Interacting tips for a digitizer stylus

• US 9,513,723 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Stern, Yuval, Geller, Ilan, Leshem, Yair
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/839,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20150370354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 464 Days
• Field of Search: 345/179, 178/19.01, 178/19.02, 178/19.03, 178/19.04
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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

A stylus for use with a digitizer sensor includes a housing confined by a first and second end, a primary tip positioned at the first end of the housing and associated with a first transmitting element, the first transmitting element having a first diameter, a secondary tip positioned at the second end of the housing and associated with a second transmitting element, the second transmitting element having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, a transmitting unit for transmitting a first signal with a first amplitude via the first transmitting element and for transmitting a second signal with a second amplitude via the second transmitting element, wherein the first amplitude is at least twice the second amplitude and a powering unit for powering transmission of the first and second signal.

Claims

1. A stylus comprising:

a primary tip associated with a first conductor, the first conductor having a first diameter;

a second tip associated with a second conductor, the second conductor having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal with a first amplitude via the first conductor and for transmitting a second signal with a second amplitude via the second conductor, wherein the first amplitude is at least twice the second amplitude; and

wherein the second amplitude together with the second diameter is selected to provide for detecting the second signal with substantially a same signal to noise ratio as compared to the first signal.

2. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the stylus includes a battery configured to power transmission of the first signal and the second signal.

3. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the stylus comprises a housing confined by a first and second end, wherein the primary tip protrudes from the first end and the second tip protrudes from the second end.

4. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the second amplitude together with the second diameter is selected to reduce power for transmitting the second signal as compared to power for transmitting the first signal.

5. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the second tip has a dome shape.

6. The stylus of claim 1, comprising a circuit configured to block transmission of the first signal based on identifying a touch operational state of the second tip of the stylus.

7. The stylus of claim 1, comprising a first transmitter configured to transmit the first signal and a second transmitter configured to transmit the second signal, wherein the first transmitter and the second transmitter are operated independently.

8. The stylus of claim 7, comprising a first power unit configured to power transmission of the first signal and a second power unit configured to power transmission of the second signal, wherein the first power unit and the second power unit are independent.

9. The stylus of claim 7, wherein the second tip and the second transmitter are housed in a second housing selectively detachable from a housing of the stylus.

10. A stylus comprising:

a primary tip associated with a first conductor, the first conductor having a first diameter;

a second tip associated with a second conductor, the second conductor having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

a housing confined by a first and second end, wherein the primary tip protrudes from the first end and the second tip protrudes from the second end;

a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal with a first amplitude via the first conductor and for transmitting a second signal with a second amplitude via the second conductor, wherein the first amplitude is at least twice the second amplitude;

a battery configured to power transmission of the first signal and the second signal; and

wherein the second amplitude together with the second diameter is selected to provide for detecting the second signal with substantially a same signal to noise ratio as compared to the first signal.

11. The stylus of claim 10, wherein the second amplitude together with the second diameter is selected to reduce power for transmitting the second signal as compared to power for transmitting the first signal.

12. The stylus of claim 10, wherein the second diameter is at least twice the first diameter.

13. The stylus of claim 10 comprising a first transmitter configured to transmit the first signal and a second transmitter configured to transmit the second signal, wherein the first transmitter and the second transmitter are operated independently.

14. The stylus of claim 13, comprising a first power unit configured to power transmission of the first signal and a second power unit configured to power transmission of the second signal, wherein the first power unit and the second power unit are independent.

15. The stylus of claim 13, wherein the second tip and the second transmitter are housed in a second housing selectively detachable from the housing.

16. A system comprising:

a digitizer sensor configured to sense signals transmitted by a stylus; and

the stylus comprising;

a primary tip associated with a first conductor, the first conductor having a first diameter;

a second tip associated with a second conductor, the second conductor having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;

a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal with a first amplitude via the first conductor and for transmitting a second signal with a second amplitude via the second conductor, wherein the first amplitude is at least twice the second amplitude; and

wherein the second amplitude together with the second diameter is selected to provide for detecting the second signal on the digitizer sensor with substantially a same signal to noise ratio as compared to the first signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the digitizer sensor is a grid based digitizer sensor.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the digitizer sensor is configured to sense finger touch with capacitive based detection.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the digitizer sensor is configured to track location of the primary tip based on sensing the first signal and to track location of the second tip based on sensing the second signal.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first signal and the second signal is modulated with information.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the stylus includes a battery configured to power transmission of the first signal and the second signal.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the second amplitude together with the second diameter is selected to reduce power for transmitting the second signal as compared to power for transmitting the first signal.