Pointing device with integrated audio input

A mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) allows a user to enter information using both a touch screen and voice commands with a stylus. The stylus includes a microphone positioned at one end, and a transmitter for transmitting received voice signals to either a personal computer (PC) or the PDA. In one embodiment, a wireless stylus also includes a power supply and an activation control switch. The PC is used to translate the voice signals into translated voice data which is transmitted to the PDA for storage and display. If the user and the PDA are located remotely from the receiving PC, voice signals are stored in the PDA until a later time when the PC can translate the received voice signals. Where the PDA containsa processor to translate received voice signals, the stylus transmits directly to the PDA, and the PDA translates the received voice signals.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to input devices and, in particular, to pointer type input devices used with touch sensitive processing devices.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Advancements in processing power have enabled the design and manufacture of processing devices which deviate from a traditional input device such as a keyboard. For example, hardware and software have been developed which allow a user to control a computer using normal speech. The user is also capable of dictating information to be stored in memory provided with the computer. Presently, however, accurate speech input must be provided to allow the processor to accurately translate the speech into computer readable data. As such, it is desired to locate a microphone close to the user such that background noise is minimized. Present systems, therefore, require that the user wear a headset to position the microphone close to the user's mouth. The processing power required to perform speech recognition, combined with the requirement for high-quality speech input, dictates that a user operate a traditional stationary personal computer.

Mobile personal computing devices, such as lap-top computers and personal digital assistant (PDA) devices, are available with touch screens as input devices. These touch screens allow a user to touch locations on the display screen to indicate desired input. This type of input allows manufacturers to simplify the interface between the user and the processor, while still providing flexibility to adapt to changes in software executed by the processor.

For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a mobile personal computing device which allows a user to enter information using both a touch screen and voice commands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A computer input stylus comprising a housing having a first end and an opposite second end, a microphone located at the second end for receiving voice signals, a transmitter located in the housing for transmitting the voice signals received by the microphone to an external device, and a switch circuit for activating the transmitter.

In another embodiment, a personal digital assistant (PDA) system comprises a mobile personal digital having a touch screen display for producing input signals in response to physical contact, and an input stylus. The stylus comprises a housing having a first end and an opposite second end, a microphone located at the second end for receiving voice signals, a transmitter located in the housing for transmitting the voice signals received by the microphone to the mobile personal digital assistant, and a switch circuit for activating the transmitter.

A method of inputting data to a personal digital assistant (PDA) is described in another embodiment. The method comprises receiving input voice signals with a microphone located in a hand-held stylus, transmitting the input voice signals from the hand-held stylus to the personal digital assistant, and translating the received input voice signals into computer readable data and storing the computer readable data in the personal digital assistant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, but not of limitation, specific embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

Referring toFIG. 1, a personal digital assistant (PDA) having a touch screen is described. The PDA100is designed to be portable and allow a user to store and recall information. The computing device or PDA100includes a touch screen102, keypad inputs104, and optional microphone106. The touch screen102can be controlled using a pointing device, or stylus110. In one embodiment, the stylus110includes a microphone120receiving acoustical voice commands which are used to input data and/or control the PDA100. It will be appreciated that the PDA100is typically used in a manner which positions the PDA100approximately 12 to 18 inches away from a user's mouth. As such, optional microphone106is susceptible to background noise. To reduce the effects of background noise, a microphone is provided in the stylus110as described in greater detail below. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the stylus110can be tethered to the PDA100via a wire109such that the wire109is used for wired communication between stylus110and the PDA100. This wire is optional, such that in another embodiment the stylus communicates via wireless transmissions. In any event, the stylus is in the immediate vicinity of the PDA. The acoustical voice signals (i.e. speech) received by the stylus110are typically translated and displayed on the touch screen102. The translated data is stored in the PDA100such that the user can retrieve the information and view the stored data. The term “personal digital assistant” (PDA) is used herein to define any mobile computing device intended to store and communicate information for use by a user. This information is typically personal in nature, such as addresses, notes, schedules and the like. The PDA100can include lap top computers with a touch screen. The PDA100can also include communication circuitry for bi-directional communication with external devices, such as fax machines, and networked computers. Thus, PDA's are not limited to data storage and display devices.

One embodiment of a pointing stylus is illustrated inFIG. 2. Stylus110includes a first end112having a point, and an opposite, second end114which includes a microphone120. The stylus110is not limited to having a pointed end, and the end can be, but is not limited to, round, flat or bulbous. The stylus110includes a housing122which houses an electronic transmitter circuit. An activation switch124is provided to allow a user to selectively activate the microphone and transmitter circuits. The stylus110is intended to be hand-held and used in a manner similar to a pen. The stylus110, however, is used to selectively contact touch screen102of the PDA to provide input. It will be appreciated that the stylus110allows a user to position the microphone120close to his or her mouth to increase the quality of voice signals, while reducing the effect of background noise.

One embodiment of circuitry provided in stylus110is illustrated in the block diagram ofFIG. 3. The circuitry includes microphone120, a power source130, switch124, and a transmitter circuit132. The transmitter circuit132can be configured to either transmit information to the PDA through a wire, or to transmit voice data via a wireless communications signal. If a wired embodiment is desired, power source130can be located in the PDA to reduce circuitry located in the stylus110. In a wireless embodiment, however, the power source130is preferably a battery stored within the housing of the stylus110. Switch124is used to activate the microphone and transmitter circuits120and132, respectively, to allow voice signals to be transmitted to a receiving personal computer (Refer toFIGS. 4 and 5). As such, the switch124is typically located along the housing of the stylus110such that it is easily activated by a finger of the user. The stylus110can be configured to transmit electronic voice signals only while the switch124is activated. Alternatively, the stylus110can transmit voice signals in response to a single activation of the switch124. In this embodiment, the transmitter132of the stylus110ends the transmission when input voice signals are not detected for a predefined time period. In yet another embodiment, the switch124is used to both activate the transmitter132to start voice signal transmissions, and to deactivate the transmitter132to end transmissions of voice signals.

Referring toFIGS. 4-6, different operational embodiments are described of a voice processing system using the above described stylus110. In a first embodiment, shown inFIG. 4, the stylus110communicates electronic voice signals with a PC200and directly with PDA100via a touch screen. The PC200is a home or a business computer intended for stationary use. The PC200includes a wireless receiver for receiving wireless transmissions from the stylus110. Voice signals received by the PC200are translated into computer recognizable or readable data. While the voice signals received by the PC200can be used by the PC200to perform more processing or other operations, it is intended, in an embodiment of the present system, that the PC200transmits translated voice information to the PDA100via wireless communication. As such, a user operating the PDA100activates touch screen102using stylus110and speaks into the microphone120. The voice signals are transmitted from the stylus110to PC200where the voice signals are translated into data. The data is then transmitted from the PC200to the PDA110. It will be appreciated that the physical distance between the user and the PC200is limited by the transmission power of the stylus transmitter132, the PDA100and the PC200. This embodiment allows mobility of the user while maintaining the processing power of the PC200for voice recognition.

In another embodiment shown inFIG. 5, stylus110transmits voice data to PDA100. The PDA transmits the received voice data to PC200. The PC200then translates the received voice signals into data, and it transmits the translated data back to the PDA100. This embodiment allows for a more powerful transmitter to be used between the PC200and the PDA100, than may be available with transmitter132(Refer toFIG. 3). In either of the first two embodiments, when the PDA100is located geographically away from the PC200such that communication between them is not possible, the PDA100receives voice data from the stylus110and records the voice data for future translation. When the PDA100returns to a location where communication with the PC200is possible, the recorded voice data is transmitted to the PC200for translation, and the translated data is transmitted back to the PDA100. This option allows a user to voice commands regardless of location relative to the PC200. If the user retrieves the voice signals prior to translation, the PDA100will play the stored signals instead of displaying translated data on the screen.

FIG. 6illustrates an embodiment where the stylus110communicates with the PDA100, and the PDA100performs the speech recognition operations. This embodiment allows the stylus110to communicate, in either a wireless or wired manner, with the PDA100.

A mobile PDA has been described which allows a user to enter information using both a touch screen and voice commands. A stylus has been described which includes a microphone positioned at one end, and a transmitter for transmitting received voice signals to either a PC or the PDA. The wireless stylus also includes a power supply and an activation control switch. The PC can be used to translate the voice signals into computer recognizable data which is transmitted to the PDA for storage and display. If the user and the PDA are located remotely from the receiving PC, voice signals are stored in the PDA until a later time when the PC can translate the received voice signals. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments of the present invention. For example, the PDA may contain a processor and software sufficient to translate received voice signals such that the PC200is not necessary. As such, the stylus transmits directly to the PDA, and the PDA translates received voice signals.