Position detecting method and apparatus for detecting a plurality of position indicators

• US 6,239,789 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Katsurahira, Yuji, Sekizawa, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): LESPERANCE, JEAN E
• Application Number:
  US09/152,259
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting the positions of a plurality of position indicators using a tablet or the like. After a first position indicator has been detected by an all-scan step, sensor coils to be scanned are specified according to the positional information of the first position indicator. A sector-scan step then performs a more detailed detection of the position of the first position indicator. The sector-scan step and the all-scan step for detecting the approximate position of a second position indicator are implemented alternately. The sector-scan is carried out more frequently than the all-scan.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the position of a first position indicator and a second position indicator on the surface of a sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising a plurality of conductive coils, a means for scanning the coils, and a means for detecting an interaction between the coils and the first position indicator and between the coils and the second position indicator, the method comprising the steps of:

designating a first set of coils;

scanning the first set of coils for the first position indicator and detecting an interaction between the first set of coils and the first position indicator;

designating a second set of coils based upon the detected interaction between the first set of coils and the first position indicator;

scanning the second set of coils for the first position indicator and detecting an interaction between the second set of coils and the first position indicator;

designating a third set of coils; and

scanning the third set of coils for the second position indicator.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of coils and the third set of coils comprise the same coils.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of coils are arranged in parallel in the direction of a coordinate axis.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first set of coils consists of every other of the plurality of coils.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first set of coils and the third set of coils comprise the same coils.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting an interaction between the first set of coils and the first position indicator comprises the substeps of defining a plurality of areas on the surface of the sensor unit and identifying an area indicated by the first position detector.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second set of coils consist of the coils in the area indicated by the first position detector.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first set of coils and the third set of coils comprise the same coils.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of coils are arranged in parallel in the direction of a coordinate axis.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first set of coils consists of every other of the plurality of coils.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first set of coils and the third set of coils comprise the same coils.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

indicating an interaction between the third set of coils and the second position indicator;

designating a fourth set of coils based upon the detected interaction between the third set of coils and the second position indicator; and

scanning the fourth set of coils for the second position indicator and detecting an interaction between the fourth set of coils and the second position indicator.

13. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

indicating an interaction between the third set of coils and the second position indicator;

designating a fourth set of coils based upon the detected interaction between the third set of coils and the second position indicator; and

scanning the fourth set of coils for the second position indicator and detecting an interaction between the fourth set of coils and the second position indicator;

wherein the step of detecting an interaction between the third set of coils and the second position indicator comprises the substeps of defining a plurality of areas on the surface of the sensor unit and identifying the area indicated by the second position detector; and

wherein the fourth set of coils consist of the coils in the area indicated by the second position detector.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of repetitively scanning the second set of coils and the third set of coils, wherein the second set of coils is scanned more frequently than the third set of coils.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the relative frequency of scanning the second and third sets of coils may be changed.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the steps of repetitively scanning the second and fourth sets of coils.

17. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second and fourth sets of coils are alternativly scanned.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the second set of coils is scanned more frequently than the third set of coils, and wherein the first position indicator requires closer tracking than the second position indicator.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the relative frequency of scanning the second and third sets of coils may be changed.

20. A method for detecting the position of a first position indicator and a second position indicator on the surface of a sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising a plurality of conductive coils arranged in the same plane as the surface, a means for scanning the coils, and a means for detecting an interaction between the coils and the first position indicator and between the coils and the second position indicator, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning the entire surface for the first position indicator and detecting an interaction between the first position indicator and the coils;

scanning a portion less than the entire surface for the first position indicator, the portion being selected based upon the detected interaction between the first position indicator and the coils; and

scanning the entire surface for the second position indicator.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the steps of repetitively scanning a portion less than the entire surface for the first position indicator and scanning the entire surface for the second position indicator.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the step of scanning a portion less than the entire surface for the first position indicator occurs more frequently than the step of scanning the entire surface for the second position indicator.

23. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the steps of detecting an interaction between the second position indicator and the coils and scanning a portion less than the entire surface for the second position indicator, the portion being selected based upon the detected interaction between the second position indicator and the coils.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the steps of repetitively scanning the portion less than the entire surface for the first position indicator and scanning the portion less than the entire surface for the second position indicator, wherein the scanning of the portion less than the entire surface for the first position indicator occurs more frequently than the scanning of the portion less than the entire surface for the second position indicator.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the relative frequency of scanning the portion less than the entire surface for the first position indicator and scanning the portion less than the entire surface for the second position indicator may be changed.

26. A method for detecting the position of a first position indicator responsive to a first frequency and a second position indicator responsive to a second frequency on the surface of a sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising a plurality of conductive coils arranged in the same plane as the surface, a means for scanning the coils, and a means for detecting an interaction between the coils and the first position indicator and between the coils and the second position indicator, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning the entire surface for the first position indicator;

scanning the entire surface for the second position indicator; and

repeating the scan of the entire surface for the first position indicator and the scan of the entire surface for the second position indicator, wherein the scan of the entire surface area for the first position indicator occurs more often than the scan of the entire surface area for the second position indicator.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the first position indicator requires closer tracking than the second position indicator.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the relative frequency of scanning the entire surface for the first position indicator and scanning the entire surface for the second position indicator may be changed.

29. A sensor unit for detecting the position of a first position indicator and a second position indicator on the surface of a sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising:

a plurality of conductive coils; and

a means for scanning the coils and for detecting an interaction between the coils and the first position indicator and between the coils and the second position indicator, said means comprising;

means for designating a first set of coils;

means for scanning the first set of coils for the first position indicator and detecting an interaction between the first set of coils and the first position indicator;

means for designating a second set of coils based upon the detected interaction between the first set of coils and the first position indicator;

means for scanning the second set of coils for the first position indicator and detecting an interaction between the second set of coils and the first position indicator;

means for designating a third set of coils; and

means for scanning the third set of coils for the second position indicator.

30. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 29, wherein the first set of coils and the third set of coils comprise the same coils.

31. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 29, wherein the plurality of coils are arranged in parallel in the direction of a coordinate axis.

32. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 31, wherein the first set of coils consists of every other of the plurality of coils.

33. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 32, wherein the first set of coils and the third set of coils comprise the same coils.

34. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 29, wherein the step of detecting an interaction between the first set of coils and the first position indicator comprises the substeps of defining a plurality of areas on the surface of the sensor unit and identifying the area indicated by the first position detector.

35. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 30, wherein the second set of coils consist of the coils in the area indicated by the first position detector.

36. A sensor unit for detecting the position of a first position indicator and a second position indicator on the surface of a sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising:

a plurality of conductive coils; and

a means for scanning the coils and for detecting an interaction between the coils and the first position indicator and between the coils and the second position indicator, said means comprising;

means for scanning the entire surface for the first position indicator; and

means for scanning the entire surface for the second position indicator; and

wherein the scan of the entire surface for the first position indicator and the scan of the entire surface for the second position indicator are repeated, and wherein the scan of the entire surface area for the first position indicator occurs more often than the scan of the entire surface area for the second position indicator.

37. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 36, wherein the first position indicator requires closer tracking than the second position indicator.