POSITION INDICATOR

• US 20170228049A1
• Filed: 04/24/2017
• Published: 08/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Sadao
• Granted Patent: US 10,509,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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;

an inputting 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 which, in operation, 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.

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

the controller, in operation, controls one or more switching circuits to configure the position indicator in a plurality of configuration types and the input accepted by the input circuit relates to a selection from among the plurality of configuration types; and

the controller, in operation, controls transmission of the position detecting signal through the first transmitter in response to a configuration type selected from among the plurality of configuration types based on the input accepted by the input circuit, and controls transmission of the additional information generated by the plurality of additional information generation circuits from the first transmitter or the second transmitter in accordance with the selected configuration type.

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

the input circuit, in operation, accepts information from an external apparatus; and

the controller, in operation, controls transmission of the position detecting signal through the first transmitter based on information accepted by the input circuit, and controls transmission of the additional information generated by the plurality of additional information generation circuits from the first transmitter or the second transmitter.

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

the external apparatus is a position detection system; and

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

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

the external apparatus is a position detection system; and

transmission of a signal from the first transmitter to the position detection system is performed through electromagnetic coupling between the first transmitter and the position detection system, and transmission of a signal from the second transmitter to the position detection system is 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 3, wherein:

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

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

the input circuit is a receiver which, in operation, receives a signal from an external apparatus; and

the controller, in operation, controls transmission of the position detecting signal through the first transmitter based on a reception signal received by the receiver, and controls transmission of the additional information generated by the plurality of additional information generation circuits from the first transmitter or the second transmitter.

8. The position indicator according to claim 7, wherein:

the signal generation circuit includes a plurality of signal generation circuits; and

the controller, in operation, determines which one of the plurality of signal generation circuits generates the position detecting signal based on the reception signal by the receiver.

9. The position indicator according to claim 7, wherein:

the external apparatus is a position detection system; and

reception of a signal from the position detection system by the receiver is performed by wireless communication, the receiver being configured to perform wireless communication according to a defined communication protocol.

10. The position indicator according to claim 7, wherein:

the external apparatus is a position detection system; and

the receiver includes a first reception circuit which, in operation, receives a signal from the position detection system by wireless communication, the receiver being configured to perform wireless communication according to a defined communication protocol, and a second reception circuit which, in operation, receives a signal from the position detection system through capacitive coupling between the second reception circuit and the position detection system.

11. The position indicator according to claim 7, wherein:

the external apparatus is a position detection system; and

the first transmitter, in operation, receives a signal from the position detection system through a reception electrode and transmits the signal to the position detection system through a transmission electrode.

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

the reception electrode and the transmission electrode of the first transmitter are formed from a center electrode disposed at one end in an axial direction of an elongated cylindrical housing and disposed on a central axis of the cylindrical housing, and a peripheral electrode surrounds the center electrode.

13. The position indicator according to claim 7, wherein:

the external apparatus is a position detection system; and

when a signal from the position detection system is not received by the receiver, the controller, in operation, determines that a configuration type in which the position detecting signal is not transmitted from the first transmitter is available.

14. The position indicator according to claim 7, wherein:

the external apparatus is a position detection system;

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

the position indicator further comprises a memory which stores information regarding the configuration type and relating to control, by the controller, of signals to be transmitted from the first transmitter and the second transmitter.

15. The position indicator according to claim 7, wherein:

the first transmitter includes a conductor disposed at one end in an axial direction of an elongated cylindrical housing; and

when the controller determines that the position detecting signal is to be transmitted based on the reception signal received by the receiver, the controller performs control to transmit the position detecting signal through the conductor of the first transmitter.

16. The position indicator according to claim 15, wherein:

the conductor disposed at the one end is an electrode core projecting from an opening provided at the one end in the axial direction of the housing or an electrode disposed at a peripheral portion of the electrode core.

17. The position indicator according to claim 15, further comprising:

a pressure detection circuit which, in operation, detects a pressure applied to one end of the conductor in the axial direction of the housing,

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

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

a memory that stores identification information,

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

19. 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.

20. The position indicator according to claim 19, wherein:

the second transmitter, in operation, transmits a transmission signal including identification information of the second transmitter; and

the identification information as the additional information transmitted from the first transmitter and the identification information of the second transmitter are same as each other.

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

the input circuit is a switch provided on a housing; and

the controller, in operation, controls transmission of the position detecting signal through the first transmitter based on switch information acquired from the switch, and controls transmission of the additional information generated by the plurality of additional information generation circuits from the first transmitter or the second transmitter.