COLLAPSIBLE ELECTRONIC STYLUS

• US 20190354204A1
• Filed: 05/17/2018
• Published: 11/21/2019
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,642,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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;

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 multiple panels comprise:

multiple side panels that are rotatably attached to each other to form the loop; and

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.

14. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the multiple panels each comprise:

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.

15. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 14, wherein the triangular portions of the multiple panels comprise faces of an imaginary pyramid.

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

17. A collapsible electronic stylus comprising:

a shell portion, the shell portion 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.

18. The collapsible electronic stylus of claim 17, further comprising:

an end portion attached to the shell portion,

wherein the transmitter is attached to the end portion.

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

20. A portable computing device comprising:

a display;

a base rotatably attached to the display;

the base defining a slot, the base comprising;

at least one device processor controlling the display;

a receiver configured to receive wireless signals and transmit the received wireless signals to the at least one device processor; and

an electronic stylus disposed in the slot in a collapsed position;

the 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 the collapsed position that minimizes the volume enclosed by the panels;

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

the transmitter configured to transmit the wireless signals to the portable computing device.