Position detecting device and position pointing device therefor

• US 5,600,105 A
• Filed: 12/23/1994
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Katsurahira, Yuji, Fukuzaki, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/362,643
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 345/156, 345/180, 345/175, 345/181
• US Class Current: 178/19.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A position detecting device and a position pointing device therefor, which are capable of sending various types of instructions from a tablet to a cordless position pointing device, thus controlling the operation thereof. The tablet is equipped with an instruction generating means and an electromagnetic wave transmitting means to transmit an electromagnetic wave, which includes an operation state setting instruction, to the position pointing device. The position pointing device is equipped with an electromagnetic wave receiving means, an instruction extracting means, and an operation setting means to receive the electromagnetic wave, which includes the operation state setting instruction, extract the operation state setting instruction, and set the operation state in accordance with the extracted operation state setting instruction, thus enabling the operation state of the position pointing device to be set.

Claims

1. In combination,

a coordinate detecting tablet for emitting a first AC field, and

a position pointing device responsive to the emitted first AC field for coupling a second AC field to the tablet,

the position pointing device having at least two operation states, the second AC field having a spatial distribution corresponding to a coordinate value of a pointed position of the device relative to the tablet;

the tablet including (a) means responsive to the second AC field and for deriving a signal indicative of the coordinate value of the position pointed by said position pointing device;

(b) instruction generating means for generating an operation state setting instruction for the position pointing device, and (c) means responsive to the setting instruction derived by the instruction generating means for controlling a characteristic of the first AC field;

the position pointing device comprising;

(a) means for receiving the first AC field, which is emitted by the tablet and includes an operation state setting instruction,

(b) instruction extracting means for extracting the operation state setting instruction from the first AC field, and

(c) operation setting means for setting an operation state in accordance with said operation state setting instruction.

5. A position detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the instruction for the position pointing device is represented by a duration or pause of the first AC field.

6. A position detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the first AC field receiving means of the position pointing device includes a resonance circuit.

7. A position detecting device according to claim 6, wherein a resonance circuit of the position pointing device is included in a source of the second AC field.

8. A position detecting device according to claim 7, wherein the characteristic control means of the position pointing device is accomplished by changing the resonance characteristic of the resonance circuit.

9. A position pointing device according to claim 6, further comprising a power source extracting means on the position pointing device for extracting electrical energy for driving component units of the position pointing device from the first AC field as received by the resonance circuit.

2. In combination,

a coordinate detecting tablet for emitting a first AC field, and

a position pointing device responsive to the emitted first AC field for coupling a second AC field to the tablet, the second AC field having a spatial distribution corresponding to a coordinate value of a pointed position,

said tablet comprising:

instruction generating means for generating an operation state setting instruction for the position pointing device, the first field carrying said operation state setting instruction and coupling the instruction to the position pointing device,

detecting means for detecting the second field;

coordinate detecting means responsive to the detected second field for determining a coordinate value of a position pointed by the position pointing device,

characteristic detecting means for detecting an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change in these characteristics of said detected second field, and

information identifying means for identifying information from said detected characteristics of the second field,

said position pointing device comprising;

characteristic control means for controlling an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change in these characteristics of the second AC field in accordance with predetermined control information,

AC field receiving means for receiving the first field and for extracting the operation state setting instruction from said first field, and

operation setting means for setting one of at least two operation states in accordance with said operation state setting instruction and enabling information based on said set operation state to be entered as said predetermined control information.

3. In combination,

a coordinate detecting tablet for emitting a first AC field, and

a position pointing device responsive to the emitted first AC field for coupling a second AC field to the tablet, the second AC field having a spatial distribution corresponding to a coordinate value of a pointed position,

said tablet comprising:

instruction generating means for generating an instruction requesting pointing device information for the position pointing device, the first field carrying said positioning device requesting instruction and coupling the instruction to the position pointing device,

detecting means for detecting the second field;

coordinate detecting means responsive to the detected second field for determining a coordinate value of a position pointed by the position pointing device,

characteristic detecting means for detecting an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change in these characteristics of said detected second field, and

information identifying means for identifying pointing device information from said detected characteristics of the second field,

said position pointing device comprising;

characteristic control means for controlling an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change in these characteristics of the second AC field in accordance with predetermined control information,

information generating means for generating at least one piece of pointing device information,

electromagnetic wave receiving means for receiving instruction requesting pointing device information,

the first field and for extracting the instruction requesting pointing device information from said first field, and

information setting means for setting said pointing device information as said predetermined control information in accordance with said instruction requesting pointing device information.

4. In combination, a coordinate detecting tablet for emitting a first AC field, and

a position pointing device responsive to the emitted first AC field for coupling a second AC field to the tablet, the second AC field having a spatial distribution corresponding to a coordinate value of a pointed position,

said tablet comprising:

instruction generating means for generating an instruction requesting a predetermined type of pointing device information for the position pointing device, the first field carrying said instruction requesting a predetermined type of pointing device information and coupling the instruction to the position pointing device,

detecting means for detecting the second field;

coordinate detecting means responsive to the detected second field for determining a coordinate value of a position pointed by the position pointing device,

characteristic detecting means for detecting an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change in these characteristics of said detected second field, and

information identifying means for identifying a predetermined type of pointing device information from said detected characteristics of the second field,

said position pointing device comprising;

characteristic control means for controlling an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change in these characteristics of the second AC field in accordance with predetermined control information,

a plurality of types of information generating means for generating a plurality of types of pointing device information,

AC field receiving means for receiving the first field and for extracting the instruction requesting the predetermined type of pointing device information from said first field, and

information setting means for selecting an appropriate type of pointing device information out of said plurality of types of pointing device information and setting it as said predetermined control information in accordance with said instruction requesting the pointing device information, and

said tablet comprising;

instruction generating means for generating the operation state setting instruction for the position pointing device,

electromagnetic wave transmitting means for transmitting the electromagnetic wave, which includes said operation state setting instruction, to the position pointing device,

electromagnetic wave detecting means for detecting the electromagnetic wave, which is generated by the position pointing device and which has certain space distribution,

coordinate detecting means for determining a coordinate value of a position pointed by the position pointing device from said detected electromagnetic wave,

characteristic detecting means for detecting an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change in these characteristics of said detected electromagnetic wave, and

information identifying means for identifying information from said detected characteristics of the electromagnetic wave.

10. A position pointing device for use with a coordinate detecting tablet for emitting a first AC field, the first AC field being susceptible of including an operation state setting instruction, the position pointing device comprising:

(a) a second AC field generating means for generating a second AC field having a spatial distribution corresponding to a coordinate value of a pointed position of the device relative to the tablet,

(b) characteristic control means for controlling an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change of the intensity or frequency characteristic of the second AC field generated by said electromagnetic wave generating means in accordance with predetermined control information,

(c) AC field receiving means for receiving the first AC field,

(d) instruction extracting means for extracting the operation state setting instruction from said received first AC field, and

(e) operation setting means for setting one of at least two operation states in accordance with said operation state setting instruction and enabling information based on said set operation state to be entered as said predetermined control information.

13. A position pointing device according to claim 10, wherein the instruction is extracted in accordance with the duration or pause of the received first AC field.

14. A position pointing device according to claim 10, wherein a resonance circuit is employed as the first AC field receiving means.

15. A position pointing device according to claim 14, wherein a resonance circuit is included in a source of second AC field.

16. A position pointing device according to claim 15, wherein the characteristic control means is accomplished by changing the resonance characteristic of the resonance circuit.

17. A position pointing device according to claim 14, comprising a power source extracting means on the position pointing device for extracting electrical energy for driving component units from the electromagnetic wave received by the resonance circuit.

11. A position pointing device for use with a coordinate detecting tablet for emitting a first AC field, the first AC field being susceptible of including an instruction requesting pointing device information to be transmitted from the tablet, the position pointing device comprising:

(a) a second AC field generating means for generating a second AC field having a spatial distribution corresponding to a coordinate value of a pointed position of the device relative to the tablet,

(b) characteristic control means for controlling an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change of the intensity or frequency characteristic of the second AC field generated by said electromagnetic wave generating means in accordance with predetermined control information,

(c) information generating means for generating at least one piece of pointing device information,

(d) AC field receiving means for receiving the first AC field including the instruction requesting pointing device information,

instruction extracting means for extracting the instruction requesting the pointing device information from said received first AC field, and

information setting means for setting said pointing device information as said predetermined control information in accordance with said instruction requesting pointing device information.

12. A position pointing device for use with a coordinate detecting tablet for emitting a first AC field, the first AC field being susceptible of including a predetermined type of pointing device information, the position pointing device comprising:

(a) a second AC field generating means for generating a second AC field having a spatial distribution corresponding to a coordinate value of a pointed position of the device relative to the tablet,

(b) characteristic control means for controlling an intensity characteristic or a frequency characteristic or a time-dependent change of the intensity or frequency characteristic of the second AC field generated by said electromagnetic wave generating means in accordance with predetermined control information,

(c) a plurality of types of information generating means for generating a plurality of types of pointing device information,

(d) AC field receiving means for receiving the first AC field including the predetermined type of pointing device information,

instruction extracting means for extracting the instruction requesting the predetermined type of pointing device information from said received first AC field, and

information setting means for selecting an appropriate type of pointing device information out of said plurality of types of pointing device information and setting it as said predetermined control information in accordance with said instruction requesting pointing device information.