Abstract: A pen input unit includes ultrasonic receivers that receive an ultrasonic signal transmitted from an ultrasonic transmitter of an input pen. Based on the received signal, the distance (distance value) of the ultrasonic transmitter from each of the ultrasonic receivers is determined. The distance value is used for the display control of the display panel, and is supplied to a reception sensitivity control section. The reception sensitivity control section carries out reception sensitivity control for reducing a difference in level of the respective waveforms received by the ultrasonic receivers. As a result, a pen input display device of an ultrasonic pen input system is provided that prevents errors over the entire input area of the display panel without increasing power consumption or impairing operability of pen entry.

Abstract: Two groups of inclined lines, which are included in a spurious wave scattering means, are formed at opposite angles with respect to each other in the vicinity of an upper edge of a substrate. The angles of the inclined lines are such that they are close to perpendicular toward the central portion of the substrate, and gradually decrease toward the edges thereof. In a similar manner, two other groups inclined lines, which are also included in the spurious wave scattering means, are formed at opposite angles with respect to each other, with gradually changing angles. The spurious waves that reach these regions are diffuse by the inclined lines, so that they are not propagated to converters (sensors). Three rectangular spurious wave scattering means, formed by inclined lines, inclined at angles other than 45°, also function to diffuse and eliminate spurious waves that propagate along the front surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Each of an excitation element for exciting surface acoustic waves in two directions and a receiving element for receiving surface acoustic waves from two directions is constructed by forming a comb-like electrode on the front surface of a piezoelectric body in the form of a thin film and a plate electrode on the rear surface thereof. The comb-like electrode on the front surface has one line of bus electrode, and a plurality of electrode fingers which are extended from the bus electrode and bent in V-shape in the middle. The voltage in the excitation element and in the receiving element is controlled by providing a terminal resistance for preventing reflection of an applied AC voltage at the terminal end, between the terminal end portion of the comb-like electrode and the plate electrode, or adjusting the resistance value of the bus electrode and/or the plate electrode, or adjusting the capacitance value between the electrode finger and the plate electrode.

Abstract: Method and apparatus using bending wave vibration to calculate information relating to a contact on a contact sensitive device. The contact sensitive device has a member capable of supporting bending waves, and a device attached to the member measures bending wave propagation in the member to determine a measured bending wave signal. The measured bending wave signal is processed to calculate information relating to the contact. The contact sensitive device may comprise a transparent touch sensitive plate mounted in front of a display device. A stylus (e.g., pen) may be used for writing text or other matter on the touch-sensitive plate. The plate may also be an acoustic device. Three transducers are mounted on the plate. At least two of the transducers are sensing transducers and are thus sensitive to and monitor bending wave vibration in the plate.

Abstract: A touch sensor having an acoustic substrate, an acoustic transducer, and an acoustically diffractive grating is provided. The grating is disposed between the transducer and the substrate, so that acoustic energy from the transducer is coupled to an acoustic wave propagating along the surface of the substrate. If used in a display device, the combination of the transducer and grating may provide a low profile that allows the assembly to be more easily placed between the acoustic substrate and a bezel placed in front of the substrate. No acoustic components need be mounted on the rear surface of the substrate, allowing the acoustic substrate to be formed on the front surface of the display device.

Abstract: A digitizing tablet that can control the vibration of an operation panel or a support substrate is disclosed. A piezoelectric substrate having a pair of drive electrodes fixed to the front and rear surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate is fixed directly or via one of the drive electrodes to the operation panel or the support substrate. A drive voltage is applied to the pair of drive electrodes after an input as been detected, and the drive voltage causes the expandable piezoelectric substrate to vibrate the operation panel or the support substrate. An additional vibration source is not required. Therefore, the vibration energy is not dissipated and there is no time delay in transmission since the operation panel or the support substrate are vibrated directly by the piezoelectric substrate. The expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric substrate can be controlled so that the vibration can be controlled precisely.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and touch sensor system for reducing the effects of contaminants on an acoustic touch sensor. Acoustic energy is transmitted across the touch sensor substrate. Any perturbations in the acoustic energy induced by environmental events, such as valid touches or contaminants, are sensed and analyzed. If the perturbation exhibits a monotonic growth over a time period, it is considered to be a valid touch. If the perturbation exhibits a non-monotonic growth over the time period, it is considered a contaminant.

Abstract: An acoustic wave switch includes a substrate with an acoustic wave cavity formed therein such that the mass per unit area of the acoustic cavity is greater than the mass per unit area of the substrate adjacent the cavity. A transducer is mounted on the acoustic cavity for generating an acoustic wave that is substantially trapped in the cavity. A touch on the touch surface of the acoustic wave cavity absorbs acoustic wave energy and produces a detectable change in the impedance of the transducer. The acoustic wave switch has a high Q so as to enable a touch to be detected by extremely simple, low-cost circuitry. The acoustic wave switch of the present invention is rugged, explosion proof, operates in the presence of liquids and other contaminants, has a low power consumption and can be incorporated and integrally formed in a wall of a housing for a device.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is constructed to include a plurality of information recording media respectively having a generally paper shape with an image display surface for displaying various information, a holding part which holds a holding portion of each of the information recording media which are stacked, an input part for accepting an input of various information by handwriting on an arbitrary one of the information recording media, a recognizing part for recognizing the identification information recorded on the arbitrary information recording medium, a storing part for storing the various information accepted by the input part and the identification information recognized by the recognizing part in an information storage medium by linking corresponding various information and identification information, and an output part for outputting the various information stored in the information storage medium with respect to a storage which stores various information at storage locations specified in

Abstract: A touch screen assembly includes a first outer layer (102) and a second outer layer (110) separated by a separator layer (118). The first and second outer layers are transparent, and the separator layer has openings (120) at button locations where buttons will be defined. On each of the outer layers is a layer of transparent conductor (104, 112). On the first outer layer the transparent conductor is in the form of a contiguous trace or path. The touch screen assembly is placed on a display element (203) and images displayed on the display element can be seen through the touch screen assembly. Images such as characters are displayed at button locations, and when a user presses on one of the images the conductive layers on the first and second outer layers of the touch screen assembly come into contact.

Abstract: A coordinate input device is associated with a liquid crystal display to detect a touch or contact thereon. A transparent board is arranged on the screen of the display to provide a coordinate input surface having a substantially rectangular shape. At least one vibration detector (e.g., a microphone or piezoelectric element) is attached onto the board to detect vibration or sound that occurs when a position input member is brought into contact with the coordinate input surface at an arbitrary input position. The input position is represented as one-dimensional coordinate based on outputs of two vibration detectors, or it is represented as two-dimensional coordinates based on outputs of three vibration detectors. Thus, the manually designated input position is detected and is electronically displayed on the screen of the display. As the position input member, it is possible to use a pen, a fingernail, etc.

Abstract: Each of excitation elements and receiving elements placed in a frame region of a non-piezoelectric substrate is constructed by forming a comb-like electrode on the front face of a piezoelectric body and forming a plate electrode (solid electrode) on the rear face thereof. The comb-like electrode is composed of a bus electrode and a plurality of V-shaped electrode fingers extended from the bus electrode. Drawn-round wires are provided to connect the comb-like electrode (bus electrode) and plate electrode to external circuits. Surface acoustic waves from the excitation elements located on the upper side and the lower side are simultaneously propagated in two directions respectively and the propagated surface acoustic waves are received by receiving elements located on the left side and the right side respectively.

Abstract: Position coordinates in a space defined by the first to third axes of a coordinate input pointing tool are calculated. A coordinate output form includes at least an absolute coordinate output form in which calculated coordinate values are directly output, and a relative coordinate output form in which the differential values between the calculated coordinate values and predetermined coordinate values are output. The value of the first axis of the calculated coordinate values is compared with a predetermined value. It is determined whether the coordinate values of the second and third axes of the calculated coordinate values fall within a predetermined range. The calculated coordinate values are output in a coordinate output form determined on the basis of the comparison result and determination result.

Abstract: A method for designing reflection stripes of an acoustic touch screen, comprising: dividing a reflection stripe of an acoustic touch screen into a plurality of groups according to an integral times wavelength of an acoustic; according to the distance between said reflection bar increasing principle, increasing the distance between said reflection bars from rear to front; and according to a condition of the transmission loss of a glass surface, cutting the border of said reflection bars in one group with different length.

Abstract: A touch sensor comprising an acoustic wave transmissive medium having a surface; a plurality of acoustic wave path forming systems, each generating a set of incrementally varying paths through said transmissive medium; and a receiver, receiving signals representing said sets of waves, a portion of each set overlapping temporally or physically by propagating in said transmissive medium along axes which are not orthogonal. The waves may also be of differing wave modes. The receiver system may include a phase, waveform or amplitude sensitive system.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling user interaction with computer software running in a computer system via an interface surface and a sensing device. The interface surface contains information relating to the computer software and coded data indicative of a text field. When placed in an operative position relative to the interface surface, the sensing device senses indicating data indicative of the text field and generates movement data indicative of the sensing device's movement relative to the interface surface. The indicating data and movement data are received in the computer system and the text field is identified from the indicating data. The computer software is operated at least partly in reliance on the movement data, and in accordance with instructions associated with the text field.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is constructed to include a plurality of information recording media respectively having a generally paper shape with an image display surface for displaying various information, a holding part which holds a holding portion of each of the information recording media which are stacked, an input part for accepting an input of various information by handwriting on an arbitrary one of the information recording media, a recognizing part for recognizing the identification information recorded on the arbitrary information recording medium, a storing part for storing the various information accepted by the input part and the identification information recognized by the recognizing part in an information storage medium by linking corresponding various information and identification information, and an output part for outputting the various information stored in the information storage medium with respect to a storage which stores various information at storage locations specified in

Abstract: An ultrasonic length measuring apparatus measures the number of times a waveform of an ultrasonic wave signal crosses a threshold value, detects the crossing timing at, for example, a waveform having a maximal amplitude after a predetermined number of times counting from a first crossing point, measures the time period from the transmission start of the ultrasonic wave by the transmission unit to the detected crossing timing and calculates the length based on the time measured. A coordinate inputting apparatus includes a pen for transmitting an ultrasonic wave and a coordinate inputting apparatus for inputting coordinate positions of the pen based on a propagation time of the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the pen and received by a plurality of ultrasonic wave receivers. The receiver includes at least a pair of ultrasonic receivers for receiving the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the pen.

Abstract: An acoustic wave sensor includes an electromagnetic acoustic transducer to generate a resonant acoustic wave substantially trapped in an acoustic wave cavity. The acoustic wave cavity is defined by a radially symmetric raised surface. The electromagnetic acoustic transducer includes a spiral primary coil to generate the acoustic wave in the acoustic wave cavity and a concentric spiral pickup coil to pick up an electrical signal representing the acoustic wave in the cavity. A noise canceling coil portion is used to cancel spurious noise induced by the primary coil from the pickup coil to provide an output signal representing the acoustic wave energy in the cavity 12.

Abstract: A device for acquiring the position co-ordinates of a source of mechanical waves optionally generated by impacting the surface of a plate (PLQ) of finite dimensions. A set of acoustic sensors (PZT00 to PZT11) each formed by a pair of piezoelectric transducers (PZTa, PZTb) face each other on either side of the plate, the device includes a processor for determining the co-ordinates of the source by analyzing the difference in propagation time of the acoustic waves generated by the source to the different sensors. The processor combined with each sensor (PZT00 to PZT 11) a respective electronic circuit includes a digitized mounted in cascade for digitizing the amplified signal around a predetermined frequency, associated with a mechanism for limiting the digitization to a time window starting before the acoustic waves reach a sensor and ending when the acoustic waves have reached said sensor.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling user interaction with computer software running in a computer system. The user is provided with an interface surface containing information relating to the computer software and including coded data indicative of at least one interactive element relating to the computer software. A sensing device in the form of an optically sensing stylus contains identifying data indicative of an identity of the user. When the user writes with the stylus, or uses it as a pointer, an operative end of the stylus is brought into contact with the interface surface. The sensing device senses indicating data indicative of the at least one interactive element using at least some of the coded data. The computer system receives the identifying data and the indicating data from the sensing device. The interactive element is identified in the computer system using the indicating data, and user data is identified using the identifying data.

Abstract: A touch panel device is provided that can detect a touched position with sufficient resolution and accuracy without requiring high accuracy in process for forming a piezoelectric thin film. In the middle portion of the glass substrate, a substantially rectangular touch area is provided. In the periphery of the touch area, plural transmission comb electrodes arranged along one of the neighboring sides of the touch area and plural reception comb electrodes arranged along the other of the neighboring sides make pairs. Surface acoustic wave signals propagate from the transmission comb electrodes to the reception comb electrodes in a slanting direction with respect to four sides of the touch area. The inside edge of the piezoelectric thin film is formed linearly along the sides of the touch area.

Abstract: A presentation board digitizer system for large boards preferably employs at least three spaced-apart ultrasound receivers assemblies. A current position of an ultrasound transmitter is assigned as a weighted centroid of time-of-flight position measurements based on at least two pairs of receiver assemblies. The weighting used varies as a function of the position of the transmitter across the board. A preferred structure of an ultrasound receiver assembly for use in the system employs a pair of ultrasound receivers arranged side-by-side in a line perpendicular to the surface of the presentation board. The receivers are connected so as to generate a total output signal corresponding to the instantaneous sum of the ultrasound signals received at each, such that the receiver assembly is most sensitive to ultrasound signals incident from a plane adjacent to the presentation board.

Abstract: A circuit for an acoustic wave switch or sensor having a resonant acoustic wave cavity detects a touch or sensed event using a time domain approach. The circuit includes a controller that drives an acoustic wave transducer to generate a resonant acoustic wave in the acoustic wave cavity during a first portion of a sampling cycle. In a second portion of the sampling cycle, the controller monitors the time that it takes for the acoustic wave signal from the transducer to decay to a predetermined level. Based on the decay time, the controller detects a sensed event, such as a touch on the acoustic wave switch/sensor.

Abstract: A presentation board digitizer system for large boards preferably employs at least three spaced-apart ultrasound receivers assemblies. A current position of an ultrasound transmitter is assigned as a weighted centroid of time-of-flight position measurements based on at least two pairs of receiver assemblies. The weighting used varies as a function of the position of the transmitter across the board. A preferred structure of an ultrasound receiver assembly for use in the system employs a pair of ultrasound receivers arranged side-by-side in a line perpendicular to the surface of the presentation board. The receivers are connected so as to generate a total output signal corresponding to the instantaneous sum of the ultrasound signals received at each, such that the receiver assembly is most sensitive to ultrasound signals incident from a plane adjacent to the presentation board.

Abstract: A contact sensitive device includes a member capable of supporting bending waves, a first sensor mounted on the member for measuring bending wave vibration in the member, the sensor determining a first measured bending wave signal, a second sensor to determine a second measured bending wave signal and a processor that optimises a product of a set of corrected impulse response measurements from each sensor to determine information related to a contact.

Abstract: The present invention provides a coordinate data entry device comprising a plurality of receivers disposed in the vicinity of a board surface, and a position indicator to transmit signals, at least one of which employs ultrasonic waves, to the receivers, thereby detecting the position of the position indicator on the board surface and making the coordinate position thereof available for entry, in which the signal employing ultrasonic waves is transmitted at an arbitrary time interval, and an ultrasonic oscillating circuit transmitting the signal employing ultrasonic waves comprises a resonant circuit formed of an ultrasonic resonator and a coil, which are connected in parallel with each other, and the amplitude of a start current of the ultrasonic resonant circuit is made variable according to the lapse of time, thus allowing the variations in performance of the resonant circuit including the ultrasonic resonator to be smoothed out and making stabilized positional detection possible.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor-based input device for coordinate data input includes an input unit that detects the variation of capacitances at a plurality of detection points, and a control unit that calculates detection outputs from the plurality of detection points to detect the peak position in the variation of capacitances to generate coordinate data. When the maximum value detected at any one of the detection points transitions relative to the previous and following values by less than a first threshold value, the coordinate data is cancelled. When it varies by more than the first threshold value but less than a second threshold value, a corrected value to generate the coordinate data is decreased, thereby suppressing an oscillation of a cursor on a screen while a finger rests on the input device.

Abstract: A method of determining a type of touch plane operator input device comprises sensing the impedance across first and second terminals of a touch plane operator input device to distinguish the touch plane operator input device as being one of at least two different types of touch plane operator input devices. A method of processing an input from a touch plane operator input device comprises determining a first location of a first touch on the touch plane operator input device; determining a second location of a second touch on the touch plane operator input device; comparing the first and second locations to obtain an indication of an amount of difference between the first and second locations; and determining whether the indication of the amount of difference exceeds a predetermined amount. These steps are performed by discrete logic circuitry that provides an event notification to a microprocessor when the indication of the amount of difference exceeds the predetermined amount.

Abstract: Surface acoustic waves are excited in two diagonal directions from each of IDTs (excitation elements) disposed on the upper side and the lower side of a non-piezoelectric substrate, and the surface acoustic waves propagated on a detection region are received by IDTs (receiving elements) disposed on the left side and right side of the non-piezoelectric substrate so that a position of an object touching the non-piezoelectric substrate is detected based on the reception results. In each IDT, comb-like electrode fingers are joined to two facing electrode bases (signal electrode and ground electrode) in such a manner that the comb-like electrode fingers are inclined from a facing direction of the electrode bases.

Abstract: The disclosed device is directed towards a method for recognizing a gesture made on a touch-sensor pad in a touch-sensing system providing X and Y position information to a host comprising detecting a first presence of a conductive object on the touch-sensor pad. The method includes comparing the duration of the first presence with a first reference amount of time, and initiating a first gesture signal to the host if the duration of the first presence is less than the first reference amount of time. The method also includes detecting a second presence of the conductive object on the touch-sensor pad and comparing the duration between the first presence and the second presence with a second reference amount of time.

Abstract: A surface acoustic waves is excited from an excitation element disposed on a substrate, the surface acoustic wave propagated on the substrate is received by a receiving element positioned on the substrate so as to face the excitation element, and the position of an object touching the substrate is detected based on the reception result. The wave number of a burst wave applied to excite the excitation element is made equal to the number of the comb-like electrode fingers of an IDT of the excitation element.

Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer is provided, in which a piezoelectric shell has conductive layers on the outside and inside of the shell, which are adapted to be connected to a signal input source. When the conductive layers are activated, the piezoelectric layer resonates to produce an output signal waveform from the shell structure. An alternative embodiment includes a flat piezoelectric layer with opposing conductive layers, which is then formed into a shell structure. In preferred embodiments, an inner spool is located within the shell structure, which acts to increase the output sound pressure level for the transducer. To increase the sound pressure level further, the inner spool preferably includes a recessed area, which defines a void between the inner conductive layer on the shell and the recessed area. The void acts to increase the characteristic output sound pressure level for the transducer.

Abstract: A handheld device (200) includes a housing (202) having a cylindrical bore (204) therein and which terminates at a distal end (206) of the housing with a central orifice communicating therewith. The housing serves for receiving a portion of a body of a drawing implement with its drawing tip extending from the central orifice. The device (200) further includes an ultrasonic receiver or transmitter (220) mounted within the housing, remote from the drawing tip, yet in close proximity with the bore. This device serves for receiving or transmitting an intermittent ultrasound signal through the bore and the plurality of openings, thereby enabling triangulation of the drawing tip.

Abstract: A touch sensor comprising an acoustic wave transmissive medium having a surface; a plurality of acoustic wave path forming systems, each generating a set of incrementally varying paths through the transmissive medium; and a receiver, receiving signals representing the sets of waves, a portion of each set overlapping temporally or physically by propagating in the transmissive medium along axes which are not orthogonal. The waves may also be of differing wave modes. The receiver system may include a phase, waveform or amplitude sensitive system.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a touch-sensitive three-dimensional globe and an information handling system coupled to the touch-sensitive three-dimensional globe and adapted to receive the signals corresponding to the touched area of the globe. The information handling system may include a display device to display information regarding the area. A data accessing system may be coupled to the information handling system and be adapted to receive signals from the information handling system and transmit information from a data storage unit to the information handling system.

Abstract: A wireless coordinate input system for a display system includes a stylus that transmits ultrasonic energy to a plurality of ultrasonic receiving stations in a projection plane. The stylus may include one ultrasonic transmitter used for determination of three-dimensional coordinates of the stylus relative to the projection plane. The stylus may also include a second ultrasonic transmitter controlled by a pressure-activated switch. When the stylus is pressed against the projection plane, the second transmitter turns on and is used for determination of two-dimensional coordinates of the stylus in the projection plane. The stylus may also include a higher frequency burst transmitter used to generate a time reference. One or more of the ultrasonic receiving stations may also include an ultrasonic transmitter for calibration.

Abstract: A digital pen that has a writing tip includes an ultrasonic (US) transducer on a pen body that generates frames of US pulses toward a receiver base in response to an infrared (IR) synchronizing signal from the base. The first pulse of a frame is adjusted by a modulo of the US period &tgr; when the time of arrival (TOA) of the first pulse varies from an expected TOA by more than one-half &tgr;. The TOAs of successive ith pulses in the frame, which are one wavelength apart from each other, are adjusted forward in time by subtracting from each pulse TOA (i−1)&tgr;, and then several of the adjusted pulse TOAs in a single frame are averaged together to determine a frame TOA. The frame TOAs from plural receivers on the base are then triangulated to determine a pen position for that frame, with the pen positions being input to a handwriting recognition module.

Abstract: A structure and method is disclosed for dissipating electrostatic charges comprising an insulating layer between and over a plurality of conductive plates, wherein the insulating layer isolates the conductive plates and protects the conductive plates from damage, and wherein the insulating layer comprises a conductive discharge grid adjacent the conductive plates.

Abstract: Disclosed is a user-friendly electronic apparatus having a pen and a panel as the input devices. The pen is tethered to the apparatus by a cord on which position data is recorded along its length direction. Responding to the readout of the position data, the CPU controls the reel-in operation according to the standby mode or the sleep mode of the apparatus. As the pen is held at a proper position on the apparatus by the CPU's control, the user is free from worrying about dropping, spoiling, or losing the pen. Besides, the operation of reeling-out the pen from a housing position in the apparatus allows the apparatus to automatically come back into an active mode from its sleep mode or standby mode.

Abstract: An apparatus for locating a point physically touched and producing an electrical signal corresponding to the location includes an insulating substrate; a resistor touch pattern supported on the insulating substrate; and a protective insulating plate arranged over the resistive touch pattern. The resistive touch pattern has a plurality of strip resistors parallel to a center line; a plurality of linear resistors connected to the strip resistors, the resistance of the linear resistors decreasing with distance from the center line; first and third terminals positioned on an intermediate point of alternate edges of the touch pattern; and second and fourth terminals, positioned on an intermediate point of other alternate edges of the touch pattern. The resistive value of the linear resistors selected for a corresponding strip resistor so as to produce equal potential at a corresponding selected point on all said strip resistors.

Abstract: Surface impacts are located and characterized based on an acoustic signal produced by the impact despite the presence of signal dispersion. Acoustic signals from the surface may be compared to acoustic signals detected external to the surface in order to eliminate spurious impact sensing due to external sounds. Low-frequency acoustic signals may be sensed and identified as explicit hard “bangs” which are of limited utility for pointing and tracking applications.

Abstract: An acoustic touchscreen (1a) has transmitting transducers (23a, 23b) for generating acoustic signals which are deflected across a touch-sensitive area (2) by an array 13 of partially acoustically reflective elements 14. A touch on the touch-sensitive area causes a perturbation in the acoustic signals. After traversing the touch-sensitive area, the acoustic signals are redirected by another array 13 of partially acoustically reflective elements 14, towards receiving transducers (26a, 26b), where the signals (and any perturbations) are sensed. To accommodate touchscreens having narrow border regions (15a), the acoustic signals are propagated across the border regions using acoustic waveguides (18). The waveguide confines the acoustic signals to traveling along a narrow path width, but yet permit them to be deflected across the touch-sensitive area. In this manner, the transducers and reflective elements can in turn be of narrower construction and can fit within narrow border regions.

Abstract: There are provided microphones 11A, 11B arranged at least any two different locations of edge portions of a touch panel 10, for sensing a ultrasonic signal propagated through a space, an input pen 12 containing a piezoelectric loudspeaker 12G, for oscillating a ultrasonic wave that is output from the piezoelectric loudspeaker 12G, and a touch position sensor 13 for calculating a coordinate of a touch position P by calculating distances between the microphones 11A, 11B and the touch position P of the input pen 12 on the touch panel 10 based on the ultrasonic wave sensed by the microphones 11A, 11B, whereby the microphones 11A, 11B have a sound collecting directivity characteristic in response to fitted positions of the edge portions of the touch panel 10.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adapting an acoustic touchscreen controller to the operating frequency requirements of a specific touchscreen are provided. The adaptive controller can either utilize look-up tables to achieve the desired output frequency or the it can use a multi-step process in which it first determines the frequency requirements of the touchscreen, and then adjusts the burst frequency characteristics, the receiver circuit center frequency, or both in accordance with the touchscreen requirements. In one embodiment, the adaptive controller compensates for global frequency mismatch errors. In this embodiment a digital multiplier is used to modify the output of a crystal reference oscillator. The reference oscillator output is used to control the frequency of the signal from the receiving transducers and/or to generate the desired frequency of the tone burst sent to the transmitting transducers.

Abstract: In the present invention, two ultrasonic receivers are provided in common for plural input planes, and the plural input planes are restricted to a plane not perpendicular to a line connecting the two ultrasonic receivers, so that the sufficiently practicable coordinate input device can be provided. When the line connecting two ultrasonic receivers is perpendicular to the input plane, the distances from the input device to the two ultrasonic receivers exist in plural sets, so that the coordinates of an input device cannot be specified. Furthermore, in order to acquire the coordinates of the input device by the two ultrasonic receivers, a positional relations between the two ultrasonic receivers and the input planes are made initial setting in advance. When set in advance, it is possible to acquire the position of the input devices in the plural input planes from the distance from input device to two ultrasonic receivers.

Abstract: A digitizer pen system including: a pen having an elongated body terminating in a writing tip and at least one ultrasound transducer deployed adjacent to the writing tip. The digitizer pen also includes a writing element removably inserted into the writing tip. The writing element has an end protruding from the writing tip. The digitizer pen also includes an extraction tool including a plurality of flexible leaves deployed around a central position. The flexible leaves are spaced such that, when the extraction tool is pressed onto the protruding end of the writing element, the flexible leaves grip the protruding end so as to facilitate extraction of the writing element. The elongated body has a main grip surface. The elongated body includes at least one radial projection located between the ultrasound transducer and the main grip surface.

Abstract: A method of capturing data having the steps of writing on a form with a pen to leave an image on the form, scanning the written image as the written image is being written, and storing the scanned written image in a specific data field. A method of capturing an input, including written information, sounds and images includes the steps of specifying a data field by touching a pen tip to a data-field-specific area on a form; supplying the input; electronically capturing the input and associating the input with the specified data field. An information capturing system, includes a pen, the pen including a writing tip and a position transducer to determine the position of the writing tip relative to a form.

Abstract: An ultrasonic touch panel system comprises a nonpiezoelectric plate, first- and second transducer-units, first- and second detecting-units, and a signal analyzer. The first transducer-unit consists of at least two input interdigital electrodes Txi (i=1, 2, . . . , m), at least two electrode groups Gxi (i=1, 2, . . . , m), first- and second piezoelectric substrates, and at least two uniting terminals Uxj (j=1, 2, . . . , n). When a first input electric signal is applied to two neighbors of the input interdigital electrodes Txi, a first SAW is excited in the first piezoelectric substrate, respectively, and is transmitted to the second piezoelectric substrate along the upper end surface of the nonpiezoelectric plate. The first SAW is transduced to a first output electric signal at the output interdigital electrodes Rxaj and Rxbj.

Abstract: An ultrasonic touch-position sensing device comprises a nonpiezoelectric plate, first- and second transducer-units, and a signal analyzer. When a first input electric signal is applied to two neighbors of the input interdigital electrodes Txi, a first SAW is excited in the first piezoelectric substrate, respectively, and is transmitted to the second piezoelectric substrate along the upper end surface of the nonpiezoelectric plate. The first SAW is transduced to a first output electric signal, respectively, at the output interdigital electrodes Rxaj and Rxbj. If touching a position between one of the input interdigital electrodes Txi and one of the output interdigital electrodes Rxaj on the upper end surface of the nonpiezoelectric plate, a first delayed electric signal appears at one of the uniting terminals Uxj twice without stopping.