Pressure sensitive stylus

• US 9,740,312 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2015
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Barel, Eliyahu
• Primary Examiner(s): HICKS, CHARLES V
• Application Number:
  US14/848,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20170068345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• 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 3/0441 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 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A stylus includes a housing that extends along a longitudinal direction and includes an opening on one end, a tip that extends along the longitudinal direction and through the opening and a sensor configured to detect displacement of the tip in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

Claims

1. A stylus comprising:

a housing that extends along a longitudinal direction and includes an opening on one end;

a tip that extends along the longitudinal direction and through the opening; and

a sensor configured to detect displacement of the tip with respect to the housing, wherein the displacement is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the sensor includes compressible material configured to compress with the displacement of the tip and wherein the compressible material is configured to vary its level of conductivity in response to the compression.

2. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect bend or tilt of the tip toward the housing.

3. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the compressible material is a ring shaped element fitted including an inner diameter and an outer diameter, wherein the inner diameter is sized to fit around the tip and the outer diameter is sized to contact an electrode fixed to the housing.

4. The stylus according to claim 3, wherein the electrode is integrated or patterned on the housing.

5. The stylus according to claim 4, comprising a circuit configured to transmit a first signal via the tip, to detect a second signal on the electrode and to compare at least one of amplitude and phase of the first signal and the second signal.

6. The stylus according to claim 5, wherein the electrode is divided into a plurality of isolated portions and wherein the circuit is configured to detect a signal on each of the plurality of isolated portions.

7. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the compressible material is sandwiched between a first electrode fixed to the tip and a second electrode fixed to the housing.

8. The stylus according to claim 7, comprising a circuit configured to transmit a first signal via the tip, to detect a second signal on the second electrode and to compare at least one of amplitude and phase of the first signal and the second signal.

9. The stylus according to claim 8, wherein the second electrode is divided into a plurality of isolated portions and wherein the circuit is configured to detect the second signal on each of the plurality of isolated portions.

10. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the compressible material is resilient.

11. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the compressible material is a dielectric material.

12. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the material is configured to switch between being electrically non-conductive and electrically conductive based on compression.

13. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a capacitive sensor.

14. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a resistive sensor.

15. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a transition between hover operational state and a touch operation state of the stylus.

16. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect different pressure levels applied on the tip during operation of the stylus.

17. The stylus according to claim 1 comprising a second sensor communicating with the tip, wherein the second sensor is configured to detect force applied on the tip in the longitudinal direction.

18. The stylus according to claim 1 comprising:

a signal generator for generating a signal to be transmitted by the stylus;

a transmitter for transmitting the signal generated by the signal generator; and

a controller for controlling operation of the stylus.

19. The stylus according to claim 17, wherein output from the sensor is encoded in the signal transmitted by the transmitter.

20. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the compressible material is an elastic polymer mixed with conductive particles.

21. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the compressible material is configured to smoothly change from an electrical insulator under no pressure to a conductor when placed under pressure.

22. The stylus according to claim 1, wherein the compressible material is defined to have a thickness ranging between 100-400 μ

m and a hardness in a range of Shore A 20-50.