Electronic paintbrush and color palette

• US 5,646,650 A
• Filed: 02/09/1995
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert F. Miller, Steven M. Blonstein
• Original Assignee: Robert F. Miller, Steven M. Blonstein
• Inventors: Miller, Robert F., Blonstein, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US08/386,475
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/175, 345/179, 345/180, 345/87, 345/88, 345/150, 345/158, 250/227.13, 235/472, 178/18, 178/19, 382/313, 382/314
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/037 using the raster scan of a cathode-ray tube [CRT] for detecting the position of the member, e.g. light pens cooperating with CRT monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77

Abstract

An electronic paintbrush and electronic palette which allow a user to generate images on a CRT screen in a manner which imitates traditional painting with paints on a canvas. The electronic brush has fiber optic bristles which channel light from a CRT screen to optical detectors. A microprocessor in the brush utilizes pulses generated by the incidence of the raster scan on photodiodes to determine the position of the brush, the pressure of the brush against the CRT screen, and its angular orientation about the longitudinal axis of the brush. The microprocessor utilizes color information generated by a CCD array to determine the area of contact of the brush with color swatches on the palette, and the angle between the longitudinal axis of the brush and the normal vector to the CRT screen. In an alternate embodiment the palette is also displayed on the CRT screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus with which a user generates an image displayed on an electronic image-display screen, comprising:

(a) an elongated handle, said handle having a brush end, a back end, and a longitudinal axis extending through said brush end and said back end;

(b) a first brush head attached at said brush end of said handle;

(c) a number of nonrigid optic fiber bristles protruding from said first brush head in a direction away from said handle, said optic fiber bristles having a handle end proximal said handle, said handle end of said optic fiber bristles being secured to said brush end of said handle such that said handle end of said optic fiber bristles are relatively immovable relative to said handle in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, and said optic fiber bristles having a working end opposite said handle end, said working end of said optic fiber bristles not being secured to said handle such that said working end of said optic fiber bristles are relatively bendable in said direction transverse said longitudinal axis when a force is applied to said working end of said bristles, said optic fiber bristles channeling light from said working end to said handle end;

(d) means for transforming said channeled light into an electrical signal; and

(e) means for processing said electrical signal to determine a location of said optic fiber bristles on said screen when said optic fiber bristles are in contact with a contact area of said screen.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for transforming is located in said elongated handle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for transforming is located near said handle end of said optic fiber bristles.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for processing is located external to said handle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 said means for transforming and said means for processing are located external to said handle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for processing includes an angular orientation determining means for determining an angular orientation of said handle about said longitudinal axis when said optic fiber bristles are in contact with said contact area.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processing means includes a means for determining a pressure with which said optic fiber bristles are pressed against said screen by determining a change in brightness of said channeled light from three regions within said contact region corresponding to bending of said optic fiber bristles.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said three regions are located at the corners of a symmetrical triangle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said three regions are noncolinear.

10. An apparatus with which a user generates an image displayed on an electronic image-display screen having a normal vector, said apparatus comprising:

(a) an elongated handle, said handle having a brush end, a grip end, and a longitudinal axis;

(b) a brush head located at said brush end of said handle, said brush head having a number of nonrigid optic fiber bristles for channeling light from a working end to a handle end of said optic fiber bristles, said handle end of said optic fiber bristles being adjacent said handle and said working end of said optic fiber bristles being opposite said handle end;

(c) means for transforming said channeled light from said optic fiber bristles to electrical signals; and

(d) means for processing said electrical signals,

said means for processing including a location determining means for determining a location of said optic fiber bristles on said screen when said optic fiber bristles are in contact with a contact area of said screen, said location determining means using time variations in brightness within said contact area to determine said location,

said means for processing including an angular orientation determining means for determining an angular orientation of said handle about said longitudinal axis when said optic fiber bristles are in contact with said contact area, said angular orientation determining means using said time variations in brightness from at least two regions within said contact area to determine said angular orientation, and

said means for processing including a means for determining a tilt angle of said longitudinal axis of said handle with said normal vector, said image having an image intensity at said contact area at a given time, said means for determining said tilt angle comparing a channeled-light intensity of said channeled light at said given time with said image intensity at said given time in order to determine said tilt angle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for transforming and said means for processing are located in said handle.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for transforming and said means for processing are located external to said handle.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for transforming is located in said handle, and said means for processing is located external to said handle.