Handwritten character recording and recognition device

[0001] The invention relates to handwritten character input and recognition devices. More particularly the device provides a means to electronically record handwritten graphics and record and recognize hand written characters.

[0002] There are numerous patents related to this type of device. The distinguishing features lie in the method or methods used to sense the movement of the device to the writing or marking surface. All such devices employ a button, contactor, or force sensor to sense when the apparatus is in contact with the writing surface. The combination of the above data can be used to record the movement and marking of the pen.

[0003] One method attempts to measure forces applied to the pen tip or pen cartridge by using strain gauges, force sensors, piezo-electric devices, or the like (U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,741, U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,397). These forces are used to calculate the movement of the device across the page.

[0004] Another method uses accelerometers or gyroscopes to sense acceleration and deceleration of the pen (U.S. Pat. No. 188,392, U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,137, U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,579).

[0005] An optical technique is used to image a known pattern on the page and use this information to calculate movement of the apparatus in (U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,091).

[0006] Finally there are also approaches that use a combination of the above sensing techniques. These include a combination of force and optical sensing (U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,397) and a combination of acceleration and ultrasonics (U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,579).

[0007] The invention is an electronic recording and computing device that resides within or on a pen shaped object for the purpose of recording and processing handwritten text or graphics. The device includes a marking implement that may be a pencil, ink pen, non-marking tip, chalk, crayon, marker, paint, laser marking tool, or any other instrument used for writing or marking. The device records motion and marking with one or more of each of the following components: image sensor, light source, light detector, force sensor, contactor, microprocessor, volatile and non-volatile memory, analog to digital converter. Movement of the apparatus is sensed and recorded by means of the image sensor and optical navigation software which tracks microscopic and/or macroscopic features of the writing surface. The orientation of the pen to the writing surface is electronically sensed and recorded by casting a plane wave of light on the surface and detecting the amount received back with several light sensors placed in a specific orientation with each other. This information is used to correct optical navigation data that is distorted by the orientation of the pen to the writing surface. Data may be processed by on board application software and/or stored for later retrieval. Data may be transmitted through a docking station or via a wireless technology. The transmitted information may later be used with software for tasks such as optical character recognition, signature authentication, or image reconstruction.

[0008] It is an object of the invention to eliminate the need for expensive and inaccurate accelerometers or gyroscopes, to eliminate unreliable and inaccurate mechanical systems, and to use inexpensive off the shelf electronic components. It is furthermore an object of the present invention to rely primarily on optical methods for sensing movement and orientation of the device to the marking surface because these well developed technologies allow for a high level of accuracy and repeatability.

[0009] FIG. 1. An embodiment of the device including 1 image sensor, 2 fiber optic image pipe, 3 button or force sensor, 4 writing implement cartridge and force sensor actuator, 5 light source and light sensor array, and 6 telecentric lens system.

[0010] FIG. 2. A possible arrangement of light sensors (filled) and light sources (not-filled) used for sensing orientation of the apparatus relative to the marking surface.

[0011] FIG. 3. A plane wave of light may be created with an array of light sources thus providing consistent light intensity across a large area.

[0012] A first embodiment of the device is shown in FIG. 1 and is constructed in accordance with claims of the present invention. A pen shaped enclosure provides a housing for all components of the system such that the apparatus may operate autonomously.

[0013] The embodiment also comprises a marking implement for writing characters or making graphical markings on paper or other surface. The marking implement in this first embodiment is ink. The marking implement resides within a cartridge such that the cartridge may move within the pen so that it may engage a force sensor for detecting when the tip of the device is in contact with the marking surface (FIGS. 1-3)

[0014] This embodiment is also comprised of one or more infrared light emitting diodes arranged in a manner to produce a plane wave of light which is to be incident on the marking surface. (FIGS. 1-5)

[0015] The embodiment is also comprised of three infrared phototransistors for detecting infrared light from said light emitting diodes that has reflected off the marking surface. The phototransistors are arranged in a specific orientation to each other in this embodiment of the device (FIG. 2). The amount of infrared light detected is used to calculate the distance and or angle of inclination of the apparatus to the marking surface. Using data obtained from two light sensors the angle of inclination of the apparatus relative to the writing surface may be calculated in two orthogonal directions.

[0016] The embodiment is also comprised of an imaging system that includes a charged coupled device image sensor, two lenses, and a fiber optic image pipe (FIGS. 1-1,2,6). The two lenses are chosen such that the image obtained by the imaging system provides a telecentric view of the page, this ensures there is little or no distortion in the image. This imaging system is used to rapidly obtain images of macroscopic and/or microscopic features of the marking surface. These images are used in conjunction with optical navigation software capable of comparing these images and mathematically calculating the motion of the apparatus relative to the marking surface.

[0017] The embodiment also consists of a microprocessor, memory, and application software that includes said optical navigation as well as software necessary for processing data obtained from said phototransistors. This information may be stored in memory for later retrieval or transmitted in real time to a personal computer or other computing device.

[0018] The embodiment of the device also includes a display and several buttons so the user may interact with the device and invoke application software or data transmission.

[0019] This embodiment of the device includes electronic hardware and/or software to support the transmission of data via a wired or wireless means.