Electronic stylus with low skew tip for capacitive touch screens

• US 9,507,441 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jcm Electronic Stylus LLC
• Original Assignee: Jcm Electronic Stylus LLC
• Inventors: Mann, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MICHAUD, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US14/179,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20140160091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0441 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

Abstract

An electronic stylus to be used with a capacitive touch screen includes a tip portion having an electrically conductive tip and an electrically conductive supporting rod attached to the tip. The tip portion further includes a first electrical shielding tube enclosing and shielding the supporting rod and a second electrical shielding tube enclosing the first electrical shielding tube and the supporting rod. The electrical stylus further includes a circuit coupled to the supporting rod to integrate and amplify a current induced at the tip and an electrical conductive housing to house the circuit therein. The first electrical shielding tube and the second electrical shielding tube are to reduce skew effect between the supporting rod and a surface of a touch screen when the electronic stylus is held against the surface of the touch screen.

Claims

1. An electronic stylus to be used with a capacitive touch screen, comprising:

a tip portion having a tip and a supporting rod attached to the tip, the tip and the supporting rod being electrically conductive, wherein the tip portion further includes

a first electrical shielding tube enclosing and shielding the supporting rod, and

a second electrical shielding tube enclosing the first electrical shielding tube and the supporting rod;

a circuit coupled to the supporting rod to integrate and amplify a current induced at the tip, the circuit comprising a non-inverting integrator circuit and coupling an integrated non-inverted signal from the tip to the second electrical shielding tube; and

an electrically conductive housing to house the circuit therein, wherein the first electrical shielding tube and the second electrical shielding tube are to reduce skew effect between the supporting rod and a surface of a touch screen when the electronic stylus is held against the surface of the touch screen.

2. The electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein an output of the circuit is coupled to the second electrical shielding tube, while a ground of the circuit is coupled to the first electrical shielding tube.

3. The electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the tip of the tip portion comprises a ring.

4. The electronic stylus of claim 3, wherein the ring is coupled to the supporting rod in a predetermined angle, such that when the electronic stylus is held in a writing position with respect to the touch screen, a cross surface of the ring is relatively parallel with the surface of the touch screen.

5. The electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises:

a first operational amplifier (op-amp) having a negative input coupled to the tip;

a first capacitor coupled to the negative input and an output of the first op-amp to integrate charges induced at the tip;

a first resistor having a first end coupled to the output of the first op-amp; and

a second op-amp having a second end of the first resistor coupled to a negative input of the second op-amp and a second resistor coupled to the negative input of the second op-amp and an output of the second op-amp.

6. The electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein the circuit further comprises:

a first operational amplifier (op-amp) having a negative input coupled to the tip;

a first resistor coupled between the negative input and an output of the first op-amp;

a second resistor having a first end coupled to the output of the first op-amp; and

a second op-amp having a second end of the resistor coupled to a negative input of the second op-amp and a capacitor coupled between the negative input and an output of the second op-amp.

7. The electronic stylus of claim 1, wherein an output of the inverting amplifier is coupled to the electrically conductive housing.

8. The electronic stylus of claim 7, wherein the non-inverting integrated amplifier circuit comprises a negative capacitance.

9. An electronic stylus to be used with a capacitive touch screen, comprising:

a tip portion having a tip and a supporting rod attached to the tip, the tip and the supporting rod being electrically conductive;

a non-inverting integrating amplifier circuit coupled to the supporting rod to integrate and amplify a current induced at the tip, wherein the integrating amplifier circuit comprises a first operational amplifier (op-amp) having a negative input coupled to the tip, a first resistor having a first end coupled to an output of the first op-amp and a second op-amp having a negative input coupled to a second end of the first resistor;

wherein one of the first op-amp and the second op-amp having a capacitor coupled between the respective first or second op-amp'"'"'s negative input and its output; and

wherein another of the first op-amp and the second op-amp having a resistor coupled between the respective first or second op-amp'"'"'s negative input and its output;

a power supply circuit having a battery to provide power to the non-inverting integrating amplifier circuit; and

an electrically conductive housing to house the non-inverting integrating amplifier circuit and the power supply circuit.

10. The electronic stylus of claim 9, wherein the tip of the tip portion comprises an electrically conductive ring.

11. The electronic stylus of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive ring is coupled to the supporting rod in a predetermined angle, such that when the electronic stylus is held in a writing position with respect to the touch screen, a cross surface of the electrically conductive ring is relatively parallel with the surface of the touch screen.

12. An electronic stylus to be used with a capacitive touch screen, comprising:

a tip portion having a tip and a supporting rod attached to the tip, the tip and the supporting rod being electrically conductive;

a non-inverting integrating amplifier circuit coupled to the supporting rod to integrate and amplify a current induced at the tip, wherein the non-inverting integrating amplifier circuit comprises;

an inverting integrator having a negative input coupled to the tip to integrate a current induced at the tip,

a gain control circuit coupled to an output of the inverting integrator and to an electrically conductive housing, and

a resistor coupled between an output of the gain control circuit and a negative input of an inverting amplifier;

a power supply circuit having a battery to provide power to the non-inverting integrating amplifier circuit; and

an electrically conductive housing to house the non-inverting integrating amplifier circuit and the power supply circuit.

13. The electronic stylus of claim 12, wherein the gain control circuit comprises:

a comparator to compare a signal received from the output of a programmable attenuator against a predetermined threshold; and

a microcontroller coupled to an output of the comparator to receive a comparison signal and to generate a feedback signal based on the comparison signal to control the gain of the programmable attenuator.

14. The electronic stylus of claim 13, wherein the gain control circuit further comprises:

a rectifier coupled to the output of a programmable attenuator and an input of the comparator to rectify the signal received from the programmable attenuator; and

a low-pass filter coupled to a cathode of the rectifier to filter out high frequency remnants of the rectification process.

15. The electronic stylus of claim 12, wherein the tip of the tip portion comprises a ring.

16. The electronic stylus of claim 15, wherein the ring is coupled to the supporting rod in a predetermined angle, such that when the electronic stylus is held in a writing position with respect to the touch screen, a cross surface of the ring is relatively parallel with the surface of the touch screen.

17. The electronic stylus of claim 12, wherein the gain control circuit comprises one of an automatic programmable attenuator gain control circuit and an automatic analog gain control circuit.