STYLUS-BASED NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20140253469A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barnes & Noble College Booksellers LLC (Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nook Digital, LLC (f/k/a Barnesandnoble.com LLC) (Bahwan CyberTek Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hicks, Kourtny M., Brewer, Dale J., Havilio, Amir Mesguich, Cueto, Gerald B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,891,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

A stylus-based notification system is disclosed. In some embodiments, a stylus configured as described herein is capable of one-way or two-way wireless communication with an electronic device that is paired with the stylus and includes one or more visual features for providing a user with visual notifications and/or feedback. In some cases, for example, a given visual indicator such as an LED ring or other indicator on the stylus that emits light that is visible at any stylus orientation may alert a user that data has been received by the stylus from an associated device and/or sent from the stylus to such device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an electronic device having a touch-sensitive surface; and

a stylus configured for interacting with the touch-sensitive surface and for wireless communication with the electronic device, the stylus including a visual indicator which emits light in response to a notification received from the electronic device, wherein the visual indicator is visible at any stylus orientation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a laptop computer, a tablet, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an eReader, a portable media player (PMP), a navigation system/global positioning system (GPS), a gaming console, a handheld gaming device, a desktop computer monitor, a television set, and/or an electronic visual display.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the touch-sensitive surface of the electronic device comprises a touchscreen display.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator is a light ring deployed about a body portion of the stylus.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein a color of light emitted by the visual indicator indicates a level of importance of the notification.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one of a light-emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a polymer light emitting diodes (PLED), an electroluminescent (EL) strip, and/or any combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification is indicative of at least one of a message received at the electronic device, a schedule event, a mode of operation of the electronic device, and/or a mode of operation of the stylus.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the stylus further includes a display configured to display at least one of data received by the stylus and/or data transmitted from the stylus.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the display of the stylus is a touch-sensitive electrophoretic display.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the display is configured to display one or more icon-shaped visual indicators.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the notification and/or light color emitted by the visual indicator are user-configurable.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the notification is indicative of a color of a currently active tool mode associated with the stylus.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the stylus further comprises at least one of a haptic feedback feature which emits vibration upon at least one of receipt of data by the stylus and/or transmission of data from the stylus, and/or an aural feedback feature which emits sound upon at least one of receipt of data by the stylus and/or transmission of data from the stylus.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the stylus further comprises at least one of a memory, a processor, a power supply, a locator/tracker, and/or a speaker.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the stylus is further configured to receive input from a user via a control feature provided with the stylus.

16. A system comprising:

an electronic device having a touchscreen display; and

a stylus configured for interacting with the stylus touchscreen display and for wireless communication with the electronic device, the stylus including a light ring deployed about a body portion of the stylus and which emits light in response to a notification received from the electronic device.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein a color of light emitted by the light ring indicates a level of importance of the notification.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein at least one of the notification and light color emitted by the light ring are user-configurable.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the notification is indicative of a color of a currently active tool mode associated with the stylus.

20. A stylus for use with a computing device, comprising:

a pen-like housing;

a communication module within the housing and configured to wirelessly communicate with a stylus-sensitive computing device; and

a visual indicator deployed on the housing and which emits light in response to a notification received from the computing device, wherein the visual indicator is visible at any stylus orientation.