Method and apparatus of position tracking and detection of user input information

• US 9,250,742 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2010
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Original Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Inventors: Usey, Matthew Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Yodichkas, Aneeta
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELNAFIA, SAIFELDIN E
• Application Number:
  US12/693,758
• Time in Patent Office: 2,198 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 178 1801- 1811, 178 1901- 1907
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0433 in which the acoustic waves are either generated by a movable member and propagated within a surface layer or propagated within a surface layer and captured by a movable member
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A method and apparatus of detecting user initiated movement by an input element handled by a user. The method includes positioning at least one sensor to dynamically adjust a size of an effective workspace range. The method also includes detecting the user'"'"'s movement of the input element within the effective workspace range. The effective workspace may be adjusted to suit a user'"'"'s size preference.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to detect user initiated movement by an input element handled by a user, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor body;

a plurality of sensor arms affixed to the sensor body, each of the plurality of sensor arms comprising a plurality of sensors configured to provide a visual indication to the user of a location and dimensions of usable space within an effective workspace range defined via a surface area within a length of the plurality of sensor arms that input element movements are detected via the plurality of sensors on each of the plurality of sensor arms, and wherein the sensor body houses each of the plurality of sensor arms, and wherein each of the plurality of sensor arms folds or rolls into and out of the sensor body; and

a calibration unit configured to perform a calibration procedure via a physical movement of the input element, wherein the calibration procedure comprises a selection of a button, using the input element, on the at least sensor arm to establish a position of the input element relative to the plurality of sensor arms.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input element comprises one or more of the user'"'"'s fingers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input element comprises a passive pen-shaped writing utensil that does not contain any electronic components.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input element comprises a pen-shaped writing utensil that comprises a pressure sensitive acoustic generator that is configured to generate a particular sound.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor arms is hinged on the sensor body, allowing the hinged at least one sensor arm to change position with respect to the sensor body.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the reel may be extended to elongate an entire length of the effective workspace range.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor arms are part of a reel that is mounted on the sensor body, allowing the at least one sensor arm to be unrolled from the reel and extended in a direction away from the sensor body.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input element comprises a pressure sensitive acoustic stylus that is configured to generate a particular sound, and that is configured to be securely fastened to a writing utensil.

9. A method of detecting user initiated movement by an input element handled by a user, the method comprising:

positioning a sensor body to dynamically adjust a size of an effective workspace range, the at least one sensor body comprising a plurality of sensor arms each having a plurality of sensors configured to provide a visual indication to the user of a location and dimensions of usable space within an the effective workspace range defined via a surface area within a length of a plurality of sensor arms that input element movements are detected via a plurality of sensors on each of the plurality of sensor arms, wherein the sensor body houses each of the plurality of sensor arms, and each of the plurality of sensor arms folds or rolls into and out of the sensor body;

performing a calibration procedure by selecting a button, using input element, on the at least sensor arm to establish a position of the input element relative to plurality of sensor arms; and

detecting the user'"'"'s movement of the input element within the effective workspace range.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the input element comprises one or more of the user'"'"'s fingers.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the input element comprises a passive pen-shaped writing utensil that does not contain any electronic components.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the input element comprises a pen-shaped writing utensil that comprises a pressure sensitive acoustic generator that is configured to generate a particular sound.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor arms is hinged on the sensor body, the method further comprising:

moving the at least one hinged sensor arm about the hinge to change the at least one hinged sensor arm'"'"'s position with respect to the sensor body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reel may be extended to elongate an entire length of the effective workspace range.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the plurality of sensor arms are part of a reel that is mounted on the sensor body, the method further comprising:

unrolling the at least one sensor arm from the reel and extending the at least one sensor arm in a direction away from the sensor body.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the input element comprises a pressure sensitive acoustic stylus that is configured to generate a particular sound, the method further comprising:

fastening the acoustic stylus to a writing utensil.