Writing instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12026327-B2
Application number	US-202318187156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2023
Priority date	Mar 25, 2022
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

A writing instrument comprising: an elongate body portion with distal and proximal ends defining a principal axis of the writing instrument; an electronically actuated nib manipulator with an end portion comprising a nib, attached to the proximal end to move the end portion within a spatial domain defined along first and second axes of a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the principal axis, and along a third axis that is an extension of the principal axis; an inertial measurement unit that measures the position of the principal axis relative to a writing surface; and an electronic control unit coupled to the inertial measurement unit and nib manipulator to obtain segment formation commands, and receive the position of the principal axis from the inertial measurement unit. The electronic control unit electronically actuates the nib manipulator so that the end portion moves within the spatial domain to scribe predefined characters.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A writing instrument comprising:
an elongate body portion enabling a user to grip the writing instrument, wherein the elongate body portion comprises a distal end (D) and a proximal end (P), the proximal end and the distal end defining a principal axis (A) of the writing instrument;
an electronically actuated nib manipulator attached to the proximal end of the elongate body portion, wherein the nib manipulator further comprises an end portion comprising a nib, and the nib manipulator is configured to move the end portion within a spatial domain defined (i) along first (XP) and second (YP) axes of a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the principal axis (A), and (ii) along a third (ZP) axis that is an extension of the principal axis (A);
an inertial measurement unit configured to measure at least a position of the principal axis (A) relative to a writing surface; and
an electronic control unit operatively coupled to at least the inertial measurement unit and the nib manipulator;
wherein the electronic control unit is configured to obtain one or more segment formation commands, and to receive the position of the principal axis (A) from the inertial measurement unit, and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to electronically actuate the nib manipulator so that the end portion moves within the spatial domain to scribe a predefined character defined by the one or more segment formation commands onto the writing surface.

2. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the nib manipulator comprises:
a robotic mechanism that is configured to move the end portion of the nib manipulator within the spatial domain, wherein the robotic mechanism comprises a plurality of arms.

3. The writing instrument according to claim 2 , wherein each arm of the plurality of arms comprises a proximal end coupled to the end portion, and wherein the distal end of each arm is coupled to a corresponding actuator.

4. The writing instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the robotic mechanism is a delta mechanism.

5. The writing instrument according to claim 2 , wherein the robotic mechanism prevents rotation of the end portion substantially around the principal axis (A).

6. The writing instrument according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a displacement detector attached to the writing instrument, wherein the displacement detector is configured to detect, in use, a displacement velocity of the writing instrument across the writing surface; and
wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:
receive, from the displacement detector, the displacement velocity of the writing instrument, and to electronically actuate the nib manipulator based, additionally, on a displacement rate of the writing instrument.

7. The writing instrument according to claim 6 , wherein the writing instrument further comprises:
a protrusion from the proximal end of the elongate body portion, and
a proximal end of the protrusion comprises the displacement detector,
wherein the displacement detector is a trackball, or a tracking wheel comprising a position encoder, or an optical sensor configured to contact the writing surface, in use.

8. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the writing instrument further comprises:
a contact detector capable of detecting that the nib comprised on the end portion is in contact with the writing surface, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive, from the contact detector, a contact signal indicating that the end portion is in contact with the writing surface, and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to begin scribing a predetermined character upon reception of the contact signal.

9. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a microphone coupled to an audio processing unit; and
a wireless modem,
wherein the microphone is configured to obtain an audio sample from a user proximate to the writing instrument, and the audio processing unit is configured to apply pre-processing to the audio sample.

10. The writing instrument according to claim 9 , wherein the wireless modem is configured to transmit the audio sample to an external processing apparatus, wherein the wireless modem is further configured to receive the one or more segment formation commands from the external processing apparatus in response to the external processing apparatus receiving the audio sample.

11. The writing instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to obtain the one or more segment formation commands from the wireless modem, and actuate the electronically actuated nib manipulator to scribe the one or more predefined characters on the writing surface as defined in the audio sample.

12. The writing instrument according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a speech recognition unit; and
a predefined character store comprising a plurality of records, wherein each record comprises (i) the one or more segment formation commands configured to cause the electronically actuated nib manipulator to form a predefined character, and (ii) one or more character identifiers corresponding to a recognized audio sample identifying the predefined character; and
wherein the microphone is configured to obtain the audio sample comprising a writing instruction from the user, and the audio processing unit is configured to pre-process the writing instruction.

13. The writing instrument according to claim 12 , wherein the speech recognition unit is configured to obtain the audio sample from the audio processing unit and to convert the audio sample to a character identifier referenced to a record of the predefined character store, and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to obtain the one or more segment formation commands from the predefined character store corresponding to the character identifier, and to scribe the predefined character on the writing surface based on the received audio sample.

14. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate body portion further comprises either (i) an ink supply, and a flexible supply tube configured to supply ink to the nib, or (ii) a pencil or crayon attachment.

15. A computer-implemented method for generating one or more segment formation commands for causing a writing instrument to scribe a predefined character onto a writing surface, wherein the method comprises:
obtaining an audio or graphical sample from a user;
performing speech recognition on the audio sample, or image recognition on the graphical sample to convert the audio or graphical sample to one, or more, character identifiers;
referencing one, or more, records of a predefined character store corresponding to the one, or more, character identifiers, wherein the predefined character store comprises a plurality of records indexed by one, or more, corresponding character identifiers, wherein each record comprises one or more segment formation commands configured to cause an electronically actuated nib manipulator of the writing instrument to form the predefined character; and
providing the one or more segment formation commands to the writing instrument.

16. A non-transitory computer program element comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the computer-implemented method of claim 15 .

17. A computer readable medium comprising the computer program element according to claim 16 .

18. A system comprising:
a writing instrument;
an external processing a

Assignees

• Bic Violex Single Member Sa

Inventors

• Polygerinos Panagiotis
• Chrysanthakopoulos Nikolaos

Classifications

• G10L15/22

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title

• B43K29/08

  with measuring, computing or indicating devices · CPC title

• B25J9/1679

  characterised by the tasks executed · CPC title

• B25J9/0084

  comprising a plurality of manipulators · CPC title

• B43K29/00

  Combinations of writing implements with other articles · CPC title