US3846580A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Position determination device
Assignee: Summagraphics Corp
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Filing: 1972-12-06
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Granted: 1974-11-05
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Expires: 1992-12-06
Abstract
Abstract A coordinate digitizer wherein a field generating device is positioned in proximity to the surface at a location to be digitized. Further means are provided for triggering the production of a magnetic field by the field generating device, the magnetic field transducing a propagating vibrational mode into the transmission media. Pick-up means are coupled to the transmission media and respond to the propagating vibrational mode for providing a signal to a utilizational device which will respond to the means triggering production of the field as well as to the pick-up means in order to provide a position signal corresponding to the time of propagation of the vibrational mode from its time of generation to its time of pick-up. The vibrational mode is effected by means of a strain wave magnetostrictively induced by the magnetic field into the transmission media. The transmission media constitutes a plurality of magnetostrictive wires arrayed along the support surface. The magnetic field generating device may be an individual stylus in the shape of a writing implement or a cursor. The field may be energized by means of a series of pulses or by individual pulses as desired.
Inventors
- 👤 A Brenner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/041; G06F3/043; G06F3/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
252 words
A digitizing position determination device comprising, magnetostrictive transmission means arrayed about a data surface area defined by a plurality of planar coordinates, pick-up means coupled to said magnetostrictive transmission means and responsive to transmissions from each of said planar coordinates of said magnetostrictive transmission means, field generating means coupled to said magnetostrictive transmission means for generating a magnetostrictive transmission in each of said planar coordinates of said magnetostrictive transmission means, said pick-up means and said field generating means being relatively displaceable from each other across said planar coordinates of said magnetostrictive transmission means, a signal source for providing an energizing signal, first means responsive to said energizing signal for energizing said field generating means and generating thereby a magnetic field of a magnitude sufficient to magnetostrictively induce a vibrational mode into said magnetostrictive Transmission means proximate said field generating means, said vibration propagating along said magnetostrictive transmission means at a predetermined velocity, said pick-up means responsive to said vibrational mode in said magnetostrictive means for providing a data signal, second means responsive to said signal source for initiating digitization in digitizing means corresponding to a coordinate position, and third means responsive to said data signal from a coordinate position for stopping said digitization for said coordinate position, the accumulated digitization in said digitizing means therein representing the time of transit of said vibrational mode from said field generating device to said pick-up means, thereby providing a digitized coordinate position of the position of said pick-up means relative to said field generating device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
252 words
A digitizing position determination device comprising, magnetostrictive transmission means arrayed about a data surface area defined by a plurality of planar coordinates, pick-up means coupled to said magnetostrictive transmission means and responsive to transmissions from each of said planar coordinates of said magnetostrictive transmission means, field generating means coupled to said magnetostrictive transmission means for generating a magnetostrictive transmission in each of said planar coordinates of said magnetostrictive transmission means, said pick-up means and said field generating means being relatively displaceable from each other across said planar coordinates of said magnetostrictive transmission means, a signal source for providing an energizing signal, first means responsive to said energizing signal for energizing said field generating means and generating thereby a magnetic field of a magnitude sufficient to magnetostrictively induce a vibrational mode into said magnetostrictive Transmission means proximate said field generating means, said vibration propagating along said magnetostrictive transmission means at a predetermined velocity, said pick-up means responsive to said vibrational mode in said magnetostrictive means for providing a data signal, second means responsive to said signal source for initiating digitization in digitizing means corresponding to a coordinate position, and third means responsive to said data signal from a coordinate position for stopping said digitization for said coordinate position, the accumulated digitization in said digitizing means therein representing the time of transit of said vibrational mode from said field generating device to said pick-up means, thereby providing a digitized coordinate position of the position of said pick-up means relative to said field generating device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said transmission means comprises an array of spaced wires positioned along a coordinate axis of said surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 2 wherein each of said wires are magnetostrictive.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said transmission means comprises an array of spaced wires positioned along orthogonal coordinate axes of said surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 4 wherein each of said wires are magnetostrictive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said transmission means comprises an array of spaced wires positioned along a coordinate axis of said surface and said vibrational mode of propagation is longitudinal with respect to the long axis of each of said wires.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said first means is positionable about said surfaces at a series of locations to be digitized, and said pick-up means is fixed positioned at the edge of said surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said pick-up means provides a varying signal corresponding to said propagating vibration, and wherein said third means includes a threshold discriminator, said threshold discriminator responsive to the first zero crossing of said signal after a predetermined threshold condition for determining the end of said propagation time.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said third means includes digitizing means, said digitizing means responsive to said second means to begin digitization and to said pick-up means to terminate said digitization, the net digitization thereby representing said time of propagation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
263 words
A coordinate digitizer comprising: a first plurality of magnetostrictive wires arrayed along a first coordinate of a data surface, a first pick-up means commonly coupled to said first plurality of wires; a second plurality of magnetostrictive wires arrayed along a second coordinate of said data surface; a second pick-up means commonly coupled to said second plurality of wires; a positionable field generating device, said positionable field generating device movable about said data surface proximate said first and second plurality of magnetostrictive wires; a signal source for providing an energizing signal; first means responsive to said energizing signal for energizing said positionable field generating device and generating thereby a magnetic field of a magnitude sufficient to magnetostrictively induce a longitudinal mode vibration into said magnetostrictive wires proximate said positionable field generating device, said vibration propagating along the length of said magnetostrictive wires at a predetermined velocity; said pick-up means each responsive to a vibrational mode in a magnetostrictive wire associated therewith for providing a data signal; second means responsive to said signal source for initiating digitization in a first digitizer corresponding to said first coordinate and in a second digitizer corresponding to said second coordinate; and, third means responsive to said data signal in each respective coordinate for stopping said digitization of each said digitizer in a respective coordinate, the accumulated digitization in each digitizer therein representative of the time of transit of said vibrational mode from said positionable field generating device to each respective coordinate pickup means, and thereby providing a digitized coordinate position of said device with respect to said data surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
263 words
A coordinate digitizer comprising: a first plurality of magnetostrictive wires arrayed along a first coordinate of a data surface, a first pick-up means commonly coupled to said first plurality of wires; a second plurality of magnetostrictive wires arrayed along a second coordinate of said data surface; a second pick-up means commonly coupled to said second plurality of wires; a positionable field generating device, said positionable field generating device movable about said data surface proximate said first and second plurality of magnetostrictive wires; a signal source for providing an energizing signal; first means responsive to said energizing signal for energizing said positionable field generating device and generating thereby a magnetic field of a magnitude sufficient to magnetostrictively induce a longitudinal mode vibration into said magnetostrictive wires proximate said positionable field generating device, said vibration propagating along the length of said magnetostrictive wires at a predetermined velocity; said pick-up means each responsive to a vibrational mode in a magnetostrictive wire associated therewith for providing a data signal; second means responsive to said signal source for initiating digitization in a first digitizer corresponding to said first coordinate and in a second digitizer corresponding to said second coordinate; and, third means responsive to said data signal in each respective coordinate for stopping said digitization of each said digitizer in a respective coordinate, the accumulated digitization in each digitizer therein representative of the time of transit of said vibrational mode from said positionable field generating device to each respective coordinate pickup means, and thereby providing a digitized coordinate position of said device with respect to said data surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The digitizer of claim 10 wherein said first and second coordinates are orthogonally positioned.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The digitizer of claim 10 wherein said first and second pickup means are orthogonally positioned with respect to said first and second plurality of wires respectively.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The digitizer of claim 10 wherein said positionable field generating device includes a plurality of turns of conductive wire about a ferrite core.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
The digitizer of claim 10 wherein said data signal has a damped oscillatory characteristic and said third means includes a threshold discriminator, said threshold discriminator responsive to the first zero crossing of said data signal after passage through predetermined threshold condition for providing a gating signal, and gating means, coupled to each said digitizer and responsive to said gating signal for stopping said digitization.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
191 words
The combination of claim 10 wherein said third means includes a first and second threshold discriminator coupled to each said pickup means, each said threshold discriminator providing an output signal corresponding to the activation of a pickup means by said vibration, first and second bistable devices each having a first input coupled to said signal source for placing said bistable devices in a set condition, and a second input coupled to each respective threshold discriminator and responsive to an output signal therefrom for resetting each said bistable device, a source of counting signals, gating means coupling said source of counting signals to said first and second digitizers, said gating means coupled to each respective bistable device and responsive to a set condition in said first bistable device for passing said counting signals from said source of counting signals to said first digitizer, and to a set condition in said second bistable device for passing said counting signals from said source of counting signals to said second digitizer, said bistable devices each responsive to a respective reset signal from a respective threshold discriminator for stopping count accumulation in the digitizer associated therewith.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The digitizer of claim 10 wherein each of said pick-up means includes a permanent magnet aligned therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-04 | 1978-05-06 | 1978-11-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-04 | 1982-05-06 | 1982-11-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-04 | 1986-05-06 | 1986-11-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |