Method for identifying changes in signal frequencies emitted by a stylus interacting with a digitizer sensor

• US 9,018,547 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: N-Trig Ltd (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Rimon, Ori, Kerner, Ariel
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US14/144,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20140111461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18.03
• US Class Current: 178/18.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• 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 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

A method for dynamically updating at least one pre-defined value of a parameter used to identify at least one operational mode of an object for user interaction with a digitizer sensor during interaction with the digitizer sensor comprises detecting signal outputs from a plurality of sensing elements of a digitizer sensor during user interaction with the digitizer sensor; characterizing a pattern formed by the signal outputs from the plurality of sensing elements; identifying a pre-defined event associated with an operational mode of the object based on the pattern; determining a value of the parameter from the signal outputs in response to identification of the pre-defined event; and updating the pre-defined value used to identify the operational mode based on the value of the parameter determined from the identified event.

Claims

1. A method for identifying that a stylus configured for interacting with a digitizer sensor is hovering over the digitizer sensor, the method comprising:

receiving a signal transmitted by the stylus on a plurality of sensing elements of the digitizer sensor, wherein each of the plurality of sensing elements is associated with a different area on the digitizer sensor;

determining a peak formed by signal outputs obtained from the plurality of sensing elements of the digitizer sensor receiving the signal;

determining position of the stylus on the digitizer sensor responsive to a location of the peak with respect to the digitizer sensor;

determining at least one ratio between amplitude of signal output from at least one sensing element providing a highest amplitude signal output and amplitude of signal output from at least one other sensing element, wherein the at least one sensing element and the at least one other sensing element are sensing elements from the plurality of sensing elements of the digitizer sensor receiving the signal;

determining a shape of the peak from the at least one ratio and a defined distance between the plurality of sensing elements; and

determining a height of the stylus above the digitizer sensor from the shape of the peak.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the shape of the peak includes characterizing a width of the peak from the at least one ratio.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one ratio includes a ratio between amplitude of the highest amplitude signal output and amplitude of signal output from a sensing element that is contiguous to the at least sensing element providing the highest amplitude signal output.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the least one ratio includes a ratio between amplitude of signal output from two sensing elements that are contiguous to the at least sensing element providing the highest amplitude signal output.

5. The method according to claim 1, where in the at least one ratio includes a ratio between a sum of amplitudes of signal output obtained from a pre-defined number of sensing elements having the largest amplitudes and a sum total of amplitudes obtained from the plurality of sensing elements.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position and the height of the stylus is determined based on a look-up table.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the height determined is a qualitative height.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the qualitative height includes low hovering, medium hovering and high hovering of the stylus.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stylus interacts with the digitizer sensor in a plurality of operational modes including at least one of hover operation mode, touch operational mode, right mouse click emulation mode and erase mode.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensing elements of the digitizer sensor are conductive lines that are arranged to form a grid.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digitizer sensor is also configured for detecting fingertip interaction with the digitizer sensor.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the digitizer sensor is configured for detecting touch and hover fingertip interaction with the digitizer sensor.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein fingertip interaction is detected in response to sending a triggering pulse to at least one sensing element of the digitizer sensor.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digitizer sensor is also configured for detecting a palm touching the digitizer sensor.