Double pen up event

• US 5,990,875 A
• Filed: 10/16/1995
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Packard Bell NEC
• Inventors: Bi, Depeng, George, Jose T.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US08/543,787
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 345/179, 345/173, 345/180, 345/186, 178/18, 178/19, 395/804, 382/179, 382/187, 382/202
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A pen-based computer system device includes a digitizer and utilizes a passive stylus as an input device. The system emulates standard two-button mouse functions by generating data packets corresponding to the x-y coordinates of the stylus for each pen-down event. In order to prevent malfunction of the system, a plurality of packets are generated for each pen-up event to prevent maloperation of the system in the event a data packet for a pen-up event is lost or garbled.

Claims

1. In a pen-based computer system, the improvement comprising:

means for emulating a standard mouse with a passive stylus; and

means operably coupled to said emulating means for generating a plurality of data packets representative of a pen-up event for each pen-up event, said plurality including at least a first and second data packet-only one of said at least one first or second data packets needed to represent said pen-up event.

2. The pen-based computer system of claim 1, said generating means further comprising means for processing an interrupt responsive to a pen point event of said passive stylus.

3. The pen-based computer system of claim 2, said interrupt processing means including means for disabling interrupts during processing of said pen point event.

4. The pen-based computer system of claim 3, further comprising means for generating said second data packet while said processing is occurring.

5. The pen-based computer system of claim 4, wherein the redundant packet generating means includes means for determining whether or not said data packet is a second data packet.

6. The pen-based computer system of claim 5, including means for dropping said second data packet of said first data packet has been processed.

7. A pen-based computer system, comprising:

a screen responsive to an input from a passive stylus;

a pen controller configured to generate a first at least one data packet representative of a pen-up event for each pen-up event, and a second at least one data packet representative of said pen-up event for each pen-up event, only one of said first or second at least one data packets being needed to represent said pen-up event.

8. A pen-based computer system according to claim 7, wherein said pen packet assembler is configured to ignore data packets when said first and second at least one data packets are being assembled.

9. A pen-based computer system according to claim 8, wherein said pen packet assembler is configured to determine if one of said second at least one data packets has been generated after one of said interrupts.

10. A pen-based computer system according to claim 9, wherein said pen packet assembler is configured to drop a packet of said second at least one data packets if a first at least one packet has already been processed.