Collapsible electronic stylus

• US 10,642,378 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Huffman, Katherine, Reynolds, Donny Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US15/982,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20190354204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

A collapsible electronic stylus can include multiple panels, a processor, and a transmitter. The multiple panels can be rotatably attached to each other, the rotatable attachment of the multiple panels forming a loop and enabling the multiple panels to rotate with respect to each other between an open position that maximizes a volume enclosed by the panels and a collapsed position that minimizes the volume enclosed by the panels. The processor can be attached to at least one of the panels, the processor being configured to control a transmitter. The transmitter can be configured to transmit signals to a computing device.

Claims

1. A collapsible electronic stylus comprising:

multiple panels rotatably attached to each other, the rotatable attachment of the multiple panels forming a loop and enabling the multiple panels to rotate with respect to each other between an open position that maximizes a volume enclosed by the panels and a collapsed position that minimizes the volume enclosed by the panels, each of the multiple panels comprising;

a rectangular portion rotatably attached to the rectangular portions of two other panels of the collapsible electronic stylus; and

a triangular portion that, when the collapsible electronic stylus is in the open position, is in contact with the triangular portions of two other panels of the collapsible electronic stylus;

a processor attached to at least one of the panels, the processor being configured to control a transmitter; and

the transmitter configured to transmit signals to a computing device.

2. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the multiple panels maintain the loop in the collapsed position.

3. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the rotatable attachment between at least two of the multiple panels disengages in the collapsed position, breaking the loop.

4. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the multiple panels comprises an even number of panels.

5. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, further comprising multiple magnets rotatably attaching the multiple panels to each other, the multiple magnets being disposed on edge portions of the multiple panels.

6. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, further comprising multiple pins configured to hold the multiple panels in the open position.

7. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the multiple panels comprise six panels forming a hexagon in the open position.

8. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the multiple panels comprise plastic.

9. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the multiple panels comprise carbon fiber.

10. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the multiple panels comprise aluminum.

11. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the multiple panels comprise rubber.

12. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the collapsible electronic stylus in a shortest direction, when the collapsible electronic stylus is in the open position, is less than one inch.

13. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the triangular portions of the multiple panels form a pyramid with a base missing.

14. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is attached to one of the triangular portions.

15. A collapsible electronic stylus comprising:

a shell portion, the shell portion comprising a crystalline plane forming a mesh and being configured to respond to pressure by transitioning from a first position in which the shell is biased toward a cylindrical shape to a second position in which the shell is biased toward a flat shape with opposite sides of the shell portion in contact with each other;

a processor attached to the shell portion, the processor being configured to control a transmitter; and

the transmitter configured to transmit signals to a computing device.

16. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 15, further comprising:

an end portion attached to the shell portion,

wherein the transmitter is attached to the end portion.

17. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 15, wherein the shell portion is configured to respond to twisting pressure by transitioning from the first position to the second position.

18. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 15, wherein the mesh forms rings mechanically coupled to each other via at least one link, the at least one link being configured to cause the rings to rotate in tandem with each other as the collapsible electronic stylus transitions between the first position and the second position.

19. A collapsible electronic stylus comprising:

multiple side panels rotatably attached to each other to form a loop, the rotatable attachment of the multiple panels enabling the multiple panels to rotate with respect to each other between an open position that maximizes a volume enclosed by the panels and a collapsed position that minimizes the volume enclosed by the panels;

an end panel rotatably attached to one of the side panels, the end panel being configured to rotate into a position in contact with all of the multiple side panels when the collapsible electronic stylus is in the open position;

a processor attached to at least one of the panels, the processor being configured to control a transmitter; and

the transmitter configured to transmit signals to a computing device.