Active stylus with configurable touch sensor

• US 9,389,707 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• 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, Sundara-Rajan, Kishore
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, David
• Application Number:
  US13/333,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• 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 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device includes a form factor of a stylus. The form factor includes a surface area. The device also includes one or more substrates disposed along one or more portions of the surface area; one or more touch sensors disposed on one or more of the substrates; and a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium coupled to one or more of the touch sensors and embodying logic configured to control one or more of the touch sensors.

Claims

1. A stylus comprising:

one or more substrates disposed along one or more portions of a surface area of the stylus;

one or more touch sensors disposed on one or more of the substrates, at least one of the touch sensors being logically partitioned into a plurality of distinct touch-sensitive areas; and

a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium coupled to one or more of the touch sensors and embodying logic configured when executed by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to;

control one or more of the touch sensors; and

logically repartition a touch sensor of the stylus that is logically partitioned into a first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to a mouse mode of operation into a second configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to a stylus mode of operation, wherein;

the first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to the mouse mode of operation comprises;

a first touch-sensitive area configured to detect a touch or proximity input that is a movement within the first touch-sensitive area to effect movement of a cursor displayed on a display of a device to which the stylus is configured to provide input; and

a second touch-sensitive area configured to operate as a button and to detect a touch or proximity input within the second touch sensitive area to effect a mouse click; and

the second configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to the stylus mode of operation comprises a second touch sensitive area that is differently positioned than the distinct touch-sensitive areas of the first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas.

2. The stylus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the portions of the surface area comprises a length, a cross-section with a perimeter, and an end of the stylus situated opposite a tip of the stylus, one or more of the substrates being disposed through substantially an entirety of the length and the perimeter.

3. The stylus of claim 2, wherein one or more of the substrates are disposed on an outer surface of the perimeter.

4. The stylus of claim 2, wherein one or more of the substrates are disposed on an inner surface of the perimeter.

5. The stylus of claim 1, wherein each of the touch-sensitive areas comprises drive or sense electrodes made of flexible conductive material.

6. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to initiate a pre-determined function associated with a particular distinct touch-sensitive area based on a touch or proximity input detected within the particular distinct touch-sensitive area.

7. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to initiate, based on a mode of operation of the stylus relative to the device to which the stylus is configured to provide input, a change of a pre-determined function associated with one or more of the distinct touch-sensitive areas.

8. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the first touch-sensitive area is logically partitioned around a circumference of the stylus and configured to operate as a wheel slider.

9. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the touch sensors comprising a plurality of electrodes each comprising a conductive mesh of conductive lines.

10. A method comprising:

logically partitioning one or more touch sensors disposed on one or more substrates into a plurality of distinct touch-sensitive areas, one or more of the substrates being disposed along one or more portions of a surface area of a stylus; and

logically repartitioning a touch sensor of the stylus that is logically partitioned into a first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to a mouse mode of operation into a second configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to a stylus mode of operation, wherein;

the first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to the mouse mode of operation comprises;

a first touch-sensitive area configured to detect a touch or proximity input that is a movement within the first touch-sensitive area to effect movement of a cursor displayed on a display of a device to which the stylus is configured to provide input; and

a second touch-sensitive area configured to operate as a button and to detect a touch or proximity input within the second touch sensitive area to effect a mouse click; and

the second configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to the stylus mode of operation comprises a second touch sensitive area that is differently positioned than the distinct touch-sensitive areas of the first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein one or more of the portions of the surface area comprises a length, a cross-section with a perimeter, and an end of the stylus situated opposite a tip of the stylus, one or more of the substrates being disposed through substantially an entirety of the length and the perimeter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the substrates are disposed on an outer surface of the perimeter.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the substrates are disposed on an inner surface of the perimeter.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising initiating, based on a mode of operation of the stylus relative to the device to which the stylus is configured to provide input, a change of a pre-determined function associated with one or more of the distinct touch-sensitive areas based on a mode of operation of the device relative to another device in communication with the device.

15. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic configured when executed by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to:

logically partition one or more touch sensors disposed on one or more substrates into a plurality of distinct touch-sensitive areas, one or more of the substrates being disposed along one or more portions of a surface area of a stylus; and

logically repartition a touch sensor of the stylus that is logically partitioned into a first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to a mouse mode of operation into a second configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to a stylus mode of operation, wherein;

the first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to the mouse mode of operation comprises;

a first touch-sensitive area configured to detect a touch or proximity input that is a movement within the first touch-sensitive area to effect movement of a cursor displayed on a display of a device to which the stylus is configured to provide input; and

a second touch-sensitive area configured to operate as a button and to detect a touch or proximity input within the second touch sensitive area to effect a mouse click; and

the second configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas corresponding to the stylus mode of operation comprises a second touch sensitive area that is differently positioned than the distinct touch-sensitive areas of the first configuration of distinct touch-sensitive areas.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein one or more of the portions of the surface area comprises a length, a cross-section with a perimeter, and an end of the stylus situated opposite a tip of the stylus, one or more of the substrates being disposed through substantially an entirety of the length and the perimeter.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein one or more of the substrates are disposed on an outer surface of the perimeter.

18. The medium of claim 16, wherein one or more of the substrates are disposed on an inner surface of the perimeter.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein the logic is further configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to initiate, based on a mode of operation of the stylus relative to the device to which the stylus is configured to provide input, a change of a pre-determined function associated with one or more of the distinct touch-sensitive areas.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein the first touch-sensitive area is logically partitioned around a circumference of the stylus and configured to operate as a wheel slider.