Implement for optically inferring information from a jotting surface and environmental landmarks

• US 7,474,809 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electronic Scripting Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Electronic Scripting Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Carl, Stewart R., Mandella, Michael J., Hawks, Timothy, Alboszta, Marek, Gonzalez, Hector H
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Anh Hong
• Application Number:
  US11/728,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 382/314, 382/188, 382/291, 356/138
• US Class Current: 382/314
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03546 using a rotatable ball at the tip as position detecting member

Abstract

The present invention relates to a jotting implement that infers hand-jotted information from viewing a jotting surface and environmental landmarks. The hand-jotted information is any information marked on the jotting surface as a result of writing, jotting, drawing, sketching or otherwise operating on the jotting surface as well as hand-generated information produced by moving the implement in the air with respect to the jotting surface. The jotting implement has a nib for jotting and an arrangement for determining when the nib is jotting on the jotting surface. Further, the implement has an optical unit for viewing an environmental landmark and the jotting surface. The implement has a processing unit for receiving optical data of the environmental landmark and the jotting surface from the optical unit and determining from the optical data the physical coordinates of the nib with respect to the jotting surface. The environmental landmark is preferably made up several beacons that emit electromagnetic radiation and are affixed to a host structure.

Claims

1. A jotting implement for inferring hand-jotted information on a jotting surface, said jotting implement comprising:

a) a nib for jotting;

b) a means for determining when said nib is jotting on said jotting surface;

c) an optical unit for viewing an environmental landmark and said jotting surface, said optical unit being indexed to said nib; and

d) a processing unit for receiving optical data from said environmental landmark and said jotting surface from said optical unit and for determining from said optical data physical coordinates of said nib with respect to said jotting surface.

2. The jotting implement of claim 1, wherein said environmental landmark comprises at least one beacon for providing an electromagnetic radiation.

3. The jotting implement of claim 2, wherein said at least one beacon is affixed to a host structure.

4. The jotting implement of claim 3, wherein said host structure is selected from the group consisting of computing devices, communication devices, clip-boards, tablet PCs graphic tablets and workspace devices.

5. The jotting implement of claim 4, wherein said host structure comprises said jotting surface and said at least one beacon is indexed to said jotting surface.

6. The jotting implement of claim 3, wherein said host structure comprises a screen and said at least one beacon is affixed behind said screen.

7. The jotting implement of claim 2, wherein said at least one beacon comprises a number of beacons in a three-dimensional arrangement.

8. The jotting implement of claim 7, wherein said three-dimensional arrangement is a Manhattan arrangement.

9. The jotting implement of claim 2, wherein said at least one beacon comprises a light emitting element that emits said electromagnetic radiation at an infrared wavelength.

10. The jotting implement of claim 9, wherein said light element comprises a point-source.

11. The jotting implement of claim 10, wherein said light emitting element comprises a light-emitting-diode.

12. A jotting implement for inferring hand-generated information with respect to a jotting surface, said jotting implement comprising:

a) a nib for jotting;

b) a means for determining when said nib is jotting on said jotting surface;

c) an optical unit for viewing an environmental landmark and said jotting surface, said optical unit being indexed to said nib; and

d) a processing unit for receiving optical data from said environmental landmark and said jotting surface from said optical unit and for determining from said optical data physical coordinates of said nib with respect to said jotting surface.

13. The jotting implement of claim 12, wherein said hand-generated information is rendered into a trace when said nib is jotting on said jotting surface.

14. The jotting implement of claim 12, wherein said hand-generated information is rendered into a pointer location projected onto said jotting surface when said nib is not jotting on said jotting surface.