Data input system
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N. V.
InventorsCatherina J. H. Van Dam, Nigel D. Young, Alan G. Knapp
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Abstract
A data input system is described comprising a surface 10, pen 12 and a plurality of transducers 14. The surface has a structure 10 such that when the pen 12 is moved across the structure 10, vibration is generated. This is detected by the transducers and the position of the pen 12 on the surface 10 is calculated. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the structure of the surface 10 varies across the surface 10. This means vibration signal waveforms may be associated with specific regions of the surface making identification of the pen location easier.
Claims20
A data input device for inputting data using a pen, comprising:
- a plate having a surface with a surface texture such that drawing the pen across the surface texture generates vibration, wherein the surface of the plate includes a plurality of regions with different respective textures;
- one or more transducers for detecting the vibration generated, each outputting a transducer signal that is dependent upon the different textures;
- and
- a processor for determining spatial information regarding at least one of a position and a velocity of the pen on the surface, based on the transducer signals.
A method of data input using a plate with a textured surface and a pen, the method comprising:
- drawing the pen across the textured surface of the plate in contact with the plate to generate vibration, wherein the surface of the plate includes a plurality of regions with different respective textures;
- using a transducer to detect the vibration generated and outputting a transducer signal that is dependent upon the different textures;
- and
- processing the transducer signal to determine spatial information regarding the position and/or the velocity of the pen with respect to the textured surface.
A method of data input using a plate that is divided into regions of different textured surfaces, including:
- drawing an object across the plate in contact to generate vibrations that are dependent upon the textured surfaces;
- using one or more transducers to detect the vibration generated and outputting a corresponding transducer signal from each transducer;
- and
- processing the one or more transducer signals to determine spatial information regarding at least one of a position and a velocity of the object with respect to the textured surfaces, including identifying a characteristic output waveform in each transducer signal corresponding to the different textured surfaces across which the object is being moved.
A data input device, comprising:
- a plate having a surface with a plurality of surface textures such that drawing an object across the surface textures generates vibrations dependent upon the surface textures;
- one or more transducers for detecting the vibrations generated, each outputting a transducer signal;
- and
- a processor for determining spatial information regarding at least one of a position and a velocity of the object on the surface, based on the transducer signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.