WO1991019245A1

WO1991019245A1 - Co-ordinate position detecting input device for a computer

Info

Publication number: WO1991019245A1
Application number: PCT/GB1991/000867
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephen Randall
Original assignee: Eden I.P. Limited
Priority date: 1990-06-01
Filing date: 1991-05-30
Publication date: 1991-12-12
Also published as: KR950004448B1; GB9012235D0; KR920702510A

Abstract

The positional accuracy and resolution of a digitiser can fall off dramatically towards its edges, making the perimeter regions unsuitable for receiving handwritten input from a stylus. Hitherto, this meant those perimeter regions were redundant. This application discloses incorporating keys onto those regions; the deficiencies in digitiser performance are not relevant to the operation of relatively large area keys so that more efficient use of the entire digitiser surface is achieved.

Description

Co-ordinate Position Detecting Input Device for a Computer

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a co-ordinate position detecting input device for a computer, such as is commonly known as a digitiser, and in particular to a co¬ ordinate position detecting input device which allows the user to input data or control signals using a pointing device such as a stylus co-operating with the co¬ ordinate position detecting input device. In a particular embodiment, it relates to a co-ordinate position detecting input device which can facilitate data input or output in both landscape and portrait modes.

Description of the Prior Art

Computers that solely have keyboards for data entry are insufficient for software applications that use a graphical user interface (GUI) or allow the user to draw or paint. It is necessary to provide some sort of pointing device to take advantage of such applications and a variety of such pointing devices have been developed. For instance, one can commonly use a mouse or trackball. Further, a stylus co- operating with a co-ordinate position detecting input device such as a digitising tablet may also be used. This is a particularly convenient arrangement since the stylus can be used not only as a pointing device but also as a writing device too.

It is also well known to provide computers with no keyboard at all, relying instead on all control inputs being made by touching such a stylus to a digitising tablet, commonly overlying the display of the computer. Such computers allow the input of graphical data, such as handwriting, which can be stored as, for example, a bit mapped image.

In either case, since the spatial resolution and positional accuracy of a digitiser generally decreases towards its edges, the low resolution perimeter areas of the digitiser have hitherto been considered redundant and have been concealed from the user. This ensures that the entire area of the digitiser that is presented to the user is sufficiently responsive for all the functions required of it, including graphical data input. Frequently, stand alone digitiser pads (i.e. those not laid over or under the display screen) incorporate a keypad for commonly used functions, with the keys being identified by conventional alpha-numeric symbols or icons. Generally, such pads are designed to be used in one orientation only so that if the pad is turned through 90 degrees, the alpha-numeric symbols or icons become difficult to read easily. When, however, a digitiser is incorporated over or under a display, as in a keyboardless computer, then this problem may not arise if the display itself is be arranged to display and function in either landscape or portrait modes, using a pixel rotation engine. In this way, the menus that are the usual form of control interface can be rotated to be readable in either mode. One of the disadvantages to this approach is that the pixel rotation circuitry is expensive.

Objects of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a co-ordinate position detecting input device for a computer that overcomes the above drawbacks, enabling effective use to be made of the perimeter areas of the co-ordinate position detecting input device.

It is a further object to provide a co-ordinate position detecting input device that is economically adapted to facilitate data input or output in either landscape or portrait mode.

Statement of the Invention

In accordance with the present invention, a co-ordinate position detecting input device for a computer, having a perimeter area unsuited to user input of graphical data, comprises at least one key region in the said perimeter area, the key region being operable to trigger the operation of the computer associated with the said key region.

The low resolution, low accuracy perimeter area thus becomes a useful region of the device since it incorporates a relatively large area key region that does not have to offer high resolution or positional accuracy to function fully. Preferably, the co-ordinate position detecting input device is arranged to co-operate with a manually moveable stylus operable to be brought into proximity to the said region to trigger the operation associated with the said key region.

Further, the key region may be associated with an identifying portion which identifies the function of the key region, wherein the identifying portion is at such an angle of orientation that it is easily readable when the terminal is in either landscape or portrait mode.

By providing a slanted key region in this way, the requirement for complex pixel rotation circuitry to rotate on-screen menu bars or icons relating to the said key region function is entirely obviated.

For the avoidance of doubt, the term 'key region' includes a region of the device which may be either permanent or user configurable to a specific function. The, or each key region if there is more than one, is regarded by the user therefore as being like a conventional key of a keypad.

The phrase 'angle of orientation' used herein refers, for words, to the direction of progression of the letters. For icons, the phrase refers to the horizontal through the icon.

Generally, such a co-ordinate position detecting input device comprises a rectangular screen and the identifying portions are oriented at an angle of orientation to either of the sides of the screen of between approximately 35 and 55 degrees. Preferably, the angle of orientation is 45 degrees, however. This provides for the greatest legibility in both modes.

A further feature of the invention is that the angle of orientation of the keys themselves may be at the same angle as the identifying portion. This will be the case when, for example, the identifying portions are on the keys.

In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a digitising means overlaying, underlaying or integral to a display screen of a keyboardless computer.

The size of the display may be smaller than that of the digitising means, whereby the said perimeter does not substantially overlie, underlie or be integral with the said display. Alternatively, the display may be sized such that the perimeter area does overlie or underlie or is integral with some of the display screen, whereby the display is operable to display a depiction of a key and the said depiction overlies or underlies the said perimeter region. The latter may be a particularly convenient arrangement as it allows the user to configure his own keys and to arrange them as he wishes by providing the computer with software that allows the user to draw his own keys and drag them to the desired position and assign to them the user required function. The software routines that would enable this are well known in this art and will not be described here.

Generally, the device may be one that operates by electromagnetic coupling between the device and the manually movable member. Alternatively, the device may be a pressure sensitive device whereby pressure delivered by the member to a point on an upper surface of the device allows a measurement of the position of the pressure point to be made. There are in fact a number of well known different approaches to digitising technology including the two possibilities mentioned above; reference may be made to the products from, for example Wacom Co. Ltd or Numonics Inc.or Summagraphics Inc. The present invention embraces all kinds of digitising technology that allows co-ordinate position detection.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a co-ordinate position detecting input device in accordance with the present invention and Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the major components of a keyboardless computer incorporating such a device.

Detailed Description

Referring now to Figure 1, a keyboardless computer indicated generally at 1 comprises a display means 3 (shown cross hatched), preferably comprising a LCD type display. The display 3 is shown lying over a co-ordinate position detecting input device 2 (shown with a dot pattern), which in this embodiment is an electromagnetic induction digitising mat or tablet . The digitising tablet 2 extends beyond the edge of the display 3 in a perimeter region indicated generally at 7

The perimeter region 7 of the digitiser 2 provides insufficient positional accuracy and resolution to support graphical data input, e.g. handwritten character input. It is, however, accurate enough to allow certain parts of the region to be reliably mapped as permanent key region areas, such as key region 5 and key region 6.

Key region 5 is oriented at a 45 degree angle to the sides of the screen and incorporates an icon indicating the data or control function of the key region which is oriented at the same angle. Key region 5 can be activated by being touched by the stylus 4. Key region 6 is not so oriented. The terminal is shown in landscape mode, but it will be appreciated that if the terminal is rotated through 90 degrees clockwise to portrait mode then the identifying portion of the key region 5 will still remain as readable as they were in landscape mode.

The input arrangement for this arrangement of keyboardless computer is well known in this art and will only be briefly described here. Computer 1 therefore comprises an electromagnetic induction digitising mat or tablet 2 underlying the display 3, together with an electromagnetic stylus 4. The digitising mat 2 comprises an electrically conducting grid with conductors running parallel to an X- axis, overlaying a similar grid with conductors running parallel to a Y-axis. The stylus 4 comprises an energisable coil a (not shown) which can be excited with alternating current . The amplitude of the voltages induced in the conductive grids provide an indication of the position of the stylus 4 relative to the Cartesian co¬ ordinate system defined by the X and Y axes. The detailed operation of this form of digitiser is well known in this field. Further reference may be made, for example, to US 4570033. Using this digitising system, the user can easily and naturally input graphical information for storage and virtually simultaneous display on the display 3, as well as activate the keys 5 or 6, thereby triggering their associated functions.

Referring to Figure 2, the digitising pad 2 is shown schematically underlying the LCD type display 3, although it may in practice be embedded within it or laid above it The stylus 4 is touching the LCD 30 and electrical signals indicative of the position (X Y Co-ordinates) at which it contacts the LCD 3 are supplied to an A to D converter 11 feeding a data path or system bus 10. A CPU 12 is connected for bi-directional data flow to the bus 10, as is a RAM 17. A ROM 18 is also connected to bus 10, being programmed with the operating system for the apparatus, including the telecommunications procedures and the word processing and graphics software which allows users to input, amend and edit textual or graphic information on screen using the stylus.

CPU 12 provides all control signals via bus 10. CPU 12 may be a microprocessor such as the 80386 manufactured by Intel Corporation.

A display driver 14 is connected to bus 10 and drives the display 3. The display driver 14 can drive the display 2 in either landscape or portrait modes. It will be appreciated that not having to rotate the on-screen key region 6 reduces the demands on the pixel rotation circuitry of the driver 14. In addition there is provided a data interface 19 connected to bus 10 for sending and receiving data information. Data interface 19 may incorporate a modem should the network with which it is designed to be used require it.

Claims

1. Co-ordinate position detecting input device for a computer, having a perimeter area unsuited to user input of graphical data, comprising at least one key region in the said perimeter area, the key region being operable to trigger the operation of the computer associated with the said key region.

2. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in Claim 1 arranged to co-operate with a manually moveable stylus operable to be brought into proximity or contact with the said key region to trigger the operation associated with the said key region.

3. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the key region is associated with an identifying portion which identifies the function of the key region, wherein the identifying portion is at such an angle of orientation that it is easily readable when the terminal is in either landscape or portrait mode.

4. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the angle of orientation of the keys themselves is at the same angle as the identifying portion.

5. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the device comprises a digitising means overlaying, underlaying or integral to a display screen of the computer.

6. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the size of the display screen is smaller than that of the digitising means, whereby the said perimeter area does not substantially overlie, underlie or be integral with the said display screen.

7. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the display screen is sized such that the perimeter area does overlie or underlie or is integral with some of the display screen, whereby the display is operable to display a depiction of a key and the said depiction overlies or underlies the said perimeter area.

8. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the computer is adapted to allow the user to configure his own key regions and to position them as he wishes by incorporating software that allows the user to draw his own key depictions and drag them to the desired position and assign to them the required function.

9. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the screen is a substantially rectangular screen, the identifying portions being oriented at an angle of orientation to either of the sides of the screen of between approximately 35 and 55 degrees.

10. Co-ordinate position detecting input device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the angle of orientation is 45 degrees.