Low-power and low-frequency data transmission for stylus and associated signal processing

• US 10,338,702 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Brunet, Samuel, Collins, Richard, Hristov, Luben
• Primary Examiner(s): Xavier, Antonio
• Application Number:
  US15/791,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20180046273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041662 using alternate mutual and self-capacitive scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04182 Filtering of noise external to the device and not generated by digitiser components
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a timer, a signal generator, a signal activator input, and a controller. The controller includes one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to initiate a coupling, in response to an actuation of the signal activator input, of a power source to the signal generator to thereby cause the signal generator to generate a signal. The logic is further operable to initiate a coupling, in response to the actuation of the signal activator input, of the power source to the timer to thereby activate the timer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a timer;

a signal generator;

a signal activator input;

a switch configured to couple a power source to the signal generator and the timer; and

a controller comprising one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to;

initiate the coupling, in response to an actuation of the signal activator input, of the power source to the signal generator to thereby cause the signal generator to generate a signal; and

initiate the coupling, in response to the actuation of the signal activator input, of the power source to the timer to thereby activate the timer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic is further operable to:

determine that a timing of the activated timer has reached a pre-determined threshold prior to an end of the actuation; and

disable the signal generator from generating the signal based on the determination that the timing of the activated timer has reached the pre-determined threshold prior to the end of the actuation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic is further operable to:

determine that the signal activator input is not actuated; and

disable the signal generator from generating the signal based on the determination that the signal activator input is not actuated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the signal generator comprises an oscillator; and

the signal is 20V to 30V and 16 kHz.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal activator input comprises a mechanical element located on an exterior surface of a stylus, the mechanical element comprising one or more of:

a mechanical button;

a mechanical switch; and

a mechanical slider.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises the power source.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal activator input comprises one or more of:

a mechanical element located on an exterior surface of a stylus; and

a touch sensitive surface located on the exterior surface of a stylus.

8. A controller comprising:

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to;

initiate a coupling, in response to an actuation of a signal activator input of a stylus, of a power source to a signal generator of the stylus to thereby cause the signal generator to generate a stylus signal; and

initiate a coupling, in response to the actuation of the signal activator input, of the power source to a timer to thereby activate the timer, wherein a switch is configured to couple the power source to the signal generator and the timer.

9. The controller of claim 8, wherein the logic is further operable to:

determine that a timing of the activated timer has reached a pre-determined threshold prior to an end of the actuation; and

disable the signal generator from generating the stylus signal based on the determination that the timing of the activated timer has reached the pre-determined threshold prior to the end of the actuation.

10. The controller of claim 8, wherein the logic is further operable to:

determine that the signal activator input is not actuated; and

disable the signal generator from generating the stylus signal based on the determination that the signal activator input is not actuated.

11. The controller of claim 8, wherein the signal generator comprises an oscillator.

12. The controller of claim 8, wherein the signal activator input comprises a mechanical element located on an exterior surface of the stylus, the mechanical element comprising one or more of:

a mechanical button;

a mechanical switch; and

a mechanical slider.

13. The controller of claim 8, wherein the stylus comprises the power source.

14. The controller of claim 8, wherein the signal activator input comprises one or more of:

a mechanical element located on an exterior surface of the stylus; and

a touch sensitive surface located on the exterior surface of the stylus.

15. A method comprising:

initiating a coupling, in response to an actuation of a signal activator input of a stylus, of a power source to a signal generator of the stylus to thereby cause the signal generator to generate a stylus signal; and

initiating a coupling, in response to the actuation of the signal activator input, of the power source to a timer to thereby activate the timer, wherein a switch is configured to couple the power source to the signal generator and the timer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that a timing of the activated timer has reached a pre-determined threshold prior to an end of the actuation; and

disabling the signal generator from generating the stylus signal based on the determination that the timing of the activated timer has reached the pre-determined threshold prior to the end of the actuation.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the signal activator input is not actuated; and

disabling the signal generator from generating the stylus signal based on the determination that the signal activator input is not actuated.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal generator comprises an oscillator.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal activator input comprises a mechanical element located on an exterior surface of the stylus, the mechanical element comprising one or more of:

a mechanical button;

a mechanical switch; and

a mechanical slider.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the stylus comprises the power source.