Abstract:
An electronic pen for recording motion data relating to use of the pen. It includes a pen body and a ball mounted in the pen body. A sensor in the pen body, located proximate the ball, detects motion of the ball and converts the motion into corresponding electronic signals. A memory in the pen body, electronically coupled to the sensor, receives the electronic signals and stores corresponding data related to the motion. Use of a high-density memory, such as an atomic resolution storage memory, permits recording sufficient data for the motion within a memory module small enough to fit within the pen body.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electronic pen for recording motion data. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electronic pens are known in the art and typically include a pen with a corresponding tablet or a pen with a tether cable connecting it to a computer or computing device. A user may put paper or another medium on the tablet and the motion of the pen as the user writes on the paper is detected by the tablet. The tablet electronically stores the motion data. These types of systems, however, require use of a specialized tablet for detecting motion of the pen or a tether connecting the pen to a computer or computing device. Also, the pens alone typically have limited memory capability and are thus dependent upon the specialized tablet or the tethered computer for the memory needed to capture motion data desired. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved electronic pen. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An electronic pen consistent with the present invention records motion data relating to use of the pen. It includes a pen body and a ball mounted in the pen body. A sensor in the pen body, located proximate the ball, detects motion of the ball and converts the motion into corresponding electronic signals. A memory in the pen body, electronically coupled to the sensor, receives the electronic signals and stores corresponding data related to the motion. 
     A method consistent with the present invention records motion data relating to use and motion of an electronic pen. The method includes detecting motion of a ball in the pen using a sensor and converting the motion into corresponding electronic signals. The electronic signals are received and used to store in a memory corresponding data related to the motion of the pen. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification and, together with the description, explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an electronic pen consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of position sensors for detecting motion of the electronic pen; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of an exemplary computer for connection with an electronic pen for downloading motion data; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of a method for recording data using an electronic pen; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart for downloading data from an electronic pen. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of an exemplary electronic pen  10  consistent with the present invention. Electronic pen  10  includes a pen body  12  with a cap  16 . Cap  16  is typically removable such as through threading in order to access the interior of pen body  12 . Pen body  12  contains a conventional ink cartridge  18  for applying ink to a ball point  20 . Electronic pen  10  thus may function as a typical ink ball point pen. In addition, electronic pen  10  includes circuitry for detecting motion of ball point  20  and recording data representing that motion. A processor  22  is connected with a sensor  24 , which detects motion of ball point  20  and transmits corresponding electronic signals to processor  22 . Based upon the electronic signals, processor  22  records corresponding motion data in a memory  32 . A power supply  34 , such as batteries, provide power to memory  32 , processor  22 , and sensor  24 . By using certain types of memories to implement memory  32 , such as an atomic resolution storage (ARS) memory, a substantial amount of data can be recorded on a memory small enough to fit within pen body  12 . ARS memories are known in the art, and the term “atomic resolution storage” includes ARS memories or other memories of similar capacity. 
     A port  26  permits data to be transferred from processor  22  to an external computer  14 . Processor  22  may also include an associated switch  28  on the pen body for turning on processor  22  and the associated circuitry. A reset switch  30  on the pen body or incorporated into the ball point assembly and sensor can permit a user to effectively start recording data at a default location, as further explained below. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram of exemplary circuitry for detecting motion of ball point  20 . Dashed line  40  represents pen body  12  shown in cross-section. Sensor  24  may be implemented with an X-position sensor  42  and a Y-position sensor  44  located within the pen body proximate ball point  20 . X-position sensor  42  detects motion of ball point in a first direction as indicated by arrows  48  and Y-position sensor  44  detects motion of ball point  20  in an orthogonal direction as shown by arrows  46 . Ball point  20  may include magnetized lines in orthogonal directions as shown by lines  50  and  52  for detection by X-position sensor  42  and Y-position sensor  44 . The sensors may be sampled at a particular rate and the corresponding electronic signals recorded by processor  22 . The ball motion can also be sensed by other types of marks on the rotating ball, such as physical grooves (detected by a sensor sensitive to grooves) or markings on the ball showing infrared contrast to a sensor based on infrared reflectivity or transmission. One skilled in the art will recognize that the use of light energy in wavelengths other than infrared could be used for the ball motion sensing. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram of exemplary computer  14  for receiving downloaded position data from processor  22 . Computer  14  can include a connection with a network  74  such as the Internet. Computer  14  typically includes a memory  60 , a secondary storage device  68 , a processor  70 , an input device  72 , a display device  66 , and an output device  64 . 
     Memory  60  may include random access memory (RAM) or similar types of memory, and it may store one or more applications  62  for execution by processor  70 . Applications  62  may correspond with software modules to perform processing for the functions described below. Secondary storage device  68  may include a hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, CD-ROM drive, or other types of non-volatile data storage. Processor  70  may execute applications or programs stored in memory  60  or secondary storage  68 , or received from the Internet or other network  74 . Input device  72  may include any device for entering information into computer  14 , such as a keyboard, key pad, cursor-control device, touch-screen (possibly with a stylus), or microphone. Display device  66  may include any type of device for presenting visual information such as, for example, a computer monitor, flat-screen display, or display panel. Output device  64  may include any type of device for presenting a hard copy of information, such as a printer, and other types of output devices include speakers or any device for providing information in audio form. Computer  14  can possibly include multiple input devices, output devices, and display devices. 
     Although computer  14  is depicted with various components, one skilled in the art will appreciate that this computer can contain additional or different components. In addition, although aspects of an implementation consistent with the present invention are described as being stored in memory, one skilled in the art will appreciate that these aspects can also be stored on or read from other types of computer program products or computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, including hard disks, floppy disks, or CD-ROM; a carrier wave from the Internet or other network; or other forms of RAM or ROM. The computer-readable media may include instructions for controlling computer  14  to perform a particular method. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart of a method  80  for recording data using electronic pen  10 . Method  80  may be implemented in software modules stored within memory  32  and executed by processor  22 . In method  80 , processor  22  starts a new entry  32  upon power up (step  82 ). The new entry may also be time and data stamped using an internal clock with processor  22  (step  84 ). As the user writes with electronic pen  10 , processor  22  samples sensor  24  and starts a timer (step  86 ). Processor  22  sends the sample data to memory  32  to be stored as data points, and it determines if it detects a reset as entered through a reset button  30  (step  90 ) or by pressure detected in the rolling ball point. If it detects a reset, method  80  then returns to step  82  in order to start another new entry in memory. Otherwise, processor  22  determines if it detects a time-out (step  92 ), which indicates another time to sample the sensor. If so, it returns to step  86  to sample the sensor and record additional position data. If processor  22  does not detect a time-out, it continues to wait for a time-out unless power is turned off (step  94 ). The sampling typically occurs at a rate to provide sufficient motion data to reconstruct the motion of the pen, such as several times per second. Certain implementations can use, for example, a variable sampling rate which would sample at a higher rate for fast ball motion, and at a lower rate for slow ball motion. These implementations provide the advantage that the ball motion is recorded and stored onboard the pen itself. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart of a method  100  for downloading data from electronic pen  10  into computer  14 . Method  100  may be implemented in software modules stored in memory  60  and executed by processor  70 . In method  100 , computer  14  retrieves data from memory  32  in electronic pen  10  and stores the data in a file (step  102 ). Computer  14  then generates a visual representation of the data (step  104 ). In particular, computer  14  generates a start position, which for example may constitute a position at a particular location on the default page (step  106 ). Computer  14  retrieves a motion data point from the file (step  108 ), and it reconstructs line segments from the position data for display (step  110 ). The line segments can be stored in memory (step  112 ). By repeatedly retrieving data points, computer  14  may extrapolate them to generate lines as written by a user. Various algorithms can be used to create smooth lines from the line segments; for example, data extrapolation techniques and algorithms are known in the art for creating lines from data points. 
     Computer  14  determines if it detects a reset indication in the file, which would have been generated through reset switch  30  (step  114 ). It detects a reset, computer  14  generates a new start position and returns to step  106 . Otherwise, computer  14  determines if it detects an end of the file indicating the end of the motion data (step  116 ); if it is not at the end of the file, computer  14  returns to step  108  to retrieve and extrapolate additional data points. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood that many modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations thereof. For example, different pen configurations and software processing may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. This invention should be limited only by the claims and equivalents thereof.