Position detecting apparatus and position pointing device including elapsed time period build up detector

• US 5,682,019 A
• Filed: 06/15/1995
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Katsurahira, Yuji, Ogawa, Yasuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/491,048
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/20, 345/173, 345/174, 345/176, 345/179
• US Class Current: 178/18.07
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A position detecting apparatus is equipped with a sense section including a plurality of loop coils arranged parallel to each other along a position detecting direction. The plurality of loop coils are selected in turn by an electric-wave transmission unit to transmit an electric wave. The apparatus is further provided with a position pointing section having a resonance circuit composed of at least one coil and a capacitor. A time-measuring device measures a time period elapsed until a signal developing in the resonance circuit reaches a predetermined level after the electric-wave transmission unit starts the electric-wave transmission.

Claims

1. A position detecting apparatus comprising:

a sense section including a plurality of loop coils arranged parallel to each other along a position detecting direction;

electric-wave transmission means for selecting one of said plurality of loop coils in turn to transmit an electric wave;

a position pointing device having a resonance circuit composed of at least a coil and a capacitor; and

time-measuring means for measuring a time period elapsed until a signal developing in said resonance circuit reaches a predetermined level after said electric-wave transmission means starts to transmit said electric wave.

2. A position detecting apparatus provided with a position pointing device including a resonance circuit composed of at least a coil and a capacitor to detect a coordinate position of said position pointing device by using an electromagnetic induction with a tablet, in which:

said position pointing device comprising timing information transmission means for detecting a time that a signal developing in said resonance circuit reaches a predetermined level, and for informing the tablet side of the detected time; and

said tablet comprising timing information reception means for receiving timing information transmitted from said timing information transmission means to said tablet; and

time-measuring means for measuring the time period elapsed until said timing information reception means detects the time after an electric-wave transmission means starts to transmit an electric wave.

3. A position detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said timing information transmission means changes a resonance characteristic of said resonance circuit when a signal developing in said resonance circuit of said position pointing device reaches a predetermined level or when a predetermined time elapsed the time of reaching said predetermined level, and said tablet receives said electric wave transmitted from said position pointing device to detect the time that the reception signal varies.

4. A position detecting apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein loop coils for transmitting said electric wave are arranged to be orthogonal to loop coils for receiving said electric wave.

5. A position detecting apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said electric wave is received by a loop coil made to wholly surround the plurality of loop coils for transmitting said electric wave.

6. A position pointing device comprising:

a resonance circuit composed of at least a coil and a capacitor;

timing detecting means for detecting a time that a signal developing in said resonance circuit reaches a predetermined level; and

means for changing a resonance characteristic of said resonance circuit at one of the detected time or the time elapsed after a predetermined time period from the detected time.

7. A position pointing device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a rectifier for rectifying an alternating current voltage developing in said resonance circuit to obtain a power supply.