Possibly original in about 1950, right? Well, rather earlier, except that sci-fi isn't permissible as prior art in patents cases.
Can you put Stelarc forward as prior art? (He's certainly prior, and it's mad, so it *must* be art). Happy, Mad New Year all. _______________________________________ At 17:35 +1100 31/12/14, Stephen Loosley wrote: >United States :Patent Number 8,922,530 > >Assignee: Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA) > >Date: December 30 2014 > > >Communicating Stylus > >Abstract: > >A stylus for writing on any type of surface, such as a piece of paper or a >whiteboard and subsequently displaying the written images or text on a display >of a digital computing device. The stylus may likewise be moved in >three-dimensional space and corresponding images displayed on a display of a >computing device. The stylus tracks its different positions while a user is >writing or drawing and then either stores the data to be uploaded later or >transmits the data simultaneously to a computing device. The computing device >then displays the images and text drawn on the surface. The computing device >may be located anywhere, as long as it is able to communicate with the stylus, >and be able to display the written text or images. > >Background: > >There are a number of different options for entering data into a computing >device, including keyboards, mice, styluses, touchscreens, and so on. Some >touchscreen computing devices, such as cellular phones, tablet devices and >personal digital assistants, allow a user to use his finger to enter data. >Other types of computing devices also allow a user to enter data using a >resistive-tip plastic stylus. However, styli currently used for entering data >with a touch-screen computing device typically require that the tip of the >stylus actually contact (or very nearly contact) the touchscreen or another >type of specialized surface. The problem with these different types of styli >is that they all require that the user write on a specialized surface, whether >it be the actual screen of the computing device or specialized paper. There is >a need for a stylus that can enter data into a computing device, regardless of >the surface with which it is >used. > >The invention claimed is: > >One embodiment is a stylus that includes a position sensing device such as an >accelerometer, a tip for writing, a transmitter for sending position data, a >receiver and a computing device. The stylus may be used for entering data into >the computing device without actually touching the device nor requiring any >specialized paper. Rather, the stylus is able to enter data into the computing >device, corresponding to images or text drawn draw on any surface. > >Additionally, the stylus can enter the data from a distance, such as from >across the room, to the computing device. This allows a user in one embodiment >to keep the computing device stored, for example with a cellular phone, in his >pocket and still be able to use the stylus to enter text or drawings into the >device. This makes it easy, for example, in a classroom setting for a user to >take handwritten notes and simultaneously create a digital version of those >notes. > >Additionally, in another embodiment, the stylus allows for the user to write >on a whiteboard mounted on a wall and simultaneously display what he has >written on a computing device. (snip) > >http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=1&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PTXT&S1=(345%2F179.CCLS.+AND+20141230.PD.)&OS=ccl/345/179+and+isd/12/30/2014&RS=(CCL/345/179+AND+ISD/20141230) > >-- > >Cheers, >Stephen > >_______________________________________________ >Link mailing list >[email protected] >http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link -- Roger Clarke http://www.rogerclarke.com/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 6916 http://about.me/roger.clarke mailto:[email protected] http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law University of N.S.W. Visiting Professor in Computer Science Australian National University _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
