Power Management System for Active Stylus

• US 20130106714A1
• Filed: 12/17/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shahparnia, Shahrooz, Pedersen, Trond Jarle, Logan, John, Bakken, Vemund Kval, Sundara-Rajan, Kishore
• Granted Patent: US 10,162,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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

Abstract

In one embodiment, a stylus includes one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying first logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device. The stylus has a first power mode in which components of the stylus for receiving signals from or transmitting signals to the device are powered off; a second power mode in which components of the stylus for receiving signals from the device are powered on at least periodically and components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered off; and a third power mode in which components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on at least periodically. The media further embodies second logic for transitioning the stylus from one of the first, second, and third power modes to another one of the first, second, and third power modes.

Claims

1. A stylus comprising:

one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying first logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device;

the stylus having;

a first power mode in which components of the stylus for receiving signals from or transmitting signals to the device are powered off;

a second power mode in which components of the stylus for receiving signals from the device are powered on at least periodically and components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered off; and

a third power mode in which components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on at least periodically; and

the media further embodying second logic for transitioning the stylus from one of the first, second, or third power modes to another one of the first, second, or third power modes.

2. The stylus of claim 1, wherein transitioning the stylus from one of the first, second, or third power modes to another one of the first, second, or third power modes comprises transitioning the stylus from one of the first, second, or third power modes to another one of the first, second, or third power modes based at least in part on an input from a user of the stylus.

3. The stylus of claim 2, wherein the input is a gesture performed with the stylus.

4. The stylus of claim 1, wherein transitioning the stylus from one of the first, second, or third power modes to another one of the first, second, or third power modes comprises transitioning the stylus from one of the first, second, or third power modes to another one of the first, second, or third power modes based at least in part on detection or loss of a signal generated by the device.

5. The stylus of claim 1, wherein, in the third power mode, components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on during windows of time when drive lines of the touch-sensor within proximity of the stylus are scanned.

6. The stylus of claim 5, wherein, in the third power mode, components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on during increasingly shorter periods of time until the periods of time are greater than but within a pre-determined range of all windows of time when any of the drive lines of the touch sensor are scanned.

7. The stylus of claim 6, wherein, in the third power mode, the pre-determined range is sufficiently greater than the windows of time when drive lines of the touch-sensor within proximity of the stylus are scanned so that, if the stylus moves relative to the device, components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on during windows of time when drive lines of the touch-sensor within the new proximity of the stylus are scanned.

8. A method comprising:

by first logic embodied by one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of a stylus, transition the stylus from one power mode to another, both being selected from the group consisting of a first power mode, a second power mode, and a third power mode, the stylus comprising one or more electrodes and the media further embodying second logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device;

the first power mode comprising components of the stylus for receiving signals from or transmitting signals to the device being powered off;

the second power mode comprising components of the stylus for receiving signals from the device being powered on at least periodically and components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device being powered off; and

the third power mode comprising components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device being powered on at least periodically.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the stylus is transitioned from one power mode to another based at least in part on input from a user of the stylus.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the input is a gesture performed with the stylus.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the stylus is transitioned from one power mode to another based at least in part on detection or loss of a signal generated by the device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the third power mode, components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on during windows of time when drive lines of the touch-sensor within proximity of the stylus are scanned.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, in the third power mode, components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on during increasingly shorter periods of time until the periods of time are greater than but within a pre-determined range of all windows of time when any of the drive lines of the touch sensor are scanned.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, in the third power mode, the pre-determined range is sufficiently greater than the windows of time when drive lines of the touch-sensor within proximity of the stylus are scanned so that, if the stylus moves relative to the device, components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on during windows of time when drive lines of the touch-sensor within the new proximity of the stylus are scanned.

15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying first logic that is operable when executed to:

transition a stylus from one power mode to another, both being selected from the group consisting of a first power mode, a second power mode, and a third power mode, the stylus comprising one or more electrodes and the media further embodying second logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device;

the first power mode comprising components of the stylus for receiving signals from or transmitting signals to the device being powered off;

the second power mode comprising components of the stylus for receiving signals from the device being powered on at least periodically and components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device being powered off; and

the third power mode comprising components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device being powered on at least periodically.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the stylus is transitioned from one power mode to another based at least in part on input from a user of the stylus.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein the input is a gesture performed with the stylus.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein the stylus is transitioned from one power mode to another based at least in part on detection or loss of a signal generated by the device.

19. The media of claim 15, wherein, in the third power mode, components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on during windows of time when drive lines of the touch-sensor within proximity of the stylus are scanned.

20. The media of claim 19, wherein, in the third power mode, components of the stylus for transmitting signals to the device are powered on during increasingly shorter periods of time until the periods of time are greater than but within a pre-determined range of all windows of time when any of the drive lines of the touch sensor are scanned.