US5159322A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus to digitize graphic and scenic information and to determine the position of a stylus for input into a computer or the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1991-08-02
•
Granted: 1992-10-27
•
Expires: 2011-08-02
Abstract
Abstract A device for inputting graphic information contained on planar material, scenic information contained in a three dimensional scene, and position information of a stylus into a computer or the like by the cooperative use of the same nonlinear photodetector for digitizing the graphic information, the scenic information, and for determining the position of a stylus.
Inventors
- 👤 Hugh G. Loebner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:34
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/041; G06F3/002; G06F3/042; G06F3/0428
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
An apparatus for (A) digitizing three dimensional scenic information for input into a computer or the like, and for (B) indicating the coordinate position of a stylus for input into a computer or the like comprising means for the cooperative use of a nonlinear photodetector where the means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector comprises: means for imaging said three dimensional scenic material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for indicating the position of said stylus comprises means for forming at least one image of said stylus onto said nonlinear photodetector; wherein said means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector does not consist of the cooperative use of the same lens to image a light emitting stylus and to image three dimensional scenic information at the same magnification onto the same photosensitive area of said nonlinear photodetector.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
An apparatus for (A) digitizing three dimensional scenic information for input into a computer or the like, and for (B) indicating the coordinate position of a stylus for input into a computer or the like comprising means for the cooperative use of a nonlinear photodetector where the means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector comprises: means for imaging said three dimensional scenic material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for indicating the position of said stylus comprises means for forming at least one image of said stylus onto said nonlinear photodetector; wherein said means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector does not consist of the cooperative use of the same lens to image a light emitting stylus and to image three dimensional scenic information at the same magnification onto the same photosensitive area of said nonlinear photodetector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 where the means for imaging said three dimensional scenic information comprises a lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 where the means for indicating the position of said stylus by means for forming at least one image of said stylus comprises a rangefinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 where said rangefinder comprises means for forming at least two images of said stylus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 where said nonlinear photodetector comprises a CCD array.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one image of said stylus comprises a linear image of said stylus and means for imaging said at least one linear image comprises optical fibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said optical fibers are used to partition said linear image of said stylus into more than one linear image section and said partitioned linear image sections are imaged by said optical fibers onto more than one row or column of said photodetector.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for (A) digitizing graphic information contained on planar material for input into a computer or the like, and for (B) digitizing three dimensional scenic information for input into a computer or the like, and for (C) indicating the coordinate position of a stylus for input into a computer or the like comprising means for the cooperative use of a nonlinear photodetector where the means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector comprises: means for imaging said three dimensional scenic material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for imaging said graphic information contained on planar material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for indicating the position of said stylus comprises means for forming at least one image of said stylus onto said nonlinear photodetector; wherein said means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector does not consist of the cooperative use of the same lens to image a light emitting stylus and to image three dimensional scenic information and to image graphic information contained on planar material at the same magnification onto the same photosensitive area of the said nonlinear photodetector.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for (A) digitizing graphic information contained on planar material for input into a computer or the like, and for (B) digitizing three dimensional scenic information for input into a computer or the like, and for (C) indicating the coordinate position of a stylus for input into a computer or the like comprising means for the cooperative use of a nonlinear photodetector where the means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector comprises: means for imaging said three dimensional scenic material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for imaging said graphic information contained on planar material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for indicating the position of said stylus comprises means for forming at least one image of said stylus onto said nonlinear photodetector; wherein said means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector does not consist of the cooperative use of the same lens to image a light emitting stylus and to image three dimensional scenic information and to image graphic information contained on planar material at the same magnification onto the same photosensitive area of the said nonlinear photodetector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 where said nonlinear photodetector comprises a CCD array.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 where the means for imaging graphic information contained on planar material comprises means for forming successive linear images of said graphic information contained on said planar material by means for moving said planar material and said nonlinear photodetector relative to each other and means for imaging said linear images onto said nonlinear photodetector.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 where the claimed means for imaging said three dimensional scenic information comprises a lens.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 where the claimed means for indicating the position of said stylus by means for forming at least one image of said stylus comprises a rangefinder.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 12 where said rangefinder comprises means for forming at least two images of said stylus.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said at least one image of said stylus comprises a linear image of said stylus and means for imaging said at least one linear image comprises optical fibers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said optical fibers are used to partition said linear image of said stylus into more than one linear image section and said partitioned linear image sections are imaged by said optical fibers onto more than one row or column of said photodetector.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for (A) digitizing three dimensional scenic information for input into a computer and the like and for (B) indicating the coordinate position of a stylus for input into a computer and the like comprising means for the cooperative use of a nonlinear photodetector where said means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector comprises: means for imaging said three dimensional scenic material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for indicating the position of said stylus comprises means for forming at least one image of said stylus on said nonlinear photodetector comprising a rangefinder.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for (A) digitizing three dimensional scenic information for input into a computer and the like and for (B) indicating the coordinate position of a stylus for input into a computer and the like comprising means for the cooperative use of a nonlinear photodetector where said means for the cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector comprises: means for imaging said three dimensional scenic material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for indicating the position of said stylus comprises means for forming at least one image of said stylus on said nonlinear photodetector comprising a rangefinder.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 where the means for imaging said three dimensional scenic information comprises a lens.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 where said rangefinder comprises means for forming at least two images of said stylus.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 where said nonlinear photodetector comprises a CCD array.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
138 words
An apparatus for (A) digitizing graphic information contained on planar material for input into a computer or the like, and for (B) digitizing three dimensional scenic information for input into a computer or the like, and for (C) indicating the coordinate position of a stylus for input into a computer or the like comprising means for the cooperative use of a nonlinear photodetector where said means for said cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector comprises: means for imaging said three dimensional scenic material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for forming successive linear images of said graphic information contained on said planar material and means for imaging said linear images onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for indicating the position of said stylus comprising means for forming at least one image of said stylus onto said nonlinear photodetector.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
138 words
An apparatus for (A) digitizing graphic information contained on planar material for input into a computer or the like, and for (B) digitizing three dimensional scenic information for input into a computer or the like, and for (C) indicating the coordinate position of a stylus for input into a computer or the like comprising means for the cooperative use of a nonlinear photodetector where said means for said cooperative use of said nonlinear photodetector comprises: means for imaging said three dimensional scenic material onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for forming successive linear images of said graphic information contained on said planar material and means for imaging said linear images onto said nonlinear photodetector, and means for indicating the position of said stylus comprising means for forming at least one image of said stylus onto said nonlinear photodetector.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 20 where the claimed means for imaging said three dimensional scenic information comprises a lens.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 20 where said means for indicating the position of said stylus comprising means for forming at least one image comprises a rangefinder.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 20 where said means for forming successive linear images of said graphic information is by means for moving said planar material and said nonlinear photodetector relative to each other.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said means for imaging said linear images onto said nonlinear photodetector comprises means for digitizing said linear images of said planar material at a greater linear resolution than has said nonlinear photodetector by means for dividing each said linear image into a multiple number of linear image sections and means for imaging said multiple linear sections onto said nonlinear photodetector.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 24 in which means for dividing each said linear image into a multiple number of linear image sections and means for imaging said multiple linear sections onto said photodetector array comprises optical fibers.
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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) | 1995-10-27 | 1996-04-27 | 1996-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-27 | 2000-04-27 | 2000-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-10-27 | 2004-04-27 | 2004-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |