Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
A method of operating a detecting device comprising the steps of: generating electrical signals, representative of a position, by a navigation sensor, said electrical signals providing sequential frames of navigational information at time intervals; storing a first frame of navigational information generated at time N in a first memory buffer; storing successive frames of navigational information, subsequent to said first frame, in a second memory buffer; comparing a current frame of navigational information generated at time M to a previous frame, immediately preceding said current frame, stored in said second memory buffer and generating a first displacement value representative of a difference between said current frame and said frame of navigational information immediately preceding said current frame; processing data based on said first displacement value to take into account movement of said navigation sensor relative to a reference when processing said data; comparing a current frame of navigational information generated at time T, subsequent to time M, to said first frame of navigational information stored in said first memory buffer and generating a second displacement value representative of a difference between said current frame generated at time T and said first frame; processing data based on said second displacement value so that said data is not affected by accumulated errors from other displacement values; and storing a current frame of navigational information generated at time V, subsequent to time T, in said first memory buffer for comparison to a later frame of navigational information.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
244 words
A method of operating a detecting device comprising the steps of: generating electrical signals, representative of a position, by a navigation sensor, said electrical signals providing sequential frames of navigational information at time intervals; storing a first frame of navigational information generated at time N in a first memory buffer; storing successive frames of navigational information, subsequent to said first frame, in a second memory buffer; comparing a current frame of navigational information generated at time M to a previous frame, immediately preceding said current frame, stored in said second memory buffer and generating a first displacement value representative of a difference between said current frame and said frame of navigational information immediately preceding said current frame; processing data based on said first displacement value to take into account movement of said navigation sensor relative to a reference when processing said data; comparing a current frame of navigational information generated at time T, subsequent to time M, to said first frame of navigational information stored in said first memory buffer and generating a second displacement value representative of a difference between said current frame generated at time T and said first frame; processing data based on said second displacement value so that said data is not affected by accumulated errors from other displacement values; and storing a current frame of navigational information generated at time V, subsequent to time T, in said first memory buffer for comparison to a later frame of navigational information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said navigation sensor comprises a two-dimensional array of optical elements, each optical element generating a signal representative of a pixel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 2 wherein each of said time intervals is set so that successive frames have less than one pixel displacement at an anticipated displacement speed of said navigation sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said navigation sensor detects inherent structure-related properties of a medium over which said navigation sensor is passed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said step of comparing a current frame generated at time M to said previous frame comprises comparing signals from individual pixels with previous signals from each of said individual pixels and its nearest neighbors representative of a preceding frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of scanning said navigation sensor over a medium containing an image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said image is illuminated using background light, and said navigation sensor optically detects said medium using said background light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said navigation sensor comprises a receiver for Global Positioning System signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said navigation sensor senses displacement of said navigation sensor relative to an object in two dimensions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of processing said data based on said first displacement value and processing data based on said second displacement value comprise associating said data with position information obtained from said navigational information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of mapping said data into a third memory buffer based on said position information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of processing data based on said first displacement value comprises the steps of accumulating displacement values, including said first displacement value, indicative of a total displacement of said navigation sensor with respect to a reference position over greater than two successive frames and processing said data based on accumulated displacement values.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of processing data based on said second displacement value comprises the steps of accumulating displacement values, including said second displacement value, indicative of a total displacement of said navigation sensor with respect to a reference position over greater than two successive frames and processing said data based on accumulated displacement values.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
225 words
A detecting device comprising: a navigation sensor for generating electrical signals representative of a position, said electrical signals providing sequential frames of navigational information at time intervals; a first memory buffer for storing a first frame of navigational information generated at time N; a second memory buffer for storing successive frames of navigational information, subsequent to said first frame; a displacement detecting circuit for comparing a current frame of navigational information generated at time M to a previous frame, immediately preceding said current frame, stored in said second memory buffer and for generating a first displacement value representative of a difference between said current frame and said frame of navigational information immediately preceding said current frame; a processor for processing data based on said first displacement value to take into account movement of said navigation sensor relative to a reference when processing said data; a displacement detecting circuit for comparing a current frame of navigational information generated at time T, subsequent to time M, to said first frame of navigational information stored in said first memory buffer and generating a second displacement value representative of a difference between said current frame generated at time T and said first frame; and a processor for processing data based on said second displacement value so that said data is not affected by accumulated errors from other displacement values.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
225 words
A detecting device comprising: a navigation sensor for generating electrical signals representative of a position, said electrical signals providing sequential frames of navigational information at time intervals; a first memory buffer for storing a first frame of navigational information generated at time N; a second memory buffer for storing successive frames of navigational information, subsequent to said first frame; a displacement detecting circuit for comparing a current frame of navigational information generated at time M to a previous frame, immediately preceding said current frame, stored in said second memory buffer and for generating a first displacement value representative of a difference between said current frame and said frame of navigational information immediately preceding said current frame; a processor for processing data based on said first displacement value to take into account movement of said navigation sensor relative to a reference when processing said data; a displacement detecting circuit for comparing a current frame of navigational information generated at time T, subsequent to time M, to said first frame of navigational information stored in said first memory buffer and generating a second displacement value representative of a difference between said current frame generated at time T and said first frame; and a processor for processing data based on said second displacement value so that said data is not affected by accumulated errors from other displacement values.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The detecting device of claim 14 wherein said processor for processing said data based on said first displacement value and said processor for processing said data based on said second displacement value are the same processor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
The detecting device of claim 14 wherein said processor for processing said data based on said first displacement value and said processor for processing said data based on said second displacement value generate a position-tagged data stream for associating said data with a position relative to a reference.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The detecting device of claim 16 further comprising a third memory buffer for storing data mapped into said third memory buffer in accordance with a relative position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The detecting device of claim 14 wherein said navigation sensor comprises a two-dimensional array of optical elements, each optical element generating a signal representative of a pixel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
The detecting device of claim 18 wherein said processor for processing data based on said first displacement value compares a current frame, generated by signals from individual pixels, with previous signals from each of said individual pixels and its nearest neighbors representative of a preceding frame.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The detecting device of claim 14 further comprising a timer for setting said time intervals so that successive frames have less than one pixel displacement at an anticipated displacement speed of said navigation sensor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
64 words
The detecting device of claim 14 further comprising a circuit for determining when said first memory buffer is to be updated with a new frame, said circuit ensuring that navigational information in said current frame generated at time T is in common with at least some navigation information in said first frame prior to said first memory buffer being updated with said new frame.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The detecting device of claim 14 wherein said navigation sensor comprises a receiver for Global Positioning System signals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The detecting device to claim 14 wherein both of said displacement detecting circuitry also detect rotational movement of said navigation sensor with respect to a reference.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The detecting device of claim 23 further comprising a second navigation sensor for sensing, in combination with said navigation sensor, said rotational movement.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
The detecting device of claim 14 further comprising: an accumulator for accumulating displacement values indicative of a total displacement of said navigation sensor with respect to a reference position over greater than two successive frames; and a processor for processing said data based on accumulated displacement values.