Patent US6966495B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6966495B2
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US
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Devices method and computer program for position determination
Assignee: Anoto AB
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Filing: 2002-06-26
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Granted: 2005-11-22
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Expires: 2022-06-26
Abstract
Abstract A device, a method and a computer program for position determination are provided. The device comprises a processing means for determining a position on a surface on the basis of an image of a position-coding pattern on the surface. The processing means is arranged to decide whether it is possible to determine an acceptable posi- tion on the surface on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image. In addition, the processing means is arranged to cause the first writing means to write on the surface depending upon the result of said decision.
Inventors
- 👤 Stefan Lynggaard
- 👤 Mats Petter Pettersson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:36
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/0304; G06F3/0317; G06F3/0321; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/10; G06V10/17; G06V10/19
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A device for position determination, comprising a processing means for determining a position on a surface, on the basis of an image of a position-coding pattern on the surface, wherein the processing means is arranged to decide whether it is possible to determine an acceptable position on the surface on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and to cause a first writing means to write on the surface depending upon the result of said decision.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A device for position determination, comprising a processing means for determining a position on a surface, on the basis of an image of a position-coding pattern on the surface, wherein the processing means is arranged to decide whether it is possible to determine an acceptable position on the surface on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and to cause a first writing means to write on the surface depending upon the result of said decision.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the position-coding pattern contains elements each of which has at least two possible decoding values, the processing means being arranged to identify in the image a plurality of said elements, and, for each identified element, to calculate for each possible decoding value an associated value probability that the element has this decoding value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the processing means is arranged to identify elements, each of which comprises at least one mark, the value probabilities being calculated on the basis of the size of the marks in relation to a number of ideal sizes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the processing means is arranged to identify elements, each of which comprises at least one mark which is associated with one reference point from among a number of reference points in a reference system, and wherein the value probabilities are calculated on the basis of the location of the marks in relation to the reference points with which they are associated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the reference system is a raster and the reference points are raster points, each of which consists of an intersection in the raster.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processing means is arranged to cause the first writing means to write on the surface only if the processing means decides that it is possible to determine the acceptable position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing means is arranged to determine a measure for how much information the image contains concerning a position on the surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the processing means is arranged to determine said measure on the basis of contrast distributions between light and dark areas in the image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the processing means is arranged to determine said measure on the basis of the number of separate objects that are identifiable in the image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the position-coding pattern contains elements each of which has at least two possible decoding values, the processing means being arranged to identity in the image a plurality of said elements, and, for each identified element, to calculate for each possible decoding value an associated value probability that the element has this decoding value, and wherein the processing means is arranged to determine said measure on the basis of the value probabilities for the identified elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the processing means is arranged to compare said measure with a predetermined limit measure, it being possible to determine a position on the surface if said measure exceeds said limit measure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing means is arranged to decide that it is possible to determine the acceptable position it it is possible to determine a position on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing means is arranged, in the case when it is possible to determine a position on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, to determine a position probability corresponding to a level of certainty with which it is possible to determine said position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
The device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the position-coding pattern contains elements each of which has at least two possible decoding values, the processing means being arranged to identify in the image a plurality of said elements, and, for each identified element, to calculate for each possible decoding value an associated value probability that the element has this decoding value, and wherein the processing means is arranged to calculate the position probability on the basis of the value probabilities for a predetermined number of the identified elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the processing means is arranged to calculate the position probability on the basis of the largest value probability for each of said predetermined number of the identified elements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the processing means is arranged to decide that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if the position probability exceeds a predetermined limit value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
The device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the processing means is arranged to decide that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if the position probability exceeds a predetermined limit value, and said position has a permitted location in relation to a previously determined acceptable position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the processing means is arranged to decide that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if the position probability exceeds a predetermined limit value, and said position lies within a predetermined distance from a previously determined acceptable position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing means is arranged to decide that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if it is possible to determine a position on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and said position has a permitted location in relation to a previously determined acceptable position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing means is arranged to decide that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if it is possible to determine a position on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and said position lies within a predetermined distance from a previously determined acceptable position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device for position determination as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the first writing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the first writing means is a nozzle that is arranged to dispense ink onto the surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising a second writing means for writing on the surface irrespective of whether it is possible to determine the acceptable position on the surface on the basis of the image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device as claimed in claim 23 or 24 , wherein the second writing means is a nozzle that is arranged to dispense ink onto the surface.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising a second writing means for writing on the surface when the first writing means is not writing on the surface.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for recording said image of the position-coding pattern.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver for wireless transmission of data from the device to an external unit.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is hand-held.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is an application-specific integrated circuit.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for position determination, comprising processing an image of a position-coding pattern on a surface, wherein the processing comprises deciding whether it is possible to determine an acceptable position on the surface on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and writing on the surface depending upon the result of said decision.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for position determination, comprising processing an image of a position-coding pattern on a surface, wherein the processing comprises deciding whether it is possible to determine an acceptable position on the surface on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and writing on the surface depending upon the result of said decision.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising writing on the surface only if it is decided that it is possible to determine the acceptable position.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising writing on the surface by dispensing ink.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising recording said image of the position-coding pattern.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising determining a measure of how much information the image contains concerning a position on the surface, comparing said measure with a predetermined limit measure, and determining a position on the surface if said measure exceeds said limit measure.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising, in the case when it is possible to determine a position on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, determining a position probability corresponding to a level of certainty with which it is possible to determine said position, and deciding that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if the position probability exceeds a predetermined limit value.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising deciding that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if it is possible to determine a position on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and said position has a permitted location in relation to a previously determined acceptable position.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
67 words
A computer readable medium containing instructions, executed by a processor, for performing a method for position determination comprising: processing an image of a position-coding pattern on a surface, wherein the processing comprises deciding whether it is possible to determine an acceptable position on the surface on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and writing on the surface depending upon the result of the decision.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
67 words
A computer readable medium containing instructions, executed by a processor, for performing a method for position determination comprising: processing an image of a position-coding pattern on a surface, wherein the processing comprises deciding whether it is possible to determine an acceptable position on the surface on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and writing on the surface depending upon the result of the decision.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer readable medium of claim 37 , further comprising writing on a surface by dispensing ink.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer readable medium of claim 37 , further comprising recording the image of the position-coding pattern.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
48 words
The computer readable medium of claim 37 , further comprising determining a measure of how much information the image contains concerning a position on the surface, comparing the measure with a predetermined limit measure, and determining a position on the surface if the measure exceeds the limit measure.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
73 words
The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 37 , further comprising in the case when it is possible to determine a position on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, determining a position probability corresponding to the level of certainty with which it is possible to determine the position, and deciding that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if the position probability exceeds a predetermined limit value.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
52 words
The computer readable medium of claim 37 , further comprising deciding that it is possible to determine the acceptable position if it is possible to determine a position on the basis of the position-coding pattern in the image, and the position has a permitted location in relation to a previously-determined acceptable position.
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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) | 2008-11-21 | 2009-05-23 | 2009-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-11-21 | 2013-05-23 | 2013-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-11-21 | 2017-05-23 | 2017-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |