Wireless Handwriting Input via Optical Stylus Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional handwriting input devices using on-line character recognition (OLCR) require touch-sensitive pads with magnetic or pressure sensors, which are costly, bulky, and inconvenient, especially for portable devices, and do not effectively utilize embedded digital cameras for real-time handwriting recognition.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that captures images and sound data using a stylus with a special mark, allowing for the extraction of effective strokes without a touch sensor, enabling handwriting input on paper or non-paper surfaces using a digital camera and microphone, without the need for wires, and processing these data to retrieve accurate handwriting input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional handwriting input devices use touch-sensitive pads with magnetic or pressure sensors to achieve accurate handwriting recognition, then recognition accuracy is improved, but device cost, size, and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical touch-sensitive pad system with magnetic or pressure sensors with an optical system using a digital camera to capture images of the stylus tip and writing surface. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical sensors while maintaining handwriting recognition capability through image processing and coordinate extraction algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the handwriting process by capturing images with a digital camera instead of directly sensing physical touch. The system copies the stylus tip position and writing movements through optical imaging, then processes these visual copies to extract handwriting coordinates, avoiding the need for complex physical sensors.
2Extent of automation
If conventional handwriting input devices use touch-sensitive pads to enable real-time handwriting recognition, then recognition functionality is improved, but device portability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the digital camera serve multiple functions: it acts as both the primary imaging device for capturing displays and the handwriting recognition sensor. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate touch-sensitive pads, reducing device complexity and improving portability while maintaining real-time recognition capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing digital camera hardware already present in mobile devices for handwriting recognition purposes. The camera serves itself by capturing both display content and stylus movements, eliminating the need for additional dedicated sensors and reducing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If conventional handwriting input devices use wired connections between stylus, pad, and computer to transmit handwriting data, then data transmission reliability is improved, but ease of operation and user convenience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical wired connections with wireless optical signal transmission. The digital camera captures images and transmits data wirelessly through the device's existing communication interfaces, eliminating the need for physical wires connecting the stylus, pad, and computer while maintaining data transmission reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and an apparatus, as well as a computer recording medium for handwriting input. The invention is implemented by capturing images including raw strokes with a digital camera and receiving writing sounds with a microphone, when a user writes on a writing surface with a stylus having a special mark (such as special color point or light point), said images and sounds are time-stamped; extracting images of raw stroke by comparing the captured images with the special mark on the stylus; and retrieving “effective strokes” from the raw strokes by utilizing the received writing sounds. Moreover, the invention discloses a low cost, wireless method and apparatus for handwriting input which enables an user to write on a paper without a touch sensor provided for a computer system (such as Notebook and PDA etc.) equipped with an embedded digital camera.