Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Stylus
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-15
2002-01-01
Brier, Jeffery (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Stylus
C178S018030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06335727
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information input device, a position information holding device, and a position recognizing system, including these devices, for recognizing a position upon information input.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional computers are normally used as information processing devices. However, recent downsizing techniques for computers have remarkably advanced, and with the advent of lap-top computers, pen-input type computers, or palm-top computers, a person always carries and uses a computer nowadays. In such a situation, a computer is expected to be used as an information input (storing) device and an information output (reproducing) device.
Information input/output processing in a lap-top computer shown in
FIG. 1
is realized by a set of a display device, a character input device, and a mouse-type pointing device. Referring to
FIG. 1
, the display device is used as input/output information display means, the character input device is used as character input means, and the mouse-type pointing device is used as means for designating an item in a menu displayed on the display device or image information input means.
In order to realize high portability in a computer, downsizing of a character input device is necessary. However, when the character input device is downsized, it becomes difficult to naturally input characters. For this reason, the portability of a computer is limited by the size of the character input device.
Thus, a pen-input type computer shown in
FIG. 2
has been developed. Referring to
FIG. 2
, information input/output processing is realized by a set of an information input device obtained by integrating a display device and a position recognizing device, and a pen-type pointing device. In this case, since the pen-type pointing device is also used as character input means, no character input device is required, thus increasing the portability of a computer.
In the pen-input type computer, since the size of the display device must coincide with that of the position recognizing device, and the pen-input type computer must comprise both the display device and the position recognizing device, the portability of the computer is limited by the sizes of the display device and the position recognizing device. Furthermore, the display device and the position recognizing device having a large area and a high resolution require higher cost than that of other devices. In this case, the power consumption increases, and a battery becomes large, resulting in an increase in total weight of the computer, and a decrease in continuous operating time using the battery.
A palm-top computer comprising a compact display device and position recognizing device has been developed. However, since the palm-top computer has a small information input screen, it is difficult to naturally input information. Furthermore, since the palm-top computer has a small information input screen, displayed information is not easy to see if the display resolution is low. Even when the display resolution is high in the palm-top computer, if an A4-size document is displayed, characters are displayed in small size and not easy to see. These problems are directly associated with handiness of an information input device.
Therefore, the use of the palm-top computer is limited to an application for personal address information, schedule information, and the like.
The computer has two different output modes. The first output mode is an output mode for displaying already input information, and the second output mode is an output mode for confirming an input state upon input of information.
In the first output mode, when an importance is placed on the display area, an output device having a certain size is required, and a computer having such an output device is normally used in a specific place. Furthermore, when an importance is placed on portability, limitations on the output due to a compact size of the computer are easily compromised. This is because, in this case, fine output information which is more easy to recognize can be obtained by a large-scale output device, as needed.
In order to attain a flexible, natural information input operation in the second output mode, an information display screen and an information input screen having certain sizes are necessary. In addition, since information to be input may become at hand at any unspecified place, high portability is required. In order to accurately record input information, high display and input resolutions are required. This is because, in this case, information to be input is often transitory, and it is required to accurately record information at that instance. Therefore, in this case, in order to obtain an environment equivalent to that using an A4-size paper sheet, an A4-size output device is required, thus limiting portability.
As a conventional input device, a device called a tablet shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
is used.
In a tablet shown in
FIG. 3
, conductive lines are arranged in the x-y directions on the tablet. When a magnetic field is applied from a pen-type pointing device onto the tablet, an inducted voltage is generated in a conductive line at the position indicated by the pointing device, and x- and y-coordinate detecting circuits detect the x- and y-coordinates of that point based on the generated voltage, thus obtaining the absolute coordinates of the indicated position.
In a tablet shown in
FIG. 4
, pulse detecting circuits are arranged at least three out of four corners of the tablet. A pulse is applied to a predetermined position on the tablet using a pen-type pointing device, and a coordinate detecting circuit can detect the absolute coordinates of the predetermined position on the basis of a phase difference of signals from the pulse detecting circuits.
In order to allow a flexible, natural information input operation for a user, tablets having required information input areas and input resolutions must be selectively used in correspondence with situations. For this reason, it is preferable that various tablets be present everywhere, or a user carry various tablets. In this case, a reduction in cost of tablets and downsizing of tablets pose a problem.
As described above, in the conventional information input device, the information input device and the tablet must be integrated, and it is hard to realize an information input device having various input areas. Furthermore, when information is input using the pen-type pointing device, the input information must be displayed at the input position of the pointing device. Therefore, in the conventional information input device, since the input device, the display device, and the tablet must be integrated, it is difficult to realize an information input device having various input areas.
Therefore, paper and pens are used as normal portable information input media. An information input method using a paper sheet and a pen is natural to a user. On the other hand, an information input operation using a conventional computer makes a user conscious of the use of an electronic device, and handiness equivalent to that of an information input operation using a paper sheet and a pen is hardly realized.
In an information input operation using a paper sheet, a pen, an eraser, and the like, various operations are attained by using tools themselves, and such an operation is natural to a user in terms of explicitness of an operation. However, since various input operations and function selecting operations in an information input operation of a conventional computer are attained in accordance with a menu displayed on the display device, they have poor explicitness of an operation.
When a paper sheet and a pen are frequently used as information input media, it is required to input information written on the paper sheet to a computer. At this time, it is preferable that an information input operation to a computer be easily performed.
Conventionally, in order to input information recorded on a paper sheet t
Mizoguchi Hiroshi
Morishita Akira
Brier Jeffery
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
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