Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for tracking assets. The method comprises the steps of generating a magnetic field at the base station, receiving a radio signal transmitted from the remote station disposed at a location, and determining a distance from the base station to the location from the received radio signal transmitted from the remote station. In another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the steps of remotely sensing a magnetic field generated by a base station, measuring an intensity of the sensed magnetic field, and transmitting a radio signal from the remote station to the base station as an indication of a distance between the base station and the remote station.

Abstract: A computer system is used for tokenless identification, verification and authorization of a person. An enrollment process is used for registering the person, who at the time of registration gives a phone number and/or name for identification, as well as at least one reference handwritten signature for use in a verification template. Services to which the person is entitled to receive may also be established at the time of registration. At the time a transaction is made, the person is identified by providing the phone number and/or name so that the stored handwritten signature can be retrieved, the person's identity is verified by providing a handwritten signature that is matched with the retrieved (reference) handwritten signature, and the person is authorized to conduct a transaction. In this way, a transaction may be conducted without the person using any portable man-made memory devices such as smart cards or swipe cards, or being required to remember any PIN or account number.

Abstract: A digital pen that has an ink writing tip includes a light source on a pen body that directs light toward paper across which the writing tip is stroked. A CMOS camera or CCD is also mounted on the pen body for detecting reflections of the light. A processor in the pen body determines relative pen motion based on the reflections. A contact sensor such as an FSR on the pen body senses when the tip is pressed against the paper, with positions being recorded on a non-volatile memory in the pen body only when the contact sensor indicates that the pen is against the paper. Periodically, key frames are stored in memory but not for every cycle. The memory can be later engaged with a handwriting recognition device, such as a PC, to correlate the key frames and positions to alpha-numeric characters. Ordinary paper or quad-ruled paper can be used, and, if desired, special bar-coded paper can also be used, so that the PC can determine absolute pen position.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical transducer for 6 degrees-of-freedom input and output includes a control member coupled to a reference member by pairs of linear transducers. One end of each pair is connected to 3 spaced apart points of the control member, while the other end of each transducer is coupled to 3 spaced apart points of the reference member in a permutation of the first set of connections. The transducer coupling permutation causes each transducer output signal to include components of displacement and rotation such that 6 linear transducers provide a complete definition of the control member orientation in 3-D space. In a specific embodiment each linear transducer includes a linear actuator for inserting force along each connection between the two members. The insertion of force permits the introduction of tactile feel.

Abstract: A digital pen that has an ink writing tip includes a laser on a pen body that directs light toward paper across which the writing tip is stroked. A diffraction grating reflects a reference beam and passes a scattered beam from the substrate toward translation detectors, which consequently receive interference patterns of light. A processor receives the signals from the detectors, generates position signals, and stores the signals. Also, a bar code detector receives a bar code beam from the substrate, and a three dimensional force sensor outputs a signal representative of multidimensional forces applied to the pen. Subsequently, the signals are uploaded to a host processor which combines them to produce rotation-corrected relative positions (if no bar coded paper is used) or rotation-corrected absolute positions (if bar coded paper is used) that can be used to render alpha-numeric characters or graphical representations.

Abstract: A digital pen that has an ink writing tip includes a laser on a pen body that directs light toward paper across which the writing tip is stroked. A CMOS camera or CCD is also mounted on the pen body for detecting reflections of the laser light, referred to as “speckles”. A processor in the pen body determines relative pen motion based on the speckles. A contact sensor such as an FSR on the pen body senses when the tip is pressed against the paper, with positions being recorded on a flash memory in the pen body when the contact sensor indicates that the pen is against the paper. The memory can be later engaged with a handwriting recognition device to correlate the positions to alpha-numeric characters. Ordinary paper can be used, but, if desired, special bar-coded paper can also be used, so that the recorded positions can be tagged with a page number, form field, and absolute position on the page.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing performance of personal area network (PAN) systems that use electric fields as communication media between PAN transmitters carried by people and PAN receivers mounted on computers to which selective access is sought to be established. Multiple PAN receiver antennae are mounted on a keyboard, such that if a person with a PAN transmitter rests her arms on or near the keyboard, sufficient signal from the transmitter is sensed by one or more of the receiver antennae even though some of the signal is shunted away from the receivers through the arms. Also, a driven shield insulates a PAN receiver from nearby metal objects, e.g., a desk on which the PAN receiver is supported. Moreover, a multiple-electrode PAN transmitter reduces the deleterious effects on the signal from the PAN transmitter that can otherwise be caused by, e.g., loose metal coins that are present in a pocket in which the transmitter is carried.

Abstract: The system generally comprises a probe device, a computing device, an electronic media, a presentation device, and a suitable medium as a specimen. The probe is manipulated over the specimen and information from the probe is transmitted to the computing device. The computing device uses the probe information to identify the image and probe position on the specimen. Based upon the specimen and position of the probe on the specimen, electronic media is presented simulating an output of a real tool used to inspect an actual specimen. The hand manipulation of the probe coordinated with the display of the electronic media provides the visceral experience normally encountered by a user of the real tool. In one embodiment, the probe is a camera and the specimen an image identified by examination of an image feature database. In an alternative embodiment, the probe is a finger.

Abstract: A pen input device includes an array of receiver electrodes and a transmitter juxtaposed with the array for coupling electric signals from the transmitter to a person's hand. A person can use an ordinary writing instrument to write on a paper or other substrate that rests on the array, and the signal from the transmitter is coupled through the person's hand and writing instrument back to the array. The received signal strength is sent to a microprocessor for determining the position of the tip of the writing instrument, and the position can then be sent to a handwriting recognition algorithm to correlate pen strokes across the substrate to alpha-numeric characters. The transmitter can be separate from the receiver electrode array, or the receiver electrodes can be multiplexed such that one of the electrodes is selected to function as the transmitter.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor input device which includes a movable stud having a top portion for manipulation by a user and a conductive bottom portion is connected to a planar surface, such as a circuit board by means of an elastomeric, adhesive connector. A plurality of sensors are disposed on the planar surface. The respective capacitances between the conductive bottom portion and respective ones of the sensors are used as input to another electronic device, such as a computer, set top box or gaming device. As the capacitances change according to user manipulation of the movable stud elements of the user interface are moved correspondingly.