# US 2013/0153787 A1 · Optical digitizer system with position-unique photoluminescent indicia

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- Number: US 2013/0153787 A1
- Document ID: US20130153787A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/713,124
- Filed: 2012-12-13
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16
- Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Inventors: Bernard O. GEAGHAN; Michael Benton FREE; Edward S. HAGERMOSER; Rachael P. MARINO; Pradnya V. NAGARKAR; Martin B. WOLK
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153787A1

## CPC

- 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)}
- G01C 21/20: Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence)
- G06F 3/0317: {in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface}
- G06F 3/03545: {Pens or stylus}
- G06K 19/06037: {multi-dimensional coding}
- G06K 19/06046: {Constructional details}
- G06V 30/1423: {the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting (preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32)}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

A digitizer system including a substrate having a position-unique photoluminescent indicia pattern. A stylus component receives optical signals indicative of the indicia pattern and determines therefrom the position of the stylus relative to the substrate. Methods of disposing indicia on the substrate, and styli suitable for sensing photoluminescent indicia are also described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A digitizer system comprising:
a substrate with position-unique photoluminescent indicia;
a stylus comprising an optical image sensor configured to sense the photoluminescent indicia; and,
a processor configured to receive signals from the optical image sensor and provide location-specific positional signals based on the received signals.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the position-unique photoluminescent indicia comprise a pattern of dots that uniquely define local regions of the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent indicia are visible light transmissive.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The digitizer system of claim 3, wherein the substrate is visible light transmissive.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The digitizer system of claim 4, further comprising:
an electronically addressable display.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The digitizer system of claim 5, wherein the electronically addressable display is a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, an OLED display, or a projection display.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The digitizer system of claim 5, wherein the electronically addressable display is registered to the substrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The digitizer system of claim 7, wherein the substrate is coupled to the electronically addressable display, such that light from the display is transmitted through the substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The digitizer system of claim 7, wherein the substrate is disposed behind the electronically addressable display.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The digitizer system of claim 7, wherein the electronically addressable display in an LCD display having a color filter, and the substrate comprises the color filter.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the optical image sensor has a field-of-view, and the optical image sensor senses indicia emitted radiation within the field-of-view.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The digitizer system of claim 11, wherein the indicia emitted radiation is luminesced radiation.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent indicia luminesce upon exposure to radiation within a first wavelength range, and further comprising:
a radiation source that provides excitation radiation that includes at least some wavelengths within the first wavelength range.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The digitizer system of claim 13, where the radiation source is disposed within the stylus such to provide radiation to an area corresponding to at least a portion of the optical image sensor's field-of-view.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The digitizer system of claim 13, wherein the radiation source is within an electronically addressable display.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The digitizer system of claim 15, wherein the electronically addressable display includes a backlight, and wherein the radiation source is the backlight.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The digitizer system of claim 13, wherein the photoluminescent indicia luminesce providing indicia emitted light within a second wavelength range.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The digitizer system of claim 17, wherein the first wavelength range overlaps the second wavelength range.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The digitizer system of claim 17, wherein the first wavelength range does not overlap the second wavelength range.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The digitizer system of claim 17, wherein the second wavelength range includes wavelengths longer than those included in the first wavelength range.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The digitizer system of claim 17, wherein the second wavelength range includes wavelengths shorter than those included in the first wavelength range.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The digitizer system of claim 17, wherein the photoluminescent indicia fluoresce.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The digitizer system of claim 17, wherein the second wavelength range consists of wavelengths between about 700 nm and about 2000 nm.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The digitizer system of claim 17, wherein the optical image sensor is sensitive to radiation within the second wavelength range.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprise polyethylene terephthalage, polyethylene naphthalate, cellulose triacetate, or glass.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent indicia are comprised of photoluminescent material.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The digitizer system of claim 26, wherein the photoluminescent material comprises quantum dots.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The digitizer system of claim 26, wherein the photoluminescent material comprises inorganic nanoparticles.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The digitizer system of claim 26, wherein the photoluminescent material is organic.

### Claim 30 (depends on 5)

The digitizer system of claim 5, further comprising a computer communicatively coupled to the processor and the electronically addressable display, and wherein the computer receives location-specific positional signals and then provides signals to the electronically addressable display that cause the electronically addressable display to modify its state based on the location-specific positional signals.

### Claim 31 (depends on 17)

The digitizer system of claim 17, wherein the stylus additionally comprises a filter to separate at least some portion of radiation in the first wavelength range from radiation in the second wavelength range.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The digitizer system of claim 1, wherein the stylus additionally comprises a filter to selectively eliminate certain wavelengths of radiation.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The digitizer system of claim 32, wherein the filter is transmissive to radiation in a range of wavelengths associated with the photoluminescent properties of the indicia.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The digitizer system of claim 33, wherein the filter is a signal processing algorithm.

### Claim 35 (depends on 13)

The digitizer system of claim 13, wherein the photoluminescent indicia comprises phosphorescent indicia, and the processor is configured to receive selectively cycle to radiation source so as to sense the photoluminescent indicia when the radiation source is off.

### Claim 36

An article comprising:
a substrate having position-unique photoluminescent indicia.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The article of claim 36, wherein the position-unique photoluminescent indicia comprise a pattern of dots that uniquely define local regions of the substrate.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The article of claim 37, wherein the photoluminescent indicia are visible light transmissive.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The article of claim 38, wherein the substrate is visible light transmissive.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The article of claim 39, wherein the photoluminescent indicia luminesce upon exposure to radiation within a first wavelength range.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The article of claim 40, wherein the photoluminescent indicia luminesce providing indicia-emitted radiation within a second wavelength range.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The article of claim 41, wherein the indicia-emitted radiation is light.

### Claim 43 (depends on 41)

The article of claim 41, wherein the first wavelength range overlaps the second wavelength range.

### Claim 44 (depends on 41)

The article of claim 41, wherein the first wavelength range does not overlap the second wavelength range.

### Claim 45 (depends on 41)

The article of claim 41, wherein the second wavelength range includes wavelengths longer than those included in the first wavelength range.

### Claim 46 (depends on 41)

The article of claim 41, wherein the second wavelength range includes wavelengths shorter than those included in the first wavelength range.

### Claim 47 (depends on 41)

The article of claim 41, wherein the second wavelength range consists of wavelengths between about 700 nm and about 2000 nm.

### Claim 48 (depends on 36)

The article of claim 36, wherein the substrate comprise polyethylene terephthalage, polyethylene naphthalate, cellulose triacetate, or glass.

### Claim 49 (depends on 36)

The article of claim 36, wherein the photoluminescent indicia are comprised of photoluminescent material.

### Claim 50 (depends on 49)

The article of claim 49, wherein the photoluminescent material comprises quantum dots.

### Claim 51 (depends on 49)

The article of claim 49, wherein the photoluminescent material comprises inorganic nanoparticles.

### Claim 52 (depends on 49)

The article of claim 49, wherein the photoluminescent material is organic.

### Claim 53

A method comprising:
disposing position-unique photoluminescent indicia on a substrate, wherein the photoluminescent indicia define local regions of the substrate.

### Claim 54 (depends on 53)

The method of claim 53, wherein disposing comprises printing.

### Claim 55 (depends on 53)

The method of claim 53, wherein the photoluminescent indicia are visible light transmissive.

### Claim 56 (depends on 53)

The method of claim 53, wherein the substrate is visible light transmissive.

### Claim 57 (depends on 53)

The method of claim 53, wherein the photoluminescent indicia luminesce upon exposure to radiation within a first wavelength range.

### Claim 58 (depends on 57)

The method of claim 57, wherein the photoluminescent indicia luminesce providing indicia-emitted radiation within a second wavelength range.

### Claim 59 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein the first wavelength range overlaps the second wavelength range.

### Claim 60 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein the first wavelength range does not overlap the second wavelength range.

### Claim 61 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein the second wavelength range includes wavelengths longer than those included in the first wavelength range.

### Claim 62 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein the second wavelength range includes wavelengths shorter than those included in the first wavelength range.

### Claim 63 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein the second wavelength range consists of wavelengths between about 700 nm and about 2000 nm.

### Claim 64 (depends on 53)

The method of claim 53, wherein the substrate comprise polyethylene terephthalage, polyethylene naphthalate, cellulose triacetate, or glass.

### Claim 65 (depends on 53)

The method of claim 53, wherein the photoluminescent indicia are comprised of photoluminescent material.

### Claim 66 (depends on 65)

The method of claim 65, wherein the photoluminescent material comprises quantum dots.

### Claim 67 (depends on 65)

The method of claim 65, wherein the photoluminescent material comprises inorganic nanoparticles.

### Claim 68 (depends on 65)

The method of claim 65, wherein the photoluminescent material is organic.

### Claim 69

A stylus for a digitizer system comprising:
a radiation source providing excitation radiation in a first wavelength range; and,
a sensor having a filter that limits passage of radiation substantially in the first wavelength range.

### Claim 70 (depends on 69)

The stylus of claim 69, further comprising:
a processor communicatively coupled to the radiation source and the sensor.

### Claim 71 (depends on 70)

The stylus of claim 70, wherein the sensor is sensitive to radiation in a second wavelength range.

### Claim 72 (depends on 71)

The stylus of claim 71, wherein the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range do not overlap.

### Claim 73 (depends on 71)

The stylus of claim 71, wherein the first wavelength range and second wavelength range overlap.