Multi-electrode active stylus tip

• US 10,082,889 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sundara-Rajan, Kishore, Shahparnia, Shahrooz
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOX, JOSEPH PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US13/332,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,470 Days
• Field of Search: 345179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device includes a stylus tip capable of communicating wirelessly with another device through a touch sensor of the other device. The stylus tip includes one or more surface areas, one or more substrates disposed along one or more of the surface areas of the stylus tip, and a plurality of electrodes disposed on or in the one or more substrates.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a stylus tip of a stylus operable to communicate wirelessly with another device through a touch sensor of the other device, the stylus tip comprising one or more surface areas;

one or more substrates disposed along one or more of the surface areas of the stylus tip; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed on or in one or more of the substrates, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are disposed in a stack relative to one another on or in at least one of the one or more substrates, and wherein the stack comprises vertically-stacked, in a direction from a tip-end of the stylus to an end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, horizontal segments of the at least one of the one or more substrates, each segment corresponding to one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes, such that an area of the tip comprising a first electrode of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes is adjacent to and above, in the direction from the tip-end of the stylus to the end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, a second electrode of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes, and such that the first electrode is positioned entirely above, in the direction from the tip-end of the stylus to the end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, the second electrode;

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to receive signals from the other device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a first one of the plurality of electrodes is disposed along a central vertical axis of at least one of the one or more substrates, and wherein at least one of the other electrodes in the plurality of electrodes is disposed as a ring surrounding the first electrode.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein a first one of the plurality of electrodes comprises a vertical segment of at least one of the one or more substrates, and wherein the first one of the plurality of electrodes extends along at least a portion of the length of the at least one of the one or more substrates.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more substrates is segmented horizontally and vertically, and wherein each segment corresponds to an electrode.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to dynamically configure the electrodes.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising mechanical means operable to dynamically configure the electrodes.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising electrical or electronic means operable to dynamically configure the electrodes.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is operable to be dynamically configured as a drive electrode or a sense electrode.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the electrodes is operable to be dynamically configured as a ground electrode or a guard electrode.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the stylus further comprises;

a controller; and

a shaft positioned within an outer body of the stylus; and

the controller is configured to;

supply signals to one or more of the at least two electrodes through the shaft; and

receive signals from one or more of the at least two electrodes through the shaft.

11. A system comprising:

a device comprising a touch sensor; and

a stylus operable to communicate wirelessly with the device through the touch sensor of the device, the stylus comprising a stylus tip, the stylus tip comprising;

one or more surface areas;

one or more substrates disposed along one or more of the surface areas of the stylus tip; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed on or in one or more of the substrates, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are disposed in a stack relative to one another on or in at least one of the one or more substrates, and wherein the stack comprises vertically-stacked, in a direction from a tip-end of the stylus to an end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, horizontal segments of the at least one of the one or more substrates, each segment corresponding to one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes, such that an area of the tip comprising a first electrode of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes is adjacent to and above, in the direction from the tip-end of the stylus to the end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, a second electrode of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes, and such that the first electrode is positioned entirely above, in the direction from the tip-end of the stylus to the end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, the second electrode;

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to receive signals from the other device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a first one of the plurality of electrodes is disposed along a central vertical axis of at least one of the one or more substrates, and wherein at least one of the other electrodes in the plurality of electrodes is disposed as a ring surrounding the first electrode.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein a first one of the plurality of electrodes comprises a vertical segment of at least one of the one or more substrates, and wherein the first one of the plurality of electrodes extends along at least a portion of the length of the at least one of the one or more substrates.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more substrates is segmented horizontally and vertically, and wherein each segment corresponds to an electrode.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to dynamically configure the electrodes.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising mechanical means operable to dynamically configure the electrodes.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising electrical or electronic means operable to dynamically configure the electrodes.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is operable to be dynamically configured as a drive electrode or a sense electrode.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the electrodes is operable to be dynamically configured as a ground electrode or a guard electrode.

20. A device comprising:

a stylus tip of a stylus operable to communicate wirelessly with another device through a touch sensor of the other device, the stylus tip comprising one or more surface areas;

one or more substrates disposed along one or more of the surface areas of the stylus tip; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed on or in one or more of the substrates, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are disposed in a stack relative to one another on or in at least one of the one or more substrates, and wherein the stack comprises vertically-stacked, in a direction from a tip-end of the stylus to an end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, horizontal segments of the at least one of the one or more substrates, each segment corresponding to one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes, such that an area of the tip comprising a first electrode of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes is adjacent to and above, in the direction from the tip-end of the stylus to the end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, a second electrode of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes, and such that the first electrode is positioned entirely above, in the direction from the tip-end of the stylus to the end of the stylus opposite the tip-end of the stylus, the second electrode;

wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes disposed on or in one or more of the substrates comprises fine lines of conductive material formed in a mesh pattern, the fine lines of conductive material occupying less than 100% of an area of a shape of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes.