Electronic pen and electronic pen system

• US 10,168,801 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Osada, Takeshi, Yamaguchi, Mayumi, Izumi, Konami
• Primary Examiner(s): Isla, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Manuel
• Application Number:
  US11/892,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,148 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 320114, 178 1801, 178 1901- 1906, 345179-184, 382314
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0442 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for transmitting changes in electrical potential to be received by the digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/32 Digital ink

Abstract

To provide a small and light-weight writing instrument that can accurately read information written down on a display portion as electronic information. A pen-shaped device which includes a battery capable of being charged wirelessly from the outside, a first sensor which detects whether a pen nib has contact with a surface, a second sensor which detects movement of the pen nib in contact with the surface, a control circuit which is electrically connected to the first sensor and the second sensor, and a memory which is electrically connected to the control circuit, where the first sensor, the second sensor, the control circuit, and the memory operate by supply of electric power from the battery.

Claims

1. An electronic pen comprising:

a battery which can be charged wirelessly from outside the electronic pen;

a first antenna circuit which is electrically connected to the battery, the first antenna circuit comprising a first antenna;

a pen nib;

a plurality of first sensors which senses whether the pen nib has contact with a surface;

a second sensor which detects movement of the pen nib on the surface;

a control circuit which is electrically connected to the plurality of first sensors and the second sensor; and

a memory which is electrically connected to the control circuit,

wherein the pen nib is between the plurality of first sensors, and

wherein the second sensor is a capacitance type acceleration sensor.

2. The electronic pen according to claim 1, wherein the battery is one selected from the group consisting of a lithium battery, a lithium polymer battery, a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, an organic radical battery, a lead-acid battery, an air secondary battery, a nickel-zinc battery, a silver-zinc battery, and an electric double layer capacitor.

3. The electronic pen according to claim 1, wherein the battery is electrically connected to a constant current source circuit.

4. The electronic pen according to claim 1, wherein the battery is electrically connected to a remaining amount detection circuit which detects a remaining amount of the battery and a modulation circuit which modulates output of the remaining amount detection circuit.

5. The electronic pen according to claim 1, wherein the memory is detachable and configured to be directly connected to a computer.

6. The electronic pen according to claim 1,

wherein the first antenna circuit and the battery are provided on a substrate.

7. The electronic pen according to claim 1, further comprising a third antenna circuit, and a fourth antenna circuit,

wherein the first antenna circuit, the third antenna circuit, the fourth antenna circuit, and the battery are provided over a substrate.

8. An electronic pen system comprising:

an electronic pen comprising;

a battery which can be charged wirelessly from outside the electronic pen,

a first antenna circuit which is electrically connected to the battery, the first antenna circuit comprising a first antenna;

a pen nib;

a plurality of first sensors which senses whether the pen nib has contact with a surface;

a second sensor which detects movement of the pen nib on the surface;

a control circuit which is electrically connected to the plurality of first sensors and the second sensor; and

a memory which is electrically connected to the control circuit; and

a display portion comprising;

the surface and a second antenna circuit which transmits an electromagnetic wave to the first antenna circuit for charging the battery,

wherein the second sensor is configured to operate only when the contact between the pen nib and the surface is sensed by the plurality of first sensors,

wherein the plurality of first sensors, the second sensor, the control circuit, and the memory operate by supply of electric power from the battery,

wherein the pen nib is between the plurality of first sensors, and

wherein the second sensor is a capacitance type acceleration sensor.

9. The electronic pen system according to claim 8, wherein the battery is one selected from the group consisting of a lithium battery, a lithium polymer battery, a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, an organic radical battery, a lead-acid battery, an air secondary battery, a nickel-zinc battery, a silver-zinc battery, and an electric double layer capacitor.

10. The electronic pen system according to claim 8, wherein the battery is electrically connected to a constant current source circuit and a switch circuit, and depending on a charge state of the battery, the battery is electrically connected to a charge control circuit which controls the switch circuit.

11. The electronic pen system according to claim 8, wherein the battery is electrically connected to a remaining amount detection circuit which detects a remaining amount of the battery and a modulation circuit which modulates output of the remaining amount detection circuit.

12. The electronic pen system according to claim 8, wherein the memory is detachable and configured to be directly connected to a computer.

13. The electronic pen system according to claim 8,

wherein the first antenna circuit and the battery are provided on a substrate.

14. The electronic pen system according to claim 8, further comprising a third antenna circuit, and a fourth antenna circuit,

wherein the first antenna circuit, the third antenna circuit, the fourth antenna circuit, and the battery are provided over a substrate.

15. The electronic pen system according to claim 8, wherein a position information of the electronic pen is obtained by detecting information about acceleration, time, and whether the pen nib is in contact with the display portion several times to several hundreds of times a second, and double-integrating data of acceleration over time.

16. An electronic pen system comprising:

an electronic pen comprising;

a battery which can be charged wirelessly from outside the electronic pen;

a pen nib;

a plurality of first sensors which senses whether the pen nib has contact with a surface;

a second sensor which detects movement of the pen nib on the surface;

a first antenna circuit which is electrically connected to the battery, the first antenna circuit comprising a first antenna;

a control circuit electrically connected to the plurality of first sensors; and

a memory electrically connected to the control circuit; and

a display portion comprising;

a second antenna circuit which transmits an electromagnetic wave to the first antenna circuit for charging the battery,

wherein the second sensor is configured to operate only when the contact between the pen nib and the surface is sensed by the plurality of first sensors,

wherein the plurality of first sensors, the control circuit, and the memory operate by supply of electric power from the battery,

wherein the pen nib is between the plurality of first sensors,

wherein the second sensor is in a body of the electronic pen, and

wherein the second sensor is a capacitance type acceleration sensor.

17. The electronic pen system according to claim 16, wherein the battery is one selected from the group consisting of a lithium battery, a lithium polymer battery, a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, an organic radical battery, a lead-acid battery, an air secondary battery, a nickel-zinc battery, a silver-zinc battery, and an electric double layer capacitor.

18. The electronic pen system according to claim 16, wherein the battery is electrically connected to a constant current source circuit and a switch circuit, and depending on a charge state of the battery, the battery is electrically connected to a charge control circuit which controls the switch circuit.

19. The electronic pen system according to claim 16, wherein the battery is electrically connected to a remaining amount detection circuit which detects a remaining amount of the battery and a modulation circuit which modulates output of the remaining amount detection circuit.

20. The electronic pen system according to claim 16, wherein the memory is detachable and configured to be directly connected to a computer.

21. The electronic pen system according to claim 16,

wherein the first antenna circuit and the battery are provided on a substrate.

22. The electronic pen system according to claim 16, further comprising a third antenna circuit, and a fourth antenna circuit,

wherein the first antenna circuit, the third antenna circuit, the fourth antenna circuit, and the battery are provided on a substrate.

23. The electronic pen system according to claim 16, wherein a position information of the electronic pen is obtained by detecting information about acceleration, time, and whether the pen nib is in contact with the display portion several times to several hundreds of times a second, and double-integrating data of acceleration over time.