Wireless input device, for use with a computer, employing a movable light-emitting element and a stationary light-receiving element
First Claim
1. A wireless computer input system for a computer comprising:
- a hand-held pen having a single light-emitting element capable of emitting light;
an optical receiver having a single light-detecting element, the receiver forming and detecting the light emitted by the single light-emitting element as a single incident light spot and producing simultaneously a plurality of output signals, wherein the plurality of output signals have a proportional relationship corresponding to the x-axis and y-axis positions of the single light-emitting element of the hand-held pen on a work surface; and
a processing circuit coupled to the single light-detecting element and adapted to receive the plurality of output signals from the receiver and calculate x-axis and y-axis position coordinates corresponding to the two-dimensional position of the single light-emitting element on the work surface based on the position of the single light spot on the single light-detecting element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The wireless computer input system uses a pen-type input device and a receiver. The pen-type input device includes an LED, at least one switch, a rechargeable battery, and a control circuit. The control circuit provides signals to the LED upon activation of the switch, and provides for power management functions allowing the pen to conserve power during idle periods. The receiver includes one or more light-detecting elements connected to position computation circuitry. The light-detecting element or elements are either a two-dimensional PSD, two one-dimensional PSDs or a four division photodiode. Optional lenses, optical filters, and apertured plates are positioned before the light-detecting element(s), improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the system. The computation circuitry receives the signals from the light-detecting element(s), digitizes them, and computes the coordinates of the pen which are output to a host computer. A recharging circuit, connected to the computation circuit, allows the pen to be recharged within the receiver or connected by a cord when the battery lacks sufficient power.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A wireless computer input system for a computer comprising:
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a hand-held pen having a single light-emitting element capable of emitting light; an optical receiver having a single light-detecting element, the receiver forming and detecting the light emitted by the single light-emitting element as a single incident light spot and producing simultaneously a plurality of output signals, wherein the plurality of output signals have a proportional relationship corresponding to the x-axis and y-axis positions of the single light-emitting element of the hand-held pen on a work surface; and a processing circuit coupled to the single light-detecting element and adapted to receive the plurality of output signals from the receiver and calculate x-axis and y-axis position coordinates corresponding to the two-dimensional position of the single light-emitting element on the work surface based on the position of the single light spot on the single light-detecting element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A receiver for use in a wireless computer input system, wherein the computer input system provides signals to a computer having a display screen, and wherein the wireless computer input system includes an input device for producing light, and usable on a work surface, the receiver comprising:
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an optical receiver having at least one light detecting element, the optical receiver receiving the produced light as at least one spot of light and generating signals in response to a position of the spot of light produced on the light-detecting element; a frame positionable on the work surface and having a base portion and a portion extending vertically from the base portion, the vertically extending portion receiving the optical receiver, the frame supporting the light detecting element in position over the work surface and at an angle down toward the worksurface wherein the angle is neither 0°
nor 90°
with respect to the worksurface, wherein the vertically extending portion extends a distance, above the work surface, that is greater than a height of the optical receiver, and wherein the work surface differs from the display screen;a filter circuit coupled to the optical receiver to filter the generated signals and produce a filtered signal; an analog to digital converter coupled to the filter circuit to convert the filtered signal to a digital signal; and a processor circuit coupled to the analog to digital converter to convert the digital signal to a coordinate signal representing a two-dimensional position of the input device based on the position of the spot of light produced on the light-detecting element. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. In a wireless computer input system having a pen capable of emitting light, and a receiver adapted to receive the light and produce an output signal for a computer having a display screen, a method of computing the coordinates of the pen comprising:
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emitting light by the pen from a single light-emitting element; positioning a light-detecting element at a selected height above a work surface and at an angle down toward the worksurface, wherein the angle is neither 0°
nor 90°
with respect to the worksurface, wherein the selected height is greater than a height of the single light detecting element, and wherein the work surface differs from the display screen;producing a light spot from the single light-emitting element whose point of incidence on the light detecting element corresponds to a two-dimensional position of the pen; generating a digital signal corresponding to the two-dimensional position of the light spot on the light detecting element; computing a coordinate signal corresponding to the digital signal; and outputting the coordinate signal to a computer. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A wireless computer input system for a computer comprising:
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a hand-held pen having a single light-emitting element capable of emitting light; an optical receiver having a light-detecting element, the receiver forming and detecting the light emitted by the light-emitting element as a single incident light spot and producing at a single sampling interval a plurality of output signals corresponding to a two-dimensional position of the single light spot on the light-detecting element; and a processing circuit coupled to the light-detecting element and adapted to receive the output signals from the receiver and calculate two-dimensional position coordinates corresponding to the two-dimensional position of the single light-emitting element on the work surface based on the two-dimensional position of the single light spot on the light-detecting element. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification