Method and apparatus for reducing noise in an electrostatic digitizer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrostatic stylus or fingertip driven digitizing panel, comprising:
- a generally rectilinear non-conductive surface;
a plurality of first non-overlapping resistive members each of said members having a first and a second end, said members forming an array overlaying said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface so as to form an active region on said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface;
a plurality of second non-overlapping resistive members forming a second array generally perpendicular to said first end of said first array members and operably electrically coupled with said first array members, said second array not overlaying said active region of said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface; and
a plurality of third non-overlapping resistive members forming a third array generally perpendicular to said second end of said first array members and operably electrically coupled with said first array members, said third array not overlaying said active region of said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface.
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Abstract
An electrostatic digitizing panel capable of filtering offset loads such that stylus or fingertip position information is more accurately obtained. The present invention utilizes a new method of calculating the stylus position such that the digitizer surface is sensitive only to the electric field concentrated in the area occupied by the stylus or fingertip. Thus, the panel has a substantially reduced sensitivity to fields emitted from a user'"'"'s hand or noise fields emitted from the surface of a display, or the like, coupled to the panel.
75 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An electrostatic stylus or fingertip driven digitizing panel, comprising:
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a generally rectilinear non-conductive surface; a plurality of first non-overlapping resistive members each of said members having a first and a second end, said members forming an array overlaying said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface so as to form an active region on said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface; a plurality of second non-overlapping resistive members forming a second array generally perpendicular to said first end of said first array members and operably electrically coupled with said first array members, said second array not overlaying said active region of said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface; and a plurality of third non-overlapping resistive members forming a third array generally perpendicular to said second end of said first array members and operably electrically coupled with said first array members, said third array not overlaying said active region of said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for reducing noise in a digitizing panel, comprising:
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obtaining an output current value of the digitizing panel wherein the digitizing panel has an active region where coordinate data may be obtained and wherein corner current values are divided by a first array of non-overlapping resistive members acting to substantially cover the active region and a second array of non-overlapping resistive members not covering the active region, the second array operably connected to the first array, and wherein the output current value includes position current corresponding to the position of a stylus in contact with the digitizing panel and noise current corresponding to offset load currents conducting through grounded pathways; and filtering the offset load current from the corner current values whereby the position of a stylus being in contact with said panel may be given as a function of the output current value. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. An electrostatic digitizer assembly having an active region adapted to accept input from a stylus or a fingertip, said digitizer assembly comprising:
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a generally rectilinear non-conductive surface; a first array of non-overlapping resistive members overlaying said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface, said first array acting to substantially cover said active region; a second array of non-overlapping resistive members overlaying said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface wherein said second array does not cover said active region, said second array operably electrically coupled to said first array wherein said first and second array are adapted to provide digitizing panel corner current values including position providing current consisting essentially of current injected by at least one of a fingertip and a stylus in contact with said digitizing panel and noise current consisting essentially of offset load currents from conductive grounded objects; and a circuit for filtering at least part of said noise current from said corner current values so as to determine the position of at least one of a fingertip and a stylus in contact with said digitizing panel wherein said position of said at least one of a fingertip and a stylus in contact with said digitizing panel is given by said position providing current. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer having an electrostatic digitizer assembly including an active region adapted to accept input from a stylus or a fingertip, said digitizer assembly comprising:
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a generally rectilinear non-conductive surface; a first array of non-overlapping resistive members overlaying said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface, said first array acting to substantially cover said active region; a second array of non-overlapping resistive members overlaying said generally rectilinear non-conductive surface wherein said second array does not cover said active region, said second array operably electrically coupled to said first array wherein said first and second array are adapted to provide digitizing panel corner current values including position providing current consisting essentially of current injected by at least one of a fingertip and a stylus in contact with said digitizing panel and noise current consisting essentially of offset load currents from conductive grounded objects; and a circuit for filtering at least part of said noise current from said corner current values so as to determine the position of at least one of a fingertip and a stylus in contact with said digitizing panel wherein said position of said at least one of a fingertip and a stylus in contact with said digitizing panel is given by said position providing current.
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Specification