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WO1992016889A1 - Surfaces d'ecriture et ordinateurs sans clavier - Google Patents

Surfaces d'ecriture et ordinateurs sans clavier Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1992016889A1
WO1992016889A1 PCT/GB1992/000460 GB9200460W WO9216889A1 WO 1992016889 A1 WO1992016889 A1 WO 1992016889A1 GB 9200460 W GB9200460 W GB 9200460W WO 9216889 A1 WO9216889 A1 WO 9216889A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
film
writing surface
keyboardless
grid
stylus
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/GB1992/000460
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Stephen Randall
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Eden Group Ltd
Original Assignee
Eden Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eden Group Ltd filed Critical Eden Group Ltd
Publication of WO1992016889A1 publication Critical patent/WO1992016889A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
    • G06F3/0412—Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements

Definitions

  • This invention relates to writing surfaces, and in particular to writing surfaces suitable for keyboardless computers.
  • this invention relates to keyboardless computers utilising such writing surfaces.
  • 'keyboardless computer' refers to a computer in which the user can communicate with the computer without a keyboard, using, for example, a stylus and digitising tablet.
  • graphical information such as handwriting
  • a stylus co-operating with a digitising pad or mat that itself overlies, underlies or is integral with a display screen, commonly a LCD type screen. What is displayed on the screen when the stylus is moved over it therefore corresponds to what would be displayed if the stylus were a pen and the screen paper.
  • a typical example of such a keyboardless computer is the Sony Palmtop (Trade Marks) notebook computer.
  • the term 'keyboardless computer' will be appreciated to include within its ambit devices known in the art as 'pen computers'.
  • the term also refers to a touch screen computer, i.e one in which pointing to and selecting objects that are displayed on a screen, actions commonly hitherto achieved using a mouse or trackball, can be achieved by touching a stylus or finger to the portion of the screen overlying the object to be selected.
  • the term 'writing surface' refers to the surface of the screen of a keyboardless computer to which the stylus or finger is applied when inputting, for example, graphical information. It is the surface on which a stylus in such a system might be said to write.
  • keyboardless computers have a glass top plate overlying a LCD screen. This is desirable for a variety of reasons. For example, it distributes a localised force, such as that from a stylus being pressed onto the writing surface, and can thereby reduce the interference rings or disfunctioning that would otherwise result from altering the LCD internal plate separation.
  • top plate introduces an extra thickness of glass between the writing surface, i.e. the top of the glass plate, and the perceived location of the image, which is within the LCD itself. It will be appreciated that there is a need to toughen the glass top plate, for example by chemically treating it and forming it relatively thickly, so that it is less likely to shatter or break. Noticeable parallax problems may result, however. Overall, the impression of the stylus and screen being like pen and paper is weakened and the familiarity and user friendliness of the device reduced. A further disadvantage of having a top plate is that if it breaks then shards of glass can easily cut the user's hands.
  • keyboardless computers may be regarded as particularly inadequate in this respect.
  • the perceived 'feel' is much smoother and harder than that of pressing a pen or pencil on paper. Consequently, this again detracts from the aim of getting as paper-like an interface as possible.
  • the stylus has to have a brass tip end to provide good electrical contact with an electrically conductive writing surface such as indium tin oxide. The 'feel' of this stylus is particularly unsatisfactory.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a writing surface for a keyboardless computer that does not suffer some or all of the above defects.
  • a writing surface for a keyboardless computer comprises a substantially translucent plastics film laminated onto an underlying structure.
  • This surface is much less likely to crack or shatter than an untreated glass top plate and is therefore far safer. Consequently, the underlying structure can be made thinner than it would be if it were untreated material, typically glass in the present generation of devices, thus reducing the problems associated with thick prior art glass writing surfaces. Further, if the underlying sheet does shatter, the plastics film will retain the shattered material in place, preventing shards of material from cutting the user's hands.
  • the tactile feel is greatly improved as compared to plain glass.
  • the plastics film is a low gloss film.
  • a high gloss film is one that has a high ' specular reflectivity as compared to diffuse reflectivity. This is due to the surface of a high gloss film being flatter than a low gloss film; because it is flatter, image degradation is less with a high gloss film than a low gloss one.
  • the writing surface is spaced from an underlying display to optimise the perceived smoothness of any displayed image. This is desirable since the perceived-smoothness of the image, i.e.
  • the plastics film is one that can take ink.
  • An inkable film is particularly useful as it allows an area of the writing surface to be marked up with, for example a function key, whereby touching that area of the writing surface with the stylus would initiate that function. In this way, both commonly used functions can be assigned specific key areas on the writing surface and the surface marked up accordingly, or the user can customise the writing surface to his own requirements by marking the surface with only those functions that would be commonly required by him and programming the computer appropriately.
  • the plastics film is a polycarbonate film.
  • Polycarbonate is a particularly appropriate since polycarbonate films may have a number of physical properties that make them suitable for use in a writing surface, e.g high tensile and tear strength, high light transmissivity, good chemical and abrasion resistance. Additionally, polycarbonates can be readily bondable to various materials, including glass where glass is the desired choice of material for the underlying structure, as it will be in the present generation of writing surfaces.
  • the bonding agent is a free flowing adhesive coated onto both sides of a laminar carrier.
  • the polycarbonate is Lexan Martec (Regd. Trade Marks) HP Graphic film from GE Plastics. This is an especially suitable choice since it satisfies most of the before mentioned desirable qualities of a polycarbonate.
  • Lexan Martec film such as Martec HP12S is desirable where a low gloss film is needed.
  • the underlying structure will be a thin glass sheet overlying a display such as a LCD, with a digitiser provided under the LCD.
  • the underlying structure may instead be the upper plate of the LCD.
  • This embodiment not only provides the desired tactility, but also minimises the distance between the writing surface and the perceived location of the LCD image, thus reducing parallax errors and providing a more paper-like interface than prior art approaches.
  • the digitiser may again be placed underneath the LCD.
  • it may however be necessary to provide for the upper plate of the LCD to be strengthened or otherwise modified to reduce the likelihood of the LCD plate separation altering when pressure is applied to it and leading to image distortion.
  • the underlying structure comprises the top plate of the LCD but there is a digitiser positioned between the plastics film and the underlying structure.
  • the digitiser may then comprise a grid of translucent electrically conductive pathways defining one co-ordinate axis, overlaid by a further such grid defining a mutually orthogonal axis, there being a translucent, electrically insulating layer separating the two grids.
  • at least one of these grid may be formed on a surface of the plastics film. This is desirable since it lowers production costs.
  • the digitiser suffers much lower noise levels since it is further from the CPU.
  • keyboardless computer comprising a writing surface in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic cross section through the writing surface together with the underlying LCD screen and digitiser for a typical prior art keyboardless computer
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section through a writing surface in accordance with the present invention, together with the underlying LCD screen and digitiser in which the digitiser is positioned above the LCD;
  • Figure 3 shows a schematic cross section through a writing surface in accordance with the present invention, together with the underlying LCD screen and digitiser in which the digitiser is positioned below the LCD.
  • Figure 4 shows a schematic cross section through a writing surface in accordance with the present invention, together with the underlying LCD screen and digitiser in which the digitiser is positioned between the polycarbonate film and the LCD.
  • FIG. 5 shows a keyboardless computer in accordance with the present invention, incorporating a digitiser below the LCD.
  • a LCD is shown with lower glass plate 1 separated from an upper glass plate 3 by liquid crystal material 2.
  • a digitising network 4 is shown overlying a glass plate 5.
  • the digitising network 4 comprises an electrically conductive film formed from Indium Tin Oxide (ITO).
  • ITO Indium Tin Oxide
  • a glass plate 5 overlies the LCD upper plate 3 and provides the required degree of protection for the underlying structures.
  • the upper surface of the glass plate 5 is sputter coated with a thin layer 4 of ITO and therefore constitutes a writing surface.
  • a stylus (not shown) that co-operates with the ITO layer, allowing an indication of the contact position to be provided.
  • the tactile quality of the glass writing surface as felt when using a stylus in no way approximates to that of paper.
  • the stylus has to be provided with a brass tip to ensure adequate electrical contact.
  • the feel of the brass tipped stylus on ITO coated glass is not at all like a pen or pencil on paper and is therefore not that satisfactory. Further, the stylus may not be that easily controlled as it may slip over the writing surface.
  • the conventional solution is to texture the glass, for instance by acid etching it, but this has the severe drawback of being both expensive and leading to excessively degrading the sharpness of the screen image.
  • a LCD comprising a lower glass plate 1 and an upper glass plate 3 with liquid crystal material 2 between the two plates.
  • a digitising network 4 is incorporated into the upper glass plate 3.
  • Lexan Martec (Regd. Trade Marks), manufactured by GE Plastics
  • This bonding is achieved using a water soluble, optically clear, free flowing adhesive coating each surface of a laminar modified acrylic sheet approximately 12 microns thick.
  • the method of applying such a carrier backed adhesive is well known in the laminating arts and will not be further described here.
  • a carrier backed with free flowing adhesive has been found necessary since the film 6 can move very slightly with respect to the glass plate 3 at temperature extremes; the carrier allows for independent movement of the film 6 from the plate 3, obviating the problems with bubbling that otherwise would result.
  • the resulting laminate provides an exposed upper surface that has particularly appropriate tactile qualities, i.e it is pleasing to run a stylus over it, in particular a stylus with a nylon tip. Further, it has a number of physical properties that make it suitable for use in a writing surface, e.g high tensile and tear strength, high light transmissivity, good chemical and abrasion resistance. Lexan Martec HP12S is the preferred choice of polycarbonate film as it has relatively low gloss levels.
  • a LCD comprising a lower glass plate 1 and an upper glass plate 3 with liquid crystal material 2 between the two plates.
  • a thin glass plate 5 overlies the upper glass plate 3.
  • the digitising network 4 is in this embodiment positioned below the lower glass plate
  • the Lexan Martec HP12S polycarbonate graphic film 6 is laminated to the upper surface of the thin glass plate 5 to form the writing surface as described above.
  • the thin glass plate 5 should have a thickness of about lmm with this choice of film. This combination is both safe and provides an excellent screen image. Further details of this embodiment arc found in Figure 5.
  • the thin glass plate 5 is chemically treated to strengthen it using conventional techniques. Typically, strengthening treatment for only 2 hours is needed in this embodiment, whereas 4 hours of treatment is more commonly required. The requirement for a shorter time is possible because of the presence of the plastics film.
  • a LCD comprising a lower glass plate 1 and an upper glass plate 3 with liquid crystal material 2 between the two plates.
  • the digitising network 4 is in this embodiment positioned above the upper glass plate 1 but below the Lexan Martec polycarbonate graphic film 6.
  • the digitising network is formed by sputtering an electrically conductive but optically transparent grid of Indium'Tin Oxide (ITO) onto the lower surface of the polycarbonate film 6.
  • ITO Indium'Tin Oxide
  • This grid defines one of the co-ordinate axes against which the position of the stylus held by the user will be measured.
  • ITO Indium'Tin Oxide
  • the grid is separated from a further grid, defining a mutually orthogonal axis,by a thin layer of translucent Mylar. On the lower surface of the Mylar is sputtered the second ITO grid.
  • the input means for the computer comprises an electromagnetic induction digitising mat or tablet 20 underlying the display 30, together with an electromagnetic stylus 40.
  • the digitising mat 20 comprises an electrically conducting grid with conductors running parallel to an X-axis, overlaying a similar grid with conductors running parallel to a Y-axis.
  • the stylus 40 comprises an energisable coil which can be excited with alternating current. The amplitude of the voltages induced in the conductive grids provide an indication of the position of the stylus relative to the Cartesian co-ordinate system defined by the X and
  • the stylus 40 is touching the Lexan Martec HP12S graphic film 6 laminated onto the upper surface of the upper glass plate of the LCD 30. Electrical signals indicative of the position (X Y Co-ordinates) at which it contacts the writing surface are supplied to an A to D converter 11 feeding a data path or system bus 15.
  • a CPU 12 is connected for bi-directional data flow to the bus 15, as is a RAM 17.
  • a ROM 18 is also connected to bus 15, being programmed with the operating system for the apparatus, including various telecommunications procedures.
  • CPU 12 provides all control signals via bus 15.
  • RAM 17 stores the user input RAM 17 may be an EEPROM or magnetic bubble memory.
  • CPU 12 may be a microprocessor such as the 80286 manufactured by Intel Corporation.
  • a data modem 19 connected to bus 15 for sending and receiving serial data information.
  • a display driver 14 is connected to bus 15 and drives the display 20.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Position Input By Displaying (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)

Abstract

Les ordinateurs sans clavier comprennent généralement un stylet qu'on utilise en le mettant en contact avec une plaque de verre constituant la surface d'écriture. Les qualités tactiles de ce dispositif ne sont pas bonnes. L'invention décrit un procédé de revêtment de la couche de verre avec une pellicule de plastique, telle qu'une pellicule de polycarbonate, afin d'améliorer la qualité tactile et résoudre d'autres inconvénients associés à l'état actuel de la technique.
PCT/GB1992/000460 1991-03-15 1992-03-16 Surfaces d'ecriture et ordinateurs sans clavier Ceased WO1992016889A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB919105518A GB9105518D0 (en) 1991-03-15 1991-03-15 Writing surfaces and keyboardless computers
GB9105518.6 1991-03-15

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1992016889A1 true WO1992016889A1 (fr) 1992-10-01

Family

ID=10691635

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1992/000460 Ceased WO1992016889A1 (fr) 1991-03-15 1992-03-16 Surfaces d'ecriture et ordinateurs sans clavier

Country Status (3)

Country Link
KR (1) KR940011654B1 (fr)
GB (1) GB9105518D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1992016889A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2774845A1 (fr) * 1998-02-06 1999-08-13 Motorola Inc Ecran tactile feuillete double face pour utilisation dans un dispositif de communication sans fil
US6285417B1 (en) 1997-10-31 2001-09-04 Lg.Philips Lcd Co., Ltd. Position sensing liquid crystal display and method for fabricating the same
WO2007089270A1 (fr) * 2006-02-03 2007-08-09 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Ensembles de cache de fenetre d'affichage et dispositifs electroniques et procedes les utilisant
WO2009025842A1 (fr) * 2007-08-22 2009-02-26 Apple Inc. Fenêtre d'affichage stratifiée et dispositif incorporant celles-ci

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4250495A (en) * 1979-11-16 1981-02-10 The Singer Company Touch sensitive control panel and a method of manufacture thereof
CH661990A5 (en) * 1984-09-26 1987-08-31 Rdi Limited Partnership Assembly formed by a transparent keyboard of the touch-sensitive actuation type, and by a liquid crystal display cell arranged under the keyboard

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4250495A (en) * 1979-11-16 1981-02-10 The Singer Company Touch sensitive control panel and a method of manufacture thereof
CH661990A5 (en) * 1984-09-26 1987-08-31 Rdi Limited Partnership Assembly formed by a transparent keyboard of the touch-sensitive actuation type, and by a liquid crystal display cell arranged under the keyboard

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6285417B1 (en) 1997-10-31 2001-09-04 Lg.Philips Lcd Co., Ltd. Position sensing liquid crystal display and method for fabricating the same
US6388729B2 (en) 1997-10-31 2002-05-14 Lg. Philips Lcd Co., Ltd. Position sensing liquid crystal display and method for fabricating the same
FR2774845A1 (fr) * 1998-02-06 1999-08-13 Motorola Inc Ecran tactile feuillete double face pour utilisation dans un dispositif de communication sans fil
WO2007089270A1 (fr) * 2006-02-03 2007-08-09 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Ensembles de cache de fenetre d'affichage et dispositifs electroniques et procedes les utilisant
US7463734B2 (en) 2006-02-03 2008-12-09 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Display window cover assemblies and electronic devices and methods using the same
EP2172332A1 (fr) * 2006-02-03 2010-04-07 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Ensembles de cache de fênetre d'affichage et dispositifs électroniques et procédés les utilisant
WO2009025842A1 (fr) * 2007-08-22 2009-02-26 Apple Inc. Fenêtre d'affichage stratifiée et dispositif incorporant celles-ci
US7966785B2 (en) 2007-08-22 2011-06-28 Apple Inc. Laminated display window and device incorporating same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9105518D0 (en) 1991-05-01
KR920018565A (ko) 1992-10-22
KR940011654B1 (ko) 1994-12-23

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