US3876831A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Orientation output from graphic digitizer cursor
Assignee: INSTRONICS Ltd
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Filing: 1973-10-31
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Granted: 1975-04-08
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Expires: 1993-10-31
Abstract
Abstract It has been known to provide digitizing from an operator-directed free cursor line following index or cursor. Such techniques have provided digital data relative only to the rectangular coordinates of the cursor graticule or datum. More recently, there has arisen the need for output data which is a function of cursor orientation relative to X and Y coordinates. The present invention broadly comprises means for providing signals representative of the angular position of a manually movable index otherwise used as a means of providing signals which are a function of X and Y coordinates of selected points on graphic material such as maps, drawings and photographs. Electromagnetic radiation carrying orientation information links a source or sensor imbedded or located below a planar table top with a sensor or source located in the body of the free cursor. Such radiation may be associated with or independent of the radiation used for the provision of said X and Y coordinate signals. The operator, by actuating of a readout switch, causes the X and Y coordinates of a selected point to be recorded together with the orientation of the index at that point.
Inventors
- 👤 Vivian Humphrey Wickham
- 👤 John Edwin Knowles
- 👤 Roy Itaru Hamaguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 15:55
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/041; G06F3/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of obtaining angular orientation output from a free cursor graphical digitizer of the type having a working surface for supporting graphical information wherein said cursor includes a coordinate sensing coil for deriving X Y coordinate output signals, a magnetic field radiator disposed in a first plane parallel to said working surface and a magnetic field detector disposed in a second plane parallel to said working surface, said method comprising the step of: a. energizing said magnetic field radiator to establish an alternating magnetic field in said first plane, and b. detecting a vector component of the alternating magnetic field in a direction aligned with said cursor angular orientation to induce an output signal in said magnetic field detector which is directly related to said angular orientation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of obtaining angular orientation output from a free cursor graphical digitizer of the type having a working surface for supporting graphical information wherein said cursor includes a coordinate sensing coil for deriving X Y coordinate output signals, a magnetic field radiator disposed in a first plane parallel to said working surface and a magnetic field detector disposed in a second plane parallel to said working surface, said method comprising the step of: a. energizing said magnetic field radiator to establish an alternating magnetic field in said first plane, and b. detecting a vector component of the alternating magnetic field in a direction aligned with said cursor angular orientation to induce an output signal in said magnetic field detector which is directly related to said angular orientation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein, the magnetic field radiator is beneath said working surface such that the step of establishing an alternating magnetic field is carried out in a plane disposed beneath said working surface and wherein the magnetic field detector is provided in said cursor such that the step of detecting the vector component of the alternating magnetic field is carried out in a plane above said working surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the magnetic field radiator is provided in said cursor such that the step of detecting the vector component of the alternating magnetic field is carried out in a plane above said working surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the alternating magnetic field is produced by a separate plurality of magnetic fields having selected phase spacing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said alternating magnetic field is established below said working surface and wherein said field comprises a first alternating magnetic field component, a second alternating magnetic field component which lags the first alternating magnetic field by 45 electrical degrees, a third alternating magnetic field which lags the first alternating magnetic field by 90 electrical degrees and a fourth alternating magnetic field which lags said first alternating magnetic field by 135 electrical degrees.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said alternating magnetic field comprises a first alternating magnetic field and a second alternating magnetic field which lags said first alternating magnetic field by 90 electrical degrees.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
150 words
Apparatus for providng the slope of a line or the orientation of pictorial or other graphic data at selected points on a drawing, map or photograph mounted on a table relative to a preselected axis of reference comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation disposed beneath said table including a first X axis source and a second Y axis source driven, respectively, by alternating current signals 90.degree. displaced, thereby providing a magnetic field having a rotating phase vector, a moveable cursor disposed above the table, an electromagnetic radiation orientation detector affixed to the moveable cursor and effective to receive electromagnetic radiation through the table from the said electromagnetic sources and to produce a signal with a phase shift directly proportional to the amount of rotation of the cursor relative to said preselected axis of reference, and, readout means providing an output indicative of the angle by which the cursor is rotated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
150 words
Apparatus for providng the slope of a line or the orientation of pictorial or other graphic data at selected points on a drawing, map or photograph mounted on a table relative to a preselected axis of reference comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation disposed beneath said table including a first X axis source and a second Y axis source driven, respectively, by alternating current signals 90.degree. displaced, thereby providing a magnetic field having a rotating phase vector, a moveable cursor disposed above the table, an electromagnetic radiation orientation detector affixed to the moveable cursor and effective to receive electromagnetic radiation through the table from the said electromagnetic sources and to produce a signal with a phase shift directly proportional to the amount of rotation of the cursor relative to said preselected axis of reference, and, readout means providing an output indicative of the angle by which the cursor is rotated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the electromagnetic radiation used has a frequency lying in the range of 0.01 to 100 KHz.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the electromagnetic radiation used has a frequency close to 3 KHz.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 in which the cursor is manually moveable and includes a window provided with an index in the form of crosshairs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 further including an actuator for initiating said readout means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said window is surrounded by a first coil having an output which when processed provides the X and Y coordinates of the index relative to said drawing, map or photograph.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said electromagnetic orientation detector comprises a second electromagnetic coil.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said electromagnetic orientation detector comprises a solid state device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said solid state device is a Hall Effect generator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the signal detected by said electromagnetic radiation orientation detector is selectively pre-amplified to substantially eliminate unwanted signals and thence passed to a phase detecting circuit, said phase detecting circuit producing an output signal which varies as a function of the said amount of rotation of the cursor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as in claim 16 further including a phase shifter connected between said pre-amplifier and said phase detecting circuit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as in claim 16 further including means for phase shifting the reference phase signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said output signal is passed to a selected one of a record device or a display device or both.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as in claim 19 further including a digital reference selector between said phase detecting circuit and the selected one of said recording device and display device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the said output signal from said phase detecting circuit consists of a three digit digital number.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 in which the electromagnetic radiation source comprises two sets of coils disposed with their axes respectively at right angles to one another, said coils being driven by an alternating current source with one set of coils being driven 90.degree. phase displaced to the other.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 in which the electromagnetic radiation source comprises two sets of wires disposed with their axes at right angles to one another, said wires carrying alternating current with the phase of same being 90.degree. shifted in the case of one of the wires.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for providing the slope of a line or the orientation of pictorial or other graphic data at selected points on a drawing, map or photograph relative to a preselected axis of reference comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation located below a planar table but in close proximity to that table including a first X axis source and a second Y axis source, means for supplying an alternating current signal to said X axis source, means for supplying the said signal shifted by 90 electrical degrees to the second Y axis source, a manually moveable cursor disposed above the table, an orientation detector affixed to the moveable cursor and effective to receive radiations through the table from the radiation sources and to produce a signal with a phase shift directly proportional to the amount of radiation of the cursor relative to a preselected axis of reference.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for providing the slope of a line or the orientation of pictorial or other graphic data at selected points on a drawing, map or photograph relative to a preselected axis of reference comprising a source of electromagnetic radiation located below a planar table but in close proximity to that table including a first X axis source and a second Y axis source, means for supplying an alternating current signal to said X axis source, means for supplying the said signal shifted by 90 electrical degrees to the second Y axis source, a manually moveable cursor disposed above the table, an orientation detector affixed to the moveable cursor and effective to receive radiations through the table from the radiation sources and to produce a signal with a phase shift directly proportional to the amount of radiation of the cursor relative to a preselected axis of reference.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for measuring the angle of orientation of a free cursor with reference to a datum, on a graphic digitizer having a working surface thereon, said method comprising the steps: i. establishing first and second alternating magnetic fields beneath said working surface, said fields having axes which lie in a plane which is substantially parallel to said surface, and which axes are mutually perpendicular, ii. detecting the magnetic flux from each of said first and second magnetic fields at a point on said cursor adjacent the graticule thereof to produce an output signal, said output signal having an electrical phase which is relative to a reference signal and which is a function of the angle of orientation of the cursor with reference to a said datum, and iii. comparing the electrical phase of said output signal with a reference phase signal to produce a read-out signal which is a function of the angle of orientation of said cursor.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for measuring the angle of orientation of a free cursor with reference to a datum, on a graphic digitizer having a working surface thereon, said method comprising the steps: i. establishing first and second alternating magnetic fields beneath said working surface, said fields having axes which lie in a plane which is substantially parallel to said surface, and which axes are mutually perpendicular, ii. detecting the magnetic flux from each of said first and second magnetic fields at a point on said cursor adjacent the graticule thereof to produce an output signal, said output signal having an electrical phase which is relative to a reference signal and which is a function of the angle of orientation of the cursor with reference to a said datum, and iii. comparing the electrical phase of said output signal with a reference phase signal to produce a read-out signal which is a function of the angle of orientation of said cursor.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as in claim 25 further including the step of converting said read-out signal into digital form.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as in claim 25 including the step of adjusting the electrical phase angle of said reference phase signal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
159 words
Apparatus for providing the slope of a line or the orientation pictorial or other graphic data at selected points on a drawing, map or photograph mounted on a table relative to a preselected axis of reference comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation, including a first X-axis source and a second Y-axis source disposed in a cursor which is moveable above the said table, said X-axis source and said Y-axis source being driven by alternating current signals which are displaced by 90 electrical degrees thereby providing a magnetic field having a rotating phase vector, electromagnetic radiation orientation detection means mounted below said table and effective to receive electromagnetic radiation through the table from the said electromagnetic sources and to produce a signal with a phase shift directly proportional to the amount of radiation of the cursor relative to a preselected axis of reference, and p1 readout means providing an output indicative of the angle by which the cursor is rotated.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
159 words
Apparatus for providing the slope of a line or the orientation pictorial or other graphic data at selected points on a drawing, map or photograph mounted on a table relative to a preselected axis of reference comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation, including a first X-axis source and a second Y-axis source disposed in a cursor which is moveable above the said table, said X-axis source and said Y-axis source being driven by alternating current signals which are displaced by 90 electrical degrees thereby providing a magnetic field having a rotating phase vector, electromagnetic radiation orientation detection means mounted below said table and effective to receive electromagnetic radiation through the table from the said electromagnetic sources and to produce a signal with a phase shift directly proportional to the amount of radiation of the cursor relative to a preselected axis of reference, and p1 readout means providing an output indicative of the angle by which the cursor is rotated.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as in claim 28 wherein the electromagnetic radiation used has a frequency lying in the range of 0.1 to 30 KHz.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as in claim 28 wherein the electromagnetic radiation used has a frequency close to 3 KHz.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as in claim 28 in which the manually moveable cursor includes a window provided with an index in the form of crosshairs or the equivalent.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as in claim 28 further including an actuator for initiating said readout means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said cursor includes a graticule and further includes means for detecting the position of a line or mark being located relative to a reference point on said graticule.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as in claim 33 wherein the said means for detecting the position of a line or mark further includes a scanning array, said array producing a signal which is a function of the linear distance from the said reference point on said graticule and a point on the said graphic data.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said alternating magnetic field is established above said working surface and wherein said field comprises a plurality n of alternating magnetic field components separated by 360/2n electrical degrees in time.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said alternating magnetic field is established below said working surface and wherein said field comprises a plurality n of alternating magnetic field components separated by 360/2n electrical degrees in time.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-07 | 1978-10-07 | 1979-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-07 | 1982-10-07 | 1983-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-07 | 1986-10-07 | 1987-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |