US4672558A — Touch-sensitive data input device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 141 words

A touch-sensitive data input device for use with a computer system having a central processing unit (CPU), a memory accessed by the CPU, and a display screen, comprising: a demountable bezel, for mounting onto the display screen; means carried by the bezel, for establishing a grid of light beams in front of the display screen; means for determining the grid coordinates of an object placed proximate the face of the display screen to interrupt the light beam grid and mark a spot thereon; means coupled to the grid coordinate determining means, for reporting the grid coordinates to the CPU; and a storage medium containing a program of instructions to be loaded into the computer system memory, for directing the CPU in execution of a bezel alignment procedure wherein coordinate transforms are generated to translate bezel grid coordinates to display screen coordinates.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 141 words

A touch-sensitive data input device for use with a computer system having a central processing unit (CPU), a memory accessed by the CPU, and a display screen, comprising: a demountable bezel, for mounting onto the display screen; means carried by the bezel, for establishing a grid of light beams in front of the display screen; means for determining the grid coordinates of an object placed proximate the face of the display screen to interrupt the light beam grid and mark a spot thereon; means coupled to the grid coordinate determining means, for reporting the grid coordinates to the CPU; and a storage medium containing a program of instructions to be loaded into the computer system memory, for directing the CPU in execution of a bezel alignment procedure wherein coordinate transforms are generated to translate bezel grid coordinates to display screen coordinates.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 13 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the demountable bezel comprises a rigid frame.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 95 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the CPU under the direction of the program of instructions stored in memory: displays a spot on the display screen at a location with known coordinates in the frame of reference of the display screen; accesses the bezel grid coordinate reporting means, to obtain the coordinates of the spot on the display screen in the frame of reference of the bezel grid; and calculates the coordinate transforms to be applied to bezel grid coordinates to effectively align the bezel frame of reference to the display screen frame of reference.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 132 words

A computer system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); a memory accessed by the CPU; a display screen coupled to the CPU, for visually displaying data from the CPU; a demountable bezel, for mounting to the display screen; means carried by the bezel, for establishing a grid of light beams in front of the display screen and for detecting an interruption of light beams in the grid; means coupled to the light beam grid and detecting means, for determining the grid coordinates of an object placed proximate the face of the display screen to mark a spot thereon; means coupled to the grid coordinate determining means, for reporting the grid coordinates to the CPU; said CPU translating bezel grid coordinates to display screen coordinates in accordance with instructions stored in the memory.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 132 words

A computer system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); a memory accessed by the CPU; a display screen coupled to the CPU, for visually displaying data from the CPU; a demountable bezel, for mounting to the display screen; means carried by the bezel, for establishing a grid of light beams in front of the display screen and for detecting an interruption of light beams in the grid; means coupled to the light beam grid and detecting means, for determining the grid coordinates of an object placed proximate the face of the display screen to mark a spot thereon; means coupled to the grid coordinate determining means, for reporting the grid coordinates to the CPU; said CPU translating bezel grid coordinates to display screen coordinates in accordance with instructions stored in the memory.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 53 words

The system of claim 4 wherein the light beam grid and detecting means comprises: a plurality of light beam emitters and detectors arranged around the sides, top and bottom of the display screen, so that for each emitter there is a detector directly across from it on the opposite side of the screen.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system of claim 5 wherein the light beam grid and detecting means further comprises: a counter and decoder circuit for enabling multiple pairs of said emitters and detectors sequentially to provide multiple beams scanning across said display screen.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

The system of claim 6 wherein the light beam grid and detecting means yet further comprises: a circuit that detects the interruption of said beams.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 7 wherein the grid coordinate determining means comprises: means for registering the emitter and detector pairs enabled at the time of the interruption.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 134 words

A touch-sensitive data input device for use with a display screen, comprising: a plurality of light beam emitters and detectors; means for mounting the emitters and detectors rigidly with respect to each other in an assembly removably mountable to a display screen; said mounting means arranging the emitters and detectors around the top, sides, and bottom of the display screen so as to dispose each emitter directly across from a detector and on opposite sides of the screen; a circuit for enabling multiple pairs of said emitters and detectors sequentially to produce multiple beams scanning across said display screen; a detector circuit for detecting an interruption of said beams; and an enclosure for the emitters and detectors made of a material having a light transmission spectrum matched to the emission spectrum of the emitters.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 134 words

A touch-sensitive data input device for use with a display screen, comprising: a plurality of light beam emitters and detectors; means for mounting the emitters and detectors rigidly with respect to each other in an assembly removably mountable to a display screen; said mounting means arranging the emitters and detectors around the top, sides, and bottom of the display screen so as to dispose each emitter directly across from a detector and on opposite sides of the screen; a circuit for enabling multiple pairs of said emitters and detectors sequentially to produce multiple beams scanning across said display screen; a detector circuit for detecting an interruption of said beams; and an enclosure for the emitters and detectors made of a material having a light transmission spectrum matched to the emission spectrum of the emitters.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-06-08	1990-12-08	1991-06-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-06-08	1994-12-08	1995-06-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-06-08	1998-12-08	1999-06-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Touch-sensitive data input device

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