Self-contained pen computer with built-in display

• US 6,130,666 A
• Filed: 10/06/1997
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C Technologies AB (Anoto Group AB)
• Original Assignee: C Technologies AB (Anoto Group AB)
• Inventors: Persidsky, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, FRANCIS N
• Application Number:
  US08/944,734
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 178/19.01, 178/19.02, 178/19.03, 178/19.04, 178/19.05, 250/221, 250/226, 345/179, 345/180, 345/163, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/169, 345/123, 345/126, 382/122, 382/313, 382/314, 382/119, 382/188-189, 382/187
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks

Abstract

A self-contained pen computer which is capable of collecting and recording data representative of handwritten strokes of the pen, and displaying such data in a display screen which is a part of the pen. In the housing of the pen, a pressure sensor is included at the tip of the pen, and a motion sensor which outputs signals describing the motion of the pen, so that handwritten data can be acquired without the need for a special writing surface. These sensors are connected to a signal processing circuit which includes an analog-to-digital converter to convert motion signals and pressure sensor signals into digital code. A microprocessor or microcontroller interprets the digitized motion data, stores the processed data in a memory such as a chip storage device, directs such data to a built-in display such as an LCD, which can display images in real-time corresponding to the processed motion signals, as well as images stored in memory. This display can be driven directly by the processor or by its own dedicated controller. The pen also includes an energy source, such as a battery or solar panel, to power all circuitry.

Claims

1. A pen computer, comprising:

an elongated hand-held housing with a writing tip;

a processor in said housing, said processor being arranged to record handwritten data;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said housing; and

a display on an upper portion of said housing for being viewable while a lower portion of said housing is held in a hand, said display being arranged to display said handwritten data;

said processor is arranged to provide a database mode which includes a plurality of predefined fields shown on said display, said processor being arranged to record and display said handwritten data in said fields, each of said fields including a predetermined field symbol for guiding a user during data entry.

2. A pen computer, comprising:

an elongated hand-held housing with a writing tip;

a processor in said housing, said processor being arranged to record handwritten data;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said housing; and

a display on an upper portion of said housing for being viewable while a lower portion of said housing is held in a hand, said display being arranged to display said handwritten data;

said display is arranged to display at least a plurality of rows of said handwritten data, and said processor is arranged to automatically advance said handwritten data from one of said rows to a next row as each of said rows is filled.

3. A pen computer, comprising:

an elongated hand-held housing with a writing tip;

a processor in said housing;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said housing, said processor being arranged for recording hand drawn patterns;

a display on an upper portion of said housing for being viewable while a lower portion of said housing is held in a hand, said display connected to said processor for displaying said hand drawn patterns, said display is arranged to display at least a plurality of rows of said hand drawn patterns; and

a button on said housing and connected to said processor, said button controlling the number of said rows shown on said display.

4. A pen computer, comprising:

an elongated hand-held housing with a writing tip;

a processor in said housing, said processor being arranged to record handwritten data;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said housing;

a display on an upper portion of said housing for being viewable while a lower portion of said housing is held in a hand, said display being arranged to display said handwritten data; and

a mode button on said housing and connected to said processor, said processor cycling through a plurality of predetermined operating modes when said mode button is pressed, said processor being arranged to display a mode symbol on said display corresponding to a currently selected mode.

5. A pen computer, comprising:

an elongated hand-held housing with a writing tip;

a processor in said housing;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said housing, said processor being arranged for recording hand drawn patterns; and

a display on an upper portion of said housing for being viewable while a lower portion of said housing is held in a hand, said display connected to said processor for displaying said hand drawn patterns;

said processor is arranged to provide a calibration mode for adjusting sensitivity of said movement sensor, wherein a bar of adjustable length is displayed on said display, a length of said bar being directly proportional to sensor sensitivity, said processor being arranged to adjust said length of said bar in response to movement of said writing tip.

6. A pen computer, comprising:

an elongated hand-held housing with a writing tip;

a processor in said housing;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said housing, said processor being arranged for recording hand drawn patterns; and

a display on an upper portion of said housing for being viewable while a lower portion of said housing is held in a hand, said display connected to said processor for displaying said hand drawn patterns;

said processor is arranged to provide a right hand mode for displaying said hand drawn patterns upright when said housing is held in a right hand, and a left hand mode for displaying said hand drawn patterns inverted relative to said right hand mode when said housing is held in a left hand.

7. A pen computer, comprising:

an elongated hand-held housing with a writing tip;

a processor in said housing, said processor being arranged to record handwritten data;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said housing;

a display on an upper portion of said housing for being viewable while a lower portion of said housing is held in a hand, said display being arranged to display said handwritten data, and

a write button on said housing near said writing tip for being pressed by a finger, said write button being connected to said processor, said processor being arranged to record and display said handwritten data when said write button is pressed, so that said handwritten data is captured even when writing tip is moved through the air.

8. A pen computer, comprising:

a hand-held housing with a writing tip;

a processor in said housing;

a pressure sensor in said writing tip and connected to said processor for sensing engagement with a writing surface;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said writing tip when on said writing surface and also when away from said writing surface; and

a display on said housing and connected to said processor;

when said pressure sensor senses that said writing tip is pressed onto said writing surface, said processor is arranged to track the movement of said writing tip and display a corresponding first portion of a hand drawn pattern on said display;

when said pressure sensor senses that said writing tip is lifted from said writing surface, said processor is arranged to continue tracking the movement of said writing tip without displaying a corresponding second portion of said hand drawn pattern on said display;

when said pressure sensor senses that said writing tip is again pressed onto said writing surface, said processor is arranged to continue tracking the movement of said writing tip and display a corresponding third portion of said hand drawn pattern on said display;

said processor is thus arranged to record and display disconnected elements of a written pattern in proper spatial relationships.

9. The pen computer of claim 8, wherein said processor is arranged to provide a database mode which includes a plurality of predefined fields shown on said display, said processor being arranged to record and display a plurality of different hand drawn patterns in said fields, each of said fields including a predetermined field symbol for guiding a user during data entry.

10. The pen computer of claim 8, wherein said display is arranged to display at least a plurality of rows of additional hand drawn patterns, and said processor is arranged to automatically advance said hand drawn patterns from one of said rows to a next row as each of said rows is filled.

11. The pen computer of claim 8, wherein said display is arranged to display at least a plurality of rows of additional hand drawn patterns, and further including a button on said housing and connected to said processor, said button controlling the number of said rows shown on said display.

12. The pen computer of claim 8, further including a mode button on said housing and connected to said processor, said processor cycling through a plurality of predetermined operating modes when said mode button is pressed, said processor being arranged to display a mode symbol on said display corresponding to a currently selected mode.

13. The pen computer of claim 8, wherein said processor is arranged to provide a calibration mode for adjusting sensitivity of said movement sensor, wherein a bar of adjustable length is displayed on said display, a length of said bar being directly proportional to sensor sensitivity, said processor being arranged to adjust said length of said bar in response to movement of said writing tip.

14. The pen computer of claim 8, wherein said processor is arranged to provide a right hand mode for displaying said hand drawn patterns upright when said housing is held in a right hand, and a left hand mode for displaying said hand drawn patterns inverted relative to said right hand mode when said housing is held in a left hand.

15. A pen computer, comprising:

a hand-held housing;

a processor in said housing;

a movement sensor in said housing, said movement sensor connected to said processor and tracking movement of said housing;

a write button on said housing near a lower end for being pressed by a finger, said write button being connected to said processor; and

a display on said housing and connected to said processor;

when said write button is pressed, said processor is arranged to track the movement of said housing and display a corresponding first portion on said display;

when said write button is released, said processor is arranged to continue tracking the movement of said housing without displaying a corresponding second portion;

when said write button is again pressed, said processor is arranged to continue tracking the movement of said housing and again displaying a corresponding third portion;

said processor is thus arranged to record and display disconnected elements of a handwritten pattern in proper spatial relationships even when said housing is moved entirely through the air.

16. The pen computer of claim 15, wherein said processor is arranged to provide a database mode which includes a plurality of predefined fields shown on said display, said processor being arranged to record and display said handwritten patterns in said fields, each of said fields including a predetermined field symbol for guiding a user during data entry.

17. The pen computer of claim 15, wherein said display is arranged to display at least a plurality of rows of said handwritten patterns, and said processor is arranged to automatically advance said handwritten patterns from one of said rows to a next row as each of said rows is filled.

18. The pen computer of claim 15, wherein said display is arranged to display at least a plurality of rows of said handwritten patterns, and further including a button on said housing and connected to said processor, said button controlling the number of said rows shown on said display.

19. The pen computer of claim 15, further including a mode button on said housing and connected to said processor, said processor cycling through a plurality of predetermined operating modes when said mode button is pressed, said processor being arranged to display a mode symbol on said display corresponding to a currently selected mode.

20. The pen computer of claim 15, wherein said processor is arranged to provide a calibration mode for adjusting sensitivity of said movement sensor, wherein a bar of adjustable length is displayed on said display, a length of said bar being directly proportional to sensor sensitivity, said processor being arranged to adjust said length of said bar in response to movement of said writing tip.

21. The pen computer of claim 15, wherein said processor is arranged to provide a right hand mode for displaying said handwritten patterns upright when said housing is held in a right hand, and a left hand mode for displaying said handwritten patterns inverted relative to said right hand mode when said housing is held in a left hand.