Orientation sensing device

• US 6,737,591 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Livescribe Incorporated (Anoto Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jorgensen, Leland R.
• Application Number:
  US09/575,168
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18.01, 178/18.02, 178/18.03, 178/18.04, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07, 178/18.08, 178/18.09, 178/18.11, 178/19.01, 178/19.02, 178/19.03, 178/19.04, 178/19.05, 178/19.06, 178/19.07, 345/179
• US Class Current: 178/19.05
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/12 Details of acquisition arrangements; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 21/00 Systems for transmitting the position of an object with respect to a predetermined reference system, e.g. tele-autographic system

Abstract

A sensing device for generating orientation data when positioned or moved relative to a surface, the orientation data being indicative of an orientation of the sensing device relative to the surface, the surface having coded data disposed upon it, the coded data being indicative, when sensed by the sensing device, of the orientation, the sensing device including: a housing; orientation sensing means configured to generate the orientation data using at least some of the coded data; and communications means configured to communicate the orientation data to a computer system.

Claims

1. A sensing device for generating orientation data when positioned or moved relative to a surface, the surface having coded data disposed upon it, the coded data being indicative, when sensed by the sensing device, of the orientation, the sensing device including:

a housing containing an orientation sensor and a transmitter;

the orientation sensor configured to generate the orientation data using at least some of the coded data, the orientation data being indicative of three dimensions of a rotational orientation of the sensing device relative to the surface; and

the transmitter configured to communicate the orientation data to a computer system.

2. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the orientation sensor is configured to infer the orientation from perspective distortion of at least some of the coded data.

3. A sensing device according to claim 1, further including a motion sensor for generating movement data when the sensing device is moved relative to the surface, the transmitter being configured to transmit the movement data to the computer system.

4. A sensing device according to claim 3 wherein the coded data includes region identity data indicative of an identity of a region of the surface and wherein the sensing device further includes a region identity sensor configured to sense the region identity data and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the region identity data to the computer system.

5. A sensing device according to claim 4, further including a timer configured to generate a time reference as the sensing device is moved relative to the surface region.

6. A sensing device according to claim 5, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit time reference data to the computer system, the time reference data being indicative of the time reference of the movement data as generated by the timer.

7. A sensing device according to claim 3, wherein the motion sensor is configured to generate the movement data using at least some of the coded data.

8. A sensing device according to claim 7, wherein the coded data includes a plurality of location-indicating tags, each location-indicating tag containing location identity data indicative of a unique location within a region of the surface, the motion sensor being configured to generate the movement data on the basis of the sensing device'"'"'s movement relative to at least one of the location-indicating tags.

9. A sensing device according to claim 8, wherein the motion sensor is configured to sample the position of the sensing device relative to at least one of the location-indicating tags, thereby to generate the movement data.

10. A sensing device according to claim 9, further including a distance estimator configured to estimate a distance of the sensing device from at least one of the location-indicating tags.

11. A sensing device according to claim 10, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit distance data to the computer system, the distance data being indicative of the distance of the sensing device from at least one of the location-indicating tags.

12. A sensing device according to claim 10, wherein the motion sensor is configured to use the distance estimated by the distance estimator to resolve a more accurate position of the sensing device on the surface than indicated by a location-indicating tag alone.

13. A sensing device according to claim 8, wherein the location-indicating tags include both region identity data, indicative of an identity of a region within which the tag lies, and location identity data indicative of the position of the tag within the region.

14. A sensing device according to claim 7, wherein the coded data includes a set of substantially identical object-indicating tags spaced at predetermined intervals, the motion sensor being configured to generate the movement data on the basis of the sensing device'"'"'s movement relative to at least one of the object-indicating tags.

15. A sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the object-indicating tags include region identity data indicative of an identity of a region within which the tag lies.

16. A sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the motion sensor is configured to sample the position of the sensing device relative to at least one of the object-indicating tags, thereby to generate the movement data.

17. A sensing device according to claim 16, further including a distance estimator configured to estimate a distance of the sensing device from at least one of the object-indicating tags.

18. A sensing device according to claim 17, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit distance data to the computer system, the distance data being indicative of the distance of the sensing device from at least one of the object-indicating tags.

19. A sensing device according to claim 17, wherein the motion sensor is configured to use the distance estimated by the distance estimator to resolve a more accurate position of the sensing device on the surface than indicated by an object-indicating tag alone.

20. A sensing device according to claim 7, further including an orientation sensor configured to sense an orientation of the sensing device relative to at least some of the coded data.

21. A sensing device according to claim 20, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit orientation data to the computer system, the orientation data being indicative of the orientation.

22. A sensing device according to claim 3, wherein the movement sensor includes at least one acceleration sensor, the acceleration sensor being configured to sense acceleration of the sensing device as it is moved relative to the surface region, the movement sensor being configured to generate the movement data by periodically sampling the acceleration.

23. A sensing device according to claim 22, wherein the acceleration sensor is configured to sense at least two substantially orthogonal components of acceleration.

24. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a wireless transmitter.

25. A sensing device according to claim 1, further including a force sensor configured to sense a force applied to the surface by the sensing device.

26. A sensing device according to claim 25, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit force data to the computer system, the force data being indicative of the force.

27. A sensing device according to claim 25, further including a stroke detector configured to detect, by way of the force, when the sensing device is applied to the surface and removed from the surface, thereby to identify the duration of a stroke.

28. A sensing device according to claim 1, further including a marking nib for marking the surface.

29. A sensing device according to claim 28, wherein the sensing device is in the form of a stylus or pen.

30. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the coded data is substantially invisible to the unaided human eye.

31. A sensing device according to claim 30, wherein the coded data is printed using infrared ink, the sensing device being responsive in the infrared spectrum.