Active stylus with surface-modification materials

• US 9,891,723 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wacom Co Limited (Wacom)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pedersen, Trond Jarle, Yilmaz, Esat, Sundara-Rajan, Kishore
• Primary Examiner(s): HALEY, JOSEPH R
• Application Number:
  US14/876,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20160026274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

In one embodiment, a stylus has one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device. The stylus also has an electronic circuit operable to provide an input that changes a property of one or more materials located on the body of the stylus or on the stylus tip.

Claims

1. A stylus comprising:

an electrode for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor of the device;

a surface comprising a surface-modification material having a plurality of functionality-specific states, each functionality-specific state identifying that a specific functionality of the device or the stylus is available;

a computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying instructions that are operable when executed to identify, in response to a determination that a specific functionality is available, from the plurality of functionality-specific states the specific functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality; and

an electronic circuit operable to, in response to the identification, provide a signal causing the surface-modification material to be in the functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality.

2. The stylus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the functionality-specific state is associated with a specific functionality of the device.

3. The stylus of claim 2, wherein a specific functionality identified by a first one of the plurality of functionality-specific states comprises:

deleting specific data;

navigating through a particular menu;

exiting a particular application;

or

entering a secure operating mode.

4. The stylus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the functionality-specific state is associated with a specific functionality of the stylus.

5. The stylus of claim 4, wherein a specific functionality identified by a first one of the plurality of functionality-specific states comprises:

deleting specific data;

or

entering a secure operating mode.

6. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the surface-modification material comprises:

a shape-memory alloy;

a shape-memory polymer;

an electronic or ionic electroactive polymer;

a magnetocaloric material;

a thermoelectric material;

a pH-sensitive material;

a temperature-responsive material;

a piezoelectric;

a halochromic material;

a chromogenic material;

or

a photomechanical material.

7. The stylus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of functionality-specific state comprises:

a particular shape of the surface-modification material;

a particular size of the surface-modification material;

a particular hardness of the surface-modification material;

a particular effective coefficient of friction of the surface-modification material;

a particular brightness of the surface-modification material;

a particular color of the surface-modification material;

a particular viscosity of the surface-modification material;

a particular texture of the surface-modification material;

a particular temperature of the surface-modification material;

or

a particular opacity of the surface-modification material.

16. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the signal is initiated by a user of the stylus.

17. The stylus of claim 1, wherein the signal is initiated by software executed by the stylus or the device.

18. The stylus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the functionality-specific states is associated with the specific functionality by one or more user-configurable settings.

19. The stylus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the functionality-specific states is associated with the specific functionality by software executing on the stylus of the device.

8. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed by one or more processors to:

identify, in response to a determination that a specific functionality of a device or a stylus is available, from a plurality of functionality-specific states a specific functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality;

initiate, in response to the identification, a signal causing a surface-modification material of the stylus to be in the functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality, wherein;

the surface-modification material has the plurality of functionality-specific states, each functionality-specific state identifying that a specific functionality of the device or the stylus is available; and

the stylus comprises an electrode for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor of the device.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein at least one of the functionality-specific state is associated with a specific functionality of the device.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein a specific functionality identified by a first one of the plurality of functionality-specific states comprises:

deleting specific data;

navigating through a particular menu;

exiting a particular application;

or

entering a secure operating mode.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein at least one of the functionality-specific state is associated with a specific functionality of the stylus.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein a specific functionality identified by a first one of the plurality of functionality-specific states comprises:

deleting specific data;

or

entering a secure operating mode.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein the surface-modification material comprises:

a shape-memory alloy;

a shape-memory polymer;

an electronic or ionic electroactive polymer;

a magnetocaloric material;

a thermoelectric material;

a pH-sensitive material;

a temperature-responsive material;

a piezoelectric;

a halochromic material;

a chromogenic material;

or

a photomechanical material.

14. The media of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of the functionality-specific state comprises:

a particular shape of the surface-modification material;

a particular size of the surface-modification material;

a particular hardness of the surface-modification material;

a particular effective coefficient of friction of the surface-modification material;

a particular brightness of the surface-modification material;

a particular color of the surface-modification material;

a particular viscosity of the surface-modification material;

a particular texture of the surface-modification material;

a particular temperature of the surface-modification material;

or

a particular opacity of the surface-modification material.

20. The media of claim 8, wherein at least one of the functionality-specific states is associated with the specific functionality by one or more user-configurable settings.

15. A method comprising:

identifying, in response to a determination that a specific functionality of a device or a stylus is available, from a plurality of functionality-specific states a specific functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality;

causing, in response to the identification, a surface-modification material of the stylus to be in the functionality-specific state corresponding to the available functionality, wherein;

the surface-modification material has the plurality of functionality-specific states, each functionality-specific state identifying that a specific functionality of the device or the stylus is available; and

the stylus comprises an electrode for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch sensor of the device.