METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DIGITAL PEN ASSEMBLY

• US 20110096042A1
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EPOS Development Limited (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: ALTMAN, Nathan, KOKAREV, Michael, RAIF, Ran, KEDEM, Noam, GOTMAN, Max
• Granted Patent: US 9,632,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A digital pen comprising a skeleton and a removable skin: the skeleton holding together in fixed relationship: an electric circuit; an acoustic transmitter, detached from said electric circuit, and configured to transmit acoustic signals; and a resilient holder, configured to mechanically press said electric circuit into electrical contact with said transmitter, so as to electrically connect said electric circuit and said transmitter; and the removable skin comprising a housing fitting over said skeleton.

Claims

1. A digital pen comprising a skeleton and a removable skin:

the skeleton holding together in fixed relationship;

an electric circuit; and

an acoustic transmitter, detached from said electric circuit, and configured to transmit acoustic signals;

and the removable skin comprising a housing fitting over said skeleton.

2. The digital pen of claim 1, wherein said skeleton further holds writing components.

3. The digital pen of claim 1, wherein said removable skin covers an inner part defined by said skeleton.

4. The digital pen of claim 3, wherein said skin further comprises a mechanical interface for connection to said inner part.

5. The digital pen of claim 4, wherein said mechanical interface comprises at least one snap lock.

6. The digital pen of claim 1, wherein said skin comprises a battery holder.

7. The digital pen of claim 1, wherein said skin is connected over said skeleton between a battery support chassis at a first end of said pen, and a pen tip, at a second end of said pen tip.

8. The digital pen of claim 7, wherein said skin is connected to the battery support chassis and the pen tip, utilizing snap locks.

9. The digital pen of claim 1, having an upper end and a lower end, said lower end comprising a pen tip, wherein said removable skin comprises an upper changeable cover element at said upper end, connected to a non-removable cover element at said lower end.

10. The digital pen of claim 1, being a retractable pen wherein said removable skin is operable to cover and uncover a writing element at a tip of the pen.

11. The digital pen of claim 1, further comprising a resilient holder, configured to mechanically press said electric circuit into electrical contact with said transmitter, so as to electrically connect said electric circuit and said transmitter;

wherein said resilient holder further comprises;

a base and extensions arising perpendicularly therefrom and configured for location of a first electrical circuit and a second electrical circuit thereon within the confines of a housing, and such as to bring about an electrical contact between said first and second electrical circuits due to said confinement within said housing.

12. The digital pen of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is an ultrasound transducer.

13. The digital pen of claim 11, wherein said resilient holder is electrically conductive.

14. The digital pen of claim 11, wherein said extensions impart a U shape to said resilient holder.

15. The digital pen of claim 11, wherein said removable skin is configured to apply mechanical pressure on said resilient holder, thereby to bring about said electrical contact.

16. The digital pen of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of infrared emitters, deployed on a plurality of positions on said skeleton, for emitting infrared light.

17. The digital pen of claim 1, further comprising a switch assembly mounted on said skeleton having two switching points accessible through said removable skin for pressing said assembly to achieve first and second switching modes respectively, the assembly further having a third mode selectable upon said two switching points being pressed substantially simultaneously.

18. The digital pen of claim 17, wherein said switch assembly comprises a switching rod balanced about a fulcrum, wherein said fulcrum is resiliently configured to retain said switching rod at either one of a higher levered position and a lower received position and wherein said two switching points being pressed substantially simultaneously has the effect of lowering said lever into said received position.

19. The digital pen of claim 11, wherein said resilient element is glued to said electric circuit.

22. The digital pen of claim 1, further comprising a second acoustic signal transmitter located within said skeleton, each acoustic signal transmitter being configured to transmit an acoustic signal, and being positioned respectively apart on the digital pen.

23. The digital pen of claim 1, further comprising an acoustic wave guide, positioned adjacent to said acoustic transmitter within said skeleton, said acoustic wave guide comprising a plurality of fins radiating outwardly in a direction away from said acoustic signal transmitter.

24. A digital pen system, comprising:

the digital pen of claim 1;

at least one receiving unit for receiving said acoustic signal from said digital pen; and

a processor, associated with said at least one receiving unit, configured to process said received acoustic signal, for determining presence of said digital pen in a predefined area, and to trigger a predefined functionality upon said determining presence; and

a map, configured to graphically map said predefined area, so as to assist a user in positioning the digital pen in said predefined area.

25. The digital pen system of claim 24, wherein said receiving unit comprises a receiving unit housing, and said receiving unit housing comprises a changeable cover element.

20. A digital pen comprising:

an elongated skeleton body supporting a writing tip at a first end;

a writing element protruding from said writing tip,

an acoustic transmitter deployed adjacent to said writing tip, configured to transmit an acoustic signal and held in place by said skeleton, and

an elongated removable housing covering said elongated body, said elongated body being movable inside said elongated housing for exposing and for covering said writing element.

21. The digital pen of claim 20, further comprising a spring urging said elongated skeleton body into a position where said writing element is covered by said elongated housing, and a means for securing said elongated body into a position where said writing element is exposed.

26. A method of manufacturing differentiated digital pens comprising:

preparing identical elongated skeletons;

inserting within a plurality of said elongated skeletons;

an electric circuit;

an acoustic transmitter, detached from said electric circuit, and configured to transmit acoustic signals;

preparing a range of differentiated housings for said elongated skeletons; and

selecting one of said housings from said range for respective ones of said plurality of elongated skeletons,

fixing said selected housing onto said respective elongated skeleton, thereby to provide a range of differentiated digital pens from said identical skeletons.