Sensing device with processor

• US 6,795,593 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Livescribe Incorporated (Anoto Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Duy M.
• Application Number:
  US10/291,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 382/313, 382/314, 382/312, 382/317, 382/188, 345/169, 345/179
• US Class Current: 382/313
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/106 for the sheet output section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 19/02 starting with single sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0006 by applying adhesive to a stack of sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0081 applying adhesive to individual sheets for binding them together by fusing, welding B42C9/0093
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/34 from supports slid from under the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/04 for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 : using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• 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 30/1426 : by sensing position defining codes on a support
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 : Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1448 : based on markings or identifiers characterising the document or the area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00358 : Type of the scanned marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00376 : Means for identifying a mark sheet or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00567 : Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

A sensing device for sensing region identity data and generating movement data when the sensing device is moved relative to a region of a surface, the region identity data being indicative of an identity of the region, the movement data being indicative of the movement of the sensing device relative to the region, the surface having disposed upon it coded data indicative of at least one region associated with the surface, the sensing device including: region identity sensing means configured to sense the region identity data using at least some of the coded data; motion sensing means configured to generate the movement data; and communications means configured to communicate the region identity data and the movement data to a computer system.

Claims

1. A sensing device for sensing region identity data and generating at least one of movement data and position data when the sensing device is moved relative to a region of a surface, the region identity data being indicative of an identity of the region, the movement data being indicative of the movement of the sensing device relative to the region, the position data being indicative of the position of the sensing device relative to the region, and the surface having disposed upon it coded data indicative of at least one region associated with the surface, the sensing device including:

a region identity sensor configured to sense the region identity data using at least some of the coded data;

a motion sensor configured to generate at least one of the movement data and the position data using at least some of the coded data; and

a communicator configured to communicate the region identity data and at least one of the movement data and the position data to a computer system,

wherein at least one of the region identity sensor and the motion sensor comprises;

(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the surface; and

(b) a processor adapted to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;

(iii) decode at least some of the coded data;

(iv) generate at least one of the region identity data, the movement data and the position data using at least some of the decoded coded data; and

(v) operate at processing speeds ranging from 1 instruction per second to 1×

10¹² instructions per second.

2. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the processor is housed within the sensing device.

3. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the processor is adapted to operate at processing speeds ranging from 10 instructions per second to 1×

10⁶ instructions per second.

4. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the region identity sensor and the motion sensor share the same processor.

5. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the image sensor is housed within the sensing device.

6. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture images at rates ranging from 1 image per second to 1,000 images per second.

7. A sensing device according to claim 6 wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture images at rates ranging from 10 images per second to 200 images per second.

8. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the region identity sensor and the motion sensor share the same image sensor.

9. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the coded data comprises non-barcode coded data.

10. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the coded data is also indicative of a plurality of reference points of the region, the motion sensor being configured to generate at least one of the movement data and the position data on the basis of at least one of the movement and position of the sensing device relative to at least one of the reference points.

11. A sensing device according to claim 10, wherein the coded data includes periodic elements, the motion sensor being configured to generate at least one of the movement data and the position data on the basis of at least one of the movement and position of the sensing device relative to at least one of the periodic elements.

12. A sensing device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the motion sensor is configured to generate the movement data by sampling the position of the sensing device relative to the at least one reference point or periodic element.

13. A sensing device region identify data and generating at least one of movement data and position data when the sensing device is moved relative to a region of a surface, the region identity data being indicative of an identity of the region, the movement data being indicative of the movement of the sensing device relative to the region, the position data being indicative of the position of the sensing device relative to the region, and the surface having disposed upon it coded data indicative of at least one region associated with the surface, the sensing device including:

a region identity sensor configured to sense the region identity data using at least some of the coded data;

a motion sensor configured to generate at least one of the movement data and the position data using at least some of the coded data; and

a communicator configured to communicate the region identity data and at least one of the movement data and the position data to a computer system,

wherein at least one of the region identity sensor and the motion sensor comprises;

(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the surface, wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture images at rates ranging from 1 image per second to 1,000 images per second; and

(b) a processor adapted to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;

(iii) decode at least some of the coded data; and

(iv) generate at least one of the region identity data, the movement data and the position data using at least some of the decoded coded data.

14. A sensing device according to claim 13 wherein the processor is housed within the sensing device.

15. A sensing device according to claim 13 wherein the processor is adapted to operate at processing speeds ranging from 1 instruction per second to 1×

10¹² instructions per second.

16. A sensing device according to claim 13 wherein the processor is adapted to operate at processing speeds ranging from 10 instructions per second to 1×

10⁶ instructions per second.

17. A sensing device according to claim 13 wherein the region identity sensor and the motion sensor share the same processor.

18. A sensing device according to claim 13 wherein the image sensor is housed within the sensing device.

19. A sensing device according to claim 13 wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture images at rates ranging from 1 image per second to 1,000 images per second.