Executing gestures with active stylus

• US 9,164,603 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: Yilmaz, Esat, Logan, John, Pedersen, Trond Jarle, Bakken, Vemund Kval
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, EMILY J
• Application Number:
  US13/363,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware

Abstract

In one embodiment, a stylus has one or more sensors that detect the movement of the stylus, such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer. The stylus wirelessly transmits signals to a device based on the movement of the stylus.

Claims

1. A stylus comprising:

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; and

one or more sensors operable to detect a rotation of the stylus relative to at least one of the one or more electrodes, wherein one or more of the following is true;

the detected rotation authenticates at least in part a user of the stylus to the stylus or the device;

the detected rotation alters an amount of power received by one or more components in the stylus or the device;

and

the detected rotation accesses menus or commands specific to content displayed on a touch-sensitive display of the device.

2. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the detected rotation further results in a functionality associated with the stylus or the device, the functionality based on the rotation and one or more of:

an orientation of the stylus;

a location of the stylus;

a user associated with the stylus;

data stored on the stylus;

or

a sequence of motions performed by the stylus.

3. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the detected rotation further results in a functionality associated with the stylus or the device, the functionality comprising one or more of:

adding content displayed on a touch screen of the device;

altering the characteristics of content displayed on the touch screen of the device;

deleting content displayed on the touch screen of the device;

or

moving content displayed on the touch screen of the device.

4. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the detected rotation authenticates at least in part a user of the stylus to the stylus or the device.

5. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the detected rotation alters an amount of power received by one or more components in the stylus or the device.

6. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the detected rotation transfers data between the stylus and the device.

7. The stylus of claim 1, the detected rotation accesses menus or commands specific to content displayed on a touch-sensitive display of the device.

8. A method comprising:

detecting movement of a stylus by one or more sensors on or in the stylus, the stylus comprising 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; and

determining from the detected movement a motion of at least one of the electrodes and a motion of the stylus relative to the at least one of the electrodes, wherein one or more of the following is true;

the detected movement is at least part of an authentication of a user of the stylus to the stylus or the device;

the detected movement alters an amount of power received by one or more components in the stylus or the device;

and

the detected movement accesses menus or commands specific to content displayed on a touch-sensitive display of the device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the detected movement further results in a functionality associated with the stylus or the device, the functionality based on the movement and one or more of:

an orientation of the stylus;

a location of the stylus;

a user associated with the stylus;

data stored on the stylus;

or

a sequence of motions performed by the stylus.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the detected movement further results in a functionality associated with the stylus or the device, the functionality comprising one or more of:

adding content displayed on a touch screen of the device;

altering the characteristics of content displayed on the touch screen of the device;

deleting content displayed on the touch screen of the device;

or

moving content displayed on the touch screen of the device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the detected movement is at least part of an authentication of a user of the stylus to the stylus or the device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the detected movement alters an amount of power received by one or more components in the stylus or the device.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the detected movement transfers data between the stylus and the device.

14. The method of claim 8, the detected movement accesses menus or commands specific to content displayed on a touch-sensitive display of the device.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor for receiving first signals from one or more electrodes of a stylus;

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

process the received first signals to determine a motion of at least one of the electrodes relative to the device;

process one or more received second signals identifying a motion of the stylus relative to the at least one electrode, the motion detected by one or more sensors on or in the stylus; and

determine a functionality associated with the stylus or the device based on the processed first signals and the processed second signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first signals comprise the second signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the stylus comprises a tip comprising the at least one electrode.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first signals are received when the tip is in contact with a touch-sensitive display of the device.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first signals are received when the tip is in proximity to but not in contact with a touch-sensitive display of the device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the functionality comprises one or more of:

adding content displayed on a touch screen of the device;

altering the characteristics of content displayed on the touch screen of the device;

deleting content displayed on the touch screen of the device;

or

moving content displayed on the touch screen of the device.