Manually controlled imput device for a computer

• US 5,767,843 A
• Filed: 08/25/1995
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lfk-Lenkflugkã¶Rpersysteme GmbH (MBDA)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Wagner, Dieter, Rieger, Robert, Eisfeld, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US08/481,264
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/166, 345/175, 345/168, 345/176, 345/132, 345/179-183, 345/6, 345/7, 364/707, 364/709.01, 356/375, 356/381, 356/384, 463/32, 463/37, 178/18, 178/19
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen

Abstract

The invention relates to a manually controlled input device for a computer which comprises a graph! graphics card for controlling a monitor video screen by means of! via a video signal, as a simulation and in the form! of a mechanical small-size spraying device (air brush) whose operating parameters are composed of three space coordinates, the air pressure of the ink spraying jet and the ink quantity therein. Synchronization signals from the video card are used in conjunction with an optical coupling between the input device and the video screen, to determine the spacial coordinates of the input device relative to the video screen.

Claims

1. Manually controlled input apparatus for simulating a mechanical hand held ink spraying device, by means of a computer having a graphics card which generates a video signal for controlling a video screen, simulated operating parameters of said ink spraying device comprising three spatial coordinates, air pressure of the ink spraying device and ink quantity, said apparatus comprising:

an optical interface for coupling said input apparatus to said computer, said optical interface comprising an optical sensor for optically scanning said video screen;

a first electronic interface connecting a synchronization analysis unit of the ink spraying device of the input apparatus with the video signal output from said graphics card of the computer;

means for determining three dimensional position information for said input apparatus based on information received from said optical interface and said first electronic interface;

a second electronic interface coupling said input apparatus and said computer for communicating said three dimensional position information and information concerning said air pressure and said ink quantity between said input apparatus and said computer;

whereby all of the operating parameters of said ink spraying device can be dynamically varied, and changes in said operating parameters can be detected by means of electronic components directly at the input apparatus.

2. Manually controlled input apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said spatial coordinates can be determined by way of the optical interface and the first electronic interface.

3. Manually controlled input apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the optical sensor senses image dots on the video screen and generates a signal in response thereto which is proportional to distance of the input device from the video screen and from which the position x,y of the input device relative to the monitor video screen can be determined by the analysis of a synchronization signal of the video signal of the graphics card.

4. Manually controlled input apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the operating parameters "air pressure" and "ink quantity" can be adjusted by means of an input lever corresponding to the input lever of the mechanical hand held ink spraying device in that an output signal of a path sensor connected to the input lever, which is in each case proportional to a push-in depth, determines the respective operating parameters.

5. Manually controlled input apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for automatically activating said input apparatus when said optical sensor is removed from a holder.

6. Manually controlled input apparatus according to claim 1 wherein for analysis of the operating parameters, a user program of the computer is assigned to it which contains additional electronic tools for graphic changing of images or for the communication with subprograms.

7. A manually controlled apparatus for simulating a mechanical hand held ink spraying device by means of a computer having a computer graphics card which generates a video signal for controlling a video screen, said apparatus comprising:

a manually controlled input unit which is displaceable in three dimensions relative to said video screen;

said input unit having manually operable control element which can be manipulated with two degrees of freedom to generate control signals corresponding to an ink quantity and an air pressure of said ink spraying device;

an optical interface for coupling said input unit to said computer, said optical interface comprising an optical sensor on said input unit for optically scanning said video screen;

a first electronic interface connecting a synchronization analysis unit of the input unit with a video signal output from said graphics card;

means for determining three dimensional position information for said input unit based on information received from said optical interface and said first electronic interface;

a second electronic interface coupling said input unit to said computer for communicating said three dimensional position information and said control signals between said input unit and said computer;

means for modifying an image of said video screen based on said three dimensional position information and said status of said two degrees of freedom.