,735 A
• Filed: 03/10/1994
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Wakom
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Wakom
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Akio, Oda, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stoll, Kara Farnandez
• Application Number:
  US08/208,204
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 340/712, 340/728, 340/731, 340/811, 382/13, 345/104, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/178, 345/202, 345/204, 345/211, 345/903, 345/905, 345/132, 358/412
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/06 Handling electromagnetic interferences [EMI], covering emitted as well as received electromagnetic radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04

Abstract

A coordinate detecting apparatus with a display unit of a type having a separated control unit constituted for the purpose of improving the handling facility of the coordinate detecting apparatus with the display unit, lowering the frequency for transferring data about the contents to be displayed, enabling the circuit for the display control means to be freely designed and also enabling the coordinate detecting apparatus to be connected to an existing computer body. The coordinate detecting apparatus with the display unit is supplied with power from a power source for a control unit, data about the contents to be displayed is supplied from the control unit to the coordinate detecting apparatus with the display unit via one integrated cable while being compressed to form a graphic control signal, the data about the contents to be displayed is restored in the coordinate detecting apparatus with the display unit and the aforesaid function is given to the interface board.

Claims

1. A coordinate detecting apparatus including a display unit having a separate control unit;

the display unit displaying data about contents to be displayed and being superposed on a coordinate detecting unit for converting coordinate information supplied from said display unit into coordinate data; and

said control unit transmitting and receiving the data about the contents to be displayed and said coordinate data to and from a portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit, said control unit being separate from said portion,

said coordinate detecting apparatus comprising;

a display unit control means, disposed in said control unit, for transferring a graphic control signal as said data about the contents to be displayed to said display unit, said graphic control signal directly controlling said display unit;

a driving power source disposed in said control unit, the driving power source being connected to drive said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit,

said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit and said control unit being connected to each other by a common integrated cable including at least a signal line for transferring said graphic control signal to said display unit, a signal line for transferring the coordinate data of said coordinate detecting unit, and a power line for transferring power from said driving power source to said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit.

2. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control unit includes a compressing circuit for compressing said data about the contents to be displayed to transfer it to said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit by increasing a data transfer rate without increasing or decreasing the amount of data, and

said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit including a restoring circuit for restoring compressed data about the contents to be displayed by decreasing the data transfer rate.

3. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit is accommodated in a thin frame.

4. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said frame which accommodates said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit has a pivotally fastened foldable standing member on a bottom side or a side surface thereof.

5. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is accommodated in a frame at least one side surface of which is formed as a plane.

6. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein holding means for holding said frame of said control unit on the surface of a disk is provided on a bottom side of said frame of said control unit.

7. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the size of one side of a frame accommodating said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit and that of said at least one side surface of said frame of said control unit are made to be substantially the same.

8. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least control data, data about the contents to be displayed and power for driving said display unit, and control data, coordinate data and power for driving said coordinate detecting unit are transmitted and received through one input/output port and said common integrated cable.

9. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display unit comprises a liquid crystal display, said graphic control signal comprises a digital graphic control signal and said display unit control means comprises a liquid crystal controller outputting said digital graphic control signal.

10. A coordinate detecting apparatus including a display unit having a separate control unit:

the display unit displaying data about contents to be displayed and being superposed on a coordinate detecting unit for converting coordinate information supplied from said display unit into coordinate data; and

said control unit for transmitting and receiving data about the contents to be displayed and said coordinate data to and from a portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit, said control unit being separate from said portion,

said coordinate detecting apparatus comprising;

a power source and an interface board located in a portion including said control unit, said power source being connected for supplying power to each of a plurality of circuits in said control unit, and said interface board being insertable into an extension slot of said control unit,

said interface board having display unit control means, said display unit control means being disposed in said control unit, for transferring a graphic control signal as said data about the contents to be displayed to said display unit, said graphic control signal directly controlling said display unit;

a power supply circuit located in said interface board for supplying driving power from said power source to said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit as driving power source,

said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit and said interface board being connected to each other by a common integrated cable including at least a signal line for transferring said graphic control signal to said display unit, a signal line for transferring the coordinate data of said coordinate detecting unit, and a power line for transferring power from said power supply circuit to said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit.

11. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said interface board includes a compressing circuit for compressing said data about the contents to be displayed to transfer it to said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit by increasing a data transfer rate without increasing or decreasing the amount of data, and

said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit including a restoring circuit for restoring compressed data about the contents to be displayed by decreasing the data transfer rate.

12. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit is accommodated in a thin frame.

13. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said frame which accommodates said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit has a pivotally fastened foldable standing member on a bottom side or a side surface thereof.

14. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control unit is accommodated in a frame at least one side surface of which is formed as a plane.

15. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein holding means for holding said frame of said control unit on the surface of a disk is provided on a bottom side of said frame of said control unit.

16. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the size of one side of a frame accommodating said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit and that of said at least one side surface of said frame of said control unit are made to be substantially the same.

17. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said display unit comprises a liquid crystal display, said graphic control signal comprises a digital graphic control signal and said display unit control means comprises a liquid crystal controller outputting said digital graphic control signal.

18. A coordinate detecting apparatus with a display unit for displaying data about contents to be displayed, said display unit being superposed on a coordinate detecting unit and said coordinate detecting unit converting coordinate information supplied from said display unit into coordinate data, comprising:

a common integrated cable for connecting said coordinate detecting apparatus with said display unit to a control unit, said control unit transmitting and receiving data about the contents to be displayed and said coordinate data to and from said coordinate detecting apparatus, said common integrated cable including (a) a signal line for transferring a graphic control signal as the data about contents to be displayed to said display unit, said graphic control signal directly controlling said display unit, and (b) a signal line for transferring the coordinate data of said coordinate detecting unit,

driving power for driving said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit being supplied from said control unit via said integrated cable.

19. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising a restoring circuit for restoring said data about the contents to be displayed which has been compressed by increasing a data transfer rate without increasing or decreasing the amount of data and transferred.

20. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said coordinate detecting apparatus is accommodated in a thin frame.

21. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said frame which accommodates said coordinate detecting apparatus has a pivotally fastened foldable standing member on a bottom side or a side surface thereof.

22. A coordinate detecting apparatus with a display unit according to claim 18 wherein at least control data, data about the contents to be displayed and power for driving said display unit, and control data, coordinate data and power for driving said coordinate detecting unit are transmitted and received through one input/output port and said common integrated cable.

23. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said display unit comprises a liquid crystal display, said graphic control signal comprises a digital graphic control signal and said display unit control means comprises a liquid crystal controller outputting said digital graphic control signal.

24. A control unit for transmitting and receiving data about the contents to be displayed and coordinate data to and from a coordinate detecting apparatus with a display unit for displaying data about contents to be displayed, said display unit being superposed on a coordinate detecting unit and said coordinate detecting unit converting coordinate information supplied from said display unit into coordinate data, said control unit being separate from said coordinate detecting apparatus with said display unit, said control unit comprising:

display unit control means for transferring a graphic control signal as said data about contents to be displayed to said display unit, said graphic control signal directly controlling said display unit;

a driving power source arranged to drive said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit,

said control unit being connected to said coordinate detecting apparatus with said display unit by a common integrated cable including at least (a) a signal line for transferring said graphic control signal to said display unit, (b) a signal line for transferring the coordinate data of said coordinate detecting unit, and (c) a power line for transferring power to said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit from said driving power source.

25. A control unit according to claim 24, wherein at least control data, data about the contents to be displayed and power for driving said display unit and control data, coordinate data and power for driving said coordinate detecting unit are transmitted and received through one input/output port.

26. A control unit according to claim 24 further comprising a compressing circuit for compressing said data about the contents to be displayed to transfer it to said coordinate detecting apparatus with said display unit by increasing a data transfer rate without increasing or decreasing the amount of data.

27. A control unit according to claim 24, wherein said control unit is accommodated in a frame at least one side surface of which is formed as a plane.

28. A control unit according to claim 27, wherein holding means for holding said frame of said control unit on the surface of a disk is provided on a bottom side of said frame of said control unit.

29. A control unit according to claim 28, wherein the size of a bottom side of a frame of said coordinate detecting apparatus with said display unit and that of a surface of said frame of said control unit are made to be substantially the same.

30. A control unit according to claim 24, wherein said display unit comprises a liquid crystal display, said graphic control signal comprises a digital graphic control signal and said display unit control means comprises a liquid crystal controller outputting said digital graphic control signal.

31. An interface board which can be inserted into an extension slot of a control unit, said interface board transmitting and receiving data about the contents to be displayed and coordinate data to and from a coordinate detecting apparatus with a display unit for displaying data about contents to be displayed, said display unit being superposed on a coordinate detecting unit and said coordinate detecting unit converting coordinate information supplied from said display unit into coordinate data, said control unit being separate from said coordinate detecting apparatus with said display unit, said interface board comprising:

a display unit control means for transferring a graphic control signal as said data about contents to be displayed to said display unit, said graphic control signal directly controlling said display unit,

a power supply circuit for supplying power from a power source of said control unit to said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit as a driving power source.

32. An interface board according to claim 31, wherein at least control data, data about the contents to be displayed and power for driving said display unit and control data, coordinate data and power for driving said coordinate detecting unit are transmitted and received through one input/output port.

33. An interface board according to claim 31 further comprising a compressing circuit for compressing said data about the contents to be displayed by increasing a data transfer rate without increasing or decreasing the amount of data to transfer it to said coordinate detecting apparatus with said display unit.

34. An interface board according to claim 31, wherein said display unit comprises a liquid crystal display, said graphic control signal comprises a digital graphic control signal and said display unit control means comprises a liquid crystal controller outputting said digital graphic control signal.

35. A coordinate detecting apparatus with a display unit of a type having a separate control unit, in which

said display unit displays data about contents to be displayed and said display unit is superposed on a coordinate detecting unit for converting coordinate information supplied from said display unit into coordinate data;

and

said control unit transmits and receives data about the contents to be displayed and said coordinate data to and from a portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit, said control unit being separate from said portion,

said coordinate detecting apparatus comprising;

a lighting unit for lighting up said display unit from the rear or the side thereof,

display unit control means and a driving power source located in a portion including said control unit, the display unit control means transferring a graphic control signal as said data about contents to be displayed to said display unit, said graphic control signal directly controlling said display unit, and the driving power source being arranged for driving said lighting unit, said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit,

said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit and said control unit being connected to each other by a common integrated cable including at least a signal line for transferring said graphic control signal to said display unit, a signal line for transferring the coordinate data of said coordinate detecting unit, and a power line for transferring power from said driving power source to said lighting unit, said display unit and said coordinate detecting unit.

36. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said display unit comprises a liquid crystal display, said graphic control signal comprises a digital graphic control signal and said display unit control means comprises a liquid crystal controller outputting said digital graphic control signal.

37. A coordinate detecting apparatus with a display unit of a type having a separate control unit, in which said display unit displays data about contents to be displayed and said display unit is superposed on a coordinate detecting unit for converting coordinate information supplied from said display unit into coordinate data;

and

said control unit transmits and receives data about the contents to be displayed and said coordinate data to and from a portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus including said display unit superposed on said coordinate detecting unit, said control unit being separate from said portion of said coordinate detecting apparatus with said display unit;

said coordinate detecting apparatus comprising;

a portion including said control unit, said control unit having a display unit control means for transferring a graphic control signal as said data about the contents to be displayed to said display unit, said graphic control signal directly controlling said display unit.

38. A coordinate detecting apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said display unit comprises a liquid crystal display, said graphic control signal comprises a digital graphic control signal and said display unit control means comprises a liquid crystal controller outputting said digital graphic control signal.

39. In combination,

a first housing including:

(a) a tablet having two coordinate directions for detecting coordinates of an object in the two coordinate directions and for deriving tablet output signals indicative of the object position in said two coordinate directions,

(b) a controller connected to the tablet for supplying control signals to the tablet and responding to the tablet output signals to derive a serial signal indicative of the position of the object in said two coordinate directions,

(c) a two coordinate display for the two coordinate directions of the tablet, the display providing a graphic display of the object in the two coordinate directions in response to a digital signal having a bandwidth less than that of a video signal, and

(d) a power supply circuit for converting a DC input voltage into DC power supply voltages for the display and the controller;

a second housing including;

(a) a power source for deriving the DC input voltage for the power supply circuit,

(b) a signal bus,

(c) a serial signal controller for deriving input signals for the controller of the first housing and responsive to the serial signal indicative of the object position in said two coordinate directions, the serial signal controller supplying the bus with a signal indicative of the object position in said two coordinate directions,

(d) a controller for the display responsive to the signal on the bus indicative of the object position in said two coordinate directions for deriving the digital signal having a bandwidth less than that of a video signal and indicative of the object position in the two coordinate directions; and

an integrated cable connected between the first and second housings including first, second and third lines, the first line being connected between the power source and the power supply circuit for supplying the DC input voltage to the power supply circuit from the power source, the second line being connected between the serial signal controller and the controller of the first housing for coupling the serial signal indicative of the object position from the controller of the first housing to the serial signal controller and for coupling the input signal for the controller of the first housing from the serial signal controller to the controller of the first housing, the third line being connected between the controller for the display and the display for coupling the digital signal from the controller for the display to the display.

40. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said first housing is supported by a foldable standing member pivotally fastened to a side thereof such that an operator can variably position said first housing during operation of the apparatus.

41. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said second housing is located separate from said first housing and said integrated cable mutually and externally interconnects said first and second housings.

42. A method of using a coordinate detecting apparatus having a first coordinate detecting and output display housing and a second power supply and signal control housing, said first and second housings being mutually interconnected by a single integrated cable including at least first, second and third lines, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting coordinates of an object position in said first housing in two coordinate directions and deriving input signals indicative of said object position in said two coordinate directions;

processing said input signals in said first housing to derive graphic control signals;

electronically transmitting said graphic control signals from said first housing to said second housing, said electronic transmittance occurring via said second line of said integrated cable at a graphic control signal transmittal frequency less than that of a video signal;

controlling and enhancing said graphic control signals in said second housing according to a program of a computer to generate serial signals;

supplying electric power to said first housing from said second housing, said supplying of electric power occurring via said first line of said integrated cable;

electronically transmitting said serial signals from said second housing to said first housing via said third line of said integrated cable at a serial signal transmittal frequency;

processing said digital serial signals in said first housing to derive coordinate display signals; and

displaying said display signals on an output display in said first housing.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein said graphic control signals and said serial signals are digital signals.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein said graphic control signal transmittal frequency and said serial signal transmittal frequency are greater than 1 Mhz and less than 15 Mhz.

45. A method according to claim 43, wherein said graphic control signal transmittal frequency is greater than 1 Mhz and less than 15 Mhz and said serial signal transmittal frequency is more than 29 Mhz.

46. In combination,

a first housing including:

(a) a tablet having two coordinate directions for detecting coordinates of an object in the two coordinate directions and for deriving tablet output signals indicative of the object position in said two coordinate directions,

(b) a controller connected to the tablet for supplying control signals to the tablet and responding to the tablet output signals to derive a serial signal indicative of the position of the object in said two coordinate directions,

(c) a two coordinate display for the two coordinate directions of the tablet, the display providing a graphic display of the object in the two coordinate directions in response to a digital signal, and

(d) a power supply circuit for converting a DC input voltage into DC power supply voltages for the display and the controller;

a second housing including;

(a) a power source for deriving the DC input voltage for the power supply circuit,

(b) a signal bus,

(c) a serial signal controller for deriving input signals for the controller of the first housing and responsive to the serial signal indicative of the object position in said two coordinate directions, the serial signal controller supplying the bus with a signal indicative of the object position in said two coordinate directions,

(d) a controller for the display responsive to the signal on the bus indicative of the object position in said two coordinate directions for deriving the digital signal indicative of the object position in the two coordinate directions; and

an integrated cable connected between the first and second housings including first, second and third lines, the first line being connected between the power source and the power supply circuit for supplying the DC input voltage to the power supply circuit from the power source, the second line being connected between the serial signal controller and the controller of the first housing for coupling the serial signal indicative of the object position from the controller of the first housing to the serial signal controller and for coupling the input signal for the controller of the first housing from the serial signal controller to the controller of the first housing, the third line being connected between the controller for the display and the display for coupling the digital signal from the controller for the display to the display.

47. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said first housing is supported by a foldable standing member pivotally fastened to a side thereof such that an operator can variably position said first housing during operation of the apparatus.

48. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said second housing is located separate from said first housing and said integrated cable mutually and externally interconnects said first and second housings.

49. A method for use in a coordinate detecting apparatus having a first coordinate detecting and output display housing and a second power supply and signal control housing, said first and second housings mutually interconnected by a single integrated cable including at least first, second and third lines, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting coordinates of an object position in said first housing in two coordinate directions and deriving input signals indicative of said object position in said two coordinate directions;

processing said input signals in said first housing to derive serial signals;

electronically transmitting said serial signals from said first housing to said second housing, said electronic transmittance occurring via said second line of said integrated cable;

controlling said serial signals in said second housing according to a program of a computer to generate a graphic control signal;

supplying electric power to said first housing from said second housing, said supplying of electric power occurring via said first line of said integrated cable;

electronically transmitting said graphic control signal from said second housing to said first housing via said third line of said integrated cable at a graphic control signal transmittal frequency; and

displaying said graphic control signal on an output display in said first housing.

50. A method according to claim 49, wherein said graphic control signals are digital signals.

51. A method according to claim 49, wherein said graphic control signal transmittal frequency is greater than 1 Mhz and less than 15 Mhz.