Position indicator

• US 10,509,491 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2017
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Sadao
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheng, Tom V
• Application Number:
  US15/495,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20170228049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0441 using active external devices, e.g. active pens, for receiving changes in electrical potential transmitted by the digitiser, e.g. tablet driving signals
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A position indicator that can be used with a plurality of types of position detection systems. The position indicator includes a first transmitter, a second transmitter, an input circuit which, in operation, accepts an input from outside of the position indicator, a signal generation circuit which, in operation, generates a position detecting signal, a plurality of additional information generation circuits which, in operation, generate a plurality of types of additional information, and a controller. The controller controls, based on the input accepted by the input circuit, transmission of the position detecting signal through the first transmitter and controls, based on the input accepted by the input circuit, transmission of additional information generated by the plurality of additional information generation circuits from the first transmitter or the second transmitter.

Claims

1. A position indicator, comprising:

a first transmitter;

a second transmitter that is different from the first transmitter;

an inputting circuit which, in operation, accepts an input;

a signal generation circuit which, in operation, generates a position detecting signal that is transmitted by the first transmitter;

an information generation circuit which, in operation, generates additional information; and

a controller which, in operation, controls, based on the input accepted by the inputting circuit, transmission of the additional information generated by the information generation circuit from the first transmitter or the second transmitter,

wherein

a signal transmitted from a position detection system and received by the inputting circuit indicates a configuration type of the position indicator; and

the position indicator further includes a memory which, in operation, stores information regarding the configuration type to enable the controller to control signals to be transmitted to the position detection system using at least one of the first transmitter and the second transmitter.

2. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the first transmitter includes at least one center electrode disposed at one end in an axial direction of an elongated cylindrical housing and disposed on a central axis of the elongated cylindrical housing.

3. The position indicator according to claim 2, wherein:

the first transmitter further includes a peripheral electrode that surrounds the central axis of the elongated cylindrical housing in the proximity of the center electrode.

4. The position indicator according to claim 3, wherein:

the controller, in operation, controls transmission of the position detecting signal through the center electrode or the peripheral electrode.

5. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller, in operation, controls transmission of the additional information from the first transmitter to the position detection system, the transmission of the additional information from the first transmitter to the position detection system being performed through capacitive coupling between the first transmitter and the position detection system, and controls transmission of a signal from the second transmitter to the position detection system, the transmission of the signal from the second transmitter to the position detection system being performed by wireless communication, the second transmitter being configured to perform wireless communication according to a defined communication protocol independently of the first transmitter.

6. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller, in operation, controls transmission of the additional information from the first transmitter to the position detection system, the transmission of the additional information from the first transmitter to the position detection system being performed through inductive coupling between the first transmitter and the position detection system, and controls transmission of a signal from the second transmitter to the position detection system, the transmission of the signal from the second transmitter to the position detection system being performed by wireless communication, the second transmitter being configured to perform wireless communication according to a defined communication protocol independently of the first transmitter.

7. The position indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure detection circuit disposed in an elongated cylindrical housing, wherein the pressure detection circuit, in operation, detects a pressure applied to a tip disposed at one end of the elongated cylindrical housing,

wherein the additional information includes information regarding the pressure detected by the pressure detection circuit.

8. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory, in operation, stores identification information, and

the additional information includes the identification information stored by the memory.

9. The position indicator according to claim 1, further comprising

a switch which, in operation, accepts a manual operation of a user,

wherein the additional information includes information regarding a state of the switch.

10. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the inputting circuit is a receiver which, in operation, receives the input by wireless communication.

11. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the inputting circuit receives the input through capacitive coupling with the position detection system.

12. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the inputting circuit receives the input through inductive coupling with the position detection system.

13. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the inputting circuit includes a first receiver which, in operation, receives a first input from the position detection system by wireless communication and a second receiver which, in operation, receives a second input from the position detection system through capacitive coupling with the position detection system.

14. The position indicator according to claim 1, wherein:

the inputting circuit includes a first receiver which, in operation, receives a first input from the position detection system by wireless communication and a second receiver which, in operation, receives a second input through inductive coupling with the position detection system.

15. The position indicator according to claim 1, further comprising

a switch on an elongated cylindrical housing which, in operation, accepts a manual operation of a user,

wherein the controller, in operation, controls transmission of the additional information from the first transmitter or from the second transmitter, based on a state of the switch.

16. A method performed by a position indicator that includes a first transmitter and a second transmitter that is different from the first transmitter, the method comprising:

accepting an input;

generating a position detecting signal;

transmitting the generated position detecting signal from the first transmitter;

generating additional information;

controlling, based on the accepted input, transmission of the generated additional information from the first transmitter or the second transmitter;

receiving from a position detection system a signal which indicates a configuration type of the position indicator; and

storing in a memory information regarding the configuration type to control signals to be transmitted to the position detection system using at least one of the first transmitter and the second transmitter.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein:

the first transmitter includes at least one center electrode disposed at one end in an axial direction of an elongated cylindrical housing and disposed on a central axis of the elongated cylindrical housing,

the first transmitter further includes a peripheral electrode that surrounds the central axis of the elongated cylindrical housing in the proximity of the center electrode, and

the method further comprises;

controlling transmission of the position detecting signal through the center electrode or the peripheral electrode.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein:

the controlling transmission of the generated additional information from the first transmitter or the second transmitter includes controlling transmission of the generated additional information from the first transmitter to the position detection system through capacitive coupling or inductive coupling between the first transmitter and the position detection system, and the method further comprises;

controlling transmission of a signal from the second transmitter to the position detection system, the transmission of the signal from the second transmitter to the position detection system being performed by wireless communication, the second transmitter being configured to perform wireless communication according to a defined communication protocol independently of the first transmitter.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

detecting a pressure,

wherein the additional information includes information regarding the detected pressure.