Optical system design for a universal computing device

• US 20040136083A1
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Jian, Zhang, Chunhui
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/642
• 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

The universal input device provides a common user interface for a variety of different computing platforms including printed documents. Using the present system, one may use the universal input device to control various computing devices as well as capture handwritten electronic ink and have the electronic ink be associated with new or stored documents. The universal input device can be identified by a specific identification in order to allow for multiple users to operate on a document and/or within an application program simultaneously or not. An off-set optical system with infrared illumination handles perspective and helps detect positional encoding which can be covered by existing ink under common visible light illumination.

Claims

1. An optical system for an input device, the optical system comprising:

an image sensor for capturing an image of an area of an object over which the input device is positioned;

a lens component; and

a light source,

wherein the field of view of the image sensor is off-set from the optical axis of the lens component by an angle that is substantially parallel to the axis of the input device to a surface.

2. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is a 32 pixel by 32 pixel CMOS imaging sensor.

3. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the lens component includes a doublet lens and a single lens.

4. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the lens component is adjustable by software.

5. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the light source includes a light emitting device.

6. The optical system of claim 5, wherein the light emitting device is a light emitting diode.

7. The optical system of claim 5, wherein the light emitting device is a light emitting diode array.

8. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to emit white light.

9. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to emit light of a first color.

10. The optical system of claim 9, wherein the light source is configured to emit light of a second color.

11. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the light source is an infrared light source.

12. The optical system of claim 1, wherein a perspective effect is less than 3.5%.

13. An input device for capturing image data comprising:

an image capturing unit for capturing an image of an area of an object over which the input device is positioned and generating captured image data;

a processor for processing the captured image data;

a memory for storing data;

a light source for emitting light;

a lens component,

wherein the field of view of the image sensor is off-set from the optical axis of the lens component by an angle that is substantially parallel to the axis of the input device to a surface.

14. The input device of claim 13, wherein the light source is an infrared light source.

15. The input device of claim 14, wherein the infrared light source emits light that can penetrate ink to illuminate content under the ink.

16. The input device of claim 15, wherein the content is a portion of an underlying maze pattern.

17. A method for capturing image data by an input device, the method comprising steps of:

emitting infrared light on an area of an object over which the input device is positioned;

capturing an image of the area; and

generating data representing the location of the input device based on the captured image.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the captured image includes a portion of a maze-like pattern.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising a step of illuminating the area.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the area is at least partially covered by ink.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the captured image includes data representing movement of the input device over the area at least partially covered by ink.