Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Takeshi Kamono

Katsuyuki Kobayashi

Kiyoshi Kaneko

Atsushi Tanaka

Shinnosuke Taniishi

Ryozo Yanagisawa

Yuichiro Yoshimura

Yuichiroh Yoshimura

Ryohzo Yanagisawa

Yichiro Yoshimura

Shinnoskue Taniishi

Ryohzou Yanagisawa

A coordinates input apparatus for detecting coordinate values of an arbitrary point by indicating the arbitrary point on a vibration transmission plate by a vibration input pen for generating a vibration, comprises: a plurality of sensors, arranged at predetermined positions in the vibration transmission plate, for detecting the vibration generated by the indication by the vibration input pen, for converting the vibration into electric signals, and for outputting; a measuring circuit to measure delay times from a time point when the arbitrary point has been indicated by the vibration input pen until time points when the electric signals are detected; an obtaining circuit to obtain origin correction data from a plurality of points on the vibration transmission plate; a memory to store the origin correction data; and a processor for reading out the origin correction data from the memory, for correcting the coordinate values on the basis of the delay times measured by the measuring circuit and the origin correction data, and for calculating the coordinate values. The processor has a selector to select the origin correction data of the optimum point so as to execute the optimum coordinate value correction from the origin correction data obtained from the plurality of points and stored in the memory.

Method and apparatus for inputting coordinates

A coordinate input apparatus in which a vibration which was input by a vibration input pen is detected by vibration sensors attached to a vibration propagating plate such as a transparent glass plate or the like and the coordinates of the position of the pen on the plate are detected. The apparatus includes an envelope output circuit to output envelope signals of detection signals of the sensors; a filter circuit for filtering the envelope signals; a gate signal output circuit for detecting a portion, exceeding a predetermined threshold value, of the envelope signal output from the filter circuit and for outputting a gate signal; a first detector for detecting the peak of the envelope signal output from the envelope output circuit and for detecting the envelope signal by using the peak as a reference; a second detector for detecting a phase signal of the detection signal by using the leading edge of the phase signal as a reference in the period of time during which the gate signal output from the gate signal is output circuit; and a calculating circuit to calculate the position coordinates of the input pen on the basis of the propagation time of the envelope signal detected by the first detector and the propagation time of the phase signal detected by the second detector.

Coordinate input apparatus

A coordinate input apparatus determines the coordinates of contact of a vibration pen with a vibration transmission plate by detecting vibrations from the pen through a vibration sensor. Constants required for measurement are generated in a constant determination circuit on the basis of vibration cycle measurements and a circuit measures the cycle of the detected vibrations from the vibration sensor using the determined constants. Automatic determination of constants eliminates inaccuracies due to component variations and reduces production costs and maintenance.

A vibrating input pen used for a coordinate input apparatus for detecting a coordinate of an input position of a vibration by detecting the vibration input from the vibrating input pen to a vibration transmitting plate includes a vibration generating element for generating a vibration and a horn member forming a pen point of the vibrating input pen for transmitting the vibration generated from the vibration generating element. A positioning member positions the vibration generating element in relation to the horn member so that the direction of vibration of the vibration generating element coincides with the direction of vibration of the horn member and the axis of the vibration generating element coincides with the axis of the horn member.

Vibrating input pen used for a coordinate input apparatus

In a coordinates input apparatus in which a vibration input from a vibration pen is detected by a plurality of vibration sensors attached to a transparent vibration propagating plate such as an acrylic or glass plate and the coordinate position of the vibration pen is detected from the vibration propagation times until the vibration sensors, the sensors and the vibration proof material are arranged in a manner such that a distance between the attaching boundary surface of the vibration proof material attached to the peripheral portion of the vibration propagating plate and the center of each sensor which is attached to the input side than the attaching boundary surface of the vibration proof material lies within a range from 0.5 time to a value less than 1.0 time as large as the diameter of the sensor, preferably, within a range from 1.0 mm to a value less than 2.0 mm.

Coordinates input apparatus

A coordinate input apparatus for detecting a vibration transmitted from a vibration input pen by a plurality of vibration sensors arranged on a vibration transmission member, and for determining coordinates of the vibration input pen from vibration propagation times required between the position of the vibration input pen to the positions of the vibration sensors, includes a vibration-isolating member formed in a peripheral portion of the vibration transmission member. The vibration-isolating member has a multi-layered structure consisting of a plurality of vibration-isolating layers formed so that a layer nearer to the vibration transmission plate has a lower acoustic impedance than that of a layer farther from the vibration transmission plate.

A coordinate input apparatus includes a wireless vibrating input pen for alternately generating a first vibration having a first frequency and a second vibration having a second frequency different from the first frequency. A vibration transmitting member is provided for transmitting the first and second vibrations input from the vibrating input pen by contacting the vibrating input pen. A plurality of vibration detectors are coupled to the vibration transmitting member for detecting the first and second vibrations transmitted through the vibration transmitting member. Processing circuitry is included for deriving at least one coordinate of a position of the vibrating input pen on the transmitting member according to a transmission delay time between the first and second vibrations detected by the vibration detectors. Transmission and reception of timing information between the vibrating input pen and the main body of the apparatus is not required. Hence, it becomes possible to provide a wireless vibrating input pen.

Coordinate input apparatus and a wireless input pen

A coordinate input apparatus comprises: a vibration pen to generate a vibration; a vibration propagating plate to propagate the vibration generated by the pen by touching the pen to the plate; vibration sensors to detect the vibration propagated to the plate; a supporting member which supports the plate and whose vibration propagating velocity is slower than the plate; a position coordinate calculating circuit to calculate the position coordinates of the pen on the plate on the basis of the detection signals from the sensors; and a display which is provided below the supporting member and displays the calculated coordinates. The plate is made of metal or transparent glass and the supporting membrr is made of a transparent synthetic resin. The supporting member is directly in contact with the plate at a rough surface, its acoustic impedance value is different from the plate, and its vibration attenuation ratio is larger than that of the plate. Since the vibration wave component propagated to the sensors is not influenced by the interference of the vibration propagated in the support member, the coordinates can be accurately detected on the basis of the vibration detection waveforms without distortion.

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Yokohama, Japan

Takeshi Kamono