Activating and using device with a grip switch

• US 9,552,049 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Butler, David George, Mincher, Richard William
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahi, Towfiq
• Application Number:
  US14/037,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 345/179
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An activation signal is provided in response to a user gripping force incident to a grip switch. Electronic circuitry transitions from an inactive state to an active state in response to the activation signal. The activation signal may also include encoded information regarding user identity, gripping force magnitude, user input gesturing, and the like. The electronic circuitry may use the information encoded in the signal to select or perform particular functions or operations. Power consumption of a stylus, user device, or other apparatus is reduced, or various functions are improved, accordingly.

Claims

1. A stylus, comprising:

a grip switch configured to exhibit a change in an electrical resistance in response to an applied force input, the grip switch comprising;

a spacer formed from a compressible material;

a first electrode positioned external to the spacer and having an internal surface associated with the spacer; and

a second electrode positioned external to the spacer and having an internal surface associated with the spacer, wherein the second electrode is spaced apart from the first electrode to define a gap between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein compression of the spacer under the applied force input moves one or more of the first electrode or the second electrode to narrow a width of the gap and provide an electrical connection between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a grip switch module coupled to the grip switch and configured to provide a first signal in response to the change in the electrical resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode of the grip switch;

a processor coupled to the grip switch and the grip switch module and configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to the first signal, wherein the processor is configured to provide information indicative of one or more of a position or a movement of the stylus during operation in the second state, and wherein the processor is further configured to consume less electrical energy in the first state than in the second state; and

a transmitter configured to communicate the information to an external device using electronic signals, wherein the transmitter transitions between an inactive state and an active state in response to a second signal provided by the processor.

2. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively defined by partial cylindrical form factors having an internal surface and an external surface, at least a portion of the internal surface of the first electrode and at least a portion of the internal surface of the second electrode contact the spacer, and the applied force input to the external surface of one or more of the first electrode or the second electrode compresses the spacer.

3. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the grip switch module is further configured to provide the first signal based on comparing the change in the electrical resistance of the electrical connection between the first electrode and the second electrode with a predetermined threshold value.

20. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to make electrical contact with each other in response to the applied force input by displacing one or more of the first electrode, the second electrode, or the spacer to cause the first electrode to contact the second electrode;

and

further wherein the spacer is configured to expand such that the first electrode and the second electrode break the electrical contact with each other in response to an absence of the applied force input.

4. A device, comprising:

a grip switch including;

a core;

at least two electrically conductive members external to the core and separated by at least one gap, wherein an applied force compresses the core and moves at least one of the at least two electrically conductive members into contact with at least one other of the at least two electrically conductive members; and

electronic circuitry configured to;

detect the change in an electrical characteristic of the at least one of the at least two electrically conductive members;

generate and encode information within a digital signal based on the detected change in the electrical characteristic; and

transition between a first energy consuming state and a second energy consuming state in accordance with the encoded information.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the at least two electrically conductive members includes an electrically conductive foam having the electrical resistance that varies in accordance with the applied force, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to encode information within the digital signal based on the electrical resistance of the electrically conductive foam.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to sense the electrical characteristic using a biasing signal, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to filter the biasing signal.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

identify a user based on a user applied force to the grip switch;

encode information indicative of a user identity within the digital signal; and

perform one or more predetermined functions associated with the user based on the identity encoded within the digital signal.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein the device is a stylus, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to electronically communicate information to a device external to the stylus, and wherein the information is based on a movement of the stylus while operating in the second energy consuming state.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to operate in the second energy consuming state while the applied force to the grip switch is in effect.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured, while operating in the second energy consuming state, to:

measure a velocity of the device; and

disable a predetermined function in response to a measured velocity of the device being greater than a predetermined threshold value.

11. The device of claim 4, wherein the grip switch is a first grip switch positioned proximate to a first end of the device, the device further comprising a second grip switch distinct from the first grip switch and positioned proximate to a second end of the device, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to perform a first function associated with the first end in response to a first force input to the first grip switch, and to perform a second function associated with the second end in response to a second force input to the second grip switch.

12. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to transition from the second energy consuming state back to the first energy consuming state in response to a predefined event.

13. The device of claim 4, the device further comprising:

a resilient shell configured to be engaged to at least a portion of a portable electronic device;

wherein the grip switch is supported by the resilient shell; and

wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to provide the digital signal to the portable electronic device.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a device that includes a spacer and at least two electrically conductive members associated with the spacer and separated by at least one gap, an applied force, wherein the applied force compresses the spacer to cause movement of at least one of the at least two electrically conductive members into contact with at least one other of the at least two electrically conductive members to change an electrical characteristic of the at least two electrically conductive members by enabling electrical conduction between the at least two electrically conductive members;

detecting, by the device, the change in the electrical characteristic;

generating, by the device, a first signal in response to the change in the electrical characteristic; and

transitioning at least a portion of the device from a first state to a second state in response to the first signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein movement of the spacer and the at least one of the at least two electrically conductive members moves the at least one of the at least two electrically conductive members into physical contact with at least one other of the at least two electrically conductive members to electrically couple the at least two electrically conductive members.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least two electrically conductive members include electrodes,

and wherein the applied force compresses the spacer and moves the at least one of the at least two electrically conductive members into contact with the at least one other of the at least two electrically conductive members to electrically couple the at least two electrically conductive members.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the device in the first state consumes less electrical energy than the device in the second state.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting, by the device, discontinuation of the change in the electrical characteristic of the at least one electrically conductive member;

generating, by the device, a second signal in response to the discontinuation of the change in the electrical characteristic; and

transitioning the at least a portion of the device from the second state to the first state in response to the second signal.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least a portion of the device comprises a transmitter;

and further comprising sending data using the transmitter, operating in the second state, to one or more external devices.