EP0074703A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Coordinate sensing device
Assignee: SUN-FLEX COMPANY Inc
•
Filing: 1982-06-09
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2002-06-09
Abstract
Abstract A coordinate sensing device uses electric currents to energise a conducting member (16) which has a major surface (18) and preferably is made of a mesh material. Electrical currents are sequentially applied to create alternate non-coincident electrical fields so that when a probe (22) is applied to the surface, the obtained electrical potentials can be compared to a reference potential. The resulting potential differences may then be conveniently converted to appropriate signals. The conducting member is not limited as to shape or construction; hence, it may also act as an anti-glare device for a cathode-ray tube. The fields created by the electrical currents need not be uniform. This device permits the user to communicate with a computer by means of a display device.
Inventors
- 👤 Louis H. M. Jandrell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:54
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/041; G06F3/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A coordinate sensing device comprising: an electrical conducting member (16) defining a major surface (18); first current source means (38) for selectively establishing a first electrical current between a first injection point (46v) and first sink point (48v) on said major surface, said first injection and sink points (46v, 48v) defining a first electrical field across the said major surface; second current source means (40) for selectively establishing a second electrical current between a second injection point (46h) and a second sink point (48h) on said major surface, said second injection and sink points (46h,48h) defining a second electric field across the said major surface, the two electric fields related so that the position of the equipotential lines from each field intersect at unique points; probe means (22) for selevtively sensing a first electrical potential on the first electric field at a physical point on the surface and a second electrical potential on the surface; means for converting said sensed first or second potentials to a signal representing the coordinates of the physical point indicated in any chosen coordinate system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
A coordinate sensing device comprising: an electrical conducting member (16) defining a major surface (18); first current source means (38) for selectively establishing a first electrical current between a first injection point (46v) and first sink point (48v) on said major surface, said first injection and sink points (46v, 48v) defining a first electrical field across the said major surface; second current source means (40) for selectively establishing a second electrical current between a second injection point (46h) and a second sink point (48h) on said major surface, said second injection and sink points (46h,48h) defining a second electric field across the said major surface, the two electric fields related so that the position of the equipotential lines from each field intersect at unique points; probe means (22) for selevtively sensing a first electrical potential on the first electric field at a physical point on the surface and a second electrical potential on the surface; means for converting said sensed first or second potentials to a signal representing the coordinates of the physical point indicated in any chosen coordinate system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A coordinate sensing device as set forth in Claim 1 further including switching means (55,58,60) for alternately energizing said first and second current source means (38,40).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A coordinate sensing device according to Claim 1, or Claim 2, wherein the probe means (22) senses the first electric potential on the surface (18) between the first injection and sink points and the second electric potential on the surface between the second injection and sink points.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
A coordinate sensing device according to Claim 3, wherein said conductive member (16) is generally located respectively on first and second opposite sides (46v,48v) thereof and said second injection and sink points (46h,48h) located respectively on third and fourth opposite sides thereof; the first current source means (38) further including additional injection and sink points (46v,48v) interconnected with said first current source means (38) for selectively establishing the first electrical additional injection points (46v) spaced apart, from said first injection point (46v) and said additional sink points (48v) spaced apart from said first sink point (48v).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A coordinate sensing device according to Claim 4, wherein the second current means (40) further includes additional injection and sink points (46h,48h) on the third and fourth opposite sides of the rectangular conducting member for selectively establishing the second electrical current between the third and fourth side.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The current sensing device of Claim 5, wherein each of the injection points (46h) on the third side are separated one from another by a distance D while the end injection points (46h) on said third side are spaced apart from the first and second sides a distance C where D = 2C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
The current sensing device of Claim 4, wherein each of the injection points (46v) on the first side are separated one from another by a distance A while the end injection points (46v) on said first side are spaced apart from the third and fourth sides respectively a distance B where A = 2B.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
A coordinate sensing device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the converting means includes reference means for determining an electrical reference potential at a fixed reference point (56) on the major surface of the conducting member; and means (70) for determining the albegraic difference between the electrical reference potential and the first or second sensed electrical potential.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The coordinate sensing device of Claim 8, wherein the converting means further includes first means (72) for varying the determined algebraic difference.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The coordinate sensing device of Claim 9, wherein the converting means includes second means (74) for varying the determined algebraic difference, said second means in parallel with said first means (72).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A coordinate sensing device according to Claim 10, wherein the switching means includes timing means (60) for selecting the output of said first or second varying means (72,74) corresponding with said first or second current source means (38,40).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A coordinate sensing device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the electrical conducting member is formed of fine mesh material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
A coordinate sensing device according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with a video display device (12) wherein the electrical conducting member (16) is fixable to the picture-generating surface of the video display device (12) there being computer means (13) for imposing the signal representing the coordinate of the physical point on the surface of the video display device at the point selected by the probe means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
115 words
A relatively flexible electrical conducting member for a curved video display screen comprising: a thin portable frame of a flexible material; a microweave mesh of black filaments stretched across the inner surface of said frame, at least some of said black said frame being sufficiently wide enough to resist bending in all directions in the plane of the mesh but being flexible in all directions transverse thereto so that said frame and stretched mesh will conform to the curvature of a video display device to which the frame is to be attached; means for attaching said frame to a terminal display scope so that said mesh conforms to contact said scope over the surface thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
115 words
A relatively flexible electrical conducting member for a curved video display screen comprising: a thin portable frame of a flexible material; a microweave mesh of black filaments stretched across the inner surface of said frame, at least some of said black said frame being sufficiently wide enough to resist bending in all directions in the plane of the mesh but being flexible in all directions transverse thereto so that said frame and stretched mesh will conform to the curvature of a video display device to which the frame is to be attached; means for attaching said frame to a terminal display scope so that said mesh conforms to contact said scope over the surface thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electrical conducting fabric net comprising: a warp wherein at least some of the individual yarns are coated with an electrical conductive material; a weft wherein at least some of the individual yarns are coated with an electrical conductive material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electrical conducting fabric net comprising: a warp wherein at least some of the individual yarns are coated with an electrical conductive material; a weft wherein at least some of the individual yarns are coated with an electrical conductive material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A fabric according to Claim 15, wherein the yarns of the warp and weft are of nylon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A fabric according to Claim 15 or Claim 16, wherein the thread count is between 20 and 120 fibres per centimetre (75 and 300 per inch).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fabric according to any one of Claims 15 to 17, wherein the diameters of the fibres is between 2.5 and 7.6 x 10.5 m (.001 and .003) inches.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
A fabric according to any one of Claims 15 to 18, wherein the fibres are substantially non-reflective.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
An electrical conducting fabric comprising a warp and weft wherein at least some of the yarns in the warp or at least some of the yarns in the weft are electrically conductive.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
An electrical conducting fabric comprising a warp and weft wherein at least some of the yarns in the warp or at least some of the yarns in the weft are electrically conductive.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.