Force-sensing electronic pen with user-replaceable cartridge

• US 8,308,387 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2009
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: King, Tobin Allen, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiang, Jennifer C
• Application Number:
  US12/497,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20090273588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,227 Days
• Field of Search: 401/195, 401/198, 401/199, 401/103, 401/251, 345/179, 345/180, 178 18- 20
• US Class Current: 401/195
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/06 for controlling the phase of light G02B26/08 takes precedence , measuring optical phase difference G01J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

A force-sensing electronic pen comprises a user-replaceable cartridge, a retaining boot for securely retaining the cartridge, a force sensor coupled to the retaining boot, a spring for biasing the retaining boot towards engagement with the force sensor; and an end-stop for limiting travel of the retaining boot against the bias of the spring. The cartridge is extractable from the pen by pulling the cartridge against the bias of the spring until the retaining boot engages with the end-stop. When the retaining boot engages with the end-stop, further pulling of the cartridge releases the cartridge from the retaining boot.

Claims

1. A force-sensing electronic pen comprising:

a user-replaceable cartridge having a nib at a first end and an opposite second end;

a retaining boot for securely and releasably retaining the second end of said cartridge;

a force sensor coupled to said retaining boot, said force sensor sensing a nib force transmitted axially through said cartridge from said nib;

a biasing means for biasing said retaining boot towards engagement with said force sensor; and

an end-stop for limiting travel of said retaining boot against the bias of the biasing means during extraction of said cartridge,

wherein said cartridge is extractable from said pen by pulling said cartridge against the bias of the biasing means until said retaining boot engages with said end-stop, such that said cartridge is released from said retaining boot.

2. The electronic pen of claim 1, wherein said retaining boot comprises one or more resilient arms for gripping the second end of said cartridge.

3. The electronic pen of claim 1, further comprising a cap for capping said nib.

4. The electronic pen of claim 3, wherein said cap comprises a conductive member for actuating a switch in said pen.

5. The electronic pen of claim 4, wherein said actuation of said switch changes a state of said pen.

6. The electronic pen of claim 1, further comprising an image sensor for capturing images of a coded data pattern disposed on a surface when the optical sensor is in an operative position relative to the surface.

7. The electronic pen of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of light sources for illuminating the coded data pattern, each light source being configured for illuminating an area of the surface.

8. The electronic pen of claim 7, wherein a plurality of light sources are two illumination sources mounted on opposite sides of the lens.

9. The electronic pen of claim 7, wherein the two illumination sources have intersecting axes of illumination.

10. The electronic pen of claim 9, further comprising a control unit coupled to the image sensor and the two illumination sources, wherein the control unit is configured to extinguish one of the two illumination sources upon detection of undesirable reflection from the surface.

11. The electronic pen of claim 10, wherein the control unit predicts undesirable reflection from the surface using past detection of the undesirable reflection.

12. The electronic pen of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to use one or more captured images to compute the position of the pen relative to the surface in order to predict when undesirable reflection will occur.

13. The electronic pen of claim 1, wherein said user-replaceable cartridge is selected from any one of:

an ink cartridge having a marking nib, said ink cartridge containing an supply of ink; and

a stylus cartridge having a non-marking nib.

14. The electronic pen of claim 1, wherein said user-replaceable cartridge comprises a tool for gripping a first end of another cartridge, thereby enabling extraction.