Abstract:
An electronic handwriting processing method, used to process handwriting written on a writing medium with temperature-dependent color ink, including following steps: provide a temperature varying element; apply said temperature varying element, so that it reaches temperature to make said temperature-dependent color ink to change from a first color to a second color; and contact said handwriting with said temperature varying element, to change its color from said first color to said second color, wherein, one of said first color and said second color is visible, while the other is transparent. An electronic handwriting processing device is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electronic handwriting processing device and method thereof, and in particular to a processing device and method for erasing/recovering handwriting formed by temperature-dependent color ink. 
         [0003]    2. The Prior Arts 
         [0004]    Presently, the electronic rubber eraser is realized through using rotation and vibration of motor, to bring the rubber eraser into actions of erasing, yet it can only be used to erase handwriting of pencil. In this respect, Pilot Company developed a handwriting erasable ball pen utilizing a special ink, that is quite popular among users and is widely used. This type of special pen is attached with a rubber eraser. In operation, heat is generated through friction of the rubber eraser and the surface of paper, so that when heat thus generated exceeds a certain temperature, the color of the ink will change. However, the action and movement of the eraser will adversely affect the surface appearance of the paper, leaving wrinkles. Moreover, in case the quality of the paper is not good enough, then the ink will get into fiber of the paper, to result in un-ideal erasing effect. In addition, after being erased with rubber eraser, the ink is difficult to recover. 
         [0005]    Therefore, presently the design and utilization of handwriting rubber eraser is not quite satisfactory, and it has much room for improvement. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In view of the problems and drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides an electronic handwriting processing device and method thereof, to effectively overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. 
         [0007]    A major objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic handwriting processing device and method thereof. In the present invention, a temperature-dependent color ink is utilized, so that when its temperature exceeds a certain level (for example, over 70° C.), the ink becomes transparent. In contrast, when its temperature drops below a certain level (for example, below −10° C.), the ink will restore its original color. The electronic handwriting processing method utilizes a temperature varying element to replace the conventional method of generating heat through friction, such that the temperature varying element is made to contact the handwriting to change its color. In this way, not only the handwriting can be heated to become transparent, but the transparent handwriting can also be cooled by a cooling element to restore its original color. 
         [0008]    In addition, the present invention provides an electronic handwriting processing device, including: a temperature varying element, a power supply, a power control device; a contact element; a function display element; and an illumination device. Wherein, the temperature varying element can be a resistor heater or a Peltier cooler, or both can be provided, such that the temperature varying element can be pushed or pressed to achieve switching to heating or cooling. A temperature sensing element can be optionally provided to the temperature varying element. The power control device includes a control circuit, that supplies power to the temperature varying element based on the condition of the temperature sensing element. The illumination device is used to emit ultraviolet light to show the handwriting to be recovered. As such, through utilizing electronic handwriting processing device and method thereof, it can not only replace the conventional friction type handwriting eraser, but it can also add the function of handwriting recovery. 
         [0009]    Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed descriptions given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed descriptions and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed descriptions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The related drawings in connection with the detailed descriptions of the present invention to be made later are described briefly as follows, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of operating an electronic handwriting processing method to erase or recover handwriting according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an electronic handwriting processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an electronic handwriting processing device according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an electronic handwriting processing device according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an electronic handwriting processing device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0016]    The purpose, construction, features, functions and advantages of the present invention can be appreciated and understood more thoroughly through the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings. 
         [0017]    The present invention provides an electronic handwriting processing method. Refer to  FIG. 1  for a schematic diagram of operating an electronic handwriting processing method to erase or recover handwriting according to the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , it is used to handle the handwriting  51  formed on a writing medium  5  utilizing a temperature-dependent color ink, comprising the following steps. Firstly, providing a temperature varying element  12 , that is installed on an electronic handwriting processing device  1 . The temperature varying element  12  may change its temperature through operation of user (for example, by means of a switch  141 ), so that the temperature-dependent color ink on the handwriting  51  may change from visible color to transparent, or it may change from transparent to visible color. In this approach, through making the temperature varying element  12  to contact the writing medium  5 , the objective of erasing/restoring handwriting is successfully achieved. 
         [0018]    Then, refer to  FIG. 2  for a block diagram of an electronic handwriting processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the electronic handwriting processing device  1  includes: a power supply  11 , a temperature varying device  12 , and a power control device  14 . The power supply  11  is a battery or other power supplies. The power control device  14  is provided with a switch  141 , to control the power supplied to the temperature varying element  12 . The temperature varying element  12  is connected to the power supply  11 , and it uses the power supplied by the power supply  11  to change its temperature. Also, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the temperature varying element  12  is used to contact a handwriting  51 , to change color of the handwriting to another color. In case the temperature varying element  12  is a heating element, such as a resistor type heating element, thus it can be heated through the power provided by the power supply  11 , so that the surface temperature of the temperature varying element  12  can make the handwriting to turn from visible color to transparent, to eliminate the color of handwriting, in achieving electronic erasing. 
         [0019]    The temperature-dependent color ink provided by the supplier such as Pilot Company will turn to transparent when its temperature is higher than a certain temperature (for example 70° C.), and it will restore to its original color when its temperature is lower than a certain temperature (for example −10° C.). Through using this characteristic, the temperature varying element  12  can be a cooling element, to turn handwriting of the ink from transparent into the original color through the cooling effect of the temperature varying element  12 . The cooling element can be a Peltier cooler, that includes a heat dissipation plate or a fan. Presently, the size of the Peltier cooler can be reduced to a few square mm (mm 2 ), such that when 0.7 A current is supplied, it can create a temperature difference of more than 40° C., in achieving function of restoring original color of handwriting. 
         [0020]    In the above-mentioned description, since the handwriting will become transparent after being heated, such that it is difficult to find its location. Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 3 , an optional illumination device  13  is provided to the electronic handwriting processing device  1 , to supply the light source, so that the transparent handwriting may show visible color after being exposed to the light, to show the location of the handwriting. Usually, light-emitting-diode (LED) emitting ultraviolet light of wavelength less than 380 nm is used to show the trace of the ink, and is helpful to restore the handwriting. 
         [0021]    The temperature varying element  12  can be a heating element or a cooling element. However, for convenience of operation, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a temperature varying element  12  may include both a heating element  12   a  and a cooling element  12   b . A function switching element  16  is disposed between the temperature varying element  12  and a power supply  11 , to switch between functions of heating and cooling. The function switching element  16  can be a three-state switch (open/forward connection/reverse connection), or a capacitive or optical contact sensing element, to control the temperature varying element  12  to switch among functions of shut-down, heating, and cooling. 
         [0022]    Then, refer to  FIGS. 4 and 5  respectively, for a block diagram of an electronic handwriting processing device according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and a block diagram of an electronic handwriting processing device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in order to control the temperature of the temperature varying element  12  more accurately, the electronic handwriting processing device  1  can be optionally provided with a temperature sensing element  15 , located on the temperature varying element  12 , to sense its temperature. To match the disposition of the temperature sensing element  15 , the power control device  14  can be provided with a control circuit  142 , connected to the temperature sensing element  15  and the power supply  11 . In addition, the function switching element  16  connected to the control circuit can be the switch  141  mentioned above, or a capacitive or optical contact sensing element. In this arrangement, the control circuit  142  is able to control the power supplied from the power supply  11  to the temperature varying element  12  based on the conditions of the function switching element  16  and the temperature sensing element  15 , in controlling the temperature varying element  12 . In order to show the switched function state, a function display element  18  is connected to the control circuit  142 . In case the control circuit  142  is not provided as shown in  FIG. 3 , the function display element  18  can be connected onto the function switching element  16 . The function display element  18  can be formed by a plurality of LEDs or other elements to indicate shut-down, heating, and cooling conditions. 
         [0023]    Finally, refer to  FIGS. 3 and 5 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a contact element  17  can be provided on the temperature varying element  12 , to provide a better contact interface between the temperature varying element  12  and the writing medium  5  of handwriting  51  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The contact element  17  is made of material of good heat conduction, that is both heat resistant/cold resistant, to facilitate heat exchange between the temperature varying element  12  and the surface of the writing medium  5 . The temperature sensing element  15  can be placed directly on the temperature varying element  12 ; moreover, it can also be placed on the contact element  17  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0024]    Summing up the above, the present invention provides a temperature varying element to contact the handwriting written with temperature-dependent color ink, to erase or recover handwriting. In this approach, the conventional friction type eraser can be replaced, and the handwriting can be recovered, such that its function, effectiveness, and operation efficiency are raised. 
         [0025]    The above detailed description of the preferred embodiment is intended to describe more clearly the characteristics and spirit of the present invention. However, the preferred embodiments disclosed above are not intended to be any restrictions to the scope of the present invention. Conversely, its purpose is to include the various changes and equivalent arrangements which are within the scope of the appended claims.