US5132673A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hand held digitizer
Assignee: DIVESTCO Inc
•
Filing: 1990-03-06
•
Granted: 1992-07-21
•
Expires: 2010-03-06
Abstract
Abstract A digitizer for digitizing a trace on a two-dimensional surface, in which the surface is defined by a longitudinal Y direction and a transverse X direction. The digitizer includes a frame mounted on at least three wheels such that the frame is movable only along the Y direction, a cursor mounted on the frame such that the cursor moves in relation to the frame in the X direction; a rotary optical encoder for determining the direction and amount of movement of at least one of the wheels; a pair of linear optical encoders for determining the direction and amount of movement of the cursor; and electronic circuits, including a microcomputer unit, for receiving information from the optical encoders which is indicative of the X and Y position of the cursor and for transmitting data, serially, to a host computer. The information may then be displayed and processed on a host computer in accordance with known devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Ciavarella
- 👤 Bohdan M. Petryhyrycz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 00:45
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A digitizer for digitizing a trace on a two dimensional surface, in which the surface is defined by a longitudinal Y direction and a transverse X direction, the digitizer comprising: a frame freely movable over and unattached to the surface; means mounted on the frame for restraining the frame to move in the Y direction relative to the frame; a cursor mounted on the frame and restrained to move in the X direction; means mounted on the frame for detecting the position of the frame in the Y direction and producing a first signal representative of the Y position of the frame; means mounted on the frame or cursor for detecting the position of the cursor in the X direction and for producing a second signal representative of the X position of the cursor; and processing means connected to the Y position detection means and the X position detection means for processing the first and second signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A digitizer for digitizing a trace on a two dimensional surface, in which the surface is defined by a longitudinal Y direction and a transverse X direction, the digitizer comprising: a frame freely movable over and unattached to the surface; means mounted on the frame for restraining the frame to move in the Y direction relative to the frame; a cursor mounted on the frame and restrained to move in the X direction; means mounted on the frame for detecting the position of the frame in the Y direction and producing a first signal representative of the Y position of the frame; means mounted on the frame or cursor for detecting the position of the cursor in the X direction and for producing a second signal representative of the X position of the cursor; and processing means connected to the Y position detection means and the X position detection means for processing the first and second signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
106 words
The digitizer of claim 1 in which the processing means comprises: means electrically connected to the Y position detection means for receiving the first signal; means electrically connected to the X position detection means for receiving the second signal; a microcomputer unit connected to each of the first signal receiving means and the second signal receiving means for selectively interrogating the first signal receiving means and the second signal receiving means as to the position of the frame in the Y direction and the position of the cursor in the X direction; and a keypad mounted on the frame and electrically connected to the microcomputer unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The digitizer of claim 2 in which the microcomputer unit is contained within the frame and the keypad is mounted on top of the frame to be easily accessible by hand.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The digitizer of claim in which the Y direction restraining means includes at least one rim having a roughened surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The digitizer of claim 4 in which the roughened surface is made from diamond grit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The digitizer of claim 1 in which the Y direction restraining means comprises an axle mounted on the frame, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle and constrained to move with each other, each of the wheels having an external gripping surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The digitizer of claim 6 in which the Y position detection means includes a rotary optical encoder mounted on the frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The digitizer of claim 1 in which: the cursor has mounted on it a series of coded stripes; and the X position detection means includes a pair of linear optical encoders mounted on the frame and oriented towards the coded stripe.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2110878A
Cited
US2638402A
Cited
US3030021A
Cited
US3046553A
Cited
US3259733A
Cited
US3666781A
Cited
US3567949A
Cited
US3918028A
Cited
US4070743A
Cited
US4553035A
Cited
US4575581A
Cited
US4709483A
Cited
US4566191A
Cited
US4561183A
Cited
US4712101A
Cited
US4767923A
Cited
US4785357A
Cited
US4797544A
Cited
US4804949A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-07-21 | 1996-01-20 | 1996-07-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-07-21 | 2000-01-20 | 2000-07-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-07-21 | 2004-01-20 | 2004-07-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |