Stylus for electronic devices
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsAidan N. Zimmerman, Wingshan Wong, Kevin Armendariz, Nathan Bohney, Christopher Pasma, Mahmoud Amini, Brenton A. Baugh, Ryan P. Brooks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A user input system including a stylus and an electronic device. A user may manipulate the stylus across an input surface of the electronic device and the movement may be detected using axially-aligned electric fields generated by the stylus. The stylus may also include a force-sensitive structure that can be used to estimate a force applied to the electronic device by the stylus.
Claims19
A method of operating a user input system comprising a stylus and an electronic device, the method comprising:
- determining, based on an operational state of the electronic device, whether detection of an angular position of the stylus is required for an operation of the electronic device;
- if the angular position of the stylus is required for the operation:
- generating, adjacent to a tip of the stylus, a first electric field and a second electric field offset from the first electric field;
- receiving, at an input surface of the electronic device, the first electric field and the second electric field;
- and
- determining, based on the first electric field and the second electric field, the angular position of the stylus relative to the input surface;
- and
- if the angular position of the stylus is not required for the operation:
- generating the first electric field without generating the second electric field;
- receiving, at the input surface, the first electric field;
- and
- determining, based on the first electric field, a location of the stylus relative to the input surface.
A method of operating an electronic device with a stylus, the method comprising:
- determining, based on an operational state of the electronic device, whether detection of an angular position of the stylus is required for an operation of the electronic device;
- if the angular position of the stylus is required for the operation:
- communicating a first command to the stylus to generate a first electric field and a second electric field offset from the first electric field;
- receiving, at an input surface of the electronic device, the first electric field and the second electric field;
- and
- determining, based on the first electric field and the second electric field, the angular position of the stylus relative to the input surface;
- and
- if the angular position of the stylus is not required for the operation:
- communicating a second command to the stylus to generate the first electric field without generating the second electric field;
- receiving, at the input surface, the first electric field;
- and
- determining, based on the first electric field, a location of the stylus relative to the input surface.
A method of operating a stylus with an electronic device, the method comprising:
- receiving a command from the electronic device to the stylus, the command indicating, based on an operational state of the electronic device, whether detection of an angular position of the stylus is required for an operation of the electronic device;
- if the angular position of the stylus is required for the operation, generating, adjacent to a tip of the stylus a first electric field and a second electric field offset from the first electric field, such that the first electric field and the second electric field are received at an input surface of the electronic device;
- and
- if the angular position of the stylus is not required for the operation, generating the first electric field without generating the second electric field, such that the first electric field is received at the input surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.