EP0221712A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Data processing input interface
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1986-10-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-10-20
Abstract
Abstract The location of an object in a work area is established by sweeping a single light beam over the area and employing in coordinate calculations the rotational arc of the light source, and the serial events of the light variation when the beam as reflected from a mirror positioned on the opposite periphery intersects the object and the light variation when the beam directly intersects the object.
Inventors
- 👤 Nathan Saunders Caswell
- 👤 Richard Lawrence Garwin
- 👤 James Lewis Levine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/041; G06F3/042; G06F3/0421; G06F3/0423
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for establishing the location of an object in relation to a surface area by detecting the interruption of a scanning light beam during a single sweep, comprising the correlation of position determination with the rotational arc of the scan from a start position to serially occurring intersections of a reflected beam and a direct beam with said object.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for establishing the location of an object in relation to a surface area by detecting the interruption of a scanning light beam during a single sweep, comprising the correlation of position determination with the rotational arc of the scan from a start position to serially occurring intersections of a reflected beam and a direct beam with said object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 where said reflected beam is produced by a peripheral directly reflecting member illuminated by said scanning light beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 where said correlation involves an integrated light, timing and rotational arc displacement system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus for establishing the location of an object in a work area by interception of a scanned beam of light, characterised by means to determine the position of the object by the serial occurrence of a variation in light level produced by interruption by the object of the actual beam and a reflected beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus for establishing the location of an object in a work area by interception of a scanned beam of light, characterised by means to determine the position of the object by the serial occurrence of a variation in light level produced by interruption by the object of the actual beam and a reflected beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said determination is provided by an integrated light, timing and rotational arc displacement system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus for providing location coordinates of the location of at least one stylus in an area, characterised by a single scanning light source positioned to pass a beam of light over said area, at least one segment of directly reflective material positioned along the periphery of said area opposite to the location of said light source, and an integrated light, timing and rotational arc displacement system correlating rotational arc of said light beam with serial light variation events when said light beam intersects said stylus in a single sweep.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus for providing location coordinates of the location of at least one stylus in an area, characterised by a single scanning light source positioned to pass a beam of light over said area, at least one segment of directly reflective material positioned along the periphery of said area opposite to the location of said light source, and an integrated light, timing and rotational arc displacement system correlating rotational arc of said light beam with serial light variation events when said light beam intersects said stylus in a single sweep.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
123 words
A data processing input interface comprising in combination a work area having a surface area, a movable light beam source located at the periphery of said surface area and providing light sweeping over said surface proximate and essentially parallel to said surface area, at least one directly reflective member located at the periphery of said surface opposite to said location of said light beam source, and positioned to reflect said light beam along a portion of a sweep over said surface area, means for detecting a variation in light level in said surface area, and means for correlating each variation in light level in said surface area with rotational arc of said movable light beam source during a sweep over said surface area.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
123 words
A data processing input interface comprising in combination a work area having a surface area, a movable light beam source located at the periphery of said surface area and providing light sweeping over said surface proximate and essentially parallel to said surface area, at least one directly reflective member located at the periphery of said surface opposite to said location of said light beam source, and positioned to reflect said light beam along a portion of a sweep over said surface area, means for detecting a variation in light level in said surface area, and means for correlating each variation in light level in said surface area with rotational arc of said movable light beam source during a sweep over said surface area.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
An interface as claimed in claim 7 wherein said correlation means includes trigonometric establishment of X and Y coordinate values based on the size of said work area and the rotational arc of said movable light beam until a light variation is serially detected in a single sweep for intersection of said light beam with an object when reflected and for direct intersection of said light beam with said object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
The interface as claimed in claim 8 where said movable light beam source, said means for correlating each variation in light level and said means for detecting a variation in light level are a laser directed at a moving mirror, and members operable to deflect light from said moving mirror to a focusing member and onto a photocell.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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