Universal pen with position or motion sensing

• US 7,396,177 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, King, Tobin Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak; David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/949,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20050046688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 401/195, 401/52, 401/47, 401/45, 401/194, 178/18, 178/79, 345/179
• US Class Current: 401/45
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/106 for the sheet output section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting transparent or white coloured liquids, e.g. processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0081 applying adhesive to individual sheets for binding them together by fusing, welding B42C9/0093
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 23/008 Holders comprising finger grips B43K23/004, B43K23/012 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 29/08 with measuring, computing or indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/003 Pen barrels
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/006 using a spraying system, e.g. airbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/22 with electrically or magnetically activated writing-points
• 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: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00358 Type of the scanned marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00376 Means for identifying a mark sheet or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00567 Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0461 part of the apparatus being used in common for reading and reproducing simultaneous scanning of the original picture and the reproduced picture with a common scanning device H04N1/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/047 : Detection, control or error compensation of scanning velocity or position H04N1/0402 and H04N1/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 : with manual scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04717 : on the scanned sheet, e.g. a reference sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission

Abstract

A pen that includes a marking device for marking a visible path onto a first surface. The marking device is electronically controllable to change a value of an attribute of the path such as color, line width, texture, or line spacing. A position sensing device or motion sensing device is connected to the marking device using a controller. An optical sensing device is also connected to the controller for sensing an attribute of a second surface. The controller is operable to change the value of the attribute of the path on the first surface so as to replicate the attribute of the second surface.

Claims

1. A pen comprising:

a marking device including a printhead operative to mark a visible path onto a first surface, an output of the printhead being electronically controllable to change a value of at least one attribute of the path, wherein the attribute of the path is selected from the group consisting of color, line width, and texture;

at least one position sensing device or a motion sensing device or both operatively connected to the marking device;

a controller operatively connected to the at least one position sensing device or motion sensing device or both, the controller operable to change the value of the at least one attribute, the value being derived from a position of the pen relative to the first surface, a speed of the pen relative to the first surface or both; and

an optical sensing device operatively connected to the controller for sensing an attribute of a second surface, wherein the controller is operable to change the value of the at least one attribute of the path on the first surface so as to replicate the attribute of the second surface.

2. The pen of claim 1 wherein the at least one position sensing device and the optical sensing device are incorporated into the same sensing device.

3. The pen of claim 1 wherein the optical sensing device is located adjacent the marking device.

4. The pen of claim 1 wherein the optical sensing device is located at one end of the pen and the marking device is located at the other end of the pen.

5. The pen of claim 1 wherein at least one of the position sensing device or motion sensing device is operable by pushing the sensing device against a surface.

6. The pen of claim 1 further comprising a user interface operably connected to the controller, whereby a user may change the value of the at least one attribute of the path.

7. The pen of claim 6 wherein the user interface includes a display for displaying information relating to the value of the at least one attribute of the path.

8. The pen of claim 7 wherein the user interface includes at least one device selected from the group comprising a slider and a control button.

9. The pen of claim 1 wherein the at least one attribute of the path includes marking or not marking.

10. The pen of claim 1 wherein the attribute of the second surface is selected from the group consisting of color, line width, and brightness.

11. The pen of claim 1 wherein the second surface is a color card.