Signal transfer method and apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An x-y position sensor comprising:
- first and second members which are relatively movable over an x-y planar working area;
the first member comprising a circuit board that lies in an x-y plane that is substantially parallel to said planar working area, the circuit board carrying a plurality of conductor tracks that define one or more coils that lie in said x-y plane;
the first member further comprising a coil that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of said circuit board; and
the second member comprising an electromagnetic device operable to electromagnetically couple with said one or more coils that lie in said x-y plane of the circuit board and to electromagnetically couple with said coil that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of the circuit board, to generate sensor signals that vary with the relative position of the first and second members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An x-y digitising system is described which operates with a resonant stylus. The x-y digitising system includes an excitation winding for energising the resonant stylus and a number of sensor windings for receiving a signal re-radiated by the resonant stylus when energised. At least one of the excitation winding and the sensor winding is arranged to have its effective magnetic axis non-othogonal to the working area of the x-y digitising system. With this arrangement, improved energy transfer between the x-y digitising system and the resonant stylus can be achieved and/or improved position measurement accuracy can be obtained.
190 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An x-y position sensor comprising:
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first and second members which are relatively movable over an x-y planar working area; the first member comprising a circuit board that lies in an x-y plane that is substantially parallel to said planar working area, the circuit board carrying a plurality of conductor tracks that define one or more coils that lie in said x-y plane; the first member further comprising a coil that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of said circuit board; and the second member comprising an electromagnetic device operable to electromagnetically couple with said one or more coils that lie in said x-y plane of the circuit board and to electromagnetically couple with said coil that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of the circuit board, to generate sensor signals that vary with the relative position of the first and second members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An x-y position sensor signal transferring apparatus comprising:
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first and second members which are relatively movable over a planar working area; the first member comprising a circuit board that lies in an x-y plane that is substantially parallel to said planar working area, the circuit board carrying a plurality of conductor tracks that define one or more coils that lie in said x-y plane; and the second member comprising an electromagnetic device operable to electromagnetically couple with said one or more coils that lie in said x-y plane of the circuit board to generate sensor signals that vary with the relative position of the first and second members and to electromagnetically couple with a coil that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of said circuit board; wherein said first member comprises a layer of high magnetic permeability material arranged substantially parallel to said x-y planar working area, and wherein a portion of the magnetic material extends through a core of at least one of said coils so that, electromagnetically, the coil emulates a coil that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of said circuit board.
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23. A portable computing device comprising:
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a planar display; an x-y digitizer associated with the display and operable to sense the status of an indicator which is moveable relative to the display; and a processor operable to control the display in accordance with the sensed status of said moveable indicator; and wherein said x-y digitizer comprises a circuit board that lies in an x-y plane that is substantially parallel to said planar display, the circuit board carrying a plurality of conductor tracks that define one or more coils that lie in said x-y plane; and
the x-y digitizer further comprising a coil that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of said circuit board;wherein said the one or more coils that lie in said x-y plane of the circuit board and said coil that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of the circuit board are arranged to electromagnetically couple with said indicator, to generate sensor signals that vary with the relative position of the first and second members.
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24. A circuit board for use in an x-y position sensor, the circuit board comprising:
a central portion having one or more conductor loops and a flexible peripheral portion which has at least one conductor loop that is electrically separate from the one or more conductor loops on the central portion, wherein the flexible peripheral portion can flex relative to said central portion wherein the conductor loops are arranged on said circuit board for use in sensing x-y positions and wherein an area enclosed by said at least one loop on said flexible peripheral portion does not include said central portion. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An x-y position sensor comprising:
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first and second members which are relatively movable over an x-y planar working area; the first member comprising a circuit board arranged substantially parallel to said planar working area and carrying a plurality of separate windings, including at least one winding arranged in an x direction and at least one winding arranged in a y direction; the second member comprising an electromagnetic device operable to interact with said windings to generate signals that vary with the relative x-y position of the first and second members; and wherein said plurality of windings are arranged on a peripheral edge of said circuit board and wherein a central majority portion of said circuit board is free of any windings. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A portable computing device comprising:
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a planar display; an x-y digitizer associated with the display and operable to sense the status of an indicator which is movable relative to the display; and a processor operable to control the display in accordance with the sensed status of said movable indicator; wherein said x-y digitizer comprises a circuit board that lies in an x-y plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of said display, the circuit board carrying conductor tracks defining x and y sensor coils; and wherein the x-y digitizer further comprises at least one electromagnetic winding that lies in at least one plane that is inclined to the x-y plane of said circuit board, the winding for electromagnetic coupling with said indicator and being operable to power said indicator when operating above the display and when operating to a side of the portable computing device. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification