Active stylus with surface-modification materials

• US 9,164,598 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sundara-Rajan, Kishore, Yilmaz, Esat, Pedersen, Trond Jarle
• Primary Examiner(s): HALEY, JOSEPH R
• Application Number:
  US13/362,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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

Abstract

In one embodiment, a stylus has one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device. The stylus also has an electronic circuit operable to provide an input that changes a property of one or more materials located on the body of the stylus or on the stylus tip.

Claims

1. A stylus comprising:

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

a tip comprising one or more materials;

an electronic circuit operable to provide, in response to a signal, an input altering a property of the one or more materials, the property comprising one or more of;

a hardness of the one or more materials; and

a texture of the one or more materials.

2. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the property further comprises one or more of:

shape;

size;

brightness;

color;

viscosity;

temperature; and

opacity.

3. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the input comprises one or more of:

an electromagnetic field;

an electric current; and

a temperature.

4. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the one or more materials comprise one or more of:

an electronic or ionic electroactive polymer;

a thermoelectric material;

a temperature-responsive material; and

a photomechanical material.

5. The stylus of claim 1, wherein a surface area of the stylus comprises one or more of:

a button;

a slider; and

a textured surface.

6. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit provides the input based on one or more of:

a signal initiated by a user of the stylus; and

contents of one or more second non-transitory computer-readable storage media.

7. The stylus of claim 6, wherein the contents of the one or more second non-transitory computer-readable storage media are determined by one or more of:

the user of the stylus;

software associated with the stylus or the device; and

preset prior to any user'"'"'s initial use of the stylus.

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

determine whether to alter a property of one or more materials of a tip of a stylus, the tip comprising the one or more materials; and

initiate provision of a signal to an electronic circuit in a stylus, the electronic circuit operable to provide in response to the signal an input altering the property of the one or more materials, the property comprising one or more of;

a hardness of the one or more materials; and

a texture of the one or more materials,

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

9. The media of claim 8, wherein the property further comprises one or more of:

shape;

size;

brightness;

color;

viscosity;

temperature; and

opacity.

10. The media of claim 8, wherein the input comprises one or more of:

an electromagnetic field;

an electric current; and

a temperature.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein the one or more materials comprise one or more of:

an electronic or ionic electroactive polymer;

a thermoelectric material;

a temperature-responsive material;

and a photomechanical material.

12. The media of claim 8, wherein a surface area of the stylus comprises one or more of:

a button;

a slider; and

a textured surface.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein the first logic initiates provision of the input based on one or more of:

a signal generated by a user of the stylus;

or

contents of one or more third non-transitory computer-readable storage media, the contents of the one or more third non-transitory computer-readable storage media determined by one or more of;

the user of the stylus;

software associated with the stylus or the device; and

preset prior to any user'"'"'s initial use of the stylus.

20. The media of claim 8, wherein the property of the one or more materials altered by the input is based at least in part on settings determined by a user of the stylus or by software associated with the stylus.

14. A method comprising:

determining, by a stylus comprising a tip, the tip comprising one or more materials, whether to alter a property of the one or more materials; and

providing a signal to an electronic circuit in the stylus, the electronic circuit operable to provide in response to the signal an input altering a property of one or more materials, the property comprising one or more of;

a hardness of the one or more materials; and

a texture of the one or more materials,

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

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the property comprises one or more of:

shape;

size;

brightness;

color;

viscosity;

temperature; and

opacity.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the input comprises one or more of:

an electromagnetic field;

an electric current; and

a temperature.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more materials comprise one or more of:

an electronic or ionic electroactive polymer;

a thermoelectric material;

a temperature-responsive material;

and

a photomechanical material.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein a surface area of the stylus comprises one or more of:

a button;

a slider; and

a textured surface.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the input is provided based on one or more of:

a signal generated by a user of the stylus; and

contents of one or more second non-transitory computer-readable storage media.