U.S. patent number RE33,805 [Application Number 07/576,050] was granted by the patent office on 1992-01-28 for coordinates input apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Wacom Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Azuma Murakami, Toshiaki Senda, Tsuguya Yamanami.
United States Patent |
RE33,805 |
Yamanami , et al. |
January 28, 1992 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Coordinates input apparatus
Abstract
A system for detecting the types and statuses of position
designating devices is incorporated in a coordinates input
apparatus having a tablet constituting a coordinates input section,
a plurality of position designating devices of different types, and
a position detecting circuit for driving the tablet and detecting
positions at which coordinates are input by the position
designating devices. The system has an antenna coil disposed around
a coordinates input range of the tablet, and a tuning circuit
disposed in each of the position designating devices for
transmitting radio waves in response to an external signal at an
individual frequency determined in accordance with the type of the
corresponding position designating device. An AC signal of
predetermined frequencies is applied to the antenna coil so that it
transmits radio waves. The types and statuses of the position
designating devices are detected by judging the condition of the
position designating circuits from signals within the antenna coil
while the transmission of the radio waves is suspended. With this
system, the types and statuses of a plurality of position
designating devices can be detected without having to connect the
devices to other circuits via cords or provide them with
complicated signal generating circuits and power sources such as
batteries.
Inventors: |
Yamanami; Tsuguya (Kuki,
JP), Senda; Toshiaki (Saitama, JP),
Murakami; Azuma (Kawasaki, JP) |
Assignee: |
Wacom Co., Ltd. (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
27329041 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/576,050 |
Filed: |
August 31, 1990 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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95691 |
Sep 14, 1987 |
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|
Reissue of: |
273642 |
Nov 10, 1988 |
04902858 |
Feb 20, 1990 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
178/18.07;
178/19.03; 178/19.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
3/046 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
3/033 (20060101); G08C 021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;178/18,19
;340/712,686,706,811 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schreyer; Stafford D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lowe, Price, LeBlanc &
Becker
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part, of Ser. No. 095,691,
filed Sept. 14, 1987 now abandoned.
Claims
We claim:
1. In a coordinates input apparatus having a tablet constituting a
coordinates input section, a plurality of different types of
position designating devices, and a position detecting circuit
adapted to drive said tablet and detect positions at which
coordinates are input by said position designating devices, a
system for detecting the statuses of said position designating
devices comprising:
at least one antenna coil positioned relative to a coordinates
input range of said tablet;
wherein each of said position designating devices has a tuning
circuit disposed therein, each of said tuning circuits including a
coil and capacitors working cooperatively to transmit radio waves
in response to an external signal at a frequency predetermined in
accordance with a corresponding type of position designating
device;
wherein an AC signal having a plurality of frequencies each being
identical to an individual frequency of one of said tuning circuits
is intermittently and sequentially applied to said antenna coil so
that radio waves are transmitted by said antenna coil, and, when
the transmission of said radio waves is suspended, signals
generated by said tuning circuits in response to said radio waves
are received by said antenna coil to enable detection of the
respective positions and operating statuses of said position
designating devices; and
wherein a determination of the correspondence of the frequencies of
the received signals with the types of position designating devices
is used to effect a differentiation between the different types of
said position designating devices.
2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a switch
disposed in each of said tuning circuits for turning on or off the
connection between said coil and said capacitors; and wherein, when
it is required to designate only a position at which coordinates
are to be input, said position designating devices are used by
turning on or off said switches.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said tablet further
comprises a casing made of a non-metallic material such as a
synthetic resin, and a tablet body, in addition to said antenna
coil, said casing accommodating said tablet body and said antenna
coil.
4. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of said position
designating devices further comprises, in addition to said tuning
circuit, a magnetism generator for designating positions.
5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said antenna coil
comprises a conductive wire provided with an insulation coating
such as polyvinyl chloride, said conductive wire being disposed
around a coordinates input range of said tablet.
6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said tuning circuit has a
variable capacitor.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna coil is disposed
around the periphery of the coordinates input range.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna coil is disposed
inside the periphery of the coordinates input range.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna coil is tooth-shaped
for superposing over or below the coordinates input range.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna coil is
spirally-shaped for superposing over or below the coordinates input
range.
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least two antenna
coils one of which is disposed inside the coordinates input range
and the other of which is disposed around the coordinates input
range.
12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of
antenna coils each for forming a loop disposed around a
corresponding portion of the coordinates input range. .Iadd.
13. A method of identifying which one of plural objects is in
proximity to a tablet and the position of the one object relative
to the tablet, each of the objects including a tuned circuit having
a different resonant frequency, comprising the steps of supplying
AC energy at the different resonant frequencies to a coil in the
tablet, the tuned circuit on the particular object in proximity to
the coil having substantially the same frequency as the AC energy
supplied to the coil causing a change in the current flowing in the
coil at said same frequency, sensing the change in the current
flowing in the coil at said same frequency, responding to the
current change at said same frequency to indicate the particular
object having the tuned circuit with the same resonant frequency as
the frequency of the applied AC energy, and detecting the position
of the identified object by coupling energy between the object and
the tablet, said tablet including a two dimensional array of
detectors, at least some of which interact with the coupled
energy..Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The method of claim 13 wherein the
energy at the different frequencies is sequentially supplied to the
coil..Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The method of claim 14 wherein the change
is detected by supplying the coil during a first interval with the
AC energy at one of the predetermined frequencies, and responding
to energy coupled back to the coil from the tuned circuit during a
second interval while the coil is not supplied with the AC energy
at the one predetermined frequency..Iaddend. .Iadd.16. In
combination, a tablet including a coil, plural objects adapted to
be selectively in proximity to the tablet, each of the objects
including a tuned circuit having a different resonant frequency,
means for supplying AC energy at the different resonant frequencies
to the coil, the tuned circuit on the particular object in
proximity to the tablet having substantially the same frequency as
the AC energy supplied to the coil causing a change in the current
flowing in the coil at said same frequency, means for sensing the
change in the current flowing in the coil at said same frequency,
means responsive to the current change at said same frequency for
indicating the particular object having the tuned circuit with the
same resonant frequency as the frequency of the applied AC energy
and means for detecting the position of the identified object
relative to the tablet, said position detecting means coupling
energy between the object and the tablet, said tablet including a
two-dimensional array of detectors at least some of which interact
with the coupled energy..Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The combination of
claim 16 wherein the energy at the different frequencies is
sequentially supplied to the coil..Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The
combination of claim 17 wherein the change is detected by supplying
the coil during a first interval with the AC energy at one of the
predetermined frequencies, the means for sensing being activated to
be responsive to energy coupled back to the coil from the tuned
circuit during a second interval while the coil is not supplied
with the AC energy at the one predetermined frequency..Iaddend.
.Iadd.19. Apparatus for determining which one of plural objects is
in proximity to a region and for determining the position of said
one object relative to the region, each of the objects including a
tuned circuit having a different resonant frequency, comprising a
tablet defining the region, the tablet including a coil, means for
supplying AC energy at the different resonant frequencies to the
coil, the tuned circuit on the particular object in the region
having substantially the same frequency as the AC energy supplied
to the coil causing a change in the current flowing in the coil at
said same frequency, means for sensing the change in the current
flowing in the coil at said same frequency and responding to the
current change at said same frequency to indicate the particular
object having the tuned circuit with the same resonant frequency as
the frequency of the applied AC energy, and means for detecting the
position of the identified object relative to the tablet, said
position detecting means coupling energy between the object and the
tablet, said tablet including a two dimensional array of detectors
at least some of which interact with the coupled energy..Iaddend.
.Iadd.20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the energy at the
different frequencies is sequentially supplied to the
coil..Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the
change is detected by supplying the coil during a first interval
with the AC energy at one of the predetermined frequencies, the
means for sensing being activated to be responsive to energy
coupled back to the coil from the tuned circuit during a second
interval while the coil is not supplied with the AC energy at the
one predetermined frequency..Iaddend. .Iadd.22. Apparatus for
determining the position of and which one of plural characteristics
is included in an implement relative to a detecting surface, the
implement including a tuned circuit having a predetermined resonant
frequency identifying the characteristic, a different resonant
frequency being associated with each characteristic, comprising
a tablet in the region for coupling energy to the implement,
a coil associated with the tablet for supplying AC energy at the
different resonant frequencies to the tuned circuit, the tuned
circuit on the implement having substantially the same frequency as
the AC energy supplied to the coil causing a change in the current
flowing in the coil at said same frequency, and
means for sensing the change in the current flowing in the coil at
said same frequency and responding to the current change at said
same frequency for indicating the identified characteristic
associated with the tuned circuit with the same resonant frequency
as the frequency of the applied AC energy, and responsive to energy
coupled between the tablet and the implement for indicating the
position of the implement relative to the tablet..Iaddend.
.Iadd.23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the energy at the
different frequencies is sequentially supplied to the
coil..Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the
change is detected by supplying the coil during a first interval
with the AC energy at one of the predetermined frequencies, the
means for sensing being activated to be responsive to energy
coupled back to the coil from the tuned circuit during a second
interval while the coil is not supplied with the AC energy at the
one predetermined frequency..Iaddend. .Iadd.25. In combination, a
position sensing tablet, a coil associated with the tablet, an
implement having one of plural characteristics adapted to be
selectively placed proximate the tablet, the tablet and the
implement having structures for coupling energy between them, the
implement including a tuned circuit having a resonant frequency
associated with the one characteristic, different ones of said
characteristics having different resonant frequencies associated
therewith, means for supplying AC energy at the different resonant
frequencies to the coil, the tuned circuit on the implement in
proximity to the coil having substantially the same frequency as
the AC energy supplied to the coil causing a change in the current
flowing in the coil at said same frequency, means for sensing the
change in the current flowing in the coil at said same frequency
and responding to the current change at said same frequency for
indicating the characteristic of the implement having the tuned
circuit with the same resonant frequency as the frequency of the
applied AC energy and responding to the energy coupled between the
implement and the tablet for indicating the position of the
implement on the tablet..Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The combination of
claim 25 wherein the energy at the different frequencies is
sequentially supplied to the coil..Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The
combination of claim 26 wherein the change is detected by supplying
the coil during a first interval with the AC energy at one of the
predetermined frequencies, the means for sensing being activated to
be responsive to energy coupled back to the coil from the tuned
circuit during a second interval while the coil is not supplied
with the AC energy at the one predetermined frequency..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to detection of the status of a
plurality of position designating devices of different types which
are used in a coordinates input apparatus, and more particularly to
a system for detecting the status and type of each of the position
designating devices which has designated only a position at which
coordinates are to be input.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a system has been incorporated in a coordinates input
apparatus for detecting the status (hereinafter referred to as the
"pen-down status") of a position designating device which has
designated only a position on a tablet at which coordinates are to
be input. The arrangement of this system has been such that a
switching means is provided in the position designating device and
is turned on (or off) only in the pen-down status, and that timing
signals based on the ON (or OFF) condition of the switching means
are transmitted to a position detecting circuit via a cord or by
the use of ultrasonic waves or infrared rays.
However, with the arrangement in that timing signals are
transmitted from the position designating device via a cord, there
has been a drawback in that the cord causes a hindrance to the
operating efficiency of the position designating device. In
addition, with the arrangement in that timing signals are
transmitted by the use of ultrasonic waves or infrared rays, a
transmitter, a signal generating circuit, a battery, and the like
must be provided in the position designating device per se. Hence,
the above-described conventional arrangement involved the following
problems. The arrangement of the position designating device
becomes complicated and large in size and weight, thereby lowering
the operating efficiency of the position designating device. In
addition, there has been no means to differentiate, with ease,
between a plurality of position designating devices of different
types.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a system
which is, when used, capable of differentiating between the types
of position designating devices, and capable of detecting factors
concerning the position designating devices, such as the position
and status thereof, without causing any decrease in the operating
efficiency of the position designating devices.
In order to achieve this object, according to the present
invention, there is provided a system for detecting the status of
position designating devices, which is incorporated in a
coordinates input apparatus having a tablet constituting a
coordinates input section, a plurality of position designating
devices of different types such as stylus pens, and a position
detecting circuit adapted to drive the tablet and detect positions
at which coordinates are input by the position designating devices.
The system comprises an antenna coil disposed around a coordinates
input range of the tablet; and a tuning circuit disposed in each of
the position designating devices, the tuning circuit including a
coil and capacitors which constitute a set and being adapted to
transmit radio waves in response to an external signal at an
individual frequency determined in accordance with the type of the
corresponding position designating device, wherein an AC signal
having frequencies which are identical to the individual
frequencies of the tuning circuits is intermittently and
sequentially applied to the antenna coil so that radio waves are
transmitted by the antenna coil, and, when the transmission of the
radio waves is suspended, signals generated by the tuning circuits
in response to the radio waves are received by the antenna coil,
thereby enabling detection of the position and operating status of
the position designating devices, and the correspondence of the
frequencies of the received signals with the types of the position
designating devices is determined to differentiate between the
types of the position designating devices.
With the system in accordance with the present invention, each of
the tuning circuits is provided with a switch, and, when each of
the switches is turned on, each of the tuning circuits in the
corresponding designating devices transmits a signal in response to
the signal of the frequency that is identical with the individual
frequency of the tuning circuit of the corresponding position
designating device, from among signals of different frequencies
sequentially transmitted by the antenna coil. The antenna coil
receives these signals, thereby enabling detection of the position
and operating status of the position designating devices. The
correspondence of the received signals with the types of the
position designating devices is determined, thereby differentiating
between the types of the position designating devices.
By virtue of this arrangement of the system in accordance with the
present invention, no cord is necessary between the position
designating devices and other circuits. It suffices to provide
tuning circuits each including a coil and capacitors, thus making
unnecessary any complicated signal generating circuit or battery,
which the prior art necessitated. In addition, since the type of
each of the position designating devices is also detected without
using any cord, the position designating devices can have a very
high operating efficiency, while the position designating devices
may be input pens of different types depending on, for instance,
the respective display colors they correspond, thereby enabling
selection of the display color by means of the switches.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following
description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
coordinates input apparatus to which an embodiment of the present
invention is applied;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an input pen;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a timing control circuit;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating waveforms of signals from various
parts shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the relationship between the
reception and the transmission of signals shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 shows a first disposition of an antenna coil with respect to
a coordinates input range;
FIG. 7 shows disposition of antenna coils with respect to a
coordinates input range;
FIG. 8 shows yet another disposition of antenna coils with respect
to a coordinates input range;
FIG. 9 shows yet a further disposition of antenna coils with
respect to a coordinates input range;
FIG. 10 shows an additional disposition of an antenna coil with
respect to a coordinates input range;
FIG. 11 shows yet a different disposition of an antenna coil with
respect to a coordinates input range;
FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of a tablet and the placement
of the antenna coil therein;
FIG. 13a shows a cross-sectional view of a different type of
tablet, with respective positioning of the transmission and
receiving coils; and
FIG. 13b is a cross-sectional view of the same tablet as FIG. 13a,
but with different placement of the transmission coils and
receiving coils.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates a coordinates input apparatus in which a system
for detecting the status of position designating devices in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is
incorporated. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a tablet;
2, a plurality of position designating devices (hereinafter
referred to as the "input pens") of different types, only one of
which is shown in the figure; 3, a position detecting circuit; and
4, a timing control circuit.
The tablet 1 comprises a casing 11 of a non-magnetic metal, and a
tablet body 12 and an antenna coil 13 which are accommodated in the
casing 11. The tablet 12 is connected to the position detecting
circuit 3, while the antenna coil 13 is connected to the timing
control circuit 4.
The tablet body 12 is driven by the position detecting circuit 3
and constitutes a detecting section for detecting positions
designated by the input pens 2. The tablet body 12 is disposed
substantially in the center of the casing 11. The casing 11 has a
frame 14 which is drawn thereon to indicate a range within which
coordinates can be input thereto.
As for the tablet body 12 and the position detecting circuit 3, it
is possible to use, for instance, those described in Japanese
Patent Application No. 238532/1983 "Coordinate Position Detection
Device" (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 129616/1985) and
Japanese Patent Application No. 33083/1984 "Position Detection
Device" (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 176134/1985), both filed
by the present applicant. The arrangement of the former device is
such that a multiplicity of magnetostrictive transmitting media is
disposed parallel with the surface of a tablet body 12 in such a
manner that some of the magnetostrictive transmitting media are
disposed at right angles with others, and magnetostrictive
vibrations are periodically imparted to each of these media from
one end thereof to the other end. When an input pen 2 approaches
the media, the magnetostrictive vibration at that location is
enhanced by means of a bar magnet provided in the pen. By making
use of the phenomenon, a position detection circuit 3 detects the
X-Y coordinates of the location on the basis of the time duration
of propagation to that location. On the other hand, the arrangement
of the latter device is such that magnetostrictive media, some of
which are disposed at right angles with others, are excited by an
AC current, and voltages induced therein are detected by detection
coils. X-Y coordinates are detected by making use of the phenomenon
in which, when a similar input pen approaches the media, the
permeability of the magnetostrictive media changes locally thereby
causing a resultant change in the induced voltages.
The antenna coil 13 comprises a conductive wire which is provided
with an insulation coating such as polyvinyl chloride and is
disposed around the coordinate input range of the tablet body 12,
i.e., in this embodiment, on the rear surface of the upper panel
11a of the casing 11 around the frame 14. Although the conductive
wire is given one turn in the illustrated example, a plurality of
turns may be provided, as required.
An example of an antenna coil being disposed approximately around
the circumference of a coordinates input range is illustrated in
FIG. 6 where antenna coil 100 is shown to surround the periphery of
a coordinates input range 102.
It should be appreciated, however, that instead of the antenna coil
surrounding the coordinates input range, the antenna coil may also
be disposed inside and/or outside of the coordinates input range.
Or, for that matter, a plurality of antenna coils may also be used.
This is illustrated, for example, in FIG. 7 where, in addition of
an antenna coil 104 surrounding coordinates input range 102, an
antenna coil 106 is disposed at the center of coordinates input
range 102.
The disposition of a plurality of coils 108a and 108d each disposed
approximately around a quarter section of coordinates input range
102 is shown in FIG. 8. It should be appreciated that although the
coils are shown to be disposed inside coordinates input range 102,
in actuality, the sides of the coils near the periphery of
coordinates input range 102 may overlap respective portions of the
periphery or may be disposed outside of the same respective
portions. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that although the
loops formed by cells 108a to 108d are shown to be disposed next to
each other, in practice, these coils may superpose over each other,
i.e. the loop formed by coil 108a may be superposed over the loop
formed by 108d, or vice versa.
FIG. 9 shows the disposition of a plurality of antenna coils 110a
to 110d arranged side-by-side with respect to a coordinates input
range 112. Although four antenna coils are shown, it should be
appreciated that the number of coils is arbitrary and that more
than or less than four antenna coils may be used.
Yet a further disposition of an antenna coil 114, in the form of
the teeth of a comb, is shown to be disposed over a coordinates
input range 116 in FIG. 10. Here, again, it should be appreciated
that although coordinates input range 116 is shown to be extending
away from antenna coil 114, in actuality, such may not be the case.
Or, for that matter, portions of antenna coil 114 may not even be
disposed within coordinates input range 116.
An antenna coil 118, in the form of a spiral, is shown in FIG. 11.
Like the other antenna coils shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, antenna coil
118 may be placed completely within a coordinates input range or
may have portions thereof disposed to the outside of the
coordinates input range. For the sake of simplicity of
illustration, the coordinates input range is not shown.
Returning to FIG. 1, it can be seen that each of the input pens 2
accommodates therein a magnetism generator for designating a
position, which is, for instance, a bar magnet 21 and a tuning
circuit 22 including a coil and capacitors.
A cross-sectional view of tablet 1 is shown in FIG. 12 where it can
be seen that an antenna coil 120, which may be in the shape of
antenna coil 100 shown in FIG. 6, is positioned above a sensor
board 122, which in turn is superposed over a circuit board 124.
All of these components are enclosed in casing 11.
In the instance where the tablet is actually a blackboard, such as
those shown in FIGS. 13a and 13b, the disposition of respective
receiving coils and transmission coils are shown to be located in a
plane(s) above the input board 126. For example, for the FIG. 13a
input tablet, input board 126, which may be equated with a
blackboard for writing on and which may be made out of an enameled
aluminum plate, is superposed over a first sensor board 128 and
second sensor board 130. Sensor board 128 and 130 may be used to
sense movements in the X and Y directions, respectively. As shown
in FIG. 13a, receiving coils 132 are located underneath
transmission coils 134.
For the FIG. 13b embodiment, it can be seen that transmission coils
134 are located to the outside of receiving coils 132. Although so
structured, it should be appreciated that, as long as the coils are
positioned above input board 126, insofar as board 126 may be made
up of metal, both the transmission coils and the receiving coils
can be placed within housing 136.
FIG. 2 illustrates details of the structure of the input pen 2. A
pen shaft 23 is formed of a non-metal material such as a synthetic
resin and receives therein an integral structure formed by
combining a core member 24, such as a ball-point pen, the bar
magnet 21 having a throughhole slidably receiving the core member
24, a coil spring 25, and the tuning circuit 22 constituted by a
switch 221, a coil 222 wound around an iron core, two capacitors
223 as shown in FIG. 3, and a variable capacitor 224 provided for
the fine tuning. A cap 26 is provided at the rear end of the pen
shaft 23.
The arrangement of the switch 221 is such that, when the tip of the
core member 24 is pressed against the surface of the tablet so that
the core member 24 slides into the pen shaft 23, the switch 221 is
turned on by being pressed by the rear end of the core member 24
via the coil spring 25. As is also shown in FIG. 3, the capacitor
223 and the variable capacitor 224 are connected to each other in
parallel so as to form a parallel circuit. One end of the coil 222
is connected to one end of the parallel circuit via the switch 221,
while the other end of the coil 222 is connected to the other end
of the parallel circuit, thereby constituting the parallel
resonance circuit 22. The resonance circuit 22 provided within each
of the input pens 2 has an individual resonance frequency
determined in accordance with the type of the input pen 2
corresponding, for example, in accordance with the predetermined
different display color of the input pen 2. More specifically, the
capacitances of the capacitors 223 of the resonance circuits 22 are
varied so that the resonance circuit 22 of the input pen for
producing displays in "black" has a resonance frequency of 450 KHz,
the resonance circuit 22 of the input pen for producing displays in
"red" has a resonance frequency of 500 KHz, and the resonance
circuit 22 of the input pen for producing displays in "blue" has a
resonance frequency of 550 KHz.
It should be noted that values of each of the resonance circuits 22
are selected in such a manner as to resonate (to be tuned) with the
radio waves of the identical frequency from among radio waves
transmitted from the antenna coil 13 at respective frequencies
determined in accordance with the types of the input pens 2.
FIG. 3 shows details of the arrangement of the timing control
circuit 4. In the drawing, reference numeral 401 denotes an
oscillator (OSC); 402, a frequency demultiplication counter; 403
and 404 denote NAND gates; 405 denotes a transmission terminal;
406, a reception terminal; 407 and 408 denote reception changeover
switches 409, 410a, 410b, 410c, 411a, 411b and 411c, amplifiers;
412a, 412b and 412c, mechanical filters; 413a, 413b and 413c, phase
detectors (PSDs); 414a, 414b and 414c, low-pass filters (LPFs);
415a, 415b and 415c, comparators; and 416a, 416b and 416c, output
terminals.
FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram of signals in various parts shown in
FIG. 3. Hereinafter, a detailed description will be made of
operation.
The oscillator 401 sequentially generates a plurality of groups of
clock pulses each comprising a predetermined number of clock pulses
having the frequency of 0.9 MHz, 1 MHz, or 1.1 MHz. The frequency
demultiplication counter 402 demultiplies the frequencies of the
clock pulses into 1/2 and 1/32. A pulse signal A having the
frequencies of 450 KHz, 500 KHz, and 550 KHz, which has been
obtained by demultiplying the frequencies of the clock pulses into
1/2, is input to one input terminal of the NAND gate 403, while a
pulse signal having the frequencies of 28.12 KHz, 31.25 KHz, and
34.38 KHz (the respective pulse durations being 17.8 .mu.s, 16
.mu.s, and 14.5 .mu.s, which has been obtained by demultiplying the
frequencies of the clock pulses into 1/32, is input to the other
input terminal of the NAND gate 403. The output of the NAND gate
403 is sent to the NAND gate 404, and becomes a signal B which
intermittently sends pulses having the pulse duration of 17.8 .mu.s
and the frequency of 450 KHz, pulses having the pulse duration of
16 .mu.s and the frequency of 500 KHz, and pulses having the pulse
duration of 14.5 .mu.s and the frequency of 550 KHz, as shown in
FIG. 4. The changeover in frequency of the clock pulses output from
the oscillator 401 takes place in conformity with the period of the
pulses obtained by the frequency demultiplication into 1/32. In
FIG. 4, the widths of the pulses having different frequencies are
illustrated as the same width for the sake of convenience the
illustration.
The signal B is sent to the antenna coil 13 via the transmission
terminal 405 and is transmitted therefrom as radio waves. At this
point, if the switch 221 is turned on in the tuning circuit 22 of
the selected input pen 2, the tuning circuit 22 resonates with the
radio waves of the frequency that is identical with the resonance
frequency of its own, from among the radio waves transmitted from
the antenna coil 13. It is assumed, for example, that the selected
input pen 2 corresponds to the display color of "black" and that
the tuning circuit of this input pen 2 resonates with radio waves
of 450 KHz. Since the tuning circuit 22 continues to resonate while
its output is being attenuated even after the transmission from the
transmission side has been suspended, the tuning circuit 22
generates a signal C as shown in FIG. 4. The signal C is
transmitted as radio waves from the coil 222 and is received by the
antenna coil 13.
Since the reception changeover switches 407 and 408 have already
been changed over by the pulse signal obtained by the
aforementioned frequency demultiplication into 1/32, these switches
407 and 408 receive signals from the reception terminal 406 only
during the period in which the transmission is suspended. The thus
received signal will be a signal D as shown in FIG. 4 if the switch
221 of the tuning circuit 22 is turned on, while it will be a
signal D' as also shown in FIG. 4 if that switch 221 is turned
off.
FIG. 5 illustrates the timing at which various signals are output
from the transmission side and the reception side. As shown in this
figure, the reception signal D is generated in repeated response to
the transmission signal B transmitted from the antenna coil 13, in
such a manner that the tuning circuit 22 of the input pen 2
corresponding to the display color of "black" responds to the
pulses of 450 KHz, the tuning circuit 22 of the input pen 2
corresponding to the display color of "red" responds to the pulses
of 500 KHz, and the tuning circuit 22 of the input pen 2
corresponding to the display color of "blue" responds to the pulses
of 550 KHz.
The reception signal D is amplified by the amplifiers 409, 410a,
410b, and 410c, so as to become a signal E (signals Ea, Eb, and Ec
on the output side of the amplifiers 410a-410c). These signals Ea,
Eb, and Ec are passed through the mechanical filters 412a, 412b,
and 412c, respectively, in which noise components are removed while
the signal components of the respective resonance frequencies are
passed therethrough. The signals are then sent respectively to the
phase detectors 413a, 413b, and 413c via the amplifiers 411a, 411b,
and 411c. The amplifiers 410a, 410b, and 410c have the
auto-level-control function and act to bring the amplitude of the
signals to a constant level.
The pulse signal A has already been input to the phase detectors
413a, 413b, or 413c. Accordingly, if the phase of the input signal
E coincides with the phase of the pulse signal A, these phase
detectors outputs a signal F (signals Fa, Fb, or Fc on the output
side of these phase detectors 413a-413c). A lower half of the
signal F is inverted, as shown in FIG. 4.
The signal F is converted into a flat signal by means of the
low-pass filters 414a, 414b, and 414c each having a sufficiently
low cut-off frequency and is input to one input terminal of the
comparators 415a, 415b, and 415c. A predetermined threshold
voltage+VT has been input to each of the other input terminals of
the comparators 415a, 415b, and 415c, and the output of the
low-pass filters 414a, 414b, and 414c is compared with the
threshold voltage+VT. In this example, the signal Fa, which has
passed through the mechanical filter 412a et seq. in accordance
with the signal of 455 KHz, is fed to the output terminal 415a as a
high (H) level signal Ga. At the same time, signals Gb and Gc of
low (L) level are fed to the other output terminals 416b and 416c,
thereby keeping these two output terminals at "0" level. From these
facts, it is determined that the input pen 2 in use is the one
corresponding to the display color "black".
On the other hand, if the signal D' is received, both signals E and
F will be at "0" level, so that signals Ga, Gb, and Gc (not shown
in FIG. 4), which are also at low (L) level, are generated, thereby
enabling the operating status of the switches 221 to be
detected.
If the arrangement of the system is such that the signals Ga, Gb,
and Gc are sent to the position detecting circuit 3 on the basis of
a definition that, when one of these signals is at high level, this
means that the corresponding input pen 2 is in the "pen-down"
status, and that, when the signal is at low level, this means that
the corresponding input pen is not in the "pen-down" status, the
input of a position can be effected by operating the input pens 2
with respect to the tablet 1 and simply by pressing the tip of one
of the input pens 2 against the tablet 1 at a position where
coordinates are to be input.
Although in the foregoing embodiment, the signal E is detected by
distributing it to three lines in accordance with the resonance
frequencies, it is possible to provide an alternative arrangement
in which a single line is provided by using a mechanical filter
having the range of between 450 KHz and 550 KHz in place of the
three mechanical filters 412a, 412b, and 412c, and in which the
oscillator 401 is adapted to generate a signal for discriminating
each of the frequencies or a timing signal for changing over the
frequencies, so that the types of the input pens can also be
discriminated therebetween from the timing and the output of the
comparator.
* * * * *