Optical system design for a universal computing device

• US 7,133,031 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Jian, Zhang, Chunhui
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh
• Application Number:
  US10/751,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20040136083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 345/156, 345/634, 382/100, 235/462.45, 235/494, 434/322, 286/46, 348/36, 250/221, 250/559.29, 356/138
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• 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

Abstract

The universal input device provides a common user interface for a variety of different computing platforms including printed documents. Using the present system, one may use the universal input device to control various computing devices as well as capture handwritten electronic ink and have the electronic ink be associated with new or stored documents. The universal input device can be identified by a specific identification in order to allow for multiple users to operate on a document and/or within an application program simultaneously or not. An off-set optical system with infrared illumination handles perspective and helps detect positional encoding which can be covered by existing ink under common visible light illumination.

Claims

1. An optical system for an input device, the optical system comprising:

an image sensor for capturing an image of an area of an object over which the input device is positioned;

a lens component;

a light source for emitting light on the area of the object over which the input device is positioned; and

a processor for processing the captured image,

wherein the field of view of the image sensor is off-set from the optical axis of the lens component by an angle that is substantially parallel to the axis of the input device to a surface.

2. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is a 32 pixel by 32 pixel CMOS imaging sensor.

3. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the lens component includes a doublet lens and a single lens.

4. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the lens component is adjustable by software.

5. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the light source includes a light emitting device.

6. The optical system of claim 5, wherein the light emitting device is a light emitting diode.

7. The optical system of claim 5, wherein the light emitting device is a light emitting diode array.

8. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to emit white light.

9. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to emit light of a first color.

10. The optical system of claim 9, wherein the light source is configured to emit light of a second color.

11. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the light source is an infrared light source.

21. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the angle is within the range of 65°

to 70°

.

12. An input device for capturing image data comprising:

an image capturing unit for capturing an image of an area of an object over which the input device is positioned and generating captured image data;

a processor for processing the captured image data to output data representing the location of the input device with reference to the object based on the captured image data;

a memory for storing the outputted data;

a light source for emitting light on the area of the object over which the input device is positioned; and

a lens component,

wherein the field of view of the image capturing unit is off-set from the optical axis of the lens component by an angle that is substantially parallel to the axis of the input device to object.

13. The input device of claim 12, wherein the light source is an infrared light source.

14. The input device of claim 13, wherein the infrared light source emits light that can penetrate ink to illuminate content under the ink.

15. The input device of claim 14, wherein the content is a portion of an underlying maze pattern.

16. A method for capturing image data by an input device, the method comprising steps of:

emitting infrared light on an area of an object over which the input device is positioned;

capturing, in an image sensor, an image of the area;

processing the captured image in a processor; and

generating data representing the location of the input device with reference to the object based on the captured image,

wherein the object comprises a display of a computing device including an image pattern providing location information of an area of the display,

wherein the field of view of the image sensor is off-set from the optical axis of a lens component of the input device by an angle that is substantially parallel to the axis of the in put device to the object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the captured image includes a portion of a maze-like pattern.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of illuminating the area of the object.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the area of the object is at least partially covered by ink.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the captured image includes data representing movement of the input device over the area of the object at least partially covered by ink.