GB2379969A

GB2379969A - A pen for producing an image on a remote television and/or computer screen

Info

Publication number: GB2379969A
Application number: GB0212044A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Slocombe; Adrian Ashley
Original assignee: Ragdoll Ltd
Current assignee: Ragdoll Ltd
Priority date: 2001-05-25
Filing date: 2002-05-24
Publication date: 2003-03-26
Also published as: GB0112840D0; GB0212044D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a pen for producing an image on a remote television and/or computer screen, the pen comprising a nib 1, 19 for drawing an image, a first sensor 2, 20 for detecting movement of the nib and converting that movement into graphical data, a first modulator 3 for combining that graphical data with an electromagnetic wave, and a first transmitter 4 for transmitting the modulated electromagnetic wave to a receiver connected to the or each screen. Thus an image drawn by the pen can be transferred to a TV or computer screen without there being any connection between the screen and the pen or the surface on which the image is drawn; this is particularly attractive to children to whom the transfer appears to happen "by magic".

Description

A PEN The invention relates to a pen for producing an image on a remote television and/or computer screen.

Although various devices are known which can transfer an image drawn by a pen to a computer screen, the computer screen is usually always connected to the pen or the surface on which the image is drawn.

It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.

According to the invention there is provided a pen for producing an image on a remote television and/or computer screen, comprising a sensor for detecting movement of the pen and converting that movement into graphical data, and a transmitter, the arrangement being that in use a signal corresponding to the data is transmitted to a receiver connected to the or each screen for producing the image.

Thus an image drawn by the pen can be transferred to a television and/or computer screen without there being any connection between the pen or the surface on which the image is drawn and the television and/or computer screen. This is particularly attractive to children to whom the transfer appears to happen "as if by magic".

The pen may comprise a nib for drawing the image.

The sensor may detect movement of the nib when drawing an image in the air.

The sensor may detect movement of the nib when drawing an image on a surface.

The sensor may detect movement of the nib in three dimensions.

The pen may comprise means for storing the graphical data.

There may be a modulator for combining the graphical data with an electromagnetic wave.

The pen may comprise a tuner to tune the first transmitter to the frequency of any receiver.

The pen may comprise a second sensor to allow the pen to interact with a menu on the screen.

The modulator and transmitter may operate on an UHF frequency suitable for a television receiver.

The first modulator and transmitter may alternatively operate on a RF frequency suitable for a personal computer receiver.

The pen may comprise a second modulator and transmitter which operates at a different frequency than the first modulator and transmitter. The pen can then operate both on a UHF frequency suitable for a television receiver and on an RF frequency suitable for a personal computer receiver.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an interactive

system, comprising a pen as hereinbefore defined and a receiver unit for receiving data therefrom.

Embodiments of the invention are hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a pen according to the invention in a first position; Fig. 2 is a side view of the pen of Fig. 1 in its first position; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pen of Fig. 1 in a second position; Fig. 4 is a side view of the pen of Fig. 1 in its second position; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of part of a second embodiment of a pen according to the invention.

Figs. 6 and 7 show longitudinal sections of a third embodiment of pen in different operative modes; Fig. 8-13 show various views of a receiver unit, for use interactively with a pen of the invention; Figs. 14,15 and 16 show respective block diagrams of electronic hardware configurations of a pen, display unit and an RF unit ; and Fig. 17 shows a schematic view of a further embodiment of pen.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a pen for producing an image on a remote television and/or computer screen, the pen comprising a nib 1,19 for drawing an image, a first sensor 2,20 for detecting movement of the nib and converting that movement into graphical data, a first modulator 3 for combining that graphical data with an electromagnetic wave, and a first transmitter 4 for transmitting the modulated electromagnetic wave to a receiver connected to the or each screen.

The pen shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a tubular body 5 having an end cap 6, 7 at either end, the end caps 6,7 being slidably mounted on the tubular body 5 so that they are moveable from a first position (shown in Figs. 1 and 2), in which the two end caps 6,7 are in contact and totally encase the tubular body 5, to a second position (shown in Figs. 3 and 4), in which the two end caps 6,7 are no longer in contact and the tubular body 5 is exposed.

One end cap 6 includes an aperture 8 at its far extremity which accommodates the nib 1. The nib 1 comprises a roller ball 9 for drawing an image. The other end cap 7 can be rotated when the pen is in its second (expanded) position.

The pen comprises a sensor 2 for detecting movement of the roller ball 9 and converting that movement into graphical data. The sensor 2 is activated by a touch-activated button 10. Alternatively, the sensor 2 may be activated by a two depth nib pressure sensor.

The graphical data from the sensor 2 is stored in an integral micro controller 11. The graphical data may be stored as a ROM application or as an EPROM application. Alternatively, the graphical data may be stored in a memory card.

The micro controller 11 is capable of storing a plurality of images in a plurality of"save slots".

The pen includes a number of LED lights 12 on the non-rotatable end cap 6, each of which represents a save slot, and a pointer 13 on the rotatable end cap 7.

A particular save slot is selected by sliding the two end caps 6,7 apart, and rotating the rotatable end cap 7 until the pointer 13 points at the LED light 12' which represents the desired save slot. Once selected the LED light 12'lights up to show that that particular save slot has been activated.

The sensor 2 is then activated by pressing button 10, and the micro controller 11 saves graphical data from the sensor 2. When the image has been completed, the two end caps 6,7 are slid together again to confirm the saving of the image.

The LED light 12'remains lit to show that that particular slave slot has been used. To begin a new image the two end caps 6,7 are slid apart once again, and a new save slot is selected by rotating the rotatable end cap 7 until the pointer 13 points at an unlit LED light 12'.

Once all the desired images have been saved, the two end caps 6,7 are slid apart once again, and the rotatable end cap 7 is rotated until the pointer 13 points at the lit LED light 12'which represents the desired save slot. The rotatable end cap 7 comprises a manual tuner dial 14, and this is used for tuning the first transmitter 4 to the frequency of a desired television receiver.

Alternatively, the tuner may comprise a thumb wheel or a toggle switch.

Once the first transmitter 4 has been tuned to the frequency of the desired television receiver, the first modulator 3 takes the graphical data stored in the selected save slot and combines it with a UHF electromagnetic wave. The first

transmitter 4 then transmits the modulated electromagnetic wave to the desired television receiver and any other television receiver in the range of the first transmitter 4 which operates at the selected frequency. The graphical data is then demodulated from the electromagnetic wave and converted to an image which appears on the screen of the television.

The pen also comprises a second modulator/transmitter 15 which operates at an RF frequency, and which can be used in a similar manner to the first modulator 3 and transmitter 4 to produce images on a screen of a remote computer comprising an RF receiver. Alternatively, the pen may comprise a modulator/transmitter which operates at an IR frequency, or a USB cable connection.

The pen further comprises a light sensor 16 which allows the pen to interact with a menu on the screen of the television or computer. Thus, the menu may, for example, include options to colour in the image on the screen, and the light sensor 16 may be used to select a particular colour.

The pen further comprises a speaker/microphone combination (not shown) to allow verbal instruction and labelling and an audible response to instructions.

The pen further comprises a battery dock 17 and a power adapter socket 18 to provide power for the pen.

The pen shown in Fig. 5 contains a different nib 19 than the pen shown in Figs.

1 to 4.

The nib 19 comprises directionally allocated rmcroswitches 20 which are

activated by movement of the tip 21 of the nib 19, which is pivotally mounted.

The microswitches 20 activate a vibration sensor 22, which detects the motion and length of time the pen is drawn across a surface 23.

A third embodiment of pen 24 embodying the invention is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. There is a body 25, made of any suitable material such as ABS, polyethylene or polypropylene, which may be semi transparent or opaque, and houses the electronics of the pen. At one end of the main body 25 is a nib 26 in the form of an outer rotatable roller ball, there being bearings such as stainless steel bearings 27 providing points of contact. The roller ball 26 is of any suitable material such as a rubber coated plastic or solid rubber to provide a purchase on or to grip surfaces with a frictional contact, the ball 26 being translucent or transparent to provide for colour illumination from an LED or LEDs of the pen 24.

The main outer ball 26 is in rolling contact with an inner rotatable ball 28, which may be of solid plastic such as nylon and which effectively in use translates rotary motion of the outer ball 26 into readable data using the pen's electronics housed in the main body 25.

At the end of the pen opposite the inner and outer balls 28,26, there is shaft 29 with a ball 30 which is integral with the main body, the shaft 29 being reciprocable into and out of the main body between a"closed"position (Fig. 6) and an"open"position (Fig. 7). There is a means in the form of a magnet 31 to hold the shaft 29 in the closed and open position, which may be provided by "dimple"locators as part of the main body 28. Thus dimples and cups engage in the respective open and closed positions t hold the shaft 29 m the Fig. 6 or Fig. 7 position.

There is also a switch 32 which has a cover 33, preferably of rubber, the switch being to turn the pen 24 on and off, there being batteries such as 3 x AAA batteries in a holder 34 of the main body 25.

The pen 24 is a transmitter or"sender"and interacts with a receiver or display unit 35 which is electrically connected by cables or leads 36 with a television or VCR 37. The display unit 35 receives a cartridge 38 game in a slot 39 and displays it on the screen 10. This is shown in Figs. 8-13, there being an on-off button 41 of the display unit.

Figs. 14,15 and 16 show respectively a block diagram of the electronic hardware configuration of the pen, the display unit and a RF (radio frequency) data pocket transmission unit.

Fig. 17 shows a schematic view of a further embodiment of pen 42, which has a nib or roller ball 43 and a relatively large draw button 44 or means to operate the pen or transmitter, and a reciprocable ball and shaft 45 similar to the shaft 29, 30 of Figs. 6 and 7.

In all the embodiments of the invention shown herein with reference to the drawings, the pen is interactive with the receiver 35, so that images can be displayed on the screen of the television or VCR. Thus a child's play, for example, can be virtually limitless as each pen allows the child to draw (without leaving inky marks) in the air, or on any surface leaving them free to explore their environment at home or m the garden. The pen transmits the"drawings" to the receiver unit which displays the child's drawings, in real-time, on any television screen.

The pen is a tool for exploration and play and because it is a'digital pen'and provides novel capabilities.

Thus, when a child'draws'over a surface, a built-in microphone in the pen picks up the sound of the surface the pen rollerball nib is passing over. This data is sent to the receiver unit which displays the drawn line and the texture of the surface drawn on: the thickness of the lines change in size to represent the texture of different surfaces. The child can even shout or sing at the pen and watch their voice change the size of the on-screen lines as they move the pen around on a surface.

The pen has a feature whereby the ball 30 at the end of the pen can pull out on the shaft to suck the image off the screen and into the pen. This is accompanied by a suitably messy sucking sound that comes from the television (this is similar in action to drawing liquid up with a syringe).

Once the image has been'sucked'into the pen an LED lights up to show it has been stored. This means the child can now send it back on the screen (with say, a'SPLAT'sound) once or multiple times just by pushing the ball 30 back in (similar to squirting liquid from a syringe). These operations happen when the pen is pointed at the television due to a phototransistor in the end of the pen that detects the presence of the television screen.

The receiver unit is a games console that plays cartridge games, there being a range of games which will offer the ability for children to create and animate their own stores.

It will be appreciated that there are a number of other kinds of nib, other than a roller ball, which will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A pen for producing an image on a remote television and/or computer screen, comprising a sensor for detecting movement of the pen and converting that movement into graphical data, and a transmitter, the arrangement being that in use a signal corresponding to the data is transmitted to a receiver connected to the or each screen for producing the image.
2. A pen according to Claim 1, comprising a nib for drawing an image.
3. A pen according to Claim 2, wherein the sensor can detect movement of the nib when drawing an image in the air.
4. A pen according to Claim 1, wherein the sensor can detect movement of the nib when drawing an image on a surface.
5. A pen according to any preceding claim, wherein the first sensor can detect movement of the nib in three dimensions.
6. A pen according to any preceding claim, comprising means for storing the graphical data.
7. A pen according to Claim 6, comprising a modulator for combining the graphical data with an electromagnetic wave.
8. A pen according to any preceding claim, comprising a tuner to tune the transmitter to the frequency of any receiver.

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9. A pen according to any preceding claim, comprising a second sensor to allow the pen to interact with a menu on the screen.
10. A pen according to any of Claims 7 to 9, wherein the modulator and transmitter operate on a UHF frequency suitable for a television receiver.
11. A pen according to any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the modulator and transmitter operate on a RF frequency suitable for a personal computer receiver.
12. A pen according to any of Claims 7 to 11, comprising a second modulator and transmitter which operate at a different frequency than the firstmentioned modulator and transmitter.
13. A pen for producing images on a remote television and/or computer screen, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. An interactive system, comprising a pen according to any preceding claim and a receiver unit for receiving data therefrom.
15. A system according to Claim 14, the receiver unit being adapted for connection with a television or VCR.
16. A system according to Claim 15, connected with a television or VCR.