Method and apparatus for recognition of writing, for remote communication, and for user defined input templates

• US 6,628,847 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Original Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Inventors: Kasabach, Chris Dominick, Stivoric, John Michael, Pacione, Christopher, Gemperle, Francine Duskey, Teller, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Timothy M.
• Application Number:
  US10/146,243
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 382/312-314, 382/317, 382/321, 382/119-123, 382/186-189, 382/291, 358/473, 358/478, 345/158, 345/162, 345/179, 345/704, 345/762, 345/866, 356/614, 356/623
• US Class Current: 382/314
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/32 Digital ink

Abstract

A device including a housing, a writing tip connected to the housing, a writing surface position indicator, a processor in the housing, a memory device in the housing connected to the processor, and a sensor in the housing and cooperative with the writing surface position indicator. The device may be used to record writings and drawings applied to a surface by a user, to transmit that data to a remote device, to download data from remote devices, and to otherwise communicate with remote devices.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a housing;

a writing tip connected to the housing;

a processor in the housing;

a memory device in the housing connected to the processor and having stored thereon instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize an interface defined by writing on a writing surface.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory device includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize user interaction with the interface.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the memory device includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute commands based on the recognized interaction.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a writing surface position indicator removably fastenable to the writing surface and the housing.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the writing surface position indicator includes a signal transmitter.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the writing surface position indicator includes a second signal transmitter.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the writing surface position indicator includes a signal transmitter selected from the group consisting of a active signal transmitter and a passive signal transmitter.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the writing surface position indicator includes a signal transmitter selected from the group consisting of an infrared signal transmitter, an ultrasonic signal transmitter, and an electromagnetic signal transmitter.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of accelerometers connected to the writing tip.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a pressure sensor connected to the writing tip.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a signal receiver.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the sensor includes a second signal receiver.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory device further includes instructions stored thereon which when executed by the processor cause the processor to determine relative position between the writing tip and the writing surface.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein:

the sensor periodically receives a signal from the writing surface position indicator; and

the memory device further includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to periodically update the relative position between the writing tip and the writing surface.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory device further includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize data written with the writing tip on the writing surface.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the memory device further includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute commands in response to the recognized data.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the memory device further includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize a user-defined interface defined by the recognized data.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising a base connected to the housing.

19. A method for defining an interface, comprising:

monitoring movement of a writing instrument on a writing surface;

recognizing a command area on the writing surface defined by movement of the writing instrument;

associating a command with the command area; and

determining whether the writing instrument touches the writing surface within the command area.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising executing the command if the writing instrument touches the writing surface within the command area.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein monitoring movement of the writing instrument includes:

periodically producing a signal from a fixed location relative to the writing surface;

receiving the signal at the writing instrument; and

updating a position of the writing instrument relative to the fixed location.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising periodically producing a signal from a fixed location relative to the writing surface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein producing a signal is selected from the group consisting of producing an infrared signal, producing an ultrasonic signal, and producing an electromagnetic signal.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein producing a signal is selected from the group consisting of producing an active signal and producing a passive signal.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein determining the relative position includes determining the relative position by triangulation.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising producing a second signal from a second fixed location relative to the surface, wherein the fixed location and the second fixed location are spaced apart by a distance.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining movement of the writing instrument on the writing surface.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising updating a position of the writing instrument relative to the writing surface.

29. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a writing tip connected to the housing;

a writing surface position indicator;

a plurality of accelerometers connected to the housing;

a pressure sensor connected to the writing tip;

a processor in the housing;

a memory device in the housing connected to the processor and having stored thereon instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize an interface defined by writing on a writing surface; and

a sensor in the housing and cooperative with the writing surface position indicator.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the memory device further includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to recognize user interaction with the interface.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the memory device further includes instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute commands based on the recognized interaction.