Input unit arrangement

• US 7,345,673 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anoto Group AB
• Original Assignee: Anoto Group AB
• Inventors: Fahraeus, Christer, Ericson, Petter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M.
• Application Number:
  US11/226,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20060007183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-167, 345172-175, 345179-183, 345/177, 358/401, 358/462, 358470-474, 178/18.01, 178/19.01, 178/20.01, 382178-179, 382181-182, 382186-187, 382305-318
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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

In an input unit arrangement use is made of an input unit in combination with a mouse pad, which is provided with a position-coding pattern which codes coordinates for a plurality of positions on the mouse pad. Areas on the mouse pad are provided with subsets of the position-coding pattern which are dedicated to different functions. The input unit can be caused to optically read the position-coding pattern, whereupon the input unit arrangement decodes the positions that are coded locally on the mouse pad. By placing the input unit within the various areas on the mouse pad, a user can make the input unit arrangement carry out various functions, such as automatically switching from a mouse function, in which a cursor is controlled on a display on the basis of the decoded position, to an input function, in which information via the input unit is inputted into an electronic device, such as a computer, telephone, PDA etc. A method for controlling the input unit arrangement is also described, as is also use of an absolute position-coding pattern.

Claims

1. An input unit arrangement with a mouse function mode and an input function mode, comprising:

an image-recording device for recording images; and

a signal-processing device for processing the images to achieve the mouse function mode and the input function mode,

wherein the input unit arrangement is arranged to switch from the input function mode to the mouse function mode when the signal-processing device detects a predetermined position-coding pattern in one of said images.

2. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, which is configured to switch from the mouse function mode to the input function mode when the signal-processing device detects a different pattern to the predetermined position-coding pattern in one of said images.

3. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, which in the mouse function mode is arranged to generate, on the basis of the predetermined position-coding pattern, signals for positioning a cursor on a display.

4. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the predetermined position-coding pattern is a first subset of an absolute position-coding pattern and codes a plurality of positions, and wherein the input unit arrangement is arranged to carry out the switching from the input function mode to the mouse function mode when the signal-processing device detects one of said plurality of positions on the basis of the predetermined position-coding pattern.

5. The input unit arrangement of claim 4, which is arranged to switch from the mouse function mode to the input function mode when the signal-processing device detects a position which is coded by a second subset of the absolute position-coding pattern.

6. The input unit arrangement of claim 4, wherein the first subset of the absolute position-coding pattern is divided into at least two regions and wherein the input unit arrangement is arranged to carry out different partial functions depending upon which of said at least two regions the signal-processing device detects.

7. The input unit arrangement of claim 4, wherein the absolute position-coding pattern codes absolute positions on a reference surface, and wherein there are defined on the reference surface at least two unique regions which are each dedicated to a predetermined function mode or to a predetermined partial function within a function mode.

8. The input unit arrangement of claim 7, which contains information about at least part of the reference surface and is arranged to identify the region which contains a position coded by a current image and to carry out the function mode or partial function which is associated with the identified region.

9. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the mouse function mode comprises a relative mouse function.

10. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the mouse function mode comprises an absolute mouse function.

11. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the mouse function mode comprises a scrolling function.

12. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the mouse function mode comprises a control function, in which commands are generated to an electronic device communicating with the input unit arrangement for controlling the same.

13. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the input function mode comprises a scanner function, such as an image or text inputting function.

14. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the input function mode comprises a photographing function.

15. The input unit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the input function mode comprises a handwriting recording function.

16. An input unit arrangement with at least a first and a second function, comprising:

an image-recording device for recording images and a signal-processing device for processing the images,

wherein the input unit arrangement is arranged to switch from the first function to the second function when the signal-processing device detects a predetermined position-coding pattern in one of said images.

17. The input unit arrangement of claim 16, wherein the signal-processing device is designed to process the images to achieve at least one of said functions.

18. The input unit arrangement of claim 16, wherein the predetermined position-coding pattern is a subset of an absolute position-coding pattern and codes a plurality of positions, and wherein the input unit arrangement is configured to switch from the first function to the second function when the signal-processing device detects one of said plurality of positions on the basis of the predetermined position-coding pattern.

19. The input unit arrangement of claim 16, wherein the second function operates on a display control function.

20. The input unit arrangement of claim 16, wherein said first function is an input function of the input unit arrangement.

21. The input unit arrangement of claim 20, wherein said input function is selected from the group consisting of:

a scanner function for inputting an image and/or text, a photographing function for inputting a photograph, and a handwriting recording function for inputting handwriting.

22. The input unit arrangement of claim 21, wherein said signal-processing device, in said handwriting recording function, records a handwriting stroke as a sequence of absolute positions derived from said images.

23. A method for providing for an input unit arrangement comprising:

providing for an input function mode and a mouse function mode in the input unit arrangement;

capturing a plurality of images;

processing the captured images;

determining that at least one of the captured images includes a predetermined position-coding pattern; and

switching from the input function mode to the mouse function mode based on the determination that at least one of the captured images includes the predetermined position-coding pattern.

24. The method of claim 23, further including:

determining that at least one of the captured images includes a different pattern from the predetermined position-coding pattern; and

switching from the mouse function to the input function based on the determination that the at least one captured image includes the different pattern from the predetermined position-coding pattern.