Abstract: A remote data capture system includes a host computing device and a client computing device communicatively coupled to the host computing device. A capture device is coupled to the client computing device. The capture device is configured to receive an electrical input signal from a sensor and convert the input signal to corresponding input data having a predetermined electronic data format. The client computing device selectably transmits the input data to the host computing device.

Abstract: A remote data capture system includes a host computing device. A client computing device is communicatively coupled to the host computing device. A capture device having a sensor is coupled to the client computing device. The capture device is configured to receive an electrical input signal from the sensor, convert the input signal to corresponding input data having a predetermined format, compress the input data to a variable-length bit stream, and convert the bit stream to keyboard codes. The client computing device selectably transmits the keyboard codes to the host computing device.

Abstract: A touch screen system has an electrically non-conductive substrate. At least one electrically conductive pad is disposed upon the substrate, and an electrically non-conductive cover is placed over the pad. The system further includes a controller having a touch switch interface and at least one output, the touch switch interface being electrically coupled to the pad. The controller generates an AC signal, the AC signal being electrically coupled from the controller to the pad through the touch switch interface, thereby generating an electrostatic field proximate the pad. The controller is also configured to detect at the touch switch interface a change in the electrostatic field resulting from an actuating member contacting the cover proximate the pad. The controller provides at the output a signal relating to the change in the electrostatic field.

Abstract: A remote data capture system includes a host computing device and a client computing device communicatively coupled to the host computing device. A capture device is coupled to the client computing device. The capture device is configured to receive an electrical input signal from a sensor and convert the input signal to corresponding input data having a predetermined electronic data format. The client computing device selectably transmits the input data to the host computing device.

Abstract: Pen apparatus, system and method of assembly wherein a pick-up rod assembly performs in conjunction with a normally closed switch to define a pen-up tip switch condition. Coordinate signal information is provided from the pick-up rod assembly to an amplification network carried by an elongate printed circuit board. A biased signal forming a component of the a.c. amplification network is additionally used in conjunction with a comparator and the noted normally closed switch to provide pen-up and pen-down orientation data to a host system.

Abstract: An improved tracer for use with electrographic surfaces which employs reticle components including crosshairs and a sighting circle which additionally functions to provide capacitive coupling. Formed of a conductive material such as chromium, these components are geometric regular shape and somewhat concentrated at the center portion of the reticle targeting center. As such, the device is capable of achieving a close correspondence between actual physical targeting location and resultant digitized coordinate readout. These components further achieve an avoidance of inaccuracies due to active surface border influences. The reticle-capacitive coupling components are placed on one side of a transparent disk, the opposite or upwardly disposed surface of which is coated with a transparent electrically conductive material such as indium tin oxide.

Abstract: A stylus for use with an electrographic system of a variety wherein a digitizer surface is excited. The stylus accomplishes capacitive coupling with the surface without distortion due to perpendicular orientation of its central axis with respect to the digitizer surface. Due to the employment of a carefully shielded signal transmission rod in conjunction with a conductive body wall, spurious noise developed through the body and hand of the user is avoided. A switching technique wherein the stylus is depressed into the digitizer surface is provided, preferably employing a Hall effect switching device.

Abstract: A position responsive apparatus, system and method which employs a position responsive surface formed of two orthogonally disposed arrays of grid elements which in one embodiment, the elements are coupled along one border with a resistor chain or the equivalent which is excited with an a.c. source at terminal locations. Capacitive coupling between the orthogonally disposed arrays at the cross-over locations of grid elements is significantly reduced by reducing the area of the grid elements at the cross-over positions. Further, intermediate grounding terminals serve to minimize disruptive potentials caused by the capacitive coupling. The control for the system employs a procedure wherein a correction look-up table is developed as part of the manufacture of the apparatus wherein readings are taken at the nodal points of communication between the grid array and the resistor chain and which then are treated to provide a regularly incremented sequence of address values developed from a signal domain computation.

Abstract: An electrographic apparatus or digitizer has a resistive layer with an active area which operates in conjunction with a stylus or other suitable position locator. An a.c. source or alternatively a signal treatment means is connected to the resistive layer through rows of electrodes and position coordinates of the position locator are developed by the apparatus. Voids or discontinuities are formed in the resistive layer to increase the edge-to-edge resistance of the layer and to provide identical edge-to-edge resistances in the x- and the y-coordinate direction for digitizers which are rectangular and non-square.

Abstract: An electrographic system and method having a control which carries out correction for graphic surface non-linearities. The control employs a procedure wherein a correction look-up table is developed as part of the manufacture of the device wherein output readings are taken along a physical domain rectangular grid array of predetermined dimension and these output readings are adjusted in their signal domain to establish a regularly incremented sequence of address values within that signal domain. Physical domain coordinate values then are derived and placed in the table for each address value. The control then accesses this memory for each of a given locator or tracer position on the graphic surface and carries out an interpolative weighting to derive acceptably accurate coordinate pair signals which are outputted to a host computer or the like.

Abstract: An electrographic apparatus and system utilizing a resistive layer having an active area which operates in conjunction with a stylus or tracer or other suitable position locator. An a.c. source or alternatively a signal treatment means is connected to the resistive layer through rows of electrodes. Improved accuracy is achieved through the use of electrodes at the ends of the electrode rows and through the use of an enhanced conductivity region which also allows the boundary of the active area to be placed in close proximity to the electrodes.

Abstract: An electrographic apparatus utilizing a resistive layer which operates in conjunction with a stylus or tracer. Either the resistive layer or the cursor may be excited from an a.c. source to develop coordinate-defining electrical signals. A sequence of border switching arrays is provided which minimizes the number of switching components required for any given resistive layer or tablet architecture. Improved accuracy is achieved through an automatic gain control and gain election procedure as well as through the imposition of a positive offset signal and a control technique wherein the offset values of the circuit are cyclically evaluated and the coordinate data information is adjusted in accordance with that evaluation.

Abstract: An electrographic system utilizing a transparent resistive layer which operates in conjunction with a stylus or cross hair cursor excited from an a.c. source to develop coordinate defining electrical signals. Through the utilization of a sequence of border switching arrays, the signals may be collected from the resistive surface in a predetermined sequence and submitted in serial fashion to the input of a signal treatment network. As a consequence, only one such network is required to effect operation of the system. The hand-held cursor is formed including a transparent disk carrying cross hairs which is excited from an a.c. source to very accurately locate coordinate positions upon the resistive surface.

Abstract: An electrographic system utilizing a singular resistive layer which may be transparent in conjunction with a supportive substrate. Through the use of an electromagnetic field generating sytlus in conjunction with coordinate alternating border switching, linear output performance is achieved. With the utilization of sum, difference and divider circuitry in conjuction with received output signals, the system remains immune from voltage variations occasioned in conjunction with the stylus and, thus, the stylus may be operated in varying spaced-relationship from the resistive surface.