Electrographic position location apparatus

• US 6,882,338 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Flowers, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Osorio, Ricardo
• Application Number:
  US10/222,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/174, 178 1801- 1807, 178 1901- 1904, 343/701
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/005 Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements

Abstract

Antenna devices and apparatuses using the antenna devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, the antenna device includes a first plate structure and a second plate structure. A conductive member is adapted to be capacitively coupled to the first plate structure at a first capacitance and is adapted to be capacitively coupled to the second plate structure at a second capacitance. The conductive member is adapted to transmit a signal based on the first capacitance and the second capacitance.

Claims

1. An electrographic position location apparatus comprising:

(a) a first antenna device comprising a plurality of first antenna members comprising a first plurality of first plate structures, a first plurality of second plate structures, and a first plurality of conductive members;

(b) a second antenna device comprising a plurality of second antenna members comprising a second plurality of first plate structures, a second plurality of second plate structures, and a second plurality of conductive members,

wherein portions of the first plurality of conductive members and the second plurality of conductive members overlap to define an active area;

(c) an output device;

(d) a processor operatively coupled to the first antenna device, the second antenna device, and the output device; and

(e) a stylus operatively coupled to the processor,

wherein the first plurality of conductive members include conductive fingers, wherein the second plurality of conductive members include conductive fingers, and wherein the conductive fingers of the first and second pluralities of conductive members overlap.

2. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second antenna devices are under a planar surface of a housing.

3. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second antenna devices are in a three-dimensional housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the output device comprises a speaker.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stylus comprises a receiving antenna.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the conductive fingers of the first plurality of conductive members and the conductive fingers of the second plurality of conductive members are separated by a dielectric layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of first plate structures in the first antenna device is embodied by a single conductive structure that overlaps the first plurality of conductive members.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an alternating voltage source coupled to the first plurality of plate structures.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is an interactive talking book device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is an interactive talking book device, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a book disposed over the conductive fingers of the first plurality of conductive members and the conductive fingers of the second plurality of conductive members.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a talking globe.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stylus comprises a receiving antenna and the apparatus is a globe.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of preprogrammed operational modes.

14. An electrographic position location apparatus comprising:

(a) a first antenna device comprising a plurality of first antenna members comprising a first plurality of first plate structures, a first plurality of second plate structures, and a first plurality of conductive members;

(b) a second antenna device comprising a plurality of second antenna members comprising a second plurality of first plate structures, a second plurality of second plate structures, and a second plurality of conductive members,

wherein portions of the first plurality of conductive members and the second plurality of conductive members overlap to define an active area;

(c) an output device;

(d) a processor operatively coupled to the first antenna device, the second antenna device, and the output device; and

(e) a stylus operatively coupled to the processor,

wherein the first plurality of conductive members include conductive fingers with wing portions, wherein the second plurality of conductive members include conductive fingers, and wherein the conductive fingers of the first plurality of conductive members are under and overlap the conductive fingers of the second plurality of conductive members.

15. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first plurality of first plate structures in the first antenna device is embodied by a single conductive structure that overlaps the first plurality of conductive members.

16. An electrographic position location apparatus comprising:

(a) an antenna device comprising (i) a first plate structure;

(ii) a second plate structure;

(iii) a conductive member adapted to be capacitively coupled to the first plate structure at a first capacitance and adapted to be capacitively coupled to the second plate structure at a second capacitance, wherein the conductive member is adapted to transmit a signal; and

(iv) a dielectric layer between the conductive member, and the first and second plate structures;

(b) a housing including a surface, wherein the housing houses the antenna device;

(c) an output device;

(d) a processor operatively coupled to the antenna device and the output device; and

(e) a stylus operatively coupled to the processor,

wherein the conductive member includes a third plate structure, a radiating region, and an elongated region between the third plate structure and the radiating region.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the third plate structure has an area greater than the first plate structure and the second plate structure combined.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising an alternating voltage source coupled to at least the first plate structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the output device comprises a speaker.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the housing is in the form of a platform.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the housing is in the form of a platform and wherein the apparatus further comprises a book on the platform.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the housing is in the form of a globe, and wherein the output device is a speaker.

23. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of preprogrammed operational modes.

24. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the stylus comprises a receiving antenna.

25. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first plate structure and the second plate structure are shaped as rectangles.

26. An electrographic position location apparatus comprising:

(a) an antenna device comprising (i) a first plate structure;

(ii) a second plate structure;

(iii) a conductive member adapted to be capacitively coupled to the first plate structure at a first capacitance and adapted to be capacitively coupled to the second plate structure at a second capacitance, wherein the conductive member is adapted to transmit a signal; and

(iv) a dielectric layer between the conductive member, and the first and second plate structures;

(b) a housing including a surface, wherein the housing houses the antenna device;

(c) an output device;

(d) a processor operatively coupled to the antenna device and the output device; and

(c) a stylus operatively coupled to the processor,

wherein the first plate structure is part of a first conductor and wherein the first plate structure overlaps the conductive member by a first overlap area, and

wherein the second plate structure is part of a second conductor and wherein the second plate structure overlaps the conductive member by a second overlap area, and

wherein the first capacitance is based on the first overlap area and the second capacitance is based on the second overlap area.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the conductive member has an area greater than the first and second plate structures combined.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising an alternating voltage source coupled to at least the first plate structure.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the output device comprises a speaker.

30. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the housing is in the form of a platform.

31. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the housing is in the form of a platform and wherein the apparatus further comprises a book on the platform.

32. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the housing is in the form of a globe, and wherein the output device is a speaker.

33. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of preprogrammed operational modes.

34. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the stylus comprises a receiving antenna.

35. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the first plate structure and the second plate structure are shaped as rectangles.

36. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the first plate structure is integral with the first conductor and the second plate structure is integral with the second conductor.

37. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are substantially linear.