Wacom Co., Ltd.

Kabushikikaisha Wacom

Nkk Corporation

Saeilo Japan, Inc.

Kabushiki Kaisha Wakom

Azuma Murakami

Tsuguya Yamanami

Yoshinori Taguchi

Toshiaki Senda

Yasuhiro Fukuzaki

Takahiko Funahashi

Toshihide Chikami

Yoshiaki Tomofuji

Satoshi Inashima

Akio Kikuchi

Kazuo Aoki

Takeshi Tanaka

Yoichi Tuchida

Hideki Johno

Teruyoshi Hagiwara

Yuji Katsurahira

Yasuji Ogawa

Keiichi Sugiyama

Nobuyuki Miyamori

Keiichi Siguyama

Manabu Abe

Norio Saito

Hiroshi Mizuno

Norio Akamatsu

Ryuichi Yamane

Sadao Yamamoto

Hiroki Morii

Kenichi Takahashi

A digitizer for determining coordinate value of a point designated on a given two-dimensional coordinate plane. A pointing instrument is manually operable to designate a point on the given two-dimensional coordinate plane of a tablet. The tablet includes a flat sensor defining the given two-dimensional coordinate plane and operative for transmitting magnetic signal between the flat sensor and the pointing instrument disposed thereon to detect the designated point to thereby produce a detection signal, and a shielding plate disposed under the flat sensor to magnetically shield the flat sensor. The shielding plate is composed of silicon steel containing 4.0 to 7.0 weight % of silicon. A processing circuit is connected to the flat sensor for processing the detection signal to determine the coordinate value of the designated point.

Digitizer having flat tablet with magnetic shield plate

A system comprises a digitizer which includes a position indicator and a coordinate detecting device in the form of a tablet and has a selection/indication area within its coordinate detecting surface to select/indicate data processing functions, a display device, and a computer which controls the digitizer and the display device, wherein the data processing functions are selected/indicated by using the position indicator to perform an image processing. In the system, the coordinate detecting device comprises an indication part which is located within the selection/indication area of the coordinate detecting surface of the coordinate detecting device and makes it possible the status of selections/indications of the data processing functions to be visually observed. The indication part comprises an engaging means which temporarily engages with the position indicator and is movable together with the engaged position indicator, an indicator means, which is movable with the engaging means which is temporarily engaged with the position indicator, to visually indicate a selected/indicated data processing function, and a supporting means to engage and support the indicator means.

Digitizer, assisting apparatus for digitizer, and digitizer system

An object detecting optical unit for detecting a direction or a position of an object placed on a detecting plane surface is disclosed. The optical unit detects existence or non existence of a retroreflective light reflected by a retroreflective member. A light projection device is formed by a plurality of light sources and corresponding lenses, arranged in to form a fan shaped projection pattern parallel to the detecting plane surface, the projection pattern being as if projected from a virtual one point light source. A light receiving device is included which has a slit or lens and linear photoreceptive group, arranged in such a manner as to form a light receiving pattern with a view field corresponding to the fan shaped projection pattern. A position coordinate input apparatus using the optical unit is also disclosed.

Optical unit for detecting object and coordinate input apparatus using same

A position indicator for use in an input coordinate device for providing a desired coordinate point on a position detecting plane, comprises a chassis having both a pen shaped portion formed by a substantially cylindrical portion and a mouse portion including a flat bottom; a first indicating circuit, disposed within the pen shaped portion, including a core body having an end extending externally from the pen shaped portion and a first switch; a second indicating circuit, disposed within the mouse portion, including a second switch; a third switch adapted to inhibit operation of the first indicating circuit when the second indicating circuit is being used; and a movable member extending from the flat bottom such that the member is engageable with the detecting plane when the mouse portion is in use, the member being operably connected to the third switch such that movement of the member when engaged with the detecting plane is effective to operate the third switch so as to render the first indicating circuit inoperative when the mouse portion is in use.

Position indicator

A neural coupling includes a pair of primary and secondary members for coupling a precedent node to a subsequent node to synaptically transmit a signal through a neural network. A primary member responds to a signal from a precedent node to generate an inductive field according to the received signal. A secondary member spatially coupled to the primary member by the inductive field supplies to a subsequent node a corresponding signal in response to the inductive field to effect synaptic transmission of the signal through the neural network.

Inductively coupled neural network

Pulse count mode communication system

The position of an object including a retroreflector is determined by scanning first and second optical beams toward an axis on a planar surface from spaced sites on opposite sides of the axis. The scanned beams are incident on and reflected from the retroreflector along coincident first and second paths between the sites and the retroreflector. Indications are derived of first and second angles between a baseline between the sites and the first and second paths extending between the sites and the retroreflector. In response to the known distance between the sites and the derived indications of the first and second angles a two-coordinate direction indication of the retroreflector position is derived. The retroreflector refracts and reflects the scanned optical beams incident thereon and refracts the beams reflected thereby.

Optical coordinate input apparatus and position indicator thereof

A coordinate input system has a tablet composed of an X-direction loop coil assembly and a Y-direction loop coil assembly, and an input pen having a tuning circuit the tuning frequency of which is variable about a predetermined frequency. The system has a coordinate detecting function for detecting the X- and Y-coordinate values of position input by the input pen, and a phase detecting function for detecting the change in the tuning frequency of the tuning circuit as a change in the phase with respect to the phase of the predetermined tuning frequency. Information concerning the detected coordinate point, e.g., spread of the coordinate point proportional to the pressure at which the pen is pressed onto the tablet, is computed in accordance with the amount of change in the phase detected by the phase detecting function.

Coordinate input system and input implement used in the system

A determination is made as to which one of plural objects is proximate a region having a coil therein. Each object includes a tuned circuit having a different resonant frequency. AC energy at the different resonant frequencies is supplied to the coil. The tuned circuit on the particular object in the region having substantially the same resonant frequency as the AC energy supplied to the coil causes a change in the current flowing in the coil at the same resonant frequency. The change in the current flowing in the coil at the same resonant frequency is sensed. In response to the current change at the same resonant frequency the particular object having the tuned circuit with the same resonant frequency as the frequency of the applied AC energy is indicated with a phase detector arrangement responsive to the changed current flowing in the coil at the same resonant frequency and a reference wave at the same resonant frequency. The phase detector arrangement derives indications of the polarities of the phase of quadrature components of the changed current relative to the reference wave and indicates the durations of the polarities relative to predetermined values therefor.

Electronic blackboard system marker and eraser therefor

An input/output apparatus includes a coordinate input device and a display device which are stacked on each other. The coordinate input device detects position coordinates of an input designating device by (a) intermittently transmitting radio waves from a tablet to excite a tuned circuit incorporated in the input designating device and (b) receiving radio waves generated by the tuned circuit while transmission of radio waves by the tablet is suspended. The times while the display data latch pulses are generated in the display device is synchronized with the transmission of radio waves from the tablet in the coordinate input device. In consequence, noise is not generated in synchronism with the generation of the display data latch pulses while the tablet receives the radio waves, so noise is not imposed on a signal received by the tablet. As a result, there is no reduction in the accuracy with which position is detected on the basis of the received radio waves and malfunction of the apparatus is substantially eliminated.

Input/output apparatus and method therefor

A characteristic and the position of an implement with a tuned circuit having one of plural resonant frequencies are determined. AC energy at the plural different resonant frequencies is supplied to a two-coordinate direction coil arrangement of a position sensing tablet. The tuned circuit changes the current flowing in the coil arrangement at the implement resonant frequency. The current change is used to signal the implement position and characteristic. The implement may be an eraser for supplying a signal to an electronic display and for removing a mark from a surface of a visual display overlaying the tablet of the eraser. A housing includes a surface for erasing the marking and two tuned circuits each having a reactance positioned close to opposite edges of the erasing surface. Two switches, when activated, cause the tuned circuits to have different resonant frequencies. The switches are respectively activated when opposite eraser edges are being pushed against the display surface. The implement may also be one of a plurality of markers, each for a different color. Another display responds to the signals to display the position and colors of the markings and selectively remove markings from areas corresponding to the eraser position.

Electronic blackboard and accessories such as writing tools

A coordinates input apparatus has a tablet including X- and Y-direction position detecting portions having a multiplicity of loop coils arranged in parallel with one another in X- and Y-directions, respectively, the X- and Y-direction position detecting portions being superposed one on the other. The apparatus also has a position appointing device incorporating a tuning circuit capable of making resonance with electric wave produced from one of the loop coils. The loop coils are successively selected in a one-by-one fashion and an A.C. signal of a predetermined frequency is supplied to the thus selected loop coil. The electric wave causes a tuning of the tuning circuit in the position appointing device so that a voltage of a frequency substantially the same as the above-mentioned predetermined frequency is generated in the loop coil which is near the position appointing device. The position appointed by the position appointing device is therefore detected by sensing the induced voltage of a frequency substantially equal to the predetermined frequency of the A.C. voltage, through a processing by a suitable processing device. Since the position appointing device need not be connected to any stationary portion of the apparatus, the coordinates data can be input with a high degree of maneuverability and with a distinguished precision. It is also possible to display the data input through the position appointing device or the data transmitted thereto through a transmission line.

Coordinates input apparatus

The position on a surface of an implement including a tuned circuit with a predetermined resonant frequency is determined and displayed by an apparatus having a housing including the surface. A tablet in the housing includes coils arranged in two coordinate directions parallel to the surface. The coils are excited with AC energy having approximately the same frequency as the resonant frequency. The tuned circuit interacts with the AC energy to change the AC current flowing in the coils as a function of the implement on the tablet. An electronic two-coordinate direction display in the housing configured as a plate is superposed with and lies in a plane parallel to the tablet and the surface. The display responds to the change in AC current resulting from the interaction between the AC energy and the tuned circuit to indicate the position of the implement on the surface.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Azuma Murakami